Glorious weather, untypically, greeted the start of the Cross Country season with the first Red Rose fixture at Leigh. Some athletes even ran in road shoes, reflecting both the weather and the course. With a greater concentration on the Mid Lancs Cross Country League this year, there were just 16 Blackburn Harriers out on the day.
Full Results HERE
Stephen Chew mixed it at the front end of the Men’s Senior Race with with winner Tom Carson from Bolton and second placed David Proctor from Rochdale before finishing 3rd (33.21) with an excellent run.
At the beginning of the day, Amy Davies (8.17) – Chris Davies’s daughter – competed in the U11 Girls Race and had a terrific run finishing second to namesake Penny Davies (8.12) from Horwich.
In the U15 Boys won by Matthew Barnes from Pendle (12.06), Thomas Harbour continued his really good form with a fourth place (12.26). Liz Greenwood (13.08), fresh from her victory for England in the Hill Running Championships in Scotland the week before won the U15 Girls Race comfortably. Kelsey Rutherford who also competed for England with Liz, came home in 6th place (14.27) and both girls were supported by Rose Abbott in 24th (17.13) which gave them the 2nd place in the Team competition won by Rossendale.
In the Senior Women’s Race, Shelley Tattersall was first Harrier home (27th) in 22.50 followed by Jackie Taylor (39th) 23.58 and Louise McCauley (40th) 24.07 which gave the Team 9th position overall out of 17 Teams and won by Leigh.
The Senior Men, led by a really good run in 3rd place by Stephen Chew, had Chris Davies in 16th (35.40); Danny Maynard (73rd) 39.49; Allan Hartley (120th) 42.25; Richard Taylor 160th (45.00) and Paul Wilkinson (178th) 46.59. This put us in 11th place in the Team competition won by Bolton.
==============================
English Schools Fellrunning Championships Kendal, 29th September
More cracking runs from some of the Harriers leading Juniors at the Championships. In the YR10/11 Race, combining boys and girls with 105 runners. Liz Greenwood finished 15th overall and 1st Girl in a time of 27.33. Grace Handley came 27th (28.25) overall and 2nd Girl. Liz and Grace were awarded the 1st and 2nd place medals along with clothing as prizes.
Full Results HERE
Photo’s courtesy of Woodentops HERE
Grace & Liz with their Medals
In the YR 8/9 Race again in a combined field of boys and girls – 140 in total – two young Harriers who are coming on leaps and bounds had good races. Megan Clarkson came 75th (20.22) and Hannah Cookson 89th (21.25).
in the YR 12/13 Race featuring 58 runners, Robert Buckley who hasn’t raced for quite a time and has just returned to training placed 20th (38.23) and Hannah Dobrashian running for Westholme came 53rd in 55.29.
==============================
Baxters Loch Ness Marathon – September 29th
Club Coach Jorma Jarvinen had been putting in some training for the Marathon and booked himself a place in this one in Scotland which saw 2681 runners complete the Race eventually won by Tarus Elly of Salford Harriers in 2.27.21. In all the Races held on the day from 10k through to the Marathon there were some where in the region of 9000 entrants.
Full Results HERE
Jorma had a really good run finishing 142nd in this big field with a time of 3.12.53. After the Race, he was in good heart, describing the Race “Loch Ness Marathon, Probably the most beautiful Marathon course around.
The stunning views from the mountain towards the lake from the starting point are absolutely breathtaking. If anyone would like to do a really nice Marathon this is it. Bare in mind though that the track profile is deceiving, yeah it is a lot down the hill but it is often steep gradients and you really have to take care of the thigh muscles which are taking a lot of punishment over the first 6 miles or so, and they came back to bite me in the end of the race.
My preparations had gone so, so with a sore throat 3 weeks before, stopping me from a weeks training but I did a proper emptying/filling of carbs and entered the race with a 3.15 target on my mind and intended to maintain a controlled pace no matter what…Worked fine for about 6 miles (43,41) after about 10 miles I felt so good that I had to increase the pace and I had about 1,34 at the halfway point feeling brillant. It went very well until about 18 miles when the last couple of tough climbs started and after the 21st mile my thighs had given up. Last 5 miles pure pain but decided that no matter what I will fight it to the end and managed to keep it together reasonably and getting a chip time of 3. 12.53 was well within my target so really content with that. I couldn’t have done any better no matter what.
Now only if I could get my legs working again… ”
==============================
Run Preston 10K – September 29th
The ever improving Samantha McCreadie got even better on Sunday at this Race finishing 31st overall out of 734 runners, was first Woman home and set a new PB of 40.34. Jan and Katie Buckingham also contested the race with daughter Katie taking the ‘bragging rights’ finishing in 137th position (47.05) and mum Jan in 289th (53.15). Samantha was delighted with her Race and her new PB of “40:34mins (down from 41:23mins in the Manchester City 10k in July). It was a great event – well organised and good atmosphere with 2k, 5k and 10k races over the morning. The 10k quite was a tough course, hilly with loops around the city centre, Avenham Park and Riverside so the PB and being 1st woman was totally unexpected!! I was in 3rd until about 5km then overtook the lead woman at 8km and just had to hang on! I really enjoyed it but i’m still aiming for a sub 40min 10k at some point!! “
Full Results HERE
After the Race Jan told us “………..with great weather and a slightly changed route, Sam was first lady home in 40.34. I had said on the start line she and Katie were likely to be in the top 10, which surprised her, so I think it was real shock to win it! Katie was 11th lady as there was no junior category, in 47.05, which she was pleased with as only her 3rd 10k ever and has been training for much shorter distances over the summer. I plodded home in 53.15 to take 47th place out of 291 ladies, which is only 20 seconds off a PB, and blame that killer hill at the 9k mark!! “.
==============================
Cheshire 10K – September 29th
There was another 10k on the same day which attracted a field of 700 runners and run at Arly, Cheshire, a new Race which has got off to a good start with the winner, Russell Bentley (30.21) out on his own a minute and half in front of 2nd place.
Full Results HERE
Three Blackburn Harriers entered the Race – Shaun Livesey finished 14th overall taking 21 seconds off his existing best time in setting a new PB of 34.04. Rachel Wood – sister of one of the Race organisers, Matt Wood – posted a good time of 38.46 to finish in 53rd overall and 5th Woman behind the likes of Emma Pallant and Jenny Clague. Evan Cook, racing for the second time in a week took the 2nd V60 spot finishing in 55th (38.49) and a season’s best.
==============================
Ron Hill’s 75th Birthday Race – September 25th
Full Results HERE
Three hundred and fifty eight runners lined up to celebrate Ron Hill’s birthday which was a big testament to his own achievements in endurance athletics. Evan Cook, a little younger than Ron at a ‘mere’ V60 took 63rd overall in a time of 19.56 and took the V60 Men’s Prize too.
==============================
Littleborough 10k – September 22nd
Scott Monk took another step forward in recovering from injury and a layoff by placing 10th (39.12) in this not so easy 10k.
Full Results HERE
==============================
Lancaster 5k – September 28th
John Sutton took himself off to the 5k taking 6th place in 17.21. At home on the Fells this was John’s first 5k since 2008.
Full Results HERE
==============================
