Blackburn Harrier’s Helen Leigh knows how to celebrate the Christmas period by getting stuck in. On Boxing Day she joined one hundred and forty eight other runners at the Whinberry Naze Fell Race put on by Steve Duxbury and Rossendale Harriers every year. Rossendale’s Joe Hopley won the race in 26.13 with Helen placing 20th overall in 31.31 and 3rd woman in the race – just one second behind Rossendale’s Emma Richardson. The day after Helen was back out, this time Marshaling for the Club as the Harriers organised the annual Ribble Valley 10k Road Race at Clitheroe won by Jonny Mellor and Jess Piasecki.
Helen at Whinberry Naze
On to New Years Day Helen was out again at the “Aonach mor uphill race on New Year’s day with a raging hangover“. Ninety three athletes braved the elements. Because of the really bad weather the course was changed – Helen commenting that “fortunately the winds were too high to run the gondola so it was an up and down which suited me much better and I went from 5th at the top to 3rd by the bottom” and 31st overall in the race.
Top 3 Males:
🥇 Finlay Wild 23:50
🥈Andrew Douglas 24:15
🥉Robin Howie 25:40
Top 3 Females:
🥇Jill Stephen 29:53
🥈Majka Kunicka 31:34
🥉Helen Leigh 32:44
Helen (57) at Aonach mor uphill race
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