Easter weekend with mixed weather – from sunny and ideal on Friday – to rain, wind and cold for the rest of the weekend. This didn’t seem to spoil the holiday weekend for Liz Greenwood – (bottom of age U20) – who ran twice and won twice.

On Good Friday she entered the Calder Vale 10m Road Race which was her first ever time over this distance and finished 16th overall in a field of 196 runners and was the first Female home as well in a time of 65.43. (Full Results HERE). Then on Easter Monday Liz entered the Lancashire Fell Championships at Sabden and won the U18 Age Group Category. Commenting after both events, Liz said that she was Really pleased to win the Calder Vale 10 mile race as it was my first ten mile race. I really enjoyed the undulating course, especially as the sun even came out, well done to everyone who ran! I was looking forward to racing on the fells again as it’s been a while. An enjoyable race was topped off by a win in my last year as a junior which I was really happy with”.

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Five hundred and seventy three runners turned out on Good Friday at the annual Salford 10k with a number of Blackburn Harriers – Jack Hindle, Andy Buttery, Paul Guinan and Evan Cook competing and running well.

Full Results HERE

Jack Hindle was first home for the Club in an excellent 23rd place setting a new PB of 33.48, a full minute quicker than he has run before. He also won his Age Category on the day (U20). Delighted, Jack told the Club that he was Happy with a big PB. I getting back on the road racing scene. The conditions were good, but I didn’t think that the course was too fast. I had a strong first 5k but tired a little on the last 5k. I can’t grumble with a PB. Well done to all the Harriers!

V45 Andy Buttery was next in with a time of 34.15 (31st place) and commented  “I was hoping for a faster time today, but I’ve just come to the end of a block of training and felt tired from the start of the race. Despite not feeling great I was pleased I dug in from half-way and posted a solid run, which will benefit me when I taper properly. I’m not sure the new course is as fast as the old one, but conditions were good on the day and it was a decent field as usual”. Andy was followed home by V45 Paul Guinan (38th) in a time of 34.55 describing his run as ‘hard’.

Evan Cook (V65) continued his great 2016 record in which he has raced eight times, winning his Age Category seven times and finishing 2nd once at Trafford. At Salford he finished 1st V65 again in 40.38 (159th) and said it was “good conditions, as for the race I had to work for this one due to being hemmed in at the start, 2nd v65 got a flyer on me I realised who he was at around 6k about 40 metres ahead so got into 5th gear head down and did a little work, by 8k sitting behind him for about 800 metres then waved bye bye. Sorry no photo it was just a blur lol. a few more seconds closer to 39 mins. well done to rest of the Harriers”.

On Saturday it was Rivington Pike, run in not the best of conditions but still attracted 264 runners with the race being won by Chris Farrell in a time of 17.36 and leading Horwich to the Team title on the day.

Full Results HERE

V40 Tom Cubbon had a solid run finishing 60th in a time of 22.38 with Bryan Searby at his first ever Fell Race doing really well to take 124th spot in a time of 25.14.

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(Rivington Pike Race Photo’s courtesy of Racing Snakes)

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Easter Monday and it was the turn of the Lancashire Fell Championships held at Sabden for the first time. The weather wasn’t very kind and at one point in the Senior Race, it did look as though the heavens were going to open.

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(Jamie on the left – Rory on the right – “this is mine”)

There were small fields in the Junior races which were kicked off by the U12’s won by Jackson Mckay. Rory Teare placed 5th for the Harriers in 16.19.  Brother Jamie Teare won the next Race up which was the U14’s with a time of 20.17 becoming Lancashire Champion. Eleesha Charnely took 3rd place in the FU14 with a time of 24.16 and Amy Davies placed 4th in 25.14. Liz Greenwood won the FU18 Race very comfortably in 27.27 with Natalya Irivine finishing 3rd (34.22) in the FU16’s.

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The Senior Race featured 81 runners and saw wins for Chris Arthur and in the Women’s Race Nichola Jackson. Tom Cubbon having run at Rivington on Friday was out again in the Championships coming home first of the Harriers in 28th (47.58) and he was followed home by Craig Greenhough in 48th (52.29), John Orrell (60th) in 57.11, Brian Searby (62nd) in 57.36, Ian Clarkson (66th) 61.09 and Paul Wilknson (70th) in 63.12.

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Joe Howe had a trip over the water to the Isle of Man Festival on Easter weekend to participate in the three race series which included a 10k Road Race, a Hill Race and then a 5k Road Race to finish it off. Overall he finished 37th in the series which was a really good performance.

276 runners took part in Friday’s 10k with Joe coning in 62nd with a time of 36.12.  (Results). On the Saturday 214 took part in the Hill Race – (Results) – which saw Joe finish 37th in 24.02. One hundred and ninety seven runners made the start line for the 5k – (Results) – a race which saw Joe place 45th in 17.39 which is a good time given the strength of the wind on the day. After it was all over, Joe told the Club I competed over the weekend in the Isle of Man festival. 10k on Friday was quite disappointing and I really struggled in the conditions. The hill race on Saturday was quite a bit better and I finished in 37th, much further up the field. Then ran in the 5k, very windy and everyone was a long way from running PBs- I ran quite a solid time of 17:38. All in all a great weekend”.

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An exotic 5k Park Run for U11 Oliver Gill this weekend – in Florida – where he is on holiday. Oliver ran Clermont Park Run today in Orlando, Florida in a time of 26.01, finishing 32 out of 84 runners – first in his age category JM10 It was an early start at 7.30am! Oliver said “the heat and humidity made it hard work but the best bit was the free bagel at the finish!”  

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One hundred and one runners at the most recent Park Run at Witton which is a slight increase on previous weeks. Seven Blackburn Harriers took part in the Race won by Sam Exton in a new PB of 17.58 on that course. Mark Almond followed him in 4th place (20.08) as well as John Cookson 15th in 21.48, daughter Hannah in 22nd (23.35), Paul Wilkinson 34th (26.04), David Billington 37th (27.22), Hannah Davies (JW10) with a time of 28.54 in 43rd and Lindsay Davies 48th in 29.04. Witton (Results)

Ethan Barbarewicz, Daniel Brown and Freya Black had a run at the Cuerden Vally Park run with Ethan placing 14th out of 178 runners in a time of 22.31 and Daniel coming in 35th in 24.38. Freya finished in 61st spot with a time of 26.59. Curden Valley (Results)

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