Thursday 12th February was the date for the annual Armagh 5k & 3k Road Races, attracting some top quality athletes in both male and female road racing. Two hundred and four athletes lined up in the Men’s 5k – the first twenty three all finishing inside 14 minutes which demonstrated the depth of quality in the field. Blackburn Harriers Matt Ramsden went into the race with a personal best of 13.44, posted at the Podium race in Leicester on March 15th 2025. Having competed for GB at the World Cross Country Championships in Florida on January 10th, Matt had decided to run at Armagh – and what a fine run he had – finishing 2nd overall in a new PB time of 13.39 just two seconds behind the race winner Nick Griggs. (RESULTS). We spoke to Matt after the race about it and he told us “Armagh 5k is known for its fast times and I’m happy that I came away with a new pb. The atmosphere is top notch which helps with an extra boost on that home straight. It was a tactical affair for the majority of the race so that last mile turned into abit of a bust up. It’s reassuring that I had the legs to go with the turn of pace and finish strong with a 4:15 last mile and a 2:30 last km. Hopefully I can use this as a starting point to improve on my pb over the next few months” (FINISH VIDEO)
Matt Ramsden (14) on the Podium
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In the BUCS Championships held at the EIS in Sheffield, over the weekend of February 13/15th Blackburn Harriers Abigail McAndrew took on the 1500m. Abigail won her Heat to qualify for the Semi-Final on Saturday with a time of 4.58.39 where she placed 2nd in the second of two semi-finals clocking 4.34.30 in getting through to the Final on Sunday. In the Final – featuring ten athletes – Abigail took the Silver Medal clocking a seasons best time of 4.25.80 behind the winner Keira Brady-Jones (4.25.60). After the Final and Presentation, Abigail spoke to us about her weekend at the Championships, especially having to run three races in total over 1500m and she told us taht she was ‘Really happy to come away with sliver in the 1500 at bucs indoors, 3 15s in 3 days is very mentally and physically draining so happy to have made it through to the final safely and come away with a sliver’
Abigail McAndrew – with Silver MedalCharlotte Williams is having a hell of an indoor season in the US, competing in the Weight event. She is now on her fourth event – having won the first three with successive new personal bests – the latest one taking place on February 13th at the Music City Challenge in Nashville with 31 athletes taking part. Charlotte posted a further new PB of 18.05cm placing 5th overall with a distance of 18.05cm. ((VIDEO) — (RESULTS).
On Valentine’s Day weekend, Blackburn Harriers David Holman was competing in the Mile Race indoors at the 2026 BU David Hemery Valentine Invitational held at the Boston University Track & Tennis Center. David has a sub four minute mile indoors already under his belt from 2025, but this latest race wasn’t to be as he finished in 4.09. Speaking to the Harriers after his Race, David told us how it went “It was a very weird race. I was in the elite section in the 3rd race. No one wanted to go with the pacer, so I went to the front behind the pacer and when he dropped out at 800m, no one was coming with me. So I had to front run which was very hard. Mentally challenging as well. With 400 to go I started to feel it and I dropped a 33 second lap but still in the lead, then everyone passed me and I had nothing left in my body, I felt empty. I ran 4:09 but went through 1200 in 2:59. Wasn’t to be this weekend“. (RESULTS).
On the roads Ben Makin was out at the 2026 Watersons Hale 10K run on Sunday February 15th run in windy conditions. The race was won in a time of 31.38 by Reece Brown with Jonny Kay in 2nd (31.59) and James Horman in 3rd (32.10). Ben ran through the 5k mark in 16.27 and posted a negative split as he ran 15.42 for the second 5k resulting in a 5th place overall with a time of 32.13. Cameron Lambert running his first 10k on the roads for the Club came home in 59th spot with 35.44. Chris Marsden also ran in this race running 36.17 in 71st spot which was a new PB by close to a minute followed home by Jonny Murphy in 125th place running 38.19. Shout out too for Lily Croasdale who hasn’t long been in the Club and was running her second race as a Blackburn Harrier in which she knocked 53 seconds off her previous best time to set a new PB of 49.40 in 728th spot out of nearly 1700 runers. (RESULTS)
Jonny Murphy
From a windy and cold Hale to a sunny and warm Barcelona, where the annual half-marathon took place with six athletes from Blackburn Harriers taking part – Jess Warner-Judd, Rob Warner-Judd, Paul Bradshaw, Chris Davies, Mark Almond and Craig Greenhough. Jess took 11th spot in the Women’s race running 70.04 whilst Rob came home in 78th spot in a time of 65.26 and afterwards telling the Club “It went well, both of us on tired legs so was a good hit out. I ran 65:22 so was pretty pleased with my 2nd fastest half. Always want a bit quicker but happy enough with it“. Both Jess and Rob are training for the London Marathon this year. Paul ran a new PB time of 73.43 which was an improvement of some three minutes as he told us that “he was chipping away at it“.. Next across the line was V45 Chris who finished in 1244th with a time of 80.12 whilst V55 Mark ran 87.31 in 2648th place with V55 Craig running 97.44 (7053rd) out of a field of over 18000 finishers — (Women’s Results) — (Men’s Results)
L-R Chris Davies – Mark Almond – Paul Bradshaw
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Staying on the roads and this time at the Run Through Media City Half-Marathon featuring over 3000 runners – the race being won by Simon Cole in 70.15 and the Women’s race won by Laura Hesketh in 74.24. Two Blackburn Harriers ran in the Women’s race – Vikki Robertshaw, Katie Buckingham, Hollie Cubbon and Kiera Booth. Vikki ran 89.22 and was 3rd V45 with team mates Katie finishing with a time of 94.04, Holly came home in a time of 1hr 46.35 and Kiera in her first attempt at a half-marathon running 1hr 57.13. (RESULTS)
Vikki Robertshaw
Vikki Robertshaw (3859) – Katie Buckingham (3860)
