What a way to end the year for Blackburn Harriers. Our annual race – the Ribble Valley 10k, which also hosts the Northern Athletic 10k Road Champs and is included as the final race in the Top Flight 10k Series – attracted 1449 finishers on a pretty good day weather wise in Clitheroe. Whilst there was some wind on the course, the atmosphere at the start as everyone lined up was still, but exciting, with expectation of what was to come. The Elite Pen was drawn forward and Race Starter Chris Wood fired the gun that got this years race underway with the lead car driven by Tony Wood with Matt Wood relaying the times and athletes in the lead group to Harrison who throughout the race, kept the spectators up todate. But before going to the outcome, a word of huge thanks to all of the Marshals, and Volunteers, who unpaid, and for the love of the sport, gave their time and energy to make sure that the race lived up to its highly regarded standards.
Some Race Photos & Presentation Photos on Blackburn Harriers Facebook Page (HERE)
At the 5k mark three athletes had opened up a gap on the main pack – Ollie Lockley, Matt Ramsden and Biruk Kebede. Around the 8k mark, this became two fighting or first place – Matt and Biruk with Ollie in 3rd place and clear of the chasing group. Coming down the final hill, across the bridge and on to the hill finish, Matt surged again to take a most impressive win in a new PB time of 29.05 with Biruk in 2nd (29.12) and Ollie in 3rd (29.30). The first seven athletes all finished in sub 30 minutes followed by another group of 11 running sub 30.30. Matt’s run of 29.05 was not only a new personal best but also broke the Club Record which had only been set again a few weeks ago by Rob Warner-Judd when he ran 29.16 at Leeds Abbey Dash. Winning the race meant that Matt also took the Gold Medal in the Northern Athletics 10k Road Race to top off what has been a great year, even if it is one truncated by injuries at times. 2025 has seen Matt post new personal bests for 1500 (3.46.23); Mile (4.08.10); 5k (13.44); 10000m (29.16.07); 10k (29.05). In addition he has won the U23 Cross Country European Trial at Sefton Park, earning him automatic selction for the GB U23 Cross Country Team in Portugal where he placed 6th and first GB counter. Alongside all of this, Matt has now been selected for the GB Senior men’s Team to race the World Cross Country Championsips in Tallahassee on January 10th 2026. We spoke to Matt after he won the Ribble Valley 10k – only the second Blackburn Harrier ever to have won it – and he gave us his thoughts at this time, commenting “I love doing the Ribble Valley 10k each year and this year was my best! It’s a challenging course but it attracts some great runners and is a credit to all those who help organise it. The aim for me was to get a good run out over a 10k distance ahead of the World Cross in 13 days time and I’m glad to have done that today. Happy with the win, a pb and a club record to top it off! Well done to all the Harriers that ran!” (Matt Video)
Matt Ramsden (30) – Biruk Kebede
In the Women’s Race Verity Okenden – who like Matt Ramsden has been selected for the GB Senior Team in the World Cross Country Championships being held in Tallahassee on January 10th – won in a time of 32.18 from Blackburn Harriers Isabel Holt in 2nd – running her first ever 10k in a time of 33.31, a time which also gave her the first prize in the Junior Women’s race as well. Laura Hesketh finished 3rd with a time of 33.55. Isabel, like Matt, has had a great year setting new personal bests at 800m (2.19.3); 1500m (4.28.24); 3000m (9.29.04); 5000m (16.35.74) and has now taken on the 10k for the very first time running 33.31 which also gave her the Northern Athletics 10k Road Championship Gold Medal. During this year, Isabel has won the National Cross Country Junior Women’s Championship, qualified toirun for the GB Junior Women’s team that won Gold in the European Cross Country Championships, won a Bronze Medal running for England Cross in the Internacional Juan Muguerza de Elgoibar, and took Silver in the EnergyVision CrossCup Roeselare. Capping off a great year Isabel told the Club that she “Loved racing the Ribble Valley 10k. Since I hadn’t raced a 10k before, the aim was to just go into it with no expectation and enjoy it. I was so pleased with my time and to find I was 2nd female. It has made me want to race 10k more now. Thank you to Blackburn for putting on such a great event and well done to everyone who ran.”
Isabel Holt (16)
L-R Matt Ramsden (Men’s Northern 10k Champion) – Isabel Holt (Women’s Northern 10k Champion) – Mick Hill Board Member for Northern Athletics Presenting.
Blackburn Harriers had a number of athletes taking part in the race with some taking on the 10k distance for the very first time. Ben Akin running his first race for Blackburn Harriers ran a really good time – setting a new PB of 31.34 in 37th spot. Ben Makin came home in 62nd place running a seasons best time of 32.46 and not far short of his personal best. Next came Oliver Gill in 64th spot running 32.49 – his first time ever at the distance and 7th in the Junior Men’s race. U17 Sam Aspey was another athlete who had wanted to try a 10k and in his first outing, Sam took 87th spot overall with a time of 33.59 and 11th in the Junior Men’s Race. U17 Theo Robinson had run one 10k race previously – 41.03 in 2024 – and smashed that to pieces here, running 34.35 in 106th place and 13th in the Junior Men’s race setting himself a new PB by over six minutes. Great to see Joe Gebbie back racing too after a long time out with injuries as he came home in 110th spot running 34.42. U17 Tom Falencki was the next home – another U17 who had run just one 10k race previously in which he posted a time of 39.55 In May at the Manchester 10k. Like Theo, he smashed that time, setting himself a new PB time of 34.59 – an improvement of 5 minutes. U20 Thomas Monks who has a marathon in sight for 2026 was the next Blackburn Harrier across the finishing line in 159th position running 35.55 in his first ever attempt at the distance. V40 Helen Leigh – who flew down from Scotland for the race – had a fine run, finishing in 18th spot in the Women’s race with a time of 36. 33, just 10 seconds shy of her personal best. V45 Chris Davies followed in with a time of 36.47 in 184th place and 16th in the V45 age group category. Chris was followed in by V55 Mat Nuttall (242nd) with a time of 38.31 and 5th in the V55 age group category alongside V55 Mark Almond in 253rd spot running 38.53 and 6th in the V55’s. Steven Willetts was the next Harrier through the finish in 274th running 39.10 followed by U20 Ben Stratton who ran 39.20 (282nd) with V55 Anton Krige in 291st running 39.33 and 9th in the V55 age group category, V50 Nick Owen (296th) running 39.36 and 14th in the U50’s, with Vikki Robertshaw running a new PB time of 40.09 and also winning first prize for the V45 Women. V40 Dominic Bretherton – of Simon Cowell fame – placed 388th with a time of 41.53 and he was followed home by U20 George Ramsden in his first race for a very long time and first time ever over the distance running 42.16 (408th) and 26th in the Junior Men’s race and finally for the Harriers Mary O’Gorman who did really well as she ran 47.03 (626th) having never run the distance previously and was only her third ever road race.
Verity Ockenden – Women’s Race Winner
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