What a great way to open the latest report from Blackburn Harriers and their athletes competing in different places. The Sportsshoes Podium 5k in Leicester – (RESULTS) – on Saturday evening March 15th was the location for some of Blackburn Harriers athletes – Matt Ramsden contesting the Elite Male A Race, Abigail McAndrew in the Elite Women’s A race, Dexta Thompson in the Elte Male B race and Ben Makin in the D race. Matt was coming off the back of a quality run at the inter-counties cross country championships where he finished 6th and took the start line at the Podium race with a personal best 5k time of 13.49. In a stacked field – the race being won by Daniel Kimaiyo in 13.25 –  Matt set himself a new PB by 5 seconds as he clocked 13.43 50 in 16th spot. Matt shared his thoughts about the race afterwards with the Harriers saying “It was fun to test myself against some of the best at the Podium Festival and I am over the moon with the outcome. The races with the best athletes are always the ones you want to compete in. I knew that the race would set off fast so I stayed calm and didn’t get carried away with the early pace. I managed to settle in and find my line early and then tried to build through the race. I’m delighted to finish the winter season with a pb. Now excited to race on the track!”

Abigail was in the Elite female A race won by Katie Snowden in 15.18. She last ran a 5k in November 2024 posting a time of 16.54 at the Barrowford Podium race. Chopping a huge 29 seonds off her previous best, Abigail set herself a new 5k PB of 16.25.37 in 41st spot and afterwards she told the Harriers that she was “Really happy with my run at podium, I knew training was going well but didn’t really know what to expect! Loved the race and felt really strong, so a positive way to be heading into the summer season”. 

Next up in the Elite Male B race was Dexta Thompson having run a number of indoor 3000m races throughout the winter. Dexta went into the race – won by Mack Downey in 14.07 – with a personal best 5k road time of 15.17 in 2023, his last time over the distance. On the night he knocked six seconds off his best time to set a new PB of 15.11.52 in 67th spot and afterwards told the Harriers “disappointing situation having a stitch just as the race starts, but fun experience nonetheless to end the winter, excited to spend 3 weeks in South Africa now to get ready for the track“.

Making it four races and four new personal bests was Ben Makin in the D race – won by Jospeh Morrison in 14.47 – the race turning out to be ideal for the pacing that Ben was looking for in breaking his existing personal best time of 15.00. Taking a top 10 finish, Ben posted a new PB of 14.58 in 10th spot and spoke to the Club after his race about how it went for him commenting “I feel like I had a good day and it was an amazing feeling to finally break that 15 minute barrier at such an amazing event, looking forward to a few more 5ks to come this year”

Abigail McAndrew

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David Holman has had a great indoor winter over in America, running at Wingate University – with highlights of being the first Blackburn Harrier to have run a sub 4 minute mile when he clocked 3.59.99 indoors on 7th February and setting a new indoor 3000m personal best of 8.04 38, also in in February. His last indoor outing came over the weekend at the NCAA Indfoor Championships. First up for David was the Mile race where unfortunately his 8th place 4.08 clocking wasn’t enough for him to qualify for the final from his Heat. The day after, he was back in the Distance Medlay Relay and what a run David and his team had – running themselves into the Bronze medal place and 3rd fastest time in the DMR in the country. David took the 1200m first leg which is followed by legs of 400m, 800m and finally 1600m.  A very happy athlete, David told the Harriers after the weekend that “On Thursday I ran the mile, unfortunately I didn’t make the final, I ran 4:08 and came 8th in the heat. Just didn’t have it on the last lap when everyone kicked. Was pretty disappointed with myself as I knew I could have done better. I came back today to the DMR. I wanted to end it on a high and come away with something. I ran the first leg which was the 1200. I ran 2:57 after a tactical first 800 and came back in 3rd to give the team a good position. We ended up coming 3rd in the Nation which is amazing. All American, and we ran a D2 record, but obviously 2 teams beat us. We are now ranked 3rd all time which is great. Was a great experience for my first nationals and I’ve definitely learnt a lot. Excited for outdoors now”.

David Holman

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The 2025 English Schools Cross Country Championhips took place on Saturday March 15th at the Ardingly Showground in West Sussex. Every school age endurance athlete wants to run at the English Schools Cross Country Championships, it being one of the highlights of their cross country season.(RESULTS).

Blackburn Harriers had ten athletes selected for Lancashire at the weekend starting off in the Intermediate Girls race where Lancashire placed 18th County overall and Lyra Krige was 8th counter in a time of 15.37. The Junior Boys were also 18th County with Jack Baranowski taking the 4th counter place in a time of 9.34. Lancashire’s Junior Girls came home in 13th place with Millie Jordan being Lancashire’s first counter – Millie telling the Harriers afterwards that “The weather conditions were good and luckily there was no mud! I was really pleased with my performance and it was a great race to finish my XC season on.” 

It was 18th place again for the Lancashire Intermediate Boys team with Henry Ward (15.56) being 3rd counter, Jack Wood (16.03) 4th counter and Sam Aspey 5th counter in 16.15. In the Senior Boys race Lancashire placed 16th with Oliver Gill being 3rd counter (19.23), Ben Stratton 5th counter (20.12) and Daniel Smith in 8th spot (21.26) – whilst in the Senior Girls race, Charlotte Robertshaw was the 6th counter (17.14) as Lancashire placed 29th county.

Millie Jordan (255)

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Eight hundred and forty four finishers in the Wigan 5k race run on Sunday Morning March 16th and among them, three Blackburn Harriers – Rebecca Ward, Tanith-Jade Ellis and Gina Preston-Kelly. (RESULTS). The Women’s race which had 500 runners in it, was won by Rachel Sidebotham in 18.25 with Lisa Gawthorne in 2nd (18.34) and Katie Littlefair in 3rd (18.49). Having a fine run Rebecca took 5th place in the race, was third V40, running 20.02. Making it two Harriers in the top 10, Tanith ran 20.49 in 10th spot which was just outside her best of 20.31 and she was followed home by team mate Gina who had a really good run finishing in 32nd – setting a new PB by a minute and 14 seconds.

L-R Gina Preston-Kelly – Rebecca Ward – Tanith-Jade Ellis

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Trafford’s Medal Meeting, was the venue for Junior track & field athletes – Sunday March 16th – to get their first taste of competition before the season gets underway with League fixtures and Championships. (RESULTS). U15 Tobias Walsh set off the day in good form clocking 13.16 to win his 100m Heat 3 followed by U15 Isabel Pawson clocking a new PB time of 14.40 in Heat 4 of the 100m (3rd). Heat 5 saw bottom of age U15 Anvitha Reddy place 3rd and also with a new PB time of 14.30 – whilst in Heat 15 first year Agata Tomasz made it three new PB’s with a 14.46 clocking (4th). Tobias Walsh made it two wins out of two races on the day as he won his 200m Heat in a time of 27.37 after Isabel Pawson had earlier placed 3rd in her 200m Heat, running 29.87 and these followed by Anvitha Reddy running a 200m new PB time of 30.15 in 3rd spot in her Heat.

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And what can you say about V40 Helen Leigh who has had such a great cross country season up in Scotland this winter. After finishing 11th Woman at the Scottish National Cross Country Championships she was out again at the British Masters Cross Country Champioships and went and won the V40 category – quipping after the event on social media – that she was “Fastest old fare in the UK, for one day anyway‘

Helen Leigh

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