Home Team Shines: Great Turnout for Walsh Two Lads Fell Race
The home team were out in force at the Horwich RMI Harriers organised Walsh Two Lads Fell Race on Thursday, June 12th. Luke Foley (32:02) was pipped to 1st place by a mere 5 seconds over the 5.2-mile (899ft) course by Ben Coop of Bury AC. New, old signing Rob Hope was a minute further back in 4th, comfortably winning the MV50 prize. Toby Middleton was back from University in the US and dusted off his fell shoes for 5th place (33:33). He ensured Horwich dominated the male team prize. Adrian Bramham (38:58) was 1st MV60, narrowly beating 1st MV55 Marcus Taylor (39:08), who was doubling up after running at Haigh Hall the previous day. Doug Fleming (45:45) took top honours in the MV65 category, Sandra Kelly (46:15) won the FV55 and Katherine Newall (54:02) was top FV50.
The fifth round of the Central Lancs Grand Prix took place on Wednesday, June 11th, at the Haigh Hall 4 Mile. Marcus Taylor once more showed his appetite and aptitude for racing on any surface and over any distance. He transitioned from the 250-mile Cape Wrath Ultra Trail race in the far North of Scotland to the 4-mile road loop near Wigan (where he was 1st MV55 in 25:17) with aplomb. Richard O’Reilly (27:13) and Chris Essex Crosby (27:44) were locked in a duel as they often are on a Saturday at Haigh Woodland parkrun, with Richard coming out on top on this occasion. Emma Essex-Crosby was 8th FV45 in 33:33, whilst Diane Furlong was 3rd FV55 (34:57) and Gillian Smith took top honors in the FV75 category.
Jason Middleton keeps chipping away at his 5km time. He recorded 22:11 at the Barrowford 5k on the 14th, his fastest time in over ten years. Dan Gilbert was in action in the Lake District for the rough, tough Buttermere Sailbeck fell race. Clocking over 4000ft of elevation gain in only 9 miles, it isn’t for the faint-hearted. Luckily, the club’s fell captain is made of stern stuff, and he sailed round in 01:55:48, barely a minute outside of the top 10, 3rd MV40 and two minutes faster than last year’s time.
Several Harriers traveled south over the weekend, sampling the local parkruns as they went. Robert (18:47) and Mark (25:41) Seddon took to St Albans parkrun, with Rob scoring 7th place. Andrew Crickmore shot around Winchester in 21:38. Dominic McKenna (32:52) was as far south as you can get on the mainland at Land’s End parkrun in Penzance. They were all beaten to the farthest flung parkrun crown by Mark Swindell, who was off the mainland in Guernsey. Richard O’Reilly was still getting to grips with the tricky Witton parkrun, where he has been known to swing from the trees like a Boltonian Tarzan. Rob Jackson was caught at the back of the sizeable field of 250 at Sale Water parkrun. He used all his experience to work his way up to 9th overall, 1st in age category and 1st overall age grading in 19:38.