HALL IS WELL FOR MIKE WITH ANOTHER CLOCK BUSTING RUN
Blind athlete Mike Ogle showed inspired form in the second race of the Haigh Hall 4 mile series at Wigan. Partnered by club mate Steve Thomas, the Vet55 Chorley Harrier improved on his time last month by over 90 seconds to record a finish of 29.02. Keith Johnston maintained his steady progress of late to take 5th place overall in 22.15, whilst Phil Iddon and Stephen O’Connor also made a moderate improvements from the race in May. Iddon crossed the line 21st in 24.45, with O’Connor 27th in 25.33. Shelley Parkinson was 13th lady in 33.17.
JOHN PUTS IN A GOOD SERVICE AT TEBAY
On the fells, John Sutton ran strongly to take 9th place at the Tebay Fell Race in Cumbria, clocking 1hour 21 minutes over the 8 mile course with 3000ft of ascent. Dominic Raby was also in contention for a top ten finish until losing places after the final climb when suffering cramp. Paul Jackson was third Harrier home around the 1 hour 40 mark with Nicola Raby putting in a good effort in 1 hour 44 mins.
ADAM AND JACKIE STAR WITH TOP FIVE SPOTS
At the 6 mile Henderson’s End race from Rivington, Adam Critchley had an excellent run to take 5th place in 44.49. Jackie Redmayne also finished 5th in the ladies section with a time of 53.02, just ahead of Nicola Raby who was 6th lady in 53.49. Paul Jackson was 21st overall in 49.26, this despite having competed in Cumbria the previous evening at the tough Blencathra race in which he scored a respectable finish of 85.13. In the Henderson’s junior fell race, boys captain Mark Brown ran well over the 1.8 mile course to take 7th place in 11.23, as did U14 Molly Broome who was 2nd girl and 13th overall with a fanastic effort in 12.23.
Elsewhere on the fells, John Sutton followed up with 5th spot at the Barley Fell Race at Pendle in 32.07, with Mark Ellithorn also coming back to full strength when crossing the line just a minute later. Going back towards to end of May, Mark Brown showed his potential on the fells with 8th place from 52 runners in the popular Wincle Trout Junior Fell Race, near Macclesfield, crossing the line in 16.59. Meanwhile at the Austwick Amble, up Lancaster way, three black and white vests made the starting line for this 8m/1200ft race. Paul Jackson finished 44th in 66.22, Marie Dewhurst was home in 79.27 and Janet Chaplin in 85.48.
LYNNE BACK TO WINNING FORM AT KNOWL HILL
Lynne Clough aws back to winning ways to finish first lady at the Knowl Hill Fell Race from Edenfield, near Rochdale. Lynne’s time of 55.16 over the 6 mile/1300ft course secured the honours and a worthy 35th spot overall. Gary Platt was also in the running, just ahead of Lynne to take 33rd place in 54.58.
GOLDEN BROWN MAKES HIS MARK WITH TOUR VICTORY
Chorley Harriers junior runners have been in fine fettle of late. Boy’s captain Mark Brown produced three top five finishes in the space of five days to win the Horwich & Rivington Junior Tour. In the final race however, club mate Tom Booth pipped him to the post with an excellent time of 5.50 for 3rd place over the one mile course. Matthew McDonald was 10th in 6.13 with James Shuttleworth continuing to make great progress when 11th in 6.14. Under 13’s runner Sally Riley led the girls from the club with a finish of 6.38. Harriet Jackson ran strongly in 6.47, Tom Holmes clocked 6.58 with U11 runners Dan Leonard making the line in 7.27 from Daniel Mason in 7.41.
HARRIERS TRIO TAKE ON SENIOR TOUR
In the senior Horwich & Rivington Tour, three Chorley Harriers completed five races over six days on the road, fells and cross country, which is always a test of stamina. Nicola Raby came through to finish 4th lady overall and showed a turn of speed in the final race over 5k with a time of 21.01. Paul Jackson also enjoyed a successful event when placed 14th overall and 9th in the veterans table, finishing strongly with a time of 18.41 in the 5k. Contrary to misleading press reports brought about by his name missing in the results (something to do with a chewed pencil on a wet scrap of paper at the 5k finishing line), Steve Thomas did complete the full tour. Tommo came 49th at the Lever Park Trail in 46.03, 92nd at the Jubilee 5 miler in 34.48 and followed it up with 51st at the Joseph Holt XC in 35.20 and a time of 44.42 at the Two Lads Fell Race. Frustratingly, his official time in the final Carnival 5k race remains a mystery, as does his overall finishing position in the tour.
Of the other Harriers performances during the tour, Phil Iddon ran well at Lever Park to take 22nd place in 41.22 – just a couple of places ahead of Jacko in 42.12 with Nicola home in 46.29.. In the five mile Horwich Jubilee race, John Sutton was seconds outside his course best to finish 14th in 28.08. Blind athlete Mike Ogle showed consistency when just a second outside his time on the course last month with Martin Quinn in 37.14. Tour runner Jacko stormed to a superb 31.16 ahead of Ian Williams and Malc Christie. Junior Tom Booth raced for the second time that evening to finish in 35.05. Lisa Johnston’s comeback trail continues as she recorded 37.33. For the third race, only the full tour brigade raced the cross country run with Jacko 15th in 30.43 and Nicola 41st in 33.53. In the Two Lads fell race, Keith Johnston and a rejuvenated Mark Ellithorn had a ding dong battle to the line. Both runners clocked in at 36.31 with Johnston ahead by a nose to take 17th spot. Alan Alty made a rare appearance since returning to regular running but is still some way off a full comeback when 23rd in 37.29. Jacko was 37th in 39.14, just ahead of Malc Christie who raced for a second consecutive evening to clock 39.25. Remaining Two Lads results: Gary Platt 40.42, Dan Edwards 44.04, Nicola 44.38, Jackie Redmayne 44.54, Nikki Rushton 50.10.
SUTTON SECOND AND TEAM HONOURS TOO AT GREAT HILL
John Sutton was again in good form at the Great Hill Fell Race to take 2nd place in 38.05. Gary Platt also ran well to gain a top ten finish in 44.56. Leo Stones’ time of 46.15 secured 15th place and that Harriers trio was enough to scoop the 1st team prize from local rivals and host club Chorley AC. Daryl Peter was 4th lady in the race with a finish of 53.52.
A PERSONAL VICTORY FOR JACKIE
At the Joe Geeling Charity Race in Bury, Jackie Redmayne won the trophy for first lady with a finish in 33 minutes. She was joined by her sister and new Chorley Harriers member Pamela Clarkson who enjoyed her first race in a time of 47 minutes. Victory itself only came second place though for Jackie. Having worked with Joe Geeling, to whom the race is run in honour of, this is an event very close to her heart.
STRONG WINDS CANCEL OUT THE FLATNESS AT FRECKLETON
The Freckleton Half Marathon is as flat a course as they come and renowned for fast times, however windy conditions put paid to that for the 496 runners on show. Two Harriers amongst the masses were Chris Lane and Phil Iddon, and due to the weather, both fell short of the sort of times they were aiming for. As a result, Laney was not suprisingly over seven minutes short of his best time on the course, but battled away for 28th place in 1.28.17. Phil took 39th position when home just inside the 90 minute mark.
HUGE TURNOUT AND FASTER TIMES AT HARROCK HILL
Few races outside the cross country season will quite attract so many black and white vests to the starting line as on this particular pleasant evening in the West Lancashire countryside. A whopping twenty two Chorley Harriers featured amongst a field of 116 for the second Harrock Hill Race of the series from Bispham Green, near Parbold. The race was also a counter in the club’s Fell Grand Prix. John Sutton and Mark Ellithorn each ran one of their best times over the tough 5.2 mile course. Sutton took 6th place in 33.46, whilst The Thorn finished 8th and took the prize of 1st Vet40 in 34.48. Paul Jackson also had a fine run and knocked twenty seconds off the course best he set last month to take a top twenty spot in 37.22. Malc Christie was close by for 24th in 37.43 and was pushed all the way by Phil Iddon, 25th in 37.55. Steve O’Connor was delighted with his time of 38.11 to finish well over a minute faster than last month’s effortin 26th position. Gary Platt had a sturdy showing for 40th spot in 39.49, meanwhile Lynne Clough recovered after a poor first half of the race to clinch the 3rd lady prize in 40.15. Lynne was under pressure from Jackie Redmayne, whose surge in form continued with a superb finish in 40.43 to finish 4th lady and 46th overall. Jan Atkins was also in the prize giving when repeating her performance in May to finish 1st Lady Vet60 and shaving ten seconds off her time in 49.46. The remaining Harriers results were: Dan Edwards 42.12 (58th), Steve Thomas 42.25 (60th), Vicky Davison 45.24 (77th), Lisa Johnston 46.06, Ken Williams 47.35, Nikki Rushton 48.10, Jenny Wyles 48.24, Marie Dewhurst 51.10, Janet Chaplin 51.41, Roger Johnson 56.24 and Alison Fowler 57.23.
RED HOT REDMAYNE RANKS WELL IN MAJOR FELL RACE
Jackie Redmayne followed up with another excellent showing in the short distance British and English Championship counter at Blackstone Edge, near Rochdale. Over 3.5 mile/1200ft course, Jackie was 35th in the ladies race and was just a couple of minutes short of gaining her first championship points with a time of 39.45. Former British Vet60 champion Jan Atkins was home in 49.18, but had to settle for 4th spot in her category which is getting more fiercely competitive each year. Nicola Raby was 55th in 42.30 and Janet Chaplin 81st in 51.22. In the men’s race, Dominic Raby remained a little out of sorts and was disappointed not to make the top fifty, settling for 64th in 32.17. Paul Jackson also had a blip in form when 150th in 37.51.
MALC’S FOUR HOUR MISSION IN FIRST GREAT LAKES RACE
Meanwhile Malc Christie was in the field for the first running of the Great Lakes Run – a spectacular 12 miles with some serious climbing amassing up to 5500ft of ascent along the horseshoe from Crinkle Crags to Scafell. Malc held on strongly in this gruelling event and crossed the line on the stroke of four hours to take an excellent 25th place. A dozen retirements during the race that day tells it’s own story. A few more Harriers there to keep Malc company next year perhaps?
Photos: Tommo, Nicola and Jacko about to embark upon the Horwich & Rivington Tour. Meanwhile Jackie Redmayne proudly collects the Joe Geeling Trophy. Almost as big as the one she won in Torremolinos. For the record, MFI have been notified about her need for a larger cabinet.
