Joe scales the Lakes’ heights
THERE are sometimes huge differences in the range of the different disciplines in the world of grass roots athletics and none more so than over the weekend.
Matty Harris posted an 800 metres season’s best of 1mins 58.3 on Saturday at Witton Park in the Mid Lancs League and Joe Waller completed the Bob Graham Round, a classic fell running challenge in the Lake District that includes 42 peaks and 66 miles with 26,900 feet of ascent, all to be completed within a 24 hour period.
Joe set off at 6.00pm on Sunday from the Moot Hall in Keswick and looked to be on for a 22 hour completion until very high temperatures almost scuppered his chances on leg five from Honister Pass back to the Moot Hall but after a heroic effort and with much encouragement from his support crew he finally arrived in Keswick after 23hrs 29mins 16secs, a magnificent achievement ordinarily but especially in the very high temperatures.
On the same day Joe Ormrod and Will Curry were also on the fells in the Lake District competing in the Lily Tarn races which incorporated the trials for the Home Countries Junior International in September.
Joe finished in fourth place in the U17 race and Will was third in the U20 race after leading for much of the climb.
Both athletes will now have to wait for the selectors’ decisions which will have a big impact on their training plans for the rest of the summer.
Joe has already raced internationally on the fells and in mountain running but for Will it would be a much deserved debut in an England vest.
Andy Mellor and Michael Corbishley lined up at the Stephen Burke Cycle Hub in Barrowford on Saturday evening to race in the classic mile, a distance not run too often these days.
Sunderland’s Michael Wilson won in 4mins 14secs and Michael clocked 4mins 38secs and Andy, 4mins 40secs.
At the same venue Marcus
Law, a new recruit for the Harriers, ran 16mins 34secs to take fifth place in the B 5K, quite an improvement for him.
Mellor also raced on Sunday in the Burnley 10k which started and finished in the Turf Moor stadium. Calder Valley’s Chris Holdsworth won with a new course record of 31mins 39secs and Andy crossed the finish line in fourth place with 34mins 57secs.
On Wednesday the 11th round of the Pendle & Burnley Grand Prix took place in Padiham for the Greenway 5K and a third place for Stephen Corbishley means that he will finish at least second in the series.
Only Barlick’s Tom Corrigan who finished in first place on Wednesday can possibly beat Corbishley but he will have to complete the two remaining fixtures to do so.
On the night Corrigan crossed the finish line after 15mins 31secs to Corbishley’s 15mins 53secs with Blackburn’s Mark Magee separating them.
Matthew Clawson in 29th place was the next best placed Harrier with
19mins 13secs and once again Anne-Marie Hindle was the first FV50 in 50th place.
Ellie Richardson came home in 61st place and first junior lady from 213 runners.
There were also junior races and in the U11s/ U13s Charlie Dobson finished in second place just three seconds behind Horwich’s Harry Yates.
Ruby Cleaver was second girl overall five seconds clear of Holly Nicholls. Iona Bell finished in 13th place and fifth U13 girl, Harry Walker was fourth U11 boy followed by Arthur Grenfell one place later. Bo Dawson and Heidi Waterfall-Hallam also ran as did Alfie Walker in the U15 race.
Elsewhere on Sunday in the Yorkshire Dales Grant Cunliffe continued his return to racing with an excellent fourth place in the BOFRA series Cracoe fell race.
Grant has been plagued with injuries for the past two years so his recent form is welcome news for the Harriers’ senior team. Veteran Ashley Holt also ran well for 15th spot from 95 runners.