Harriers duo in Buxton victory
SUMMER running looks lovely in all the shiny running magazines.
They usually feature some lithe, tanned young thing with a smattering of perspiration on their forehead and a big smile as they breeze along in their brightly coloured shorts on a Cornish beach.
The editors of these magazines have clearly never run the Buxton Half Marathon on a May bank holiday weekend in the sweltering sun!
Not only is running just over 13 miles (21.0975km to be exact) a really long way, the Buxton Half will also see you climbing 1508ft in total and losing most of your body weight in sweat. This is not the event for you if you want glamorous finishing photographs. If however, you would like unparalleled views of High Peak and an enormous sense of achievement then get signed up for 2019.
The course begins at Buxton’s Opera House, before heading out of town up the first climb along Axe Edge.
This road snakes up and to the left and, when standing at the bottom, seems impossibly long and steep and a brutal start to a race (that’s because it is).
The runners become spread out and it is quite a spectacular sight to see the long line slowly (unless you are at the front) plodding its way up to the top.
Finally, with a big sigh of relief from everyone, the route turns left and heads down beautiful country lanes, taking in the sights of Chrome Hill, Dowel Dale and Park House Hill to name a few.
After a few more climbs the route turns back to Buxton with a disconcerting and disorientating zig-zig through the residential streets (to make up the distance) and then a final flat finish across the Pavilion Gardens.
This race is a favourite of the Stockport Harriers and this year they managed to win the first Team prize after incredible performances by Stephen Crook who came 2nd in 1:23:10, Adam Thompson who finished 5th in 1:28:52 and Matthew Brown was 26th in 1:36:50.
Farther north and still basking in brilliant sunshine, the Edinburgh Marathon Festival took place on the same bank holiday Sunday.
Not many Harriers are to be found in Edinburgh, however the Murdoch family made the long journey and Ruth Murdoch was the solo Stockport Harrier to take part in the marathon.
Ruth completed the course in a fantastic time of 3:48:24 which meant she knocked a whole eight minutes off her PB.
The event also includes a junior race over 2km and spectacular finish of the day goes to 11 year old Freya Murdoch who beat not only the girls but also all of the boys and highfived every spectator on the finishing straight as she stormed to victory in 7min 22secs. Ellena Walker was the second Stockport Harrier, finishing 72nd in 8mins58secs.
The junior Track and Field teams have also been hard at work over the past week. Here are some of the highlights:
Natasha Harrison won the Under 20 Women’s 400m at the Greater Manchester County Championships and set a new county record of 55:85secs.
At the first Glasgow Athletics Association Sprint Gala of the 2018 summer season, the day was rounded off with a 4 x 80m Hurdle relay.
Stockport’s Under 17 Women’s team, Mia Lowndes, Abigail Pawlett, Emily Misantoni and Mia Lowndes came 2nd with a time of 4:95seconds and a UK Women’s Hurdle Relay record.
There were some great results at Trafford Athletics Club Medal Meet for the Under 13 girls including 1.38m in the High Jump and 20:91seconds in the 150m for Seren Redfern, 22m in the Javelin for Lola Unsworth and 4.32m in the Long Jump and 10.57seconds in the 75m for Millie Everett.
At the UK Youth Development U17/U20 League at Ellesmere Port there was another Club Record and a UK Leading time of 48.7 for the U17 Girls 4x100m Squad amongst a host of strong results.
The Harriers also had a great night in Belfast at the Firmus Open Meet with Evie Wild winning Gold in the Under 17 Women’s High Jump and throwing very close to a personal best in the Shot Put.
There was a bronze medal for Melissa Cox in the Under 15 Girl’s Shot Put and a 4.19m Long Jump only 7cm off a PB.
There was also a massive PB of 10cm with 1.35m and third place in the Under 15 Boy’s High Jump for Sam Ayre and another great run in the 100m, agonisingly close to a PB.
Next weekend sees the return of the Northern Athletics U20 / Senior Championships at Sportcity Manchester, the Oldham 10K and RunthroughTatton Park 10K.