Harriers hit form on Oldham Half return
LAST weekend saw the final race of the 2023 Rochdale Harriers Road Championships at the Oldham Half Marathon on Sunday 29th October.
The race returned for the first time since the pandemic and is without doubt one of the toughest
13.1 mile races in the country, as the route visits the Saddleworth hills of Delph, Dobcross and Uppermill before returning to Oldham Centre via Lees.
It was another brilliant performance of a brilliant season for Izzie Brandon who raced home to third female and 32nd overall in a time of 1:35:43, also setting a new personal best time for the distance.
Lee Meadowcroft also set a PB in running 1:43:25 to finish 67th, followed by Michael Jackson, 101st in
1:49:11.
Jennie Ransome was next Harrier home in a time of 1:52:44 which earned the Female Vet 55 prize, with Susie Hirst shortly after in 139th and
1:53:38. Izzie, Jennie and Susie’s performances were enough to claim the overall first Female team prize.
Phil Arnfield completed the undulating route in 2:01:59 to finish 211th, with Tom Mitchell 237th after 2:05:57 and Gary Marshall 260th in a time of
2:08:13.
On Saturday 28th October Bolton’s Leverhulme Park played host to the second round of the Red Rose Cross Country League.
The park has all the ingredients of a classic cross country route with muddy playing fields, a water crossing and an uphill woodland section all mixing to cook up a tough challenge for the runners. Lily Hirst was the first club representative of the day finishing a fantastic third in the Under 11 Girls 2km race in a time of
7:42. Noah Small ran in the Under 15 Boys 4km race finishing 12th after 17:10 with Lottie Peacocke also 12th over the Under 15 Girls 4km course in
19:20.
Three Rochdale Harrier ladies ran alongside 83 others in the senior ladies looping 5km race with Zara Hirst finishing 20th with a time of 24:57, followed by Jennie Ransome who was 27th after 25:35. Dannielle Dignan finished 64th after 29:36.
182 senior men lined up to tackle the, by then, muddy 10km route with
Danny Bennett first Harrier home in 23rd place after a time of 39:14. Chris Gee was next, finishing 148th after 52:28, with Neil Hirst 154th in 53:38. Matthew Cox narrowly missed out on dipping under the hour barrier finishing 171st after 1:00:04.
With the Club’s yearly championships now concluded the calendar slows down with the next races being the South East Lancs Cross Country on 18th November, Red Rose Cross Country at Liverpool’s Sefton Park Saturday 25th November and the Lee Mill Fell Relays in Bacup on Sunday 26th November where the club has entered four teams.