Kathleen adds extra spice on Wardle’s fells
ROCHDALE Harriers hosted their first organised race of the year on Saturday 6th April where 169 runners tackled the Wardle Skyline Fell Race.
The route is a clockwise circuit of Watergrove Reservoir and includes the climbs of Brown Wardle,
Middle Hill, Rough Hill & Crook Hill packing in roughly 1250ft (381m) of climbing over the 7 mile
(11.3km) distance. Conditions this year were unexpectedly warm, unexpectedly clear and possibly most unexpectedly, windy as ‘Storm Kathleen’ whipped up gusts of 40mph. Any benefit runners got in the early section of the race was certainly wiped out in the later as they took a battering from cross and head winds that made the usual kamikaze descent to the King Bill pub feel glacial in comparison.
The race featured in the area’s Run The Moors Fell Championship and Saddleworth Runners’ Nick Sheard claimed first place in a time of 51:22, Michell Boocock of Pudsey & Bramley AC settled for second in 51:43 and the podium was completed by Holmfirth Harriers’
Katie Walshaw (first female) who shortly followed in a time of
53:13.
A big thanks must go
to organiser and birthday boy Eric Taylor for putting on a great race and to all the Rochdale Harriers volunteers and marshalls without whom the race couldn’t happen.
The host club had an excellent turnout with 17 runners. First harrier home was Dave Parton in 55:00 for seventh place. Jake Warwick was next in 27th after 1:01:15, followed by Henry Pickup after 1:02:27 in 30th place.
Pete Butterworth was next back for Rochdale in 54th place, 1:06:57, Jennie Ransome was 67th, 1:08:45. Zara Hirst 70th, 1:08:57. Emma
Ball 74th, 1:09:50. Neil Hirst 76th, 1:10:21. Molly Howell 83rd
1:12:38. Ian Aitchison 88th, 1:13:18. Susie
Hirst 97th, 1:14:34. Matt Cox 127th, 1:20:48. Bryony Sherry 144th,
1:26:42. Megan Hooson 145th, 1:27:12, Ian Holloway 156th, 1:30:08. Tail runners Julie Smith 167th,
1:59:3 and. John Mayall 168th 1:59:41.
Earlier in the day on Saturday John
Bramwell travelled to Crowden in the Peak District for the second race in the English Fell Championship calendar at Lad’s Leap.
An up down, up down 6 mile (9.6km) lung busting route across heavy bogs and moorland featured the finest fell racers in the country where John finished 143rd in a time of 1:03:58 out of 296 runners.
On Sunday 7th April, newly joined Rochdale Harrier, Emma Scott ran the Fleetwood Spring 10k race and despite strong sea breezes and crashing waves along the seafront route, managed to record a new personal best time of 48:47 to claim 45th overall place and second in her age category.