Jack defies excesses to with top time
BOXING Day saw around 100 runners taking part in the mince pie fuelled Star and Garter 5k race in Disley.
Clearly not slowed down by any Christmas excess, overall winner was Stockport’s Jack Nixon with a mind-boggling time of 15:08.
Tobin Rose was the fastest U17 Male in 5th place and a time of 18:04. William Bailey grabbed a 5k PB and 1st U11 Male in 9th place and 19:15 and Sophie Ellwood who is only U13 was 1st Female in an amazing 19:20.
Nicola Lloyd was 2nd Female and 1st Senior Woman with a season’s best time of 21:11. Samantha Thomas was 3rd Female and 1st V45 Female while Nathan Mayoh took home the prize for 1st V45 Male and Robert Taylor bagged the title of 1st V65 Male.
There was a nice end to the year with the 7 mile fell race which takes in the summit of Bowstones on New Year’s Eve.
The Bowstones are a pair of ancient Anglian cross shafts situated beside the old ridgeway between Disley and Macclesfield overlooking the gorgeous Lyme Park, with extensive views across the Cheshire Plain, to the city of Manchester and the hills of the Peak District. The run starts from the Boards Head Pub in Higher Poynton and winds its way uphill, crossing the Macclesfield Canal, into Lyme Park, joining the Gritstone Trail up to the Bowstones themselves, before passing Lyme Hall and the deer sanctuaries near Lyme Cage, eventually winding back down to Higher Poynton.
It’s a tough challenge, but the views (and the free bottle of beer to all finishers) make it more than worthwhile.
Out of nearly 400 runners, including Cruella De Vil and a dalmation pup… only 19 were Stockport Harriers but what we lacked in numbers we made up for in spirit.
The first Harrier back was very nearly Faye Waterhouse, who has clearly kept up an excellent form during these dark winter months, in 36th place and 1st female.
However, Faye was just pipped to the post by Phil Burns, who has also had some excellent results in 2018, and came in 33rd place.
Just 4 seconds after Faye, Simon Pickard was the third Harrier to cross the line.
Great runs were also had by Andy Fowler, Mark Smith and Lee Barratt with Jennie Pickard, Nicola Lloyd and Rebekah Livesey flying the flag for the Stockport women.