Gray earns GB selection

Mounsey (Left) then Gray and Swift – Three Peaks 2017 (Thanks: Woodentops)

The week saw a packed and busy itinerary for CVFR with a catalogue of races ranging from 3.3 miles to 61 miles. In the offing was a mid week run in Todmorden (the Orchan Rocks), two classic fell races (the Yorkshire 3 Peaks and the epic ultra Fellsman), and a popular club event, the Coiners, hosted by the club itself. And, as ever, the red and white stripes scooped up a range of prizes along their way.

Orchan Rocks, a short 3.3 mile race, was first run in 2014. Starting a couple of miles outside Todmorden, it’s a short sharp blast of a race on some fast, grassy paths. Going up the Knotts Cliffs, the route does a quick loop around the Orchan Rocks before descending back the same way. Calder Valley’s Alex Whittem was the overall winner with a time of 22.30. Calder Valley men took the Team prize and Sue Martin claimed the WV50.

Sue Martin WV50 Orchan Rocks

The Yorkshire 3 Peaks is an iconic event, popular with runners and spectators alike. Richly steeped in history, it’s a race where many great athletes have made their mark. Billed as the “Marathon with Mountains”, this 23 miles fell route, which has 5,279ft of ascent, features on the bucket list of many fell runners with its steep climbs, challenging descents, fast runnable sections, a variety of all terrain, and of course unpredictable Yorkshire weather! It attracts the very best fell and mountain runners in the land with fierce competition, especially this year as it was a selection event for the Great Britain Team for the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships. The race starts from Horton-in-Ribblesdale and snakes it way up, round and down the iconic peaks of Pen-y-gent, Whernside, and Ingleborough. And if that’s not challenging enough, the strict cut off times, means there’s always significant number of runners who are unable to complete the race.

The 2017 event, held last Saturday, attracted a field of 760 runners. Conditions were favourable as 22 hardy Calder Valley runners gathered at the starting line, including the club’s finest athletes, to take on this gruelling challenge. All 22 CV runners accomplished the mission of making the cut off times and completing the race.

The overall winner was Murray Strain of Hunters Bog Trotters in Edinburgh completing in 2:49:38- 3mins 35secs outside the men’s record for the current course, which Andy Peace, of Bingley Harriers established 21-years-ago in 1996. Calder Valley’s Karl Gray came in 4th overall at 2:56:37, winning the MV40 category and breaking his own record. With his team mates Ben Mounsey and Andy Swift, CVFR secured 2nd men’s team prize.

Karl said ‘I had amazing run at the 3 peaks. I’d prepared really well leading up to the race but you never really know how you’re going to run as it’s such a tough race to get right. I’d told myself that a top 10 would be a great result. My plan was to run my own race aiming for a sub 3 hours and see what happens.

‘I’d stayed in the top 10 at Penyghent and was 7th on Whernside and was starting to feel more confident on the way to Ingleborough as the run off Ingleborough to the finish is the strongest part of the race for me. As others start to fade I feel good there. I just needed to survive the run down to the Hill Inn and keep a good rhythm on the long climb up Ingleborough. My plan worked out perfectly and I manage to pick off the 3 runners that I could see ahead of me finishing in 4th place in a new personal best time and veteran 40 record of 2.56.32. Being overjoyed is an understatement – I’d amazed myself! ‘

Victoria Wilkinson, of Bingley Harriers, claimed a £500 bonus prize for breaking the ladies’ record. She finished 13th overall at 03:09:19. Helen Buchan, the lone Calder Valley female runner, completed it in 4:41:11

Among the 22 CV crew was Paul Haigh. Determined to put his running efforts to good use, he completed the Yorkshire 3 Peaks as the first of 4 Mountain Marathons this year to raise money for Mental Health UK. His marathons will be part of his quest to run 1000 miles and climb 100,000ft of ascent in 2017.  

Paul said ‘I’m still buzzing from an absolutely fantastic day. My aim was just to finish. To do it in just over 4 hours, making new friends along the way, and receiving some brilliant support both on and off the course has made this a day I’ll never forget. Thanks everyone who’s donated so far to my ‘Mental’ Health challenge. On course for at least £1.5k so far with only a quarter of the Mountain Marathons completed!’

The Fellsman 2017, Joint 2nd, Calders Simon Bourne(Left) and Kevin Hoult (Right)

This year’s 55th Fellsman is another Yorkshire classic. A high level traverse covering more than 60 miles over very hard rugged moorland, the event climbs12,000 feet in its path from Ingleton to Threshfield in the Yorkshire Dales. Conditions this year were kind – remarkably dry underfoot and no rain The overall winner was Chris Perry from Dark Peak in 11h 21m. As a counter for CVFR’s 2017 Ultra Club Championships, Calder Valley’s Simon Bourne and Kevin Hoult were determined to undertake the challenge and in doing so, finished joint 2nd  along Stewart Bellamy from Mercia  in 11h 56m. Not only that, CV won the men’s Team prize.

Simon said ‘The three of us started running together early on and we pulled through the field from 20th to 3rd place at half way. I’m a Fellsman veteran (was my 7th top 10 position and was also 2nd last year) so know the route well and the other guys were happy to follow me. Early on, Kevin and myself agreed to run together to the finish like we did in 2015.’

‘We were in sight of the guy in 2nd place (Lawrence Eccles from Liverpool) for all the second half of the race, but he held us off until the final 8 mile descent off Great Whernside to the finish which we ran really hard as we were hugely motivated to break 12 hours. We kept pushing hard all the way and were delighted to finish a few minutes under 12, having passed Lawrence with 6 miles to go’

Finally, on Bank Holiday Monday, CVFR hosted the popular Coiners race for both juniors and seniors. This year, the race was an English Juniors Championships counter and Yorkshire Championship race, thus attracting large numbers of youngsters from all over the country, with over 400 juniors racing. The pressure was on for CVFR to pull off a super, successful junior event and they did just that with club members coming out in force to support and marshal the races, superbly organised and coordinated by junior coach, Alastair Whitelaw. The testing junior routes each started with a tough uphill, with the older the age group the wilder the route. The older runners take in large chunks of open moorland before a long fast downhill descent with a bit of everything – moor, tracks, woodland and fast grassy slopes.

Holly Page is 1st and sets a new course record on the Coiners 2017

Smiles and mud were abundant as the juniors zipped their way round their respective course (U9, U11, U13, U15, U17 and U19). U9 overall winner was Tom Ashworth (Ambleside) with Samuel Annison first CV home followed 2 seconds later by CV’s Clara McKee who was first girl. CV’s Charlie Pickins (7th) and George McFie (10th) were within the first 10 back of the U11, with CV’s Thomas McKee, Ben Hodgkinson, Ollie Pickins, Fearne Hanson Finley Canning , Kenton Jones McCalla ,Wynn Standish all showing great determination and effort.

In the U13, CV’s William Hall came in 3rd with James Duffy (8th) and Patrick Casey (9th) also in the top ten.  Great performances from CV were also seen by Alex Duffield, Farrell Brown, Tom Owen, Elijah Peers-Webb, Matilda Baldero, Evelyn Illstone, Sylvie Smith and Hattie Pope.

Charlie Pickins Coiner junior

Frazer Sproul (Kendal) was the overall winner for the U15, with promising performances from CV’s Erik Powell, Eilo Beesley,  Maya Brunt and Ruby McFie. U17 winner was Alex Ediker (Buxton AC) and first girl Rosie Woodhams (Dallam running club) with CV’s Lucas Greenwood running well.

With this being a Junior Yorkshire championship race William Hall was crowned under 13s boys champion. A fantastic result for the William who’s running fantastically this season.

The well organised seniors race later that day, coordinated by CV’s Rob Rawlinson, also had a strong CVFR turn out both as participants and marshals. The scenic 6 mile loop with 967ft of climb takes in Coiner’s country on paths, tracks moorland. It goes over Erringden Moor, Stoodley Pike and Bell House Moor, offering spectacular views of Cragg Vale and passing by the old coiners cottages of Bell House and Keelam.

The overall winner was Tom McGuiness (East Cheshire) in 45:33 with Holly Page the first CV home and first lady (5th overall) in 49:47. Holly broke the previous record held by Katie Walshaw, an international runner from Holmfirth Harriers. Not only that, but the red and whites also successfully scooped both the 1st Ladies Team prize (Holly Page, Jo Buckley, Lindsey Oldfield) AND the 1st Men’s Team prize (Romans Sustovs, Matt Ray and Steve Smithies).

Calder Valley News Reporter: Gill Dickson

Howarth Hobble GB vest for Roberts

Haworth Hobble

Jo Buckley – Fly’s around the Howarth Hobble

With 32 miles of off road running around the hills of Calderdale, the Howarth Hobble is always a tough race. But it was made all the more competitive this year because it was being used as a trial to decide who would run for Great Britain in the international trail running championships in Italy this summer.

With over 400 people taking part the race was full and, for the front runners at least, the stakes were high. As a local club with some of the UK’s leading fell and ultra runners, there was a strong turnout of runners Calder Valley.

Ultra Beast Ian Symington – Howarth Hobble

The long race, which includes a mile of ascent, begins in Haworth, takes runners across the moors of Crimsworth Dean and along the Calderdale Way, down into Todmorden before going back up to Stoodley Pike, descending into Hebden, up again to Heptonstall and back along the moors to Haworth.

Because it was a trial for a GB vest, speedy runners were out in force, among them Calder Valley’s Math Roberts, one of the club’s elite runners. He had an excellent run and despite getting lost on the descent into Todmorden was third, finishing in just under 3 hours 56 minutes – only a minute behind the race winner Thomas Payn. Second for Calder Valley was Kevin Hoult in 12th place, and third for the club was Ian Symington just behind in 14th place. Together they took the team prize. To give an indication of the speed of the race this year, all of the first 8 runners beat the previous course record.

Jo Buckley also had an excellent run, finishing as 3rd in the female V40 category and 6th lady overall, completing in 4 hours 53 minutes. Jim Mosley ran the Hobble for charity and, having run the course in 5 hours 35 minutes, raised over £1,000 for Overgate Hospice.

Man on a Mission, Jim Mosley – Howarth Hobble

Math Roberts said:

“Beforehand I was a little worried about cramp but more about the issue that’s blighted me in so many races – getting lost! Little did I know that the route was totally unmarked.”

“The first eight miles felt good,” he continued, “but I saw a gap developing up ahead, so I put my foot down and caught the leading group. Inevitably, though, I got lost descending into Todmorden – having been two minutes ahead of the next group, we were now two minutes behind.”

“From Hebden Bridge the real grind kicked in and I slowly moved through the pack, with Gareth Hughes of Mercia the only guy I could not get rid of! Then, as the last descent approached, Kyle Greig had somehow caught us up. So a madcap sprint ensued through streets of Haworth. I led us down a dead end lane, Gareth took advantage by spotting the correct route and he got me by a split second with Kyle a split behind me. Not the desired finish after 32 miles of running! So, very happy with 3hrs 55mins. It was definitely the hardest I’ve pushed myself in any race, particularly that last section from Stoodley summit to finish. Fingers crossed to see whether the two Welsh ‘Exiles’ get a place in the GB squad!”

Matthew Roberts – Earning that GB vest at the Howarth Hobble

Photos courtesy of Woodentops.org.uk

– Calder Valley News Reporter: Giles Simon –

The stuff of Legends – #TeamGB

Calder Valley Fell Runner Karl Gray was part of a Great Britain team which took a silver medal at the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships in Slovenia.

KG TeamGB Line up

Left to Right, Legend Karl ‘Earl’ Gray, Ricky Lightfoot, Andrew Davies, Tom Owens and Rob Hope

Competing against the world’s top mountain runners, “Earl” Gray clocked a fantastic 4:00.19 to finish 12th overall last Saturday. The 42.195km course included a whopping 9000 feet of ascent. Throw in the heat, altitude, and a host of elite rivals used to competing on alpine routes and you have some idea what our local hero was up against.

Karl Gray #TeamGB

Karl Gray #TeamGB

Runners gathered from across the globe in bright sunshine, taking in the fresh alpine air of the spectacular Podbrdo mountains. With a mixture of technical terrain, complete with rocks and mud, the footing was challenging on many parts of the course. Those with tentative descending skills were quickly left behind by the sure-footed mountain goats. The best runners on the day were those proficient in all types of mountain running technique.

Gray’s years of experience competing at the highest level in UK and in international races ensured he maintained a strong position as those around him faltered. Early leader Andy Wacker (USA) dropped out of the race at 28 kilometres, having set a solid pace and took a lead of nearly four minutes at the top of the first long climb.

There were many positional  changes after that as runners battled for medals. Alessandro Rambaldini won in a record time of 3:44:52, leading Italy to gold. With Marco De Gasperi second in 3:46:12 and Fabio Ruga 14th in 4:01:15, they had a total time of  11:32:19. That was more than five minutes ahead of second-placed Great Britain,  who had Tom Owens in fourth (3:49.34),Ricky Lightfoot sixth (3:53.30), Andrew Davies ninth (3:54.39)  and Rob Hope 16th (4:01.59).

Team GB Silver Medalists

Team GB Silver Medalists

Gray gained selection after finishing fourth at Yorkshire Three Peaks race, knocking two minutes off the veterans 40 record. He said:

“I’ve been lucky to run for England before but getting selected for GB is another level and I am really proud to have achieved that! “I have been training really hard so that I didn’t let the very strong mens team down. “I had a fantastic race in Slovenia. I managed to pace myself well around the course by not overdoing it on the first climb and descent. “I think I was in 26th place at the first summit and managed to steadily make my way up to 15th before the last climb and lost a couple of places by the summit. “I then gave it everything on the final descent to pull through to 12th. “It was a fantastic team performance with all five of us finishing in the top 16 and one I am really proud to have been a part of. A fantastic experience!”

Al on the final summit of Ben Nevis

Alistair on the final summit of Ben Nevis

Hebden Bridge’s Alistair Morris has completed the  Three Peaks Yacht Race, one of the oldest and most remarkable multi-sport endurance contests in the world. It is a unique event combining sailing, running and cycling; with the quirky feature that rowing is allowed in moments of calm. It takes competitors through some of the most spectacular scenery in the United Kingdom. Not only are teams required to have excellent sailing and navigational abilities, but they also run Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis in only a few days. Teams of four or five per yacht sail from Barmouth on the west coast of Wales up to the finish in Fort William on the west coast of Scotland. Two of the crew are required to climb each of the highest mountains in Wales, England and Scotland en route, thereby running the equivalent of three marathons. Calder Valley Fell Runners’ Morris, 43, was a member of the White Cloud team which finished fifth out of 17 teams. He was one of the two runners in the team and ran all three mountains – almost three marathons in four days. The crew had to row when the wind dropped and Morris said: “It was an amazing  experience. “We saw whales, dolphins and seals and sailed day and night, completing in four day and nine hours.”

Calder Valley’s Calvin Ferguson was disappointed with his 90th position at the Aggies Staircase fell race on a sunny Thursday night in Darwen, Lancashire. He clocked 41.52, three minutes slower than last year.

European Mountain Champs #TeamGB

Calder Valley’s Ben Mounsey is all set for an Italian job after another top draw performance at the British trials for the European Mountain Running Championships at Whinlatter forest, near Keswick.

Tom Adams, Ricky Lighfoot then CVFR Ben Mounsey #TeamGB

Tom Adams, Ricky Lightfoot and Ben Mounsey #TeamGB

With team GB places for the European Championships in Italy up for grabs there was plenty at stake as the elites of British mountain running gathered to take on the challenging 12km course with 750m of ascent, over 3 mountainous laps in hot, energy sapping conditions. Learning from bitter experience in recent FRA Championship events, the Calder runner reigned in his instinct to set off like a bullet, knowing that most of the field would go off too fast and pay a heavy price later in the race. Mounsey’s patience was rewarded as he reeled in his rivals moving from 15th to 10th after the first lap, to join a the leading group, with Andy Douglas and Andy Davies setting the pace.

EuroChamps Mounsey3

Ben Mounsey making his move at the European Mountain Running Championships

By lap the end of the second lap Mounsey’s recipe for success saw him climb his my way in to sixth place behind Ricky Lightfoot, while many of the favourites ran out of gas, having over-cooked the first half of the race. Sensing a ticket to Italy was within his grasp Calder Valley’s mountain man launched himself into one last big push to move past Max Nicholls, on the last lap,  before steaming home in a fantastic 5th place behind Andy Douglas in 1st, Andy Davies 2nd, Ricky Lightfoot 3rd and Alex Pilcher 4th. Mounsey will find out later this week if his performance was enough to secure a prestigious Team GB place at July’s European Mountain Running Championship. Since going to press it has now been confirmed that Ben is off to Italy to represent #TeamGB.

Closer to home Calder Valley’s Joe Washington headed over the other side of the M62 for Sunday’s Saddleworth Fell Race. Washington was all set for a memorable victory over the tough 3 mile route with 950 feet of ascent, but having done all the hard work, he somehow lost track of the flags to end up finishing a highly credible, but frustrating, 2nd place.

Saddleworth Edge - Joe Washington

Saddleworth Fell Race – Joe Washington

Bank Holiday Monday saw Steve Smithies and Bill Johnson join George Osbourne in the Tatton MPs home constituency, taking in the festivities at the Wildboarclough Fete in Cheshire.

Unlike the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who clearly had not budgeted for the £4 entry fee, the roving Calder runners threw their hats in the ring for the Shutlingsloe Fell Race. Proving the point that not all of Cheshire is as flat as some would belief, this short sharp race manages to pack 900 feet of climbing into 2 brutal miles of running.

Johnson was able to show his Yorkshire legs were more than a match for the local talent as he romped to a V50 category victory in 21.22, just ahead of club mate Smithes who descended the Shutlingsloe (commonly described as Cheshire’s Matterhorn) just 1 minute behind. Local legend Simon Bailey was first home completing a winning streak that stretches back over more than a decade.

Bill Johnson takes 1st V50

Bill Johnson takes 1st V50