Adam takes off the Breaks as ‘Green’ Calder kids show Temple Newsham the future’s bright

West Yorkshire Primary schools Cross Country finals

Teddy, Cora, Jules and Winston ready to run. Credit Paul Haigh

On Thursday 22nd February six of our red & white Juniors represented Calderdale schools in the West Yorkshire Primary schools Cross Country finals. In the year 3 boys race were our youngest Juniors: Teddy Haigh, Jules Ciolino and Winston Lalande. Winston finished 25th and 5th Calderdale in 5m 46s; Jules 44th and 8th Calderdale in 5m 56s and Teddy 51st and 9th in Calderdale in 5m 59s. In the year 4 girls race Cora Slater finished 88th and 16th Calderdale in a time of 6m 57s. Meanwhile, in the year 5 boys Alwyn Gardner finished the slightly longer course in 6m 28s finishing 66th and 15th Calderdale. Finally, in the year 6 boys Sam Breaks, who was full of cold, finished in 6m 41s finishing 119th overall and 18th Calderdale. Well done Juniors!

Fix Events Winter Warmer

Adam Breaks ran in the Fix Events Winter Warmer cross country half marathon coming 4th overall and 1st V40 in a time of 1h 33mins. Adam said ‘We returned to Temple Newsham this morning for Fix Events Winter Warmer half marathon. 4 laps and an out and back mile over predominantly muddy tracks, with decent tracks nearer the house. 2 young lads pulled away early on so I just ran round at steady pace. It was a Multi race event so in the latter stages you’re dodging 5k and 10k runners and lapped runners … it was very slow going in wrong choice of trainers, and looking at the positives at least the weather was nice’.

High Cup Nick Fell Race

This beautiful race up an iconic valley in the Northern Pennines took place last Saturday with 3 Calder Valley Fell Runners journey to take race and this was made all the more worthwhile as they had a stunning day for it. An unusual occurrence for the this wet and windy winter.

Special High Cup Nick report by Francis Wooff

Francis climbs the rocks up the Nick. Credit David Wood Fellside Photography

Approaching the 2024 race I looked at split times from 2017, probably my strongest year in fell running & my best result (1:39) in the race. Achieving the same probably wasn’t realistic, but quietly I hoped (& memorised the splits). I decided I’d at least be happy beating my 2nd best time (2016, 1:42), but only owned up to friends who were spectating that I hoped to finish “between 1:40 & 1:50”. I gave the same line to Andrew Davies of CVFR on meeting him for the first time just before we started, Andrew said he had similar in mind & might tag on to me as I knew the race & lines. It was just as well for Andrew that he ran slightly ahead of me from the start as, though I was close on my splits for the first 5 miles (slightly behind 2017, slightly up on 2016) I made a silly mistake as I came on the initial rocks starting the climb of “the nick”. Those ahead of me must have strayed gradually off the best line & though I should have known better I was pulled by being in a snake of runners, only feet apart, into following this mistake. At least I was the first to wake up to the error & shouted to those around me we should be over to our right. We made our way over to the line, but were caught by people further back, as they benefitted from seeing the correction. I estimate this mistake, plus failing to pass slower climbers towards the top of the nick, cost me 2 to 3 minutes.

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CVFR find the way they belong! Where Stella and Susie slide on Tods Mountains High

Calder Valley Fell Runners – 19 February 2024

We know where we’re going!: All Valley runners go the right way in a weekend of navigational challenges

The CVFR gang made consistently good choices over two events with strong navigation elements. Valley runners threw themselves enthusiastically down quarries, rivers and gullies in The Todmorden Mini Mountain Marathon score event and managed to choose winning routes at Midgley Moor fell race.

The happy winning teams (left to right) Maxie Shescke, Stella Chrisanthou, Susie Richardson, Max Wilkinson and George Kettlewell Credit: Jonathan Moon

Three team wins for CVFR at Tod Mini Mountain Marathon

The 29th MMM is a three-hour score event run either solo or in pairs and is organised by Todmorden Harrier and cartographer Chris Goddard. Chris has written several Wainwright-esque guides to the hills and woodlands of West Yorkshire and his extensive local knowledge of Calder Valley ensured a challenging adventure. Using the Waggon and Horses in Walsden as a warm base for registration and a hot meal after the event, participants were handed a map marked with 21 sites to visit and the clock started ticking! Some of the furthest points offer the highest scores, but racers take the risk of gaining a penalty if they don’t get back on time: four points are deducted for every minute they run over.

George Kettlewell reported it was “tricky conditions especially as the clag started to thicken up throughout the day but everyone made it back to the pub in one piece with their tales (and excuses).

However running with expert navigator Max Wilkinson paid dividends for George, “I partnered up with Max for my first try at any kind of score event. He showed me some tricks of the trade and we took it in turns to lead the nav from one point to the next. I really enjoyed it and was even more chuffed to find out we’d come 2nd overall and 1st pair – beating 3rd place by the same score but being one minute quicker back to the pub.”

It was a top turnout for the CVFR women and pairs Stella Chrisanthou with Susie Richardson and Maxies Scheske with Ambi Swindells took the first and second ladies team prizes respectively. Stella’s enjoyed her second win of the month at a score event, commenting “I loved running with Susie. there were some crazy obstacles but we worked together and overcame them.”

All CVFR women pleased to find their way back to the pub and celebrate their successes at the Tod Mini Mountain Marathon.

Maps don’t always have all the details that the eventers may come across and the MMM is no exception: additional paths and fences not shown on the map provided some tricky moments and required some “slimey bum sliding™Susie Richardson” and negotiation of barbed wire fences. Stella thought armoured leggings may be useful for future events.

The MMM map

Pos Name  Category
2nd Max Wilkinson & George Kettlewell 1st open pair
8th Stella Chrisanthou & Susie Richardson 1st women’s pair
9th Mark O’Connor & Gavin Roper  
11th Tristan Watson & Tom Bamforth  
14th Jonathan Moon  
15th  Paul Taylor  
21st  Graham Lloyd  
22nd Layla Hirst & Oliver Beaumont 2nd mixed team
23rd Maxie Sheske & Ambi Swindells 2nd women’s team
27th Ali Hayley & Ailsa Nicholson  
29th Rachel Johnston  

That Marty Fellow wins again at ‘Sweet little Midge-stery’

Howard’s hat trick win at Midgley Moor fell race
Martin Howard secured first place on home turf at Midgley moor fell race. Every entrant is guaranteed a pint of milk and 19 CVFR members came out to enjoy an uncharacteristically clear day’s fell running. The event is organised by martin’s dad and club membership secretary Bob Howard and covers five miles of picturesque moorland. The race offers a choice of routes across the heather and despite this being the stomping ground for CVFR, it hasn’t stopped local runners from making some interesting diversions in the past.

Martin skipping along to take the win … again!!! Credit: Woodentops

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Long and Wynding Hill & Valley’s (anything but road!)

Calder Valley Fell Runners – 12  February 2024

Sam has the wind in her sails

The Windy Hill Fell Race is a fast 12-miler, run on good paths and moorland trails straddling the M62 between Denshaw and Blackstone Edge. As well as the titular wind, this year’s event brought a heavy mist, slightly improving the views of post-industrial Rochdale and leaving runners to navigate by the sounds of the wind turbines and motorway.

The race posed a new test for CVFR’s Sam Hartley, with three extra miles and an uphill finish added to the course since she last ran it in 2020. This made Windy Hill the longest distance Sam had tackled for a few years. However, the club’s freshly crowned ‘most improved runner’ of 2023 took this challenge in her stride, continuing her streak of strong results to finish as 11th woman in a smidgeon over 2 hours.

Top improver Sam goes the distance at Windy Hill – credit Francis Wooff

John Lloyd was the first CVFR man, finishing in 47th place in 1 hour 44 minutes. Stephen Smithies, beset by injury, dropped to a walk for much of the course but gritted his teeth and made it round.    

Meanwhile in Shropshire, in the Long Mynd Valleys race organised by Mercia Fell Runners, CVFR’s Virgil Barton came 10th overall and 1st V50. With an amended course that Virgil described as ‘a beast’, he completed the 11 miles and 4,000 feet of climbing in 2 hours and 5 minutes.

Virgil tackles the ups and downs of Long Mynd – credit Charlie Leventen (non-commercial use)

Also organised in conjunction with Long Mynd Valleys is the short and steep Titterstone Clee race. Jon Underwood flew the flag for CVFR in this 2.5 mile up-and-down blast, and came 16th in 28:19.

CALDER VALLEY NEWS REPORTER: jim cooke

Trogtastic birthday boy Howard sparkles with the Cornish Pasty

Calder Valley Fell Runners – 5 February 2024

A piece of cake!!!

A busy week saw Calder Valley Fell Runners excel at home and away. Birthday boy Martin Howard and Charlotte Jackson made it a red and white double at the Wadsworth Trog (so an extra slice of birthday cake for Martin this year). CFVR teams also excelled in Pendle, Blackburn and Appletreewick. And James Sackley carried the red and white stripes the furthest, taking on an epic personal challenge around the Cornwall coast.

The Wadsworth Trog

Affectionately known by locals as ‘The Beast’, the Wadsworth Trog is one of the highlights of the Calder Valley racing calendar. It clocks in at just under 20 miles, with an overall ascent of 3,624 feet and it is well-known for presenting runners with incredibly challenging conditions. With Storm Ingunn skirting the British Isles on its way to Norway this weekend the main feature of this year’s race was a strong wind. The day itself was largely dry, but insistent rain in the weeks before ensured that there was plenty of surface water and boggy conditions on the moors.

Martin out front from the start. Credit Woodentops

CVFR dominated this year’s race, taking first place in both the men’s and women’s competitions. Martin Howard was in imperious form, leading from start to finish and his time of just over 2 hrs 30 mins saw him cross the line around 11 minutes before his nearest competition.

Cornish girl Charlotte looking strong on her way to top spot. Credit Woodentops

In the women’s race it was Charlotte Jackson who came out on top – an incredible achievement considering 2023 was Charlotte’s Trog debut. Charlotte ran an excellent race, occupying third place for the first part of the race before picking up the pace after checkpoint three. By checkpoint nine (of 12) she had taken the lead from Hinda Hardaker of Keighley & Craven Athletic Club and she never looked back – eventually taking 23 minutes off her 2023 time. CVFR’s Susannah Richardson (who took third place in the women’s race) had a perfect vantage point for the battle for the front. She shared afterwards “I had Hinda in sight until just after checkpoint five, which was a surprise as she’s usually out of sight by then! Charlotte then powered past me and accelerated like a machine up the hill. I knew that if I maintained my pace I might hold onto third place, and I’m delighted to have managed this.”

Ever smiling Gill digging in to make the cut offs and she did.

Pos Name Category Time
1st Martin Howard OSEN 2:30:54
9th Mark O’Connor O40 3:06:23
17th Charlotte Jackson WSEN 3:15:41
24th Susannah Richardson W40 3:25:51
35th Kieran O’Prey OSEN 3:36:31
37th Toby Cotterill O40 3:38:08
38th Bill Johnson O50 3:40:42
44th Stella Chrisanthou W50 3:42:43
56th Helen Curtis W40 3:50:35
60th Claire Hanson W40 3:52:14
70th Mark Barnabas OSEN 3:56:53
84th George Kirk OSEN 4:06:23
93rd James Lindley O50 4:13:41
107th Louise Williamson W50 4:28:46
118th Gill Dickson W50 4:54:58
121st Helen Flage W50 4:57:23
122nd Ailsa Nicholson W40 4:57:46

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