Monthly Archives: June 2019

Special-K Topping the charts.

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Calder Valley take on Midsummer Lakeland ‘Monsters’

Described as a ‘monster’ by its organisers, the Great Lakes Fell race involves a big (7,000ft), 13 mile day out in the wild western Lakes. Part of the British and English Champs series, the Great Lakes has lots of varied terrain with ‘eye-popping’ ascents, steep descents and a high level summit-hopping circuit of upper Eskdale, taking in the two highest peaks in the Lakes: Scafell Pike and Scafell. Runners then face a crossing akin to Middle Earth from Slight Side to Blisco and fast running over the trackless route south of Great Moss. With more than 300 taking part, Karl Gray continues to show his class, taking 2nd MV45 and 33rd overall. Gav Mulholland was 6th V45 (50th overall). Calder Valley men’s team are currently 6th in the English Champs. Other notable results were Adam Osborne (52nd) Matthew Roberts (62nd), Mark Taylor (101st), Paul Haigh (204th).

CVFR’s Matthew Roberts in the Great Lakes Fell Race (Credit: TBC)

Phil and Jackie Scarfe showed their running experience in the Great Lakes finishing (183rd and 289th respectively). Carl Bell was first back in 2.37h and Kelli Roberts, first woman in 3.03h.

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Elsewhere in the Lakes, one of Calder Valley’s top ultra runners Simon Bourne took on the Joss Naylor Lakeland Challenge last Saturday, a 42 mile route that crosses the Lake District from Pooley Bridge to Wasdale, taking in 30 peaks and 17,000 feet of climbing.

Calder’s Simon Bourne on his Joss Naylor Lakeland Challenge (Credit: Mark Chapman)

The route was devised by legendary Lake District fell runner Joss Naylor in 1990 as a charity fund-raising challenge for the over 50s, with target times for each age category. Simon completed the route in 10 hours 47 minutes, comfortably beating the 12-hour target for the men’s 50-54 category and setting the 4th fastest time ever on the route. He was well supported by five of his Calder Valley club mates along the route, and was lucky enough to enjoy completely dry weather conditions for once this summer. Simon commented that he was absolutely delighted with the run, with it being a perfect day in the hills that will stay long in the memory.
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Closer to home, eleven Calder Valley club champs’ contenders lined up in Whitworth for the latest club champs event, Brown Wardle (and a bit of Moor) Fell Race. This tough, midweek race is short (3 miles) with over 1100 ft of ‘thumbs on thigh’ climb. Alisdair Pedley (MU21) had a fantastic run to finish 3rd.

Alisdair Pedley at Brown Wardle (Credit: Mick Fryer)

Calder’s Natasha Butterfield (2nd woman, 29th overall) and Carole Fryer (1st W50 and 8th woman overall) continue their great running form.

CVFR’s Natasha Butterfield and Andrew Davies at Brown Wardle (Credit: Mick Fryer)

– Calder Valley News Reporter: Eileen McDonach

Summer Series Girl Power

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Red and white hoops could be seen over Tomorden last Tuesday as a number of CV swapped their usual pack run for the Bridestones race to bag points for the club’s Summer series. The route goes past the famous Bridestone and takes in some of the lesser used paths in the upper Calder Valley. A short fast race with steep climbs, fast tracks and demon descents, there’s something for everyone. And again, prizes aplenty for CV.

Lee Shimwell, Philip Wells and Giles Simon scooped the men’s Team prize whist Natasha Butterfield and Jocasta Fletcher flew the ladies flag. Natasha was 2nd lady and Jocasta first FV40, despite still recovering from an epic charity bike ride of 135 miles a few days before. CV’s Mark Wharton took the MV50 prize.

Girl Power. Natasha Butterfield (left) and Jocasta Fletcher

A few CV crossed over the border the following night for the Holcombe fell race. It’s a steep route across and around Holcombe Moor with a bit of everything and numerous punishing climbs. After the downpour on Wednesday the course proved particularly challenging with mudslides, stream crossings and insane slippy slidey mud ascents with many runners just sliding back. But all that didn’t deter CV’s Darren Kay who came in first at 33:10.

Carl Bell of Keswick AC & Kelli Roberts of Helm Hill Runners were winners at Great Lakes British & English Championship Fell race. 11 CV raced in a field of 319 with CV’s Karl Gray taking second MV45.

One of the Lakeland classics, the 13 mile route is packed with variety and includes much ground new to fell racing in the wild western Lakes. After an eyeballs-out ascent of The Band to Bowfell, the route makes a high-level summit-hopping circuit of Upper Eskdale, including the two highest peaks in the Lakes: Scafell Pike and Scafell. There follows a crossing of what feels like Middle Earth, forging a path from Slight Side to Blisco fast running over the trackless reaches south of Great Moss. Definitely not one for the faint hearted!

Gavin Mulholland Great Lakes (photo credit: Graham Smith)

– Calder Valley News Reporter: Gill Dickson

Cold “Weet ” & Windy

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Another good contingent of CVFR juniors braved a rather soggy morning to run in the Weets junior fell race at Barnoldswick.

The final stream crossing in the closing straight to the finish proved somewhat tricky to navigate with a fair number of runners coming a cropper over the course of the morning …..but all our juniors negotiated it well.

In the Under 9’s Harry Cliff finished strongly taking a clear victory ahead of some good local runners. Charlotte Cliff had the option of running in a rare Under 7 race but decided that she wanted to run in the bigger field of the U9’s. A great decision as she notched up her first top three girl’s finish and 14th overall.

Our three runners in the Under 11’s also ran very well , all finishing in the top 10 of 30+ strong field; Joseph Stone (5th), Sam Annison (6th) and Ted Parker (10th) – Ted opting part way through that given the conditions he’d be better off racing whilst holding his glasses. On finishing, Sam commented that despite the conditions he very much enjoyed the race!!!

Harry Cliff

Photo all courtesy of Woddentops

Meanwhile in the Lakes on the Saturday saw four CV gather at the stat line of Lowgill Sports Fell Race as part of the BORFRA series (British Open Fell Runners Association). Unusually, it’s a downhill start then a steep climb through woods before reaching the open moor. A circuit around the moor, then back towards the woods, with then an uphill finish. At only 2.2miles, it’s fast and furious despite the 1000ft of climbing. CV’s Charlie Ing came an impressive 2nd, completing the course in a mere 16:19. Adam Osbourne and James Logue were only a couple of places behind  with Logue securing the MV50 prize.

Lee’s Paddy

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The last week of May & first week of June may include a school & a bank holiday, but there’s no break in the fell running calendar – with plenty of races to choose from.

PB Round:
For Calder Valley runners, the most epic of this week’s races was without a doubt the Paddy Buckely. Along with the famous Bob Graham in the Lakes and Charlie Ramsay in Highlands, the PB in Wales makes up the third of the UK fells three ‘big rounds’ – & is recognised the hardest, due to its terrain. On 1st & 2nd June, CVFR’s Lee Shimwell & Karl Grey took on the this 100km & 47-summit run, looking to finish in the arbitrary 24-hour time challenge.

PB Round – before setting off

Thankfully given the atrocious weather for the first 14 hour of their attempt at this monster round, unlike the Bob Graham, runners do not have to finish in one full day & night. In the gusting gales, sliding over wet rocks with zero visibility & persistent rain, Shimwell described how his he almost gave up half way round, but his ‘fantastic CVFR support team wouldn’t allow it’, partly he suspects due to having camped all night in a deserted quarry high in Snowdonia. They kept him going, finishing the full route in a very respectable 26h & 39 minutes. Less that one day later, Shimwell commented that he was just ‘extremely pleased to have got round’, although having not met the time challenge he ‘might have to try again!’ However, he was also quick to observe that he could not have even got around the full round without the fantastic support he received from all involved.

With many Calder runners in Wales offering support on the Paddy Buckley round, only eight CVFR runners braved the early morning drive over to Rossendale, where the Edenfield residents’ association sponsor a fell race with a great prize haul.

Some of the red & white hoops before the race – courtesy of Mick Fryer

The 10.3km race begins its 477 miles of ascent from the off, with a quick climb at the start up to the moors. This year’s weather made running across the moors a challenge in itself for the 136 competitors – between cold showers & baking heat, without even taking the steep technical descents and vicious sting in the tail of 200m climbing in about 200m of the course just 2km from the end.

Paul Haigh was the first red & white hooped runner home finishing 18th overall (& 4th in the MV40 category) at 52 :25. Completing the first three home & just pipped the men’s team prize by Rossendale, Andy Wright & Rob Rawlinson (third in the MV45 category) had a real sprint finish to the line, with only six seconds between them as they crossed it, in just under 55 minutes a-piece.

Fellow MV45 runners Jonathan Lees & Tim Brooks also ran strong races – both finishing in the top ten in their age category. In the women’s, another strong race from Carole Fryer say her finish 5th woman overall & 1st in the LV50 category. Elina Eady also finished first in the LV40 category & Eileen McDonach ran strongly to finish in the top 5 LV45.

Elaine Eady – courtesy of Mick Fryer

On bank holiday Monday, 27th May, the Austwick Amble attracted 169 runners, including 10 CVFR. In a fast race, where the course record was broken by Tim Stratton (City of York), Calder Valley’s Jonny Croston ran brilliantly, to finish in just a shave over 55 minutes, finishing 10th overall & 5th in the MV40 age category. With good runs from red & white-hopped MV40 runners Luke Meleschko & Rob Rawlinson (13th & 16th in their age category), CVFR men took first team prize. Toby Sydes also ran strongly, finishing 9th in the MV50 age category. For the ladies, Catherine Holden ran strongly to finish in 1:10 the top 5 women’s vet 40 & Carole Fryer had another strong outing, finishing 4th in the MV50 age category.

On Thursday, 30th May, the popular local race That’s So Hebden Bridge took place with 120 runners overall – over 1/5th of whom (24 competitors) wore red & white hoops. CVFR’s Alasair Pedley ran an outstanding race to finish 3rd overall (only two seconds behind the second placed runner), taking 2nd in the men’s under 23 category behind winner Wharfdale’s Robin Howie, who also beat the existing course record. Luke Meleschko ran a second strong race in as many days to finish 14th overall & second in the MV40 category, with Liam Williams finishing 7th in the open male category (16th overall) to see CVFR win the men’s team prize again.

Rob Rawlinson & Liam Williams – courtesy of Mick Fryer

There was also a slew of 2nd & 5th places in a number of categories for the red & white hoops: Taking second place in their respective age categories were Mark Wharton (M50), Natasha Butterfield (W35), & Jonathan Emberton (MV55), Carole Fryer (W50) & Stella Chrisanthou (W45). In fifth place were CVFR’s Rob Rawlinson (M45), Darrren Earnshaw (M45) & Toby Sydes (M50).

Other note-worthy finishes included Johnie Watson (9th MV45); Anthony Costello (8th MV50), Graham Lloyd (8th M55) & Lawerence Fenelly (10th M50), Jocasta Fletcher (4th W45), Gill Dickinson (5th W45), Tamsin Cooke (7th in the women’s open category) & new recruit James Halliday – running his first fell race – who crossed the line in the top 25 in the men’s open category.

Natasha Butterfield – courtesy of Mick Fryer

 

On Sunday, 2nd June, saw a couple of hardy CVFR runners travel up to Coniston Gullies – a BOFRA championship race. Dreadful weather and an unforgiving short, steep course with a very difficult sheer-drop descent including a scree section, meant lots of slips and trips. Charlie Ing & Stephen Smithies flew the flag for Calder Valley senior runners, finishing 4th & 17th overall – 1st MV50 for Smithies. Given the conditions & the technical difficulty of the course, CVFR’s junior runners also raced exceptionally well. In the U12s race, Ollie Pickens finished 32nd overall (23rd boy) & Fearne Hanson crossed the line in 41st place (12th girl) & were just happy to come home in one piece!

The Juniors at Conniston

Further from home, CVFR’s international runner Holly Page, on the mend from the broken foot that saw her have to forfeit running for her country earlier this year, is back to racing again. With three outings in just over a week, on Sunday 26th May, Page competed in the prestigious Gamperrney Berglauf in Germany. At 1,000+ meters of climb for just 9km, this race packs a serious punch – not least for only the second week back running after a serious injury. Page finished an outstanding 3rd in a very competitive women’s field (the trial for the Germany national team) – in a time that would have won the race the previous year. Then on Saturday 1st June, this time in Switzerland, Page took on the half-marathon trail race Cuors da Flims, which she likewise stormed round – finishing the 21km in under 1h45 minutes, taking not only first place but also the women’s record for this distance.

– Calder Valley News Reporter: Catherine Jones