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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Tigger happy Hebden’ers

Calder Valley Fell Runners – 29 January 2024

Tigger Tor

On Sunday the 28th of January the Tigger Tor Fell race took place with Rebecca Di-Luzio 7th woman and Cass Chisholm 9th woman. The race starts in Ringinglow on the edge of Sheffield and dives straight into some classic Dark Peak peat bogs and gritstone terrain. Both women had fantastic runs and Rebecca once again “Bloody loved it”.

Rebecca and Cass battle it out. Credit Totley AC

The race is based at the Norfolk Arms in Ringinglow, and the start and finish are along Houndkirk Road (the roman road). As a result the whole of the course is now on off-road tracks and fell. The race involves reaching 11 checkpoints in order via an un-marked route over Houndkirk Moor, Burbage Moor and Hathersage Moor. Landmarks include Burbage Edge, Higger Tor, Winyards Nick, Toad’s Mouth (at the top of Padley Gorge near Fox House) Carl Wark & Houndkirk Hill providing some of the most beautiful scenery the Peak District has to offer. On race day the race has exclusive use of the Norfolk Arms heated marquee for registration and results. The Tigger Tor race is not only a relatively ‘tough’ fell race with some difficult terrain, but it is also subject to the winter weather. Temperatures on the day have regularly been well below zero on the moors and this is even before the effects of the wind chill. The course is unmarked so there is also an element of navigating using a map and compass.

Pos Name Cat Time    
9th woman Rebecca Di-Luzio 4th WV40 1.24.42    
11th woman Cass Chisholm  5th WV40 1:25:33    

Hebden 15 and 22

The weekend also so the ever popular Hebden 15 and Hebden 22 which is a stunning tour of the Upper Calder Valley which you can walk, run or race. Raymond Kelly gives us a runner eye view in this report, ‘As with most races I take part in I turned up to the Hebden feeling slightly underprepared; and a bit worried because my last long race (which was two miles shorter than this) almost killed me. But all went well. There’s always a great atmosphere on the Hebden – everyone seems to be quite relaxed in their approach.  Due to a fallen tree in recent storms a route change saw 500 people politely waiting their turn to cross a style at Brearley. It turned out to be quite an effective way of stretching out the pack, as after that there was plenty of space on the route for everyone. The weather was ideal and I was particularly pleased to arrive at the 11-mile checkpoint to find copious amounts of home made brownies and other treats on offer: just what I needed. It was the perfect fuel for the last third of the 15-mile route. A great day out and brilliantly organised.

The turbo twin and Maxie enjoying the ’22

Hebden 22 CVFR results

Pos Name Time
3rd Kevin Hoult 3:29:41
4th James Mountain 3:32:41
33rd Phil Wells 4:02:33
45th Natasha Butterfield 4:11:31
46th Susannah Richardson 4:11:37
52nd Helen Buchan 4:17:16
70th Fiona Lynch 4:27:31
85th Stuart Russell 4:37:05
99th Emily Ledder 4:49:06
107th Toni Bradley 5:03:13
110th Francis Wooff 5:10:00
129th Lee Jackson 5:38:51
142nd Genevieve Thompson 6:10:20

Raymond at the Hebden 15. Credit James Williams

Hebden 15 CVFR Results

8th Mark Taylor 2.41.59
11th James Cooke 2:48:19
17th Maxie Scheske 2:57:16
27th Christina Turner 3:13:42
28th Ian Davies 3:13:46
34th Ben Dunning 3:23:12
51st Kate Pope 3:30:39
52nd Gloria Ayuso 3:30:42
72nd Raymond Kelly 3:41:59
74th Michael Brown 3:46:46
75th Iain Conley 3:47:08
78th Elina Eady 3:50:02
87th Liz Lloyd 3:59:13
88th Carolyn Shimwell 3:59:19
119th Tamsin Cooke 4:29:44
127th Dominic Camponi 4:31:40

CALDER VALLEY NEWS REPORTER: toby sydes