Pendle Way in a day

The Pendle Way In A Day is an ultra event that presents participants with two options: a full circular of the Pendle Way that clocks in at 45 miles, or a slightly less taxing 30-mile version. Calder Valley runners put in a sterling performance in both events.  Peter Heywood took on the 30-mile race and managed an impressive 19^th place overall, securing a fourth place in his age category. Francis Woof, Andy Collier, Fiona Lynch and Helen Buchan tackled the longer distance. Andy is one of CVFR’s newest members, and he will certainly be one to watch, as his time of 7hrs 40mins secured him second place overall. Fiona and Helen stuck together for the nine and a half hours of their race and teamwork paid dividends with a 4^th and 5^th place in the overall women’s standings, and the top two spots in their age category.

Francis with his well earned hobnob

For Francis, the chance to run over Pendle Hill in the dark and mist was a highlight, along with a well-earned hob nob biscuit at the end of the race.

Mr Sparkle’s Dark ‘Un

As the name suggests this is a race where headtorches are a key bit of kit. With a 7.30pm start time, all of the race takes place in the darkness. At just over 8km, it’s a relatively short race that takes in just over 200 metres of ascent, and as it’s the first race of the year that contributes to the CVFR club championship, there were plenty in red and white stripes hoping to get their 2024 off to a good start. Lee Shimwell did just that – coming in second overall, missing out on the top spot by just 30 seconds. Cass Chisholm and Catherine Holden were also on top form taking second and third spots in the women’s race. And with Carolyn Shimwell also securing a spot in the top fifteen women, it meant that CVFR took the crown as the winning ladies’ team. Excellent times from Jim Cooke and Phil Wells also secured second place for the men’s team. A good night’s work.

Runners and Riders

This is a race with a difference as it invites both runners and cyclists to come together and take on the same route: a five-mile circuit in Appletreewick. A very steep start is the perfect leveller, as the majority of cyclists opt to run and push their bikes until they find some easier terrain, and hopefully reel in the runners. Layla Wray Hirst and Stephen Smithies had their feet on the ground on behalf of CVFR. Stephen arrived home in a time of 40mins 45secs and Layla’s time 45:02 enabled her to secure an admirable sixth place in the women’s race.

Arc 50

James before the start of the Arc

Some distance from the usual Yorkshire Fells, James Sackley was taking on the Arc 50 in Cornwall for a second time. This is an extreme coastal race that takes in the stunning and dramatic Cornish Coastpath with competitors running in challenging winter conditions. The race starts off at the world famous Minack Theatre, an open-air theatre cut into the cliffside and looking out across the sea. The 50-mile route then snakes around the Cornish coastline, taking in such romantic landmarks as the Dunes of Doom and Hell’s Mouth, before finishing up in Portreath on the North Cornwall Coast. James had set himself an ambitious target of finishing in less than 12 hours, which would knock almost two hours off his previous time. An early alarm (4am) allowed him plenty of time to catch a 6am bus to the start. A quick and frantic start saw him jockey for position along a narrow coastal path but the race soon settled down into its natural rhythm. Throughout the race James was running impressively faster than last year, arriving at St Ives an hour ahead of his previous best. But even at this rate he was still a bit behind schedule for his new target. After 46 miles, it all came down to the very last stretch, where James knew he had to find something extra. Fighting exhaustion and a surge of emotions he ploughed on, constantly revising the mental arithmetic of distance versus time. Though much of it was a blur, James shared the detail of this final stretch: “I got to 1km to go and it was on the road for a while (before the final big hill) and I think I had 12 minutes to get there. That last hill is around 500 metres long, so I needed to get a move on. I just kept going and would not look at my watch. I finally reached the hill, 600 metres to go and I marched as quickly as my legs would take me! I reached the top, I looked at my watch, I had 200 metres to go and two minutes to get there. This was the very first time I knew I was going to achieve my goal, but it wasn’t time to celebrate, I sprinted with all my might and crossed the line in 11 hours 58 minutes and 56 seconds! I immediately cried and hugged the volunteers/race directors.” An epic performance by James! He is now considering the Arc of Attrition version of the race that doubles the distance to 100 miles. Good luck James!

Loughrigg Silverhow

Karl the demon descender. Credit George Foster

The Loughrigg Silverhowe fell race in the Lake district was a wet and windy affair with 2000′ of climbing in 8.5miles on Sunday 4th Feb. The low key event was £2 to enter on the day with no prizes being awarded. Karl Gray showed good form at the start of his 2024 racing calendar by being 1st V50. 

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The handicap element means all club members are allotted an individual time based on previous race results meaning the slower runners will start before the fast runners, thereby offering a “level” playing field (not that we have anything like level ground around these parts!) It’s an exciting prospect! If, for whatever reason, you’ve not performed as well as you’d hoped throughout the year, this can stand you in great stead for the handicap races, as Marc noted, “I felt I was in with a chance this year after the previous few months of poor results had gifted me a very favourable handicap time for the race.”

Winner Marc Collet, with 3rd place Ailsa Nicholson and 2nd place Emily King

The race for first, second and third was a battle between Marc, Emily King and Ailsa Nicholson. Marc and Emily ran a closely fought race: “Early on I caught Emily who’d had a head start on me and we both passed Ross as we headed off together across Erringden Moor looking to catch a couple of runners ahead… “It’s your race or mine now Emily”. She concurred. Confident of my downhill running and no longer worrying about the icy bogs, I started pulling away and by the time I reached the wall I could feel that I had a lead on her. I gritted my teeth and careered downhill for the last stages of the race. As I pulled into Stubb Field I allowed myself a glance back to see Emily being chased down by Ailsa but with enough of a lead, I dibbed in at the finish.”

Team prizes and top three finishes as CVFR gallop to victory at Hoof Stones fell race

Whilst many of us were bog trotting to the Pike, on the other side of the valley a band of CVFR-ers took on Hoof Stones fell race. The circular 12.9km navigational challenge over 12.9km takes in Hoof stones trig point via Sportsman’s arms and Stansfield moor. So steep are the surrounding hills, the Staff of Life start/finish point barely sees sunlight for two months of the year and the short course manages to rack up an altitude of 425m.  Calder Valley took the men’s and women’s team prizes and James Logue and captain Shaun Godsman fought it out for top three places, with James taking second and Shaun coming third overall. Conditions were unpredictable, as James Logue notes, “Snow and ice the previous few days suggested this would be hard going, however, the frozen ground made the going fast underfoot.

James Logue takes 2nd place at Hoof stones fell race. Credit Stephen Fish

Myself and Shaun were neck and neck in 2nd and 3rd the whole way (giving me the added pleasure of watching him take a massive fall on some ice) and it was just a matter of who reached the last checkpoint first as to who would beat the other. I took a straighter and rougher line to the checkpoint and just got there before Shaun the 3km downhill from there to the finish frantic, slippy and fast, trying to keep ahead.”

Agnieska Midgley hoofs it on the descent. Credit Stephen Fish

For those of you thinking about having a go at this race, Agnieska Midgley was hesitant about entering, but said “it’s a tough race, but absolutely worth it.”

The race organisers allow runners to have an early start and Agnieska’s efforts ensured a women’s team win for the club with Amanda Farrell (1st LV60) and Sue Martin.

Hoofstones fell race CVFR individual results

First place win straight out of the box for brand new club member Rebecca

Further afield in Surrey (They have fell running that far south!) new club member Rebecca Di-Luzio ran her first fell race.

Box Hill fell race took place on Saturday 20th January and Rebecca aced it – taking first woman in the V40 category. Box Hill Fell race is a circular route over 12km. With 520m of ascent, Box Hill is a prominent feature of the otherwise only slightly undulating Surrey landscape. Whilst the route has many twists and turns, thankfully there’s a pub finish as an incentive to complete. Rebecca said of the race that she “bloody loved it.”

Rebecca Di-Luzio bloody loving her first ever fell race at Box Hill. Credit Jill Convey

Luke and Catherine win nearly everything at the Club Do and Awards Ceremony 2024

Expertly organised by Tamsin Cooke, the 2024 Club awards do took place at Vocation in Halifax. Post-race hunger pangs were satiated with pizza whilst celebrating all the achievements of 2023. Luke Maleschko and Catherine Holden showed that if you’re in it you will win it! Both athletes took part in many of the Club champs races and now have mantlepieces heaving with trophies – as Luke said on the evening, “turn up guys!” – just turning up gives you a chance of winning and It’s hoped that the new format of the Club champs races will enable more of us a chance to pick up prizes.

Luke looking pretty smug with his huge haul of trophies. Credit George Kettlewell

Club’s Fell Running ‘do’ traditions upheld

The partying spirit ran high from and it was hard to recognise some faces without the usual race vest/mud combo. Many members had raced earlier, but being the Duracell bunnies that they are, this didn’t stop the dancing, hilarity and partying.

Traditions never die

Traditions of drinking out of the trophies and the (slightly contentious) topless dancing were upheld. Drinks flowed, as did conversations of post-do runs/hangover cures, although in the cold light of the next morning plans to do full recces of the Trog were quietly abandoned by most club members.

Catherine and Luke lauding their huge wins over the partying runners

Hosts with the most

Compares Marc “Chairperson” Collett, Andy “Statto” Wright reminded us all of the fantastic results we’d had at the English and club champs races. Reformed double act Toby Sydes and Catherine Holden made a came back after their success at the FRA awards ceremony to present those of us who have won in other ways: relative newcomer to the club Sam Hartley was awarded most improved runner; Adventurer of the year went to Fiona Lynch for “quietly going about her business”  in untertaking incredible long distance challenges and inspiring others to be adventurous. Runner’s Runner was awarded to Mick Fryer who passed away on June 4th 2023. His wife Carol was presented with the award and Mick was remembered with a round of applause.

The News of the evening, however, was the winners of the hotly contested Wally of the Year and Nav Cock-up awards. For consistent ineptitude of managing the simple task of not losing a dibber at fell races, Charlotte “Kit officer” Jackson took this award. Nav Cock-up of the year was taken by Tristan “Pied Piper” Watson, who exceeded the brief by not only failing to follow an “extensively marked” route (race organisers words,) but in addition taking lots of other racers with him, thereby setting a new standard in this category for future years.

Club Awards 2023

Women’s champion – Catherine Holden
Club champion – Luke Maleschko
3^rd overall – Catherine Holden
2^nd overall – Bill Johnson
Men’s V40 – Luke Malescheko
Women’s V40 – Catherine Holden
Men’s V50 – Bill Johnson
Men’s V60 – Marc Collett
Handicap champion – Luke Malescheko
Short race king – Luke Maleschko
Short race queen – Charlotte Jackson
Medium race king – Luke Maleschko
Medium race queen – Rachael Johnston
Long race queen – Catherine Holden
Long race king – Bill Johnson
Summer series male – Stephen Hall
Women’s ultra champion – Sarah Noot
Men’s ultra champion – Paul Haigh
Most improved runner – Sam Hartley

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Catherine, finishing in a time of 5:01:20, recounted:

“The navigational challenge I didn’t expect on the Trigger was to be blinded by the sun heading towards Black Hill! Despite stunning skies for the first half, Bleaklow and Kinder Scout were traditionally misty and we put our compasses to good use. We had the extra excitement of an avalanche of fell running royalty (including our own Dougie Zinis) as the frontrunners of the Spine Race tumbled down past us down as we ascended Torrside. A challenging and exhilarating day, definitely made all the better with team spirit!”

Crossing the finish line moments after Catherine was Stella, who won 1^st FV50. Stella said:

Stella pacing it well to take 1st FV50

“Lovely to run with my team mate Catherine. We were well matched and pushed each other on a bit. I took nearly an hour less than predicted. Catherine just missed out on 3rd v40 because we shouted a lady back who was going wrong – so we are good sportswomen!”

Francis Wooff followed in a time of 6:09:23, although insists that he would have been snapping at Stella and Catherine’s heels if he hadn’t been distracted by a four-legged friend along the way.

Wooff by name…

Juniors at Stanbury Splash

Two CVFR juniors turned up to Haworth’s Penistone Hill on Sunday for a very cold edition of the Soreen Stanbury Splash Quarry Runs.

Harry takes 2nd U15. Credit Woodentops

Racing for the first time his new U15 age category, Harry Cliff put in a brilliant performance to take second place.

New member Leo racing hard. Credit Woodentops

Leo Wright, who has just recently joined the club, also had a great run. Donning the red and white vest for the first time he also took second spot in the Under 11s race.

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