289 athletes completed this extremely popular & demanding 9 mile multi-terrain trail race, which was won by Stuart haycock of Hallamshire Harriers in a time of 38:39 (a full minute ahead of the next home).
Only 3 intrepid Harriers ran the race:
Tom Hobbins, 24th in 44:52
Dave marsden, 150th in 57:53
Ed Smith, 153rd in 58:06

LATE UPDATE - IT APPEARS MIKE MOORE ALSO RAN AND FINISHED 274th in 77:03 (soory Mike you were listed as “Unattached&rdquo

Tom, Dave & Ed enjoying a cooling-off splash on their way around the course!

This event turned out to be the most challenging of my short running career so far. This small  race (350 competitors) is on rural roads with a long hill for the first 3 miles followed by more hills with, in my opinion, the crux hill at mile 7-8ish. The geography combined with the gorgeous sunny weather ensured that all water stations involved both a drink and a dousing!
Official results haven’t come out yet but by my watch I managed 1.49 (without melting!) and I understand I was the only Harrier. More hill training required methinks!
The views were fantastic and I would recommend any Harrier to give this race a go as the scenery and satisfaction on completion are well worth it!
Summary from Buxton AC Website (Race Organisers):
“It turned out to be a scorching hot day in every sense of the word. The sun was beating down on the runners and it was hardly any breeze to talk of. A few runners suffered with early signs of heat exhaustion and dehydration. To my knowledge, all those runners have since made a full recovery. The winners were Mark Powell from Owls in Leicester and Christine Howard from Matlock AC.”

Terrain: A hill at the start followed by more hills….
Weather conditions: Sun burn sunny…..slip, slop, slap required!

Thanks to Kenton Sharpe for this report. AND congratulations on his time - it really is a toughie route !


Also running were two recently joined members. Well done to them for achieving times not much slower than for the Stafford Half in this much hotter and hillier race.
267 Sharon Hawkins Stafford FV35 2.14.21
298 Tracie Wallis Stafford FV40 2.36.57

FULL RESULTS HERE.

A well organised, low key event in Burton. A wide starting area gave runners plenty of space before heading onto pathways along the riverbank. The warm conditions slowed myself and Rob (Proctor) down adding 5 minutes onto last years time. (or was it the few beers we had Saturday night!!). We only saw one other Harrier competing in the race.

The fun run before the race, again was well organised with nice medals and a Mars bar given to all the finishers. It was 2 1/2 miles long with around 75+ runners competing. My two sons both ran with Sam (aged 9) finishing in 22 minutes and James (aged 13) in 25 minutes.

Terrain: Two lap race on pathways partly along the river bank. Fairly flat with one slight incline for about 1/2 mile

Weather conditions: very warm and sunny

Report from: Tim Hough

The race was won by a V50, Gary payne of George Elliott Striders in 55:16 and Harrier placings/times were:

What a pleasure for a half on slight gradients - unlike Uttoxeter.
Start of race was organised  except i got  elbowed as someboby had left a car just after the start which caused a slight bottle neck. Run was easy going except for quite a strong headwind.
Two Harriers entered Ruth Umerah(1.35.31) and Chris Owen (1.37.32 pb).
Winner was Kenneth Svendsen(1.13.26) of Tettenhall Runners and Nicola Bird (1.22.40) of Ellesmere RC first Lady

Terrain: Traffic free roads with a slight incline at beginning (only slight), mainly flat

Weather conditions: windy light rain after approx 1hr 20 then heavy rain 1hr 40

Thanks to CHRIS OWEN for this report

Keith Skelton had planned to run this race but unfortunately had to cancel his plans due to an injury. No other Harriers ran it this year.

Ex-member Keith Jellyman ran 3:08:21 to finish 6th in the demanding marathon race run in Derbyshire. which was won in 2:59:14.
Keith had finished 27th in the Uttoxeter half marathon in a time of 1:26:08 (another good time).
Keith runs for Teignbridge Trotters, a club close to where he has lived since leaving the Harriers several years ago.
. Keith finishing the Uttoxeter Half

Dave Marsden was our only Senior representative at the first race of this years series!
He finished the 5k run in 47th place in a time of 20:31

Two harriers decided to have a go at the Stratford Triathlon Lynn & Richard Geoghegan we had both done the fun one in October last year, Richard was first off as he decided to give the sprint a go and did his 400 metre swim in 10mins 53 secs which for both of us is the worst part, in the lovely sunshine he took off on his bike for 15 miles around stratford and came back nearly 4 mins faster on his bike than last year 54mins 55 secs, then through the transition area for a 3 mile run which he completed in 24mins 58secs.  I went off in the afternoon in the pool for a 200 metre swim in 5 mins 40 secs which I was gasping for air when I finished not the thing to be doing when you still have the bike and run to go, I went through the transition area quite quick and was on my 15 mile bike ride I returned from that sunburnt but nearly 8 mins faster than last year, I was doing a 1 and half mile run which you would think should be easy, have you tried running after cycling I was like
bambi but did start to take over a few in this, I completed the run in 12mins 13 secs.  I would like a 100 metre swim, the bike at 15 mile is fine and then a half marathon but it doesn't work like that.  However it was a fantastic day and other than the swim we both enjoyed it, excellent training as every muscle in my body is aching.

Terrain:  Pool, Country Lanes, & Trail

Weather conditions: hot & sunny

Lynn Geoghegan

. TEAMWORK !

Forty-five Harriers enjoyed this very popular race - with a total of 800 completing the run.
Stuart Fowlie reports:
Again there was a big choice of races over the weekend, the Cheshire 20 or the Muller 10k. Well I am sorry to say only 45 harriers chose the Muller, it must have been the goody bag! . Then again it is on the Challenge calendar. There was a good turn out from the Monday nighter's and the ladies were still celebrating their win at Uttoxeter last weekend. With weather conditions perfect, 1200 plus runners set off around Market Drayton. First Harrier home was Steve Turner (41:02) and first Harriet was Ruth Umerah (42:19) also congratulations to Ruth who was 1st lady F40, Chris Skellern 2nd F45 and Frank Grant 1st M70.

Won by Chris Davies of Telford AC in 32:14 (men) and Alison Lavendar of Coventry AC in 37:43 (ladies), our Club members achieved:
. Tim Houghton (150th) should read Tim Hough !
This was a Harriers Challenge event.

See all the photo’s of the race on http://www.flickr.com/photos/baldeagle/sets/72157617586753256/
OR courtesy Bryan Dale

The Harriers provided 7 of the 160 runners in this latest of the NSRRA series.
Won by Martin Williams of Tipton in 1:50:25 - over 10mins ahead of 2nd runner home.
The first lady home was Monique Hollinshead of Dewsbury RC in 2:26:58

Well done lads and Karen!

Not sure if it’s the course Mike doesn’t like, or the photographer

No report received from any of the runners, but positions were:

..
.
.. Graham Williams returns to racing after his knee operation. But where is he in the results?

Race winner was Ben Gamble in 33:09 and 1st lady home was Ruth Watchorn-Rice in 39:15.

Mike Saint-Dunn’s time is a really good one on that course and congratulations to Chris Skellern for gaining 2nd F45
(also to E Lander, J Lees, L Geoghan and J Colman for their age group placings)

This has to be one of the best midweek runs in the Midlands. 939 finishers with 5 pb’s for Harriers. Keith Skelton was 1st Harrier home with a pb after running both the London Marathon and the Uttoxeter Half in the last 11 days. First lady Harrier home was the ever-improving Liz Stanyer who even managed a sprint finish to beat Craig Baxter for an extra point in the Harriers Challenge.
Martin Williams of Tipton won the race in 32:03 followed by Paul Ward of Wrekin RR in 32:17. First lady home was a Nicki Nealon of Huncote Harriers in 37:22

61st    Keith Skelton    39:46    pb
144th    Steve Turner    43:14    pb
262nd    Darren Bathew    46:29    pb
355th    Nige Addison    48:47    
372nd    Andy Bourne    49:14    
387th    Liz Stanyer    49:33    pb
390th     Craig Baxter    49:35    
419th    Ralph Wedlock    50:12    
440th    Caroline Stark    50:42    
499th    Tony Baker    52:03    
563rd    Jane Bisiker    53:27    
617th    Karen Murray    54:34    pb
711th    Frank Grant    57:12    
764th    Stuart Fowlie    59:01    
792nd    Mick Moore    60:17    
851st    Sara Broome    63:34    
906th     Richard Bisiker    68:35  

Report and photo’s from Pete Burns
. Keith . . Liz .
. Andy & Craig

THANKS TO STUART FOWLIE FOR THIS REPORT:
With 17 Harriers travelling south of the A5 (and we didn't need a passport) and choosing the more scenic of the two 10k races on offer (sorry Clayton but!!) and with what some would have thought would be some easy challenge points to pick up, a good race was had by all. The race was very well organised with over 900 runners at the start and with the first 2 kms on the flat you soon got settled into a good pace. Runners were well supported around the course especially at the Navigation Inn, they even squeezed a water station in at the 5k mark, shame it wasn't at the Navigation.

Winner was Martin Williams from Tipton Harriers in a time of 32:03, first lady home was Nicki Nealon from Huncote Harriers in a time of 37:22

A PB course and one for the diary next year.

A dry, sunny, but blustery day greeted the runners for this year’s race - won by Ben Gamble of Stone MM in a time of 1:11:48 (more than 3mins ahead of 2nd man home.
The Ladies race winner was Ruth Watchorn-Rice of Cheadle AC in a time of 1:26:20.

Harrier placings:

21 - Mike Saint-Dunn 01:25:04
43 - Christopher Ross 01:28:59
55 - Keith Skelton 01:31:01
101 - Ruth Umerah 01:37:02 3rd LV40
107 - Chris Owen 01:37:34
109 - Steve Turner 01:37:39
111 - Chris Skellern 01:38:00 2nd LV45
116 - David Preece 01:38:43
126 - Robert Simpson 01:39:08
138 - Eddie Smith 1:40:28 3rd V55
151 - Kenton Sharpe 01:41:36
170 - Kirsty Stephenson 01:43:12
173 - Lucy Earnshaw 01:43:23
193 - Darren Bathew 01:45:11 PB
195 - John Finney 01:45:38
203 - Bernard Wilkes 01:46:36
277 - Karen Davies 01:54:34 6th LV45
288 - Lynn Geoghegan 01:55:12
305 - Michael Jones 01:56:54 7th MV65
310 - Tony Baker 01:57:15
320 Dave Cowley 1:58:55
356 - Samantha Gill 02:05:22
357 - Karen Murray 02:05:30
366 - Scott Palmer 02:08:33
368 - Ann Button 02:09:03
401 - Frank Grant 02:21:34 2nd MV70
FULL RACE RESULTS

Mike Saint-Dunn enjoyed an excellent race only 1 week after struggling around the London Marathon.
Darren Bathew continues to improve and knocked 7 minutes off his previous PB.
And special congratulations to our lady runners who won the Ladies Team prize.
As well as that Ruth Umerah won Gold medal for L 40 and Chris Skellern won the Gold for L45 in the Staffordshire Championships.

AND, our Junior runners performed well in the Fun Run that raced around the horse racing circuit - they certainly got the bit between their teeth!
See the Juniors Section page for details.

Our winning team:
. . -
.Scott Palmer . and Ann Button. ..And new member Kenton Sharpe finishing his run. .