Press Report June 4th 2023 from Nick Budd

 Fell, Trail and Road races for Harriers in the second half of May and the first week of June.

There are quite a few races to catch up with over the last few weeks for the Congleton Harriers. The big one, was the start of this year’s South Moorlands Summer series which is always popular amongst the club members. However before that we will go back to mid May.

A couple of results we missed from earlier reports was a bit of long-distance action. Way back at the start of May Sean Rowsell was in action in the Pennine Barrier Ultra 50, starting in the beautiful village of Malham with trails taking in Malham cove, the Dry Valley of Watlowes, Malham tarn, Fountains Fell, Janet’s foss and the wonderful Yorkshire 3 peaks of Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough. Sean finished 83^rd overall in a time of 11:42:47 hrs and was 3^rd in the M55 category.

Later in the month there were two Harriers participating in the Leaden Boot Challenge, a 26.5 mile race with a healthy dose of uphill climbing (4,800ft ascent) which attracts both runners and walkers alike. Suzanne Roebuck and Lucy Rusbridge worked as a pair to finish equal 24^th and joint 5^th lady.

On May 17th two Harriers took part in the first Park Hall 5 mile trail race. Mel Worthington finished  19th overall and 2nd in her F50 age category in 42 mins, Paul Crean finished 32nd overall and 2nd in his M65 age cathegory in 47 mins.

There were two mid-week races in the penultimate week in May. On Tuesday 21^st there were six in action at the Quarry Bank 10k. Out of the 712 runners. Danny Jackson, was 127^th in 46:40, Hannah Harding, was 130^th in 46:41, Ryan Moss, was 280^th in 53:50 (2^nd in the MU20 category), Jackie Moss, was 353^rd in 57:06, Jenni Armitt, was 465^th in 63:14 and Sarah Higgins, was 467^th in 63:16.

On the Thursday it was the club’s summer handicap race up and down the Cloud from the start of the Biddulph Valley Way. Being a handicap race the faster runners are held back giving the slower runners a head start to even things up and the winner is the first runner home. There is an added incentive of each participant paying £1 with the pot going to the winner (which usually quickly disappears shortly after as a round in the Bear Town Tap). First back was Vic Maguire, handicap time 64:10 (Actual time 6) followed by Stuart Rider, 64:28 (47:28, so eating up a 17 minute handicap ), Debbie Hill , 64:41 (63:41), Nick Wilkins 65:27 (58:27), Beth Ambler65:40 (64:40), Nick Budd 66:54 (59:54), Sarah-Louise Proudmore 68:27 (61:27), Georgie Budd 69:53 (63:53), Colin Watret 70:32 (57:32), Ella Lyman71:49 (71:49), Jack Sargeant 73:32 (58:32), Ian Stanway 76:21 (62:21) and Hannah Coates 81:12 (81:12).

On the final weekend of the month Graham Cooper took part in the 50^th Isle of Jura Fell race, a tough unmarked 28km with 2370m (7,775ft) of ascent with runners choosing their own route between check points. The mountain terrain crossed by the race is potentially dangerous and runners need to be alert and aware on the descents at all times. Listening out for the warning "ROCK(S)" shouted loudly to warn you of dislodged scree above heading your way. Graham described it as one of the toughest races he has eve undertaken at that sort of distance, finishing 222^nd out of the 224 who made it to the end in 7.30.f2.

Elsewhere on the same weekend Ian Stanway was the only club representative at the hilly Buxton Half Marathon out of the 392 runners talking the 1554ft of ascent Ian was 168^th in 1.54.42.

So, finally back to Summer Series and the 1^st race was a 4.6 mile run round Tittesworth reservoir. To those not familiar with the race, they envisage a flat run round the water’s edge, but in reality, the route is slightly higher up with a lot of undulating ups and downs that never quite flatten off to make for easy running. On the evening over 10% of the runners were Harriers with 28 of the club amongst the 216 entrants.

Stuart Rider, was 16^th in 29:49, Emily Nott, was 22^nd in 30:55, Dean Windsor, was 71^st in 35:55, Hannah Harding, was 74^th in 36:16, Graham Cooper, was 76^th in 36:29, Will Roberts, was 81^st in 36:42, Colin Watret, was 93rd in 37:15, Ian Stanway, was 101^st in 38:06, Iain Thacker, was 112^th in 39:03, Rob McDermott, was 120^th in 39:58, Linda Fairbrother, was 126^th in 40:10, Georgie Budd, was 128^th in 40:15, Vic Maguire, was 129^th in 40:23, Ian Prime, was 130^th in 40:28, Nigel Poole, was 137^th in 41:12, Paul Crean, was 152^nd in 42:32, Jackie Moss, was 154^th in 42:39, Donna Charlesworth-Simpson, was 160^th in 43:17, Helen Gowin, was 176^th in 44:53, Ella Lyman, was 178^th in 45:09, Stephen Canning, was 183rd in 45:35, Rich Benson, was 186^th in 47:21, Trish Ryan, was 192^nd in 48:14, Andrea Whiteley, was 193^rd in 48:14, Nicola Glover, was 194^th in 48:14, Sarah Richards, was 196^th in 48:57, Hannah Coates, was 204^th in 50:10 and Petra Thacker, was 212^th in 58:32. For Colin and Donna, this was their first race as Harriers.

The day before, being the 1^st Saturday of the month the Harriers were also on their normal Park Run Pacing duties, encouraging the other runners round helping lots achieve new personal bests