There will be no pub run as it is the Hurstwood Trail Race. Sadly, it is pre-entry. Whatever happened to turn up, pay your fee and run?
7 Jethro Whitfield 1:01:50 (3rd V40)
32 Stan Dreling 1:14:02
57 Peter Jackson 1:20:58
This race seems to attract its share of inclement weather and this year was no exception. Before, during and after the race, it was a complete downpour. This race is unusual in that the really steep ascent is at the beginning of the race before you have had any time to get warmed up. How to tackle this early on steep ascent is one of the tactical aspects of this race. Do you attack this ascent and then leave yourself struggling for the remaining ascent up to the memorial or do you take it steady, leaving something in the tank for later?
Jack Cummings made his approach absolutely clear. He attacked this ascent, challenging the others to respond. Marcus Preedy, Tom Corrigan and Paul Crabtree tried to stay with him, but by the time Jack had disappeared from view, he had already built up a strong lead. With any lesser athlete, you might wonder if he had gone off to fast, but with Jack, you knew that the chasing pack would struggle to catch him.
When Jack reappeared, he was on his own with no challenger near to him. That meant that there was no pressure on him when making the steep descent which was now very slippy due to the incessant rain and he ran out a comfortable winner. Behind him, Tom Corregan had shacken off Marcus Preedy and like Jack, he was able to descend quickly, but without the pressure to take unnecessary risks. Tom came home in a comfortable second place.
In the ladies race, Annie Hassell had a comfortable win with W50 Kirsty Hall in second place and 11th overall. The years might be advancing, but this girl can still put in a tremendous performance.
Some runners seems to be drawn back to this race every year. Colin Moses first ran this race when he was 16 and forty years later, he not only returned, but managed a top ten finish. Clayton always used to attend this race in numbers when they hired a "boozer's bus" and after the race, they made their way home calling off at all the pubs on the way. Sadly, the lad that organised that event was kicked out of the club and it ceased to take place, but Mark Nutter returned for the sake of auld lang syne. Of the old regulars, it was good to see John Thompson and Tony Shepherd and the ever green Norman Bush. He is now in the M75 category, but he can still put in a performance that can shame much younger men.
There were fewer entries this year than normal, but there was so much going on on the same day, including another race just down the road at Kettlewell.
2 Tom Corrigan 39:58 (1st M40)
U9
5 Jude Mirfield 4:37
U11
12 Theo Mirfield 8:58
U15
5 Zach Beresford 13:42
The day is broken down into a series of 5K races, denominated by the runners' time expectations. The Barlickers times were as follows:
Men
Ian Cocks 18:13
Robert Cranham 18:41
Sam Horrocks 18:52
Andrew Smith 20:06
Raymond Banks 22:03
Mark Horrocks 25:35
Women
Lucy Brown 20:42
Lisa Gee 24:36
Sarah Allen 25:08
The junior times are on the Junior Website.
Matthew Watson has not raced this year as he has been out with injury and he chose this race to make his comeback. This is a tough trail race with around 3,000 feet of climbing. In the first half of the race, Matt felt good and that he was going well. In the second half of the race, he felt that he battled a bit more. Despite that, he easily won the race with almost a ten minute gap to the second place runner.
What a comeback.
1 Matthew Watson 1:46:14 (1st M40)
89 Nicola McNamara 3:12:56
3 Nathan Smedley 18:21
4 Andy Berry 19:00
1 Robert Cranham 21:04
21 Ella Beresford 27:40
124 Richard Shilton 28:16 PB
32 Anthony Brown 24:21
90 Stephen Jackson 28:55
7 Robert Cranham 32:05
This will be from the Shooter's Arms at Nelson. Be there ready for a 7:00 pm start.
11k race:
1 Robert Cranham 44:37
66 finishers
John Boothman made a late entry into the 23 mile Settle Saunter to test out his leg and do a few miles before next week's Spine. The weather was damp at the start and breezy. but ideal for a jog round the trails. It was a very well organised event - low key with staggered starts. John set off late and enjoyed passing people on the way round, although he had no idea of his position in the field, especially as the 13 mile route is same as the 23 mile for first half.
He had a respectable time and result, but once he had seen the results, he wished that he had pushed on harder.
5 John Boothman 4:10:11 (1st M60)
The main aims of the club are to increase the participation of running in Barnoldswick and to keep organised running as accessible as possible.