Hades Hill and Cross Keys Relay Race Reports, 2025

It may be autumn but it was still a busy period for the Harriers last week and over the weekend. We saw the Harriers travelling far and wide from Newcastle to Yorkshire, Lancashire and North Wales. First we stay in Lancashire and off to Whitworth for the Hades Hill Fell Race. 8Km in length with 360m of climb. The race is based in the historic Red Lion Inn in Whitworth Square, though it starts at the bottom of Taylor Street, before heading up Whitworth Rake to Lobden Golf Club. Then over Brown Wardle, skirting around Middle Hill before climbing up to Hades Hill. The runners then turn around and head back over the same route to the finish, in the field above the Red Lion.

A total of 56 runners ran in lovely warm sunshine (contrary to the weather forecast of heavy rain). Only 4 Rochdale Harriers took part due to 32 running for the Club on Saturday, plus a number of Harriers were engaged in helping to marshal the race. Alan Whittam (M40) from Calder Valley was the winner, in a time of 34m, 48s. First Rochdale Harrier back was Ryan Keenan (M45) in 8^th position with a time of 39m. Not far behind was Jonny Lawlor (MSEN), 10^th, 41m, 2s. 3^rd was Chris Gee (M50), 36^th, 51m, 29s. Ruth Fearn (W60), Harriers only female in the race, came 42^nd, in 55m, 23s. Here are the full results.

Now the big one for the Harriers and an indication of how the club has grown over the past two years, Saturday saw the Cross Keys Road and Fell Relay, run from the Cross Keys pub in Saddleworth. The club fielded 8 teams of 4 Harriers, a total of 32 runners. The relay involves a team of 4 runners contesting a relay over 2 hilly (about 650ft) road legs of 3miles, made up of 2 loops of 1.5 miles. And an even hillier fell leg of 2.6 miles. The order of the 4 legs is road-fell-road-fell. Rochdale Harriers had 8 teams competing in 6 categories, each team having its own name.

Going through the categories:

– In the Women’s open category, our Dalies Anagram team were 2nd with an overall time of 1hr, 55m, 38s. The team consisted of Diane Winterburn, Corina Haynes, Danielle Dignan and Susie Hirst.

– in the men’s open category, the Rochdale Cowboys came 3^rd team out of 6, missing out on 2nd place by an agonising 1 second, with an overall time of 1hr, 27m, 16s. The “Cowboys” consisted of James Dawson, Luke Burley, Abdul Shahid and Jonny Lawlor, in that order. Meanwhile Dale’s Dashing Dudes (George Haynes, Chris Gee, Craig Howell and Kurtis Vincent) collectively posted 1hr 49 min 42 sec to take 8th place in the men’s open category.

– The men’s veteran category attendance was dominated by Rochdale fielding 3 out of the 6 teams running. Phil Lockett, Kevin Holland, John Bramwell and Pete Butterworth were our fastest veteran team, with the title of Dales 200yrs Matured (a title which won them the prize for best team name). The well matured Harriers came 2^nd in the male veteran category in a time of 1hr, 42m, 1s. 2^nd  The Rochdale male veterans team Kingsway Crusaders, finishing 5^th in the men’s vets category, in a time of 1hr, 57m, 39s, with Mark Smith, Abdul Wadud, Decland Harrison and Steve Leak making up the team. The Rochdale Rapidos, Neil Eaton, Gary Marshall, Chris Ransome and Jack Liddle, finished 6^th in the men’s vets category, in 2hrs, 15m, 41s.

– The mixed team category, Dale’s Double DJ’s (catchy) finished 3^rd in an overall time of 1hr, 32m, 11s. Consisting of Danny Bennett, Dave Parton, Juliet Smith and Jenny Brown.

– In the women’s vets category, Dale’s Dears consisting of Louise Eadsforth, Sharon Annable, Samantha Fretwell and Jenny Grindrod finished 3^rd, in 2hrs, 12m, 10s.

Looking at individual results, the Harriers put in some impressive performances. James Dawson took the men’s honours by finishing 1^st from all runners on the road leg in 18m, 10s, Danny Bennett was 2^nd, in 18m, 48s. In the fell category Jenny Brown came 4^th lady overall in 25m, 44s, Danielle Dignan, 10^th, in 30m, 36s. For the men Luke Burley, in what was his first fell race, finished a remarkable 6^th, in 22m, 46s, with Dave Parton in 10^th, 23m, 40s. Onto the road legs, Juliet Smith was the 5th fastest female, despite being full of a cold, with a time of 23m, 50s. A rapidly improving Diane Winterburn was 6^th, in 24m, 21s for the road relay.

We now go up to the North East and the famous Great North Run. 4 Harriers ran the route from Newcastle to South Shields, following the River Tyne. The tee-shirts every finisher received, actually showed the River Wear in Sunderland. First Harrier back was Abdul Shahid, in 1hr, 35m, 37s. Followed by Tahir Ali, 1hr, 48m, 42s. Abdul Wadud (who also ran in the Cross Keys Relay),was  the next back in 1hr, 52m, 40s. Helen Campbell was Harriers sole female runner, finishing in 1hr, 55m, 39s.Northh Run,

Finally we head down to the beautiful coastal town of Barmouth in North Wales, where Julie Smith ran in the Snowdonia Sea to Sky race. Finishing in a time of 4hrs, 9m, 59s.

So an extremely busy time for all the Harriers and a big well done for their achievements.