Rochdale Ladies win Team Prize at the Cake Race, Saddleworth

It was a very swift return to club racing for the Harriers after their “big weekend”. Wednesday in fact to be precise. Some 16 Harriers made their way to the village of Cowpe in the Rossendale Valley, to run in the Foe Edge Fell Race. So named after the farm, where Edwin Waugh, the celebrated Rochdale dialect writer stayed to curb his excessive drinking habits. Sadly, very little remains of the farm, other than a few walls and an information board; at its location on the Rossendale Way.

Foe Edge was race #3 in this year’s RHAC and RTM fell Championships. The race started from Cowpe, heads to Black Hill, over Cowpe Lowe, then follows the Rossendale way, past Foe Edge Farm and Waugh’s Well. From there it goes to Whittle Pike, before returning via the same route back to the finish. A short race of 4.1m (6.6km), with 984ft (300m) of climb and is the third race in both the Run the Moors Fell Grand Prix (FGP) and Harriers Fell Championship. First Rochdale Harrier to finish was Dave Parton (MSEN), in 7th place, in 35m, 11s. Next back was Ryan Keenan (M45), in 24th place, in 39m, 7s. Third Harrier in 35th place and a time of 41m, 13s was Jake Warwick (MSEN).

First female Harrier to finish was Kay Welsby (FV40), taking 42m, 26s coming in 43rd position. Stephanie Harrison (FV40) was next female to finish, with a time of 43m, 24s in 50th place. Sharon Annable, completed the trio of Harriers females, to finish the race in 76th position, with a time of 47m, 59s.

With little time to recover, Saturday then saw the race #4 in the RTM and RHAC Fell Championships, aptly named the Cake Race, as all the finishers can have as much cake to eat as they want at the end. Runners are also invited to bring their own cakes, to enter a cake competition. The race starts at the Diggle Hotel and takes runners onto the moors above Diggle, heading over towards Marsden, before heading back to the finish via the Standedge Trail, to devour all those cakes. The race itself is 10m (16K) in length, with an ascent of 1700ft (518m), so a bit of a toughie to run, not long after the Foe Edge Race.

Ten Rochdale Harriers travelled over to Diggle to do the Cake Race, with an outstanding performance from the ladies team who took first place by a margin of about 17 minutes. Stephanie Harrison (FV40), who was not only the first Harrier to finish in a time of 1hr, 27m, 43s, in 44th position, but also winning her age category. A tremendous achievement to say she also ran in the Foe Edge Fell Race on Wednesday. The remaining counters in the Ladies winning team were, in order, Zara Hirst, Jennie Ransome and Meg Hooson.

Following Stephanie in 59th place was Jonny Lawlor (MSEN), in 1hr, 31m, 42s. Pete Butterworth (MV55), was the next home in 1hr, 32m, 40s, in 67th position. Then came Zara Hirst (FSEN), 99th, in a time of 1hr, 38s, followed by her father Neil (MV55), in 130th place and a time of 1hr, 44m, 33s. Jennie Ransome (FV60), was next to finish in 1hr, 45m, 48s, winning her age category, so well done to Jennie. Harriers third female finisher was Megan Hooson (FSEN), 140th in a time of 1hr, 48m, 5s.

A very profitable afternoon for Harriers Ladies. Monday May 4th, saw two Harriers again venturing into Yorkshire, this time to Crag Vale and the Coiners Fell Race. Named after the infamous Crag Vale fraudsters, who nearly bankrupted the British economy some 300 years ago. They clipped gold coins and using the filings produced fake ones, to the value of several million in today’s money. Sadly for them, they didn’t stay “rich” for long as they were hung for their crimes.

The Coiners fell race does a tour of the Coiners country, going up to Stoodley Pike and passing the old coiners cottages of Bell House and Keelam. Ryan Keenan (MV40) was first Harrier to finish in a time of 1hr, 1s, in 17th position. Followed by Julie Smith (FV50), 99th, with a time of 1hr, 56m, 43s. Hats off to Julie as she too had run the Foe Edge Race, so not a long time to recover. Not quite overseas marathon No 6 adventure, but it still involved a journey over the Irish Sea. Tazir Ali was the Harrier making the journey over to Belfast, to run in the city’s marathon. Tazir finished in a time of 3hrs, 52m, 29s, a good time making all the effort worthwhile. This Saturday sees yet more fell racing action, the Five Trigs Fell Race and ironically, the fifth race in the FGP and Harriers Fell Race Championship. Good luck to all Harriers taking part, it’s a toughie.

Meanwhile over at Heaton Park, new member Stephen White was delighted to post 1hr, 42m, 07s on the hilly Heaton Park Half marathon. This placed him a very pleasing 3rd place amongst 15 in the MV40 category.