South East Lancs XC Finale, 2024

THE LAST RACE OF THE SEASON in the South East Lancs X Country League was held at Heaton Park. Attendance was down generally and five juniors, three ladies and four men from RHAC attended. After this race the focus switches to the fell and road race championships. Meanwhile, back to Heaton Park, where the course was very muddy, but at least it wasn’t pouring down with rain or blowing a gale.

In the Under 11 Boys race, Adil Arkin did well in coming 13^th with a time of 13m, 58s. Whilst in the Under 11 Girls, Lily Hirst came a creditable 5^th in 14m, 30s, followed by Evie Boon, 23^rd in 19m, 13s. The Arkin family then provided the only junior Harrier in the Under 13 Boys, with Alim Arkin, 12^th, in 16m, 55s. They also provided the only Harrier in the Under 13 Girls race, Aliya Arkin achieved 10^th position, in 16m 56s.

Over to the ladies now, which saw Juliet Smith doing very well, achieving 3^rd place in 42m, 32s in the ladies over 18 race. Juliet was followed home by Zara Hirst, 10^th, in 45m, 54s. Mother Susie Hirst coming 18^th, in 49m. The ladies team achieved 3^rd place in the race.

The Hirst family connection, then runs into the senior men’s race, with dad Neil being the 3^rd Harrier home in 52^nd place, with a time of 52m, 57s.

First Harrier back was Danny Bennett, who had used the Oldham Park run as a warm up race, achieving a well earned 8^th in 41m, 9s. Second Harrier was Pete Butterworth, 50^th in 52m, 57s. Finally Ian Aitchison was the 4^th and last Harrier, coming 60^th, in 53m,41s. The men’s team finished 7^th in the race and came 1^st in the Vet 50 category. A big well done must be extended to the Arkin and Hirst families, for providing seven out of the twelve Harriers who ran at Heaton Park.

Overall positions in the four race series for Harriers runners and teams are as follows

U11 Boys             11^th                         Adil Arkin

U11 Girls              2^nd                          Lily Hirst

U13 Boys             11^th                         Alexander Reay

                                Joint 13^th              Alim Arkin

U13 Girls              9^th                           Aliya Arkin

Girls                       2^nd                          Lottie Peacock

Ladies over 20   4^th                           Juliet Smith

                                9^th                           Jennie Ransome

                                10^th                         Zara Hirst

                                17^th                         Susie Hirst

                                22^nd                        Molly Howell

                                24^th                         Danielle Dignan

Congratulations to Juliet Smith in achieving 1^st place overall in the Vet 45 category and to Susie Hirst coming 3^rd in the Vet 50 age category and finally to Jennie Ransome gaining 1^st position in the ladies Vet 60 group.

The ladies team achieved 3^rd place overall, so well done to all those who ran in the races.

In the senior men’s series, Danny Bennett came 6^th overall, followed by Neil Hirst in 33^rd place. Congratulations are in order for Danny Bennett who won the men’s vet 50 age category, with Neil Hirst achieving a very creditable 4^th place. The Hirst family should be proud of their collective achievements running for the Harriers, as should the Arkin family.

Finally in the men’s V65 category, Ian Aitchson came 3^rd overall, followed by Matthew Cox in 4^th place.

Last and by no means least, mention must be made of that running machine Danny Bennett. Who not satisfied with running the Oldham Park Run on Saturday morning and the X Country in the afternoon, also went on to run the Wrexham Bakery Half Marathon on Sunday. Danny ran it in a time of 1hr, 21m, 26s, finishing 203^rd overall and coming 2^nd in the V55 age category.