Turnslack and Mary Towneley Loop, July 2024
31st July 2024
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In racing terms i.e. The Fell Grand Prix or Road Racing Championship, it was a quiet week, with no races taking place. But that doesn’t mean the Harriers were having a well-earned rest, far from it.
Saturday 26th July 2024 saw the first running of the Turnslack Fell Race, without the guiding hand of Kevin Shand, who retired from organising it last year. The race is a category BM race, 12.9km (8 miles) in length, with a climb of 610m (2001ft), run over Turnslack Clough, Crook Moor then over to Freehold Tops above Whitworth, then down to Ramsden Clough Reservoir, before heading back over Noon Hill and Shore Moor to the finish at Stansfield Estate Playing Fields, Calderbrook.
In his first race back at Rochdale Harriers, Ryan Keenan had an exceptional run to finish 5th in 1hr, 17m, 45s. Pete Butterworth was next home in 19th position, posting 1hr, 31m, 44s.
Making the most of the school holidays and recent tough training regime, Kay Welsby and John Bramwell decided to run The Mary Towneley Loop, with its 72km and 2,000m of climb. Their objective was to set a ‘fastest known time’ recorded for a self-supported, mixed pair, i.e. no helpers. Kay and John easily beat the previous record of 11hrs, 39m, finishing in a time of 9hrs, 14m. Their time has been submitted for verification and hopefully it will be verified as anew record. So a massive well done to Kay and John.
Thursday 1st August 2024 sees the sixth race in the Road Race Championship, the Sale Sizzler, 5k. Sadly, the Rochdale 10k which had to be postponed from July to August 20th, has had to be cancelled completely, due to the road works on the Queen’s Park Bridge not being completed in time.