Great Rochdale Turn-out at Cross Country and at the Manchester Half, October 2024

A recent noticeable chill in the air and the nights drawing in can mean only one thing, the Red Rose Cross Country league is back.

On Saturday 12th October, the competition between 21 local clubs returned at Blackburn’s Witton Park for the latest instalment of the league which has been run annually since 1970. The course features everything you’d expect from a classic cross country route with plenty of mud and even a stream crossing.

Lily Hirst ran in the Under-13 Girls 2.5km / 1.55 mile race and was 15th in a time of 12:31.

The next Rochdale junior racing was Lottie Peacocke in the Under-15 Girls 2.9km / 1.8 mile race and finished 16th in a time of 14:26.

Noah Small ran in the Under-17 Men’s race, a 5km / 3.1 mile looped route, finishing 17th in 24:52.

Four Rochdale Harriers lined up in the 95 strong senior women’s race which followed the same 5km / 3.1 mile loop with Zara Hirst the first Rochdale vest back, 15th in a time of 26:13.

Molly Howell followed in 21st after 26:31, Susie Hirst was next in 49th with a time of 29:10, with Danielle Dignan 54th in 29:33.

193 senior men lined up ahead of the 9.8km / 6.09 mile looped route, with 12 Rochdale vests among them.

Jonny Lawlor was the first Rochdale back, 116th after 50:45. Pete Butterworth followed next, 134th in a time of 52:01 with Nick Walsh 143rd in 53:08. Kurtis Vincent was 146th in 53:43, Neil Hirst 149th after 54:00 and Mark Walker 150th 54:28.

Ian Aitchison finished 151st with a time of 55:07, Peter Levers was 153rd in 55:41, Chris Gee 160th after 57:25, Craig Howell 165th in 58:17 with Matt Cox 175th after 1:00:47 and Ray Dalby 179th in a time of 1:02:01.

Sunday 13th October’s Manchester Half Marathon was selected as the final race in the Club’s 2024 road championships where 14 Harriers joined 24,000 others for the ever increasingly popular 13.1 mile / 21.1 km distance.

The closed roads course which winds its way through Stretford, to Sale and back is gaining a reputation as a fast route with the course record being broken on the day by winner Jack Rowe in a blistering 01:02:12.

Richard Stirzaker was the first Rochdale Harrier back in a time of 01:18:23, followed by Gareth Bright who registered his new PB clocking 01:26:37. Andrew Whitehouse followed in 01:27:57.

Izzy Brandon also recorded a new PB time for the distance with 01:28:45, with Phil Locket following suit, another PB time of 01:28:53.

Kevin Holland was next in 01:31:12, Bruno Rolinha 01:36:48, Michael Jackson 01:37:39, Louise Mayall 01:45:09, Jonny Lawlor 01:45:38, Darryl Heaton 01:50:58, Louise Eadsforth 01:53:07, Neil Eaton 01:53:45, Julie Smith 02:18:50.