December Run of the Month winner is Olga Wiggins for her run at the Ribble Valley 10k. The day before Olga had run the Leyland Boxing Day 10k in a time of 59:44 knocking around 6 minutes off her pb. Not content with that, a time of 57:38 at Ribble Valley reduced her pb by another 2 minutes.

A good day for running, even sunshine early on, brought out a healthy turnout of athletes across the age groups and clubs for this first Mid Lancs of 2017.
As usual the event started with the U11 girls. The Harriers had a good turnout with nine eager youngsters, some looking to run their first cross country. They were led home by Anna Thompson who had a gutsy run, followed by a confident Isabella Buraimo. Grace WareingYeukett was next with Grace Horne and Megan Ind. The next girls had really good grouping, helping each other and enjoying their run, Rhiannon Magee, Eloise White, Evie Melia and Sophie Ince, a promising group of girls. 79 girls ran and the Harriers team came 8th.
In the U11 boys we had seven runners led home by James Ince coming 2nd with a great run followed by Jason Warren and Corey Middleton combining to take 4th team. Ethan Chadwick, Oliver Wise, Dylan Wise and Joseph Thompson all gave a good account of themselves.
The U13 girls had another nine Harriers running. A fine run by Scarlett Sutton brought her home in 5th place and she was closely followed by Imogen Blackwell and Faye Houghton working together for 11th and 12th positions which resulted in a 1st team placing. The rest of the team (Grace Brown, Olivia Miller, Emily Reynolds, Eva Sturziker, Lottie Marsden and Caitlin Magee) all gave good backing to ensure the team victory. Our U13 boys also had a good result. Ethan Warren was another 2nd placer with an excellent run and he was followed by Thom Barnes, Benjamin Box, Vladimir Wiggins, Luke Suffolk, Ned Gilkes, Thomas Chadwick and Harley Vickers. The team came 2nd;;as with the girls good grouping and back up from the others ensured a good result.

Two teams required, A team & B team, 12 runners per team running in pairs over 6 legs.
Date for Diaries is Sunday 21st May.

Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you can run. Race starts 8am. Details on Halifax Harriers web site.

Great club day out.

An ideal morning for a run around the picturesque lanes of Bowgreave and Catterall to raise funds for Garstang Community Academy where the event is based. The race leaves the school heading down Garstang Road then turns left into Calder House Lane, another left down Dimples Lane and back onto Garstang Road. After going over the brow of the hill the runners had lots of support as they went past the school, this time continuing on towards Catterall following the circuit into Stubbins Lane. Just beyond the motorway bridge the runners turned into Smithy Lane; marshalling here was Steph Roe, one of the Harriers’ outstanding middle distance runners of a few years ago, helping out for her old Alma Mater. This is a good flat part of the course and a good steady pace can be maintained as the course turns towards Sandholme Mill. The undulations begin here and then at Ringing Hill another left into Ray Lane, up over the motorway, past the Kenlis Arms, up over the canal bridge and a respite before Brunna Hill on tired legs. About a quarter mile further is the turn for the finish up the hill into the school.

The Lancashire Cross Country Championships returned to Witton Park in foggy conditions. The fog persisted for most of the day with the top of the infamous climb up to the Saucer hidden from view. The races are also the trials for the inter counties race with selections made for the Lancashire team to compete at Prestwood Hall, Loughborough on the 11th March.
Preston Harriers` athletes, especially, the juniors, had a wonderful day.

Patrick Dever displayed strong running to win the men’s race over 9.8k in a time of 31.33 and he was thirty seconds clear of 2nd finisher Gary Priestley of Salford Harriers. Daniel Bebbington was a fine 7th and Tiarnan Crorken was 16th and 2nd under 20 in 34.33. Jake Lonsdale was not far behind and was 4th under 20.
The Under 13 boys were first placed team being led home by Thomas Barnes in 2nd place with remaining counters Ethan Warren (4th), Gregor Anderson (8th) and Benjamin Box (16th). The Under 13 girls were also first, with all the runners in the top ten and Scarlett Sutton won the race after a close duel with Olivia Leigh of Chorley and they were well clear of the rest of the field.

The 23rd Auld Lang Syne fell race from Penistone Country Park above Haworth saw 433 runners, many in fancy dress, complete the course of 9.6k and 300 metres of climbing. There was a strong headwind on the outward stretch and conditions underfoot were very soggy, leading to several tumbles on the steeper descents.
Nichola Jackson, winner of the Stoop and Withins Skyline races in 2016 from the same venue, was third lady and 39th overall in 50.20, behind Katie Walshaw (Holmfirth) and Luisa Powell-Smith (Clayton-le-Moors). Lindsey Berends in her bright red Santa top finished in 65.41.
The overall winner was Chris Farrell of Horwich in 41.37, and he was almost a minute clear. David Parkington had his usual strong run for 80th in 54.18 and Steve Bamber was 106th in 56.02. The prize giving was held at a packed Sun Inn in Haworth, with hot soup for all the runners.