Busy week of racing action for the Worksop Harriers

Starting with Thursday, Tom Shaw, Charlotte Jones and Steve Carr started the fell running with the Hathersage night race.

A five-miler, up and down the 1000 ft of Stanage edge with a fair bit of mud would be challenging enough had it not been for the 7pm start time meant nothing but the light of a head torch for sighting. Tom and Charlotte came in at 55:18 with Steve following right behind.

On Saturday the junior Harriers were once again at Berry Hill for the Notts Schools Cross-Country Series competing across boys and girls races in various year groups.

Martha Hazlehurst proved the highlight of the match as she put in a solid performance to finish fouth, winning not only a bronze individual medal for the series but helping the Valley School girls Y8/9 team to a second place series finish.

The juniors weren’t finished for the weekend though as Sunday saw them hold their home race in the Notts Mini League Cross-Country at Worksop College.

A great day of racing with superb performances from our juniors, a guest appearance from Santa and a ‘definitely-not competitive’ parents 1,500 m race. The juniors took part in U11, U13 and U15 boys and girls races from 1,500 m up to 4,000 m for a great bit of festive fun to round off the year.

For the senior Harriers on Sunday, six Harriers headed over to Litton for the Litton Christmas Cracker fell race. It was just shy of eight miles with 1,600 ft of climbing featuring some real lung busting climbs.

Richard Hind was the first harrier home (1:19:59) followed by Arran Jackson (1:23:20), Jim Staveley (1:29:48) and Mark Manley (1:53:27). Sally Staveley was the first Harrier lady home in 2:03:42 followed shortly by Lee-Anne Manley in 2:07:01

Back on the roads and locally the Harriers had the Bolsover 10k which came with a smattering of Christmas PB’s. Matt Daly led the Harriers home with a PB and a time of 42:19, followed by Kerry Saville (PB in 42:19), Tom Mclaren (42:37) and Chris Lawrence (47:57). Out again after her night of fell racing was Charlotte Jones in 44:45 whilst Pam Brooks rounded off a year of great progress with a 10k PB of 50:41

Speaking of PB’s, they had another one further afield at the Telford 10k as Tom Shaw at the 7th time of asking this year finally cracked a club Gold Standard with a mere second to spare.

The course drops into Telford Town Park for two loops of the lake and down the old railway line. Having missed the 33:20 standard by just 7 seconds previously it took a hefty effort from Tom as he hit the final turn around with 2 km to cross the finish line in 33:19.

Tom was joined by Steve Carr who also put in an excellent performance to continue to reap the rewards of some great training after switching focuses following his 100 mile effort just 3 months back. Steve finished in 43:20 and certainly has much more to come.