Red hot racing over the Bank Holiday weekend culminated in the Lions Ladies Team taking second place at Coiners Fell Race, and James Penson and Jim Harris completing another of their trademark epic Lakeland challenges.
Orchan Rocks Fell Race
But first to Todmorden for the Orchan Rocks Fell Race. This short sharp race from the Staff of Life pub in Todmorden takes runners up to Orchan rocks and then fast downhill back to the finish line. 3½ hard miles with 900 feet of ascent.
Result: David Culpan 33:23
Hollingworth Lake 5K
Joanne Hirst marked her return from injury with an appearance at Race 1 of the popular Hollingworth Lake 5K series. Joanne finished 3rd V50 in a time of 33:44.
Windmill 6
On the outskirts of Huddersfield, the Windmill 6 is an undulating road race around the windmills on the top of Spicer Hill. The route is an anti-clockwise loop with breathtaking views across Penistone and surrounding areas. Carol Heptonstall was the sole Lion to participate, completing the route in just over an hour.
Saddleworth Cake Race
The Cake Race, which took place in Saddleworth on Saturday, is a spectacular 10 mile race with as much well-earned cake as runners can eat at the end. Prizes are awarded for the cakes as well as for the running. The challenging course with 1,700 feet of ascent takes in open moorland scenery, industrial heritage and Pennine farmland. It is mainly on flagged paths, tracks and trails with the challenge of going over the Pennines and back. Some of the tracks used by the runners were built in the 18th Century for the canal boat horses - while the horses were led over the hill, the boatmen would have been "legging" the boat through Standedge tunnel below. Conditions on Saturday were very hot, and there was a battle for first Lion, with John Bassinder overtaking David Culpan in the last 200 metres to claim it. First pick of the cakes for John!
Results: John Bassinder 1:32:29, David Culpan 1:32:36, Martin O’Brien 1:35:41, Kevin Jaggar 1:38:46, Rachel Lumb 1:41:50, Rikki Hammond 1:50:18, Moira Alderson 1:50:54, Ray Mooney 1:51:25, Michelle Rogerson 1:51:54, Ian Hoskins 1:52:06, Cat Daniel 1:52:41, Angela Lee 1:57:53, Steve Boyer 2:03:37
Staveley - Kentmere Trail
Four Lions took part in this 17k run on Saturday. Part of the Lakeland trail series, the beautiful undulating train run along the Kentmere Valley takes in spectacular views of the southern Lakeland Fells. Mags Beever led the Lions home.
Results: Mags Beever 1.28.16 (5th Lady), Tanya Blake 1.30.08 (1st V40), Craig Miller 1.30.45, Karen Marsella 2.33.55
Roche Abbey Half Marathon
Joanne Cooke ran the Roche Abbey Half Marathon on Sunday. Roche Abbey is a hidden gem, nestled away in South Yorkshire near the picturesque village of Maltby. Starting and finishing within the grounds of the glorious 12th Century abbey, the route encompasses trail and track running through Lord Scarborough’s land, which originally formed part of Sherwood Forest. Joanne’s finish time was 2:43:46
Coiners Fell Race
Bank Holiday Monday saw a huge pride of Lions gathering in Mytholmroyd for the Coiners Fell Race round Stoodley Pike. The Lions Ladies Team of Aileen Baldwin, Rachel Lumb and Victoria Armstrong ran strongly to take second place in the Team competition.
Results: Phillip Moyles 1:03:15, Clayton Cutter 1:05:09, James McNutt 1:06:28, Anthony Mott 1:08:00, Martin O’Brien 1:08:02, Gerry Banham 1:08:33, John Bassinder 1:09:33, Steve Ashworth 1:11:10, David Culpan 1:12:21, Aileen Baldwin 1:12:43, Andrew Earnshaw 1:13:03, Rachel Lumb 1:14:09, Victoria Armstrong 1:14:52, Jonathan Pybus 1:15:30, Ian Johnson 1:16:23, Richard Crombie 1:17:19, Maria Harron 1:18:30, Julie Field 1:18:31, Ian Hoskins 1:19:59, Tim Walker 1:22:49, Michelle Rogerson 1:22:54, Moira Alderson 1:27:13, Catherine McHugh 1:27:24, Jonathan Taylor 1:28:49, Steve Boyer 1:28:55, Angela Lee 1:32:35, John Rushworth 1:37:13, Susan Cash 1:41:38, Dawn Medlock 1:50:17, Jackie Barker 1:52:33, Helen Shenton 1:53:22, Ken Chilcott 1:53:26, Wendy Paulson 1:55:56, Alex Whyte 1:57:19
SILVA Great Lakeland 3Day 2018
If you are of a nervous disposition, look away now. The SILVA Great Lakeland 3Day is a 58 mile mountain marathon with 19,387 feet of ascent and 28, yes 28, Wainwrights. The event takes place over the three days of the May Bank Holiday, and this year was the twentieth anniversary edition.
James Penson and Jim Harris completed this epic challenge on the hottest three days of the year, finishing in very creditable 13th and 17th positions.
Results:
James Penson: Day One 7:22:53, Day Two 6:32:42, Day Three 4:41:43, Total 18:37:18
Jim Harris: Day One 7:27:55, Day Two 6:41:12, Day Three 4:53:11, Total 19:02:18