Created by : Tom Shaw On : Wed, 03/05/2025 - 14:06
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Racing got underway on Saturday Morning and it nearly crossed over to the start of our XC on Sunday as we start this weeks report over at Sherwood Pines at the Back Yard Ultra. A popular event each year for Harriers with an interest in pushing some big miles, a slightly revised course greeted runners this year as had a short jog out of Camp-BY on to a figure-8 trail around Sherwood Pines with and nearly 300 ft of elevation gain per lap. The format is as all BYU’s; 4.16 mile on the hour, every hour until a runner says no more or misses the fails to complete a lap (or start the next) on the hour. Conditions were slightly warm though pleasantly sunny on the day though being a spring event runners still have to prepare for the inevitably cold snap through the night for those still going from the 10 a.m. start. Five Harriers took on the Ultra with all going well past the 12 hour/50 mile markers as Kate Thorneloe and Adam Jonczyk tapped out on 14 laps for 58.3 miles. Hanging on for one more Lap and Chris Johnson cleared 100 km with a 15 lap/62.4 miles not long after mid-night. The last two Harriers however would hang on well through the night and early hours of the morning. Veterans of the BYU but having unfinished business, Henry Brady and Hannah Miller came back both for the third time aiming to hit the landmark of 24 laps and 100 miles as both joined the BYU 100 club!
Not only a great event for runner but the BYU also offers a great opportunity for the team mates as many Harriers popped up to support the runners throughout the day whether there to simply offer encouragement or giving up their time to help crew and keep the runners focused on the event as they made sure they could make the most of a quick turn around in the camp between getting back from a loop and back on the start line ready for the next lap
Not yet done with Saturday and over in Grantham Worksop had a great range of our junior athletes representing Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands Regional Sports Hall Competition. The Nottinghamshire team competed against Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire with individuals competing in four events each from 1, 2 4 and 6 lap races and relays, an Obstacle Race, Shot, Speed Bounce, as well as Standing Long and Triple Jump as well as the Vertical Jump. In the U11’s Aya St Juste represented for the girls whilst Oakley Allsop and George North competed for the boys. At the U13’s, Eliza de Villars competed and Henry Marks and Isaac Beresford for the boys. Finally, a trio of Worksop girls represented in the U15’s as Ceryn Greaves, Summer Johnson and Miley Townrow helped the U15 girls to the 3rd place finish
On Sunday and an early start saw three Harriers head over to the popular spring half marathon (and adjacent 10k) of the North Lincolnshire Half. Fast and flat with a great quality field the race offers the opportunity for a fast time whilst also a great benchmark for those in Marathon training. First in for the Harriers and first PB of the day saw Paul Marriott run a very well paced race to PB in 1:18:12. Next up and another PB showing promising form coming out a winter of Marathon train ready for spring, Gabs Bower also knocked down a long standing PB with a new PB of 1:43:57. Following shortly behind Gabs, Sam Marriott also ran one of her fastest half’s in 1:46:21.
Finishing off the weekend we finally reach the end of the local XC series as we hosted at our home venue of Manton Pit Top. With each course of the series having its own uniqueness, Worksop’s is no different with a great mix of hard packed trails, swampy woods and of course the infamous ‘Wall’ as runners climb more than run the ascent from the bottom of the woods to the upper path on this 5.5 mile undulating figure out, before a fast dash back over the last ¾ miles. Tom Shaw made it four wins from four across the series as he once again led home a superb mens performance, with Luke Davis and Matt Daly in 3rd and 4th, Nick Moore in 7th and Barnaby Gray, a returning to form Ady Hopkinson and Paul Parry rounding out the scoring-7 (11th, 18th and 19th). The mens team was rounded out by Ian Monaghan, Chris Bliss, Ethan Ellery, Steve Battle, Tom Richardson, Peter Spencer, Barry Mercery and Matan Duveen. The Worksop Men were the clear winners on the day and finished the series ties 2-2 with Clowne with a +39 points advantage to Worksop.
On to the ladies and strong performances saw several ladies achieve their best finish positions yet as Sam Robinson led the ladies home, sneaking in to the top 10, followed shortly by Julie Holloway (13th). Cathy Mhembere finished 20th, followed by Camilla Mercer (22nd), Nia Arthur (24th), Charlotte Randell (30th) and Sharon James rounding out the scoring-7. The ladies were joined by Sue Wasnidge, Sarah Dickinson and Carolyn Luckham in the ladies squad. The ladies finished both 4th on the day and 4th overall for the 2025 series.