Winning Weekend as Harriers take on the Round Rotherham Run and Relay

Created by : Tom Shaw On : Mon, 10/06/2025 - 10:54
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A weekend of wins as Harriers took on just about all the distances as a handful of our Juniors took part in the opening match of the three part series of the Nottinghamshire County Schools XC at Berry Hill. Miley Townrow got the races underway in with two large loops for 4km and ran clear of the field to take a clear win before sister Lauren had her first competition at the schools with a single small lap for 1.5km running well in a large field to finish 14th. Rounding out our girls representing Holly Bulmer ran a competitive race to finish 6th in the 3km. On to the boys and another win as George North led home field with an excellent run for a second win of the morning over 1.5km. 

 

Setting up the Harriers for a super Saturday we were then over to the Round Rotherham Run with the race well underway over 50 miles. Starting from Manvers Water the race is split in to 8 stages to Grange Park, Treeton, Harthill, Woodsetts, Firback, Maltby, Hooten Roberts and back to Manvers. Starting with our Ultra Runners taking on the full 50 for a mammoth day out from the early hours, Kerry Saville was our first Harrier home when he was, wasn’t and the finally was back on the start line dipping under the 10 hour mark. Sally Hamer was our First Lady in just over 12 and not long after Kate Thorneloe completed her first RRR teaming up the whole way round with Dave Bulmer. Joining them for much of the race saw Jim Staveley and Stu McCluskie come in just over 13 hours with Kerry Dickinson and RRR veteran coming in just over 14. Of all our Ultra Runners a special shout out goes Stuart McCluskie, asit is little over a year since Stu was in ICU fighting in a serious state so it is always brilliant see someone work both hard (and sensibly!) to get back to doing what they love!

At 8am the race suddenly got a lot faster as the relay teams got under way with a runner for each stage and in the Men’s and Women’s Team Matt Daly and Hannah Miller put us on the front foot from the gun and never looking back as they made it a Harriers 1-2 in the first hand over. Nick Moore and Lucy Binch took stage 2, Henry Brady and Madi Spencer on Harthill and Dom Fielding and Claire Allsop ticked us off through the first half of stages. With a clear lead already build up Matt Chappell, Peter Spencer, Tom Shaw and Adam Jonczyk completed the men’s team stages and for the ladies a late stand in (and recce!) of Tamara Hazlehurst, Cathy Mhembere, Sam Robinson and Darcy Wasnidge for the ladies made it a Harriers Double as we won both the Men’s (Open) in 5:47:45 and Women’s in 6:47:03 and also 1st and 3rd teams with only a mixed team of the Killamarsh Kestrels separating them. 

Making it a grand day club out the Harrirs were represented in all three categories as our mixed team of Alex Edwards & Julie Gaskell, Nia Arthur, James Morgan, Roy Turner, Sarah Morgan & Carolyn Luckham, Sarah-Jayne Baines & Debbie Lawrence, Matan Duveen and Sharon James/Louise Morris flew the flag for the Green & Black running 9:00:31

 

Sports Hall

 

Back on the Road on Sunday and at a slightly chaotic but well supported and scenic/undulating tour of Lincoln Nat Cunningham put the finishing touches on her Marathon training with a big PB as she ran an excellently 1:49:01 to knock nearly 6 minutes off her previous best and shaping up nicely for the upcoming York Marathon. 

 

Speaking of Marathons and the Autumn marathon season got underway for the Harriers and despite the undulating and challenging course of Chester (with its famous final hill) being made worse by the ongoing stormy conditions of storm Amy, Julie Holloway put a fantastic year of training to good use as she ran a PB of over 4 minutes to finish in 3:53:49