After nearly 3 months of off-road running, the Tod Harriers Grand Prix returned to the tarmac for this Friday night 6-miler on the outskirts of Rochdale. Over 20 Harriers made the short trip over, on a glorious summer evening with a light breeze taking the edge off the heat of the day. Uphill from the off, the course heads up Edenfield Road for nearly 2 miles before turning left and winding down the Ashworth Valley. A couple more lumps and bumps on the way, and then a flat last mile into the finish, past several pubs with bemused evening drinkers watching on.
It was a good evening for Tod with two overall prizes – Mark Anderton first MV60 and Mel “I don’t like road running” Blackhurst first FV55. The Tod ladies of Janine McGregor Stead (3rd lady overall), Emma Kerwin (5th) and Mel Blackhurst (11th) scooped the ladies’ team prize.
Richard Butterwick had an excellent run to finish first Toddie home, and second V50. A glutton for punishment, Buddy had entered all three days of the Rochdale Harriers’ 3-day event, comprising the Norden 6 road race on the Friday evening, then the Naden Valley trail race on Saturday and Knowl Hill fell race on Sunday. Buddy followed up his 2nd V50 Friday with another 2nd V50 in the Saturday trail race, 3rd V50 in Sunday’s Fell Race, giving him 1st MV50 overall in the 3 events.
Full Toddy results:
21 Richard Butterwick 40:06
27 Duncan Cannon 41:04
31 Janine McGregor Stead 41:41 (3rd lady)
32 Mark Tempest 41:53
33 Pete Rolls 42:04
36 Dave Garner 42:16
37 Sam Lund 42:25
42 Tom Saunders 43:21
44 Mark Anderton 43:27 (1st MV60)
51 Joe McWilliams 44:39
53 Emma Kerwin 45:07
61 Chris Myers 46:21
62 Duncan Ritchie 46:25
65 Stuart Wolstenholme 46:40
73 Mel Blackhurst 47:23 (1st FV55)
76 Dave Weedon 48:13
77 Kath Brierley 48:14
92 Stebben Bracewell 50:15
109 Derek Donohue 52:09
115 Lisa Kempster 52:58
136 Helen Hodgkinson 60:47
151 Dave O’Neill 78:22
by Duncan Cannon