Meteorological winter is arriving soon, a keen frosty and thin air mornings coinciding.

True cross country is well within our midst (when not cancelled).

UK Cross Challenge

I had a good day out in Sefton Park Liverpool on Saturday. For the Uk Challenge and GB European Trials. Sunny but cool day, plenty of mud and soggy ground, some good results in young athletes races. Oscar Schofield wads 2nd again in the Under 17 men after the same result at Cardiff in the last one. Reuben had a really solid and encouraging race as a first year in the age group. Robbie Rigby and George Noble (1st Yr) had good runs in the Under 20's, close to each other. They can battle it out again in 3 weeks at the GMAA & with Josh could win the team.

Lucy A had a good solid run in the U20 women, although not where she would want to be,

but only operating on about 80% the last few weeks, but time wise was close to the top runners in a stacked field of racers. Sara Goulden had a good race in a top class Senior Women's race, despite her hands turning white.

Wilmslow Winter 10k

At Wilmslow 10k, many raced, so I can't mention everybody here.

In a good class field, Dan Kashi was 12th in a decent time 13 sec off his PB and around the time he has been racing year on year for 6 years. Under 17 Finlay Day was 2nd Under 20(5sec behind) in 37th place, over 5mins up on last year’s race. James Bannister went under 35 min for the first time and John S was 10th Vet and good runs also from Vets Mark J, Matt El and Jon T, 13th V50 plus many others.

Sophie Wood had just flown in from Gran Canaria where she won a tough 10k in a course record. At Wilmslow as at Heaton Park in October chasing top class racer Mollie W from Stockport (who she was with at Lamar Uni USA). Sophie ran her 2nd best ever 10k time, so she is running stronger once again. Laura Barber 12th close to 37mins & 5 sec off her PB, with Hannah Somani chasing in 19th with a 15 sec PB and just behind in 22nd was Rachael Roz with a 4 sec PB. Laura Martin getting closer to 39mins with a 50sec PB, Anne was 1 sec from 40mins in her 1st 2023 10k, finishing 2nd L50. A good race from Katherine Webb (Barker) coming back to fitness with a 90sec PB and Jackie Cordingley was first L60 once again, only 50sec off her PB of 2009. Wow.

Greater Manchester Cross Country Championships

Don't forget to get your names in to race in the Greater Manchester Champs in Wythenshawe Park on a totally different course than the MACCL avoiding most of the worst mud. Starting on the top field the other side of the stream, near the tiny footbridge.

We have strong Under 17 and under 20 men & women, and of the Senior men is virtually the same as last year’s winning team with Alex L, ken, Alex B and Marcus, plus plenty of Vet's and a solid women's team of those indicating wanting to race.

Training

On the roads this week with long reps on Fairy Lane around 10k to LTP tempo

A bit faster around 3k pace on Thursdays track session.

No MACCL on Saturday, so a morning session around 2 x 10min for senior Men

or 3 x 9 + 1 x 3min.

Reduced 8.30 for Women and Juniors, and 7mins for Young athletes / vets and those less fit. TBA on Uni Field or Kenworthy rolling trail paths, maybe combine with Monday / Wednesday. Wythenshawe Senior and Young Athlete groups.

Winter 2023 Group Training

week 1

Tues 28th Nov Sale Golf and Fairy Lane

6.45pm warm up 7.00pm drills, 7.15pm session

Road interval session 

G1. 4 x 1800m. = 7.2k

G2. 1 x 1800m + 1 x 1450m. 1 x 1800m + 1 x 1450m = 6.5k

G3. 4 x 1450m. = 5.8k

*G4. 2 x 1450m + 2 x 900m = 4.7k

Recoveries 2 mins approx

*Some who raced to do less volume and 900m last rep

Or Some to only do 3 reps.

Thursday 30th November 

Wythenshawe track intervals

6.45pm warm up 7.00pm drills, 7.15pm session

G1, 10 x 600m w’ 200m jog (90s) 

G2, 10 x 500m w’ jog 100m back 

*G3, 600m /500m/400m. 400mjog : 600m /500m/400m. 

400m jog   500m/400m. 

ie *G3 for those doing the Saturday session

Saturday 2nd December 

*University Fields or possibly Kenworthy Woods

Tempo Long reps on grass 

10.00am for warm up and drills 10.15am session

N.B. *10.30am start if we combine with Norman’s group. TBA

G1. 3 x 10mins Senior Men or 3 x 9 + 1 x 3

G2. 3 x 8:30 Senior Women and Junior Men & Women

G3. 3 x 7 mins Young athletes and vets

One every 12mins, so appropriate recoveries.

##################

Winter Cross Country Fixtures

December

16 Greater Manchester Cross Country Champs

Wythenshawe Park, Host : Trafford AC

January

6 Cheshire Cross Country Championships - 

Reaseheath College Nantwich

13 Manchester Area Cross Country League - 

Tatton Park

27 Northern Athletics Cross Country Championships - 

East Park Sedgefield

February

10 Manchester Area Cross Country League - 

University Fields & Kenworthy Woods

24 Saucony National Cross Country Champs

Weston Park Telford Shropshire

March

10 Manchester Area Cross Country League - TBA

Sherdley Park St Helens  

Regards

Dave

David Rodgers

0780 4892080

Sale Harriers Manchester <http://www.saleharriersmanchester.com/>*

My Training Website https://sites.google.com/site/runningwisedrcoaching/home

It is with deep sadness that we report that former Sale Harrier, David Bailey recently passed away very suddenly aged 73 years. He was an active member up to about 10/12 years ago (after which he took up cycling) but kept in contact with a number of his former colleagues. He attended two of last summer's Sizzler 5k's and met up with many of his former club colleagues. He was well liked in the club and will be remembered for his great sense of humour.

His funeral took place on Thursday November 9th at Altrincham Crematorium at 11am and afterwards guests were invited to join his family at Bramley Farm, Sinderland Road. This was well attended and showed us what a fine gentleman David was. He had an interesting life and was well liked by all who knew him.

CLUB NEWS

DAVID PROCTOR IS DOUBLE EUROPEAN CHAMPION.

DAVID PROCTOR beat Europe's middle distance powerhouses to become double European Masters M35 800m and 1500m Champion. The championships were held in Pescara, Italy and welcomed around 6000 athletes from all over Europe. Dave's double victory contributed to GB & NI finishing an excellent 2ndbehind hosts Italy. He won his 2 lap medal in 1:56.04 and the 1500m in 3:58.73. Said Dave, coached at Wythenshawe Park by NORMAN POOLE, “I'm very happy given I'd struggled with illness and injury for so many months this year. Things really started going my way only in July so I decided to give both events a go. I'm so excited to win two European Titles. This season has been a lesson in patience and perseverance so I'm as proud of not having given up as I am of my two European titles.”

JACKIE CORDINGLEY REPRESENTS ENGLAND MASTERS

Super fast L60 JACKIE CORDINGLEY qualified to represent England Masters. In the Knutsford 10k, she easily dipped under the qualifying mark with 44.18, enough for her to again don her England Masters kit - in the Great Birmingham 10k in May 24th. This is Jackie's 4thEngland Masters selection and her 1stin her L60 category. She's previously represented England Masters as an L55 in the Chester Marathon (2017), Great Birmingham 10k(2018) and the Great Bristol 10k (2019) that was cancelled due to Covid.

LAURA BARBER PB's IN WORLD ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS

LAURA BARBER travelled to Riga, Latvia with her Sale Harrier friends for the World Athletics Road Running Championships. For the first time in worldwide history, these championships added the inaugural World Championships – an open, mass participation series of races so runners like Laura and her friends could earn the unique World Championship medal …..but Laura did much, much more..... In the half marathon, she recorded a magnificent PB of 83.15, a chunky 35 second improvement on her 2021 Manchester HM and almost 2 minutes faster than she'd earlier run in March's Wilmslow HM. Sophie Wood was 2nd in that World half marathon open race in Riga. And with Laura 8th, they represented us well on the International stage.

STEVE & CLARE Mc CARRON RUN CLUB'S FASTEST MARATHONS

STEVE & CLARE Mc CARRON ran fantastic PB's in the MBNA Chester Marathon and both their times were the club's fastest Vet-45 of 2023. Steve's time of 2:39.36 improved his PB by 1 ½ minutes that went all the way back to the 2017 Manchester Marathon and was also six minutes faster than he'd run earlier in April's Manchester Marathon. As a result, he consolidated his position as the club's fastest M45 marathoner of 2023.

His wife Clare also became the club's fastest L45 marathoner of 2023 with her PB of 3:12.17, a chunky five minute improvement on her 2017 Manchester Marathon.

LISA WORMLEIGHTON HITS NEW HEIGHTS

LISA WORMLEIGHTON recorded a lifetime best performance in the Rochdale HM (2:09.11) her latest in a series of PB since she joined Sale Harriers less than a year ago. In the summer she recorded a brilliant PB of 26.56 in the Sizzler 5k, then in September a PB of 57.19 in Run Media City 10k. She generously ran for Springhill Hospice in Rochdale who looked after her Mum before she passed away 12 months ago and was very proud to raise for them an amazing £885. She said “I’ll never be able to repay fully what they did for my mum and our family but I try to do what I can to give back”

LUCY ARMITAGE SELECTED FOR ENGLAND DEBUT

LUCY ARMITAGE has been selected to represent Great Britain and to make her international debut at a cross-country event in Spain in November. Fast improving Lucy was selected by the England Cross-Country Association on the basis of her being on the fringe of making international championship teams. Congratulations, Lucy.

SONIA STILL SMASHING PB's AT 44

SONIA SAMUEL'S latest PB of 55.14 in the Great South '10' was more than a 1 ½ improvement on her previous 2017 best and now ranks her No. 1 in the UK over every distance from 5 miles to the Marathon.......including L40 parkruns. On top of her earlier 5 miles and 10k PB's and 4th in the elite race of the Gt. North Run, Mum Sonia, who has competed at the highest levels of British athletics for quarter of a century, has had a great 2023.

THIRTEEN PB's IN MANCHESTER HALF

Was it FECHIN Mc CORMICK and DAWN HOLDING's shout-outs in the early stages of the Manchester half-Marathon along Deansgate, marshalling on behalf of St. Ann's Hospice or the club's support through Sale that put a spring in runners steps but fourteen of the twenty-six Sale Harriers who ran the Manchester Half Marathon recorded lifetime best performances. Well done...

PHIL ROBERTSON (68.25) Not quite a PB but great to see his club vest flying high at the sharp end

MATT HARRISON (73.17) A 1 minute PB

ALEX BRADFORD (73.21) A 2 minute PB

ANDREW CURVIS (76.20) A 1 minute PB

JON SMALLEY (77.05) A 3 minute PB

BEN REES (78.24) A 3 minute PB

TORRIN BLAZEBY (80.38) A 1 minute PB

BEATRICE CORDINGLEY (81.46) A 2 minute PB

OLIVER HIGBY (84.43) A 4 minute PB

CHRIS TOPPING (85.04) A 5 minute PB

WAYNE SHAW (86.23) Debut

ANDREW COLLEY (88.19) A 22 minute PB

CHRIS MILES (88.55) Debut

LUCY COOKE (89.02) An 11 minute PB

PETER HORSFALL (1:51.49) Debut.

NORTHERN & NATIONAL ROAD RELAY & MACCL

(You'll be now familiar with the club performances in the Northern & National Road Relay Championships and MACCL at Heaton Park last weekend. However, a few photos you've not yet seen will cheer you up!) (PS If you spot an error do let me know).

October 2023

Road Relays 1

Lucy Road Relays

Road Relays 3

Road Relays 2

Hm 1

Lisa

Andy Hm

Men At Heaton Park

Primary At Heaton Park

Heaton Park Young People

Heaton Park Girls

Heaton Park Young Ladies

Bea Hm

Sonia Samuels 2023

Heaton Park Young Men

Ali Hm

Chester

Matt Harrison Hm N

Laura Martin Hm

Hm Group

Sale Harriers XC Meeting volunteers

Wythenshawe Park 11th November 2023

We are the annual host and organizer for the 2nd MACCL meeting of the season.

We need the following volunteers to carry out tasks.

1. Course constructors and facilities set up.
2. Car park stewards and set up (as at the Sale Sizzlers)
3. Race marshals and stewards for the course.
4. People taking down the course equipment and putting it away in the cabin.

Car Parking set up :                        Brian Goulden

Start / Finish :                                  Mike Wharton

Laps and center field :                   Glenn Savage

Top fields / bridge :                        Tony Lythe

Woods approach :                          Dave Marsh

Nan Nook Woods :                         Nick Peach

MANCHESTER AREA CROSS COUNTRY LEAGUE 2023 / 2024

MATCH 2 :                                        SATURDAY 11TH NOVEMBER 2023

Venue. Wythenshawe Park. Host Club: Sale Harriers

FIRST RACE @12:00pm U11’s : Last race 2:30pm start, Jun / Sen / Vet Men

THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP.

Unfortunately quite a few experienced xc people are no longer with us       or recent ill health, as well as a club members wedding, taking away a number of usual helpers.

This is an extremely vital grass roots and club event, especially for the young, and those developing their racing skills, and is the essence of what club athletics should be, so should be encouraged by everyone.

We are Sale HARRIERS, and this is a harriers event in the true sense of the word, and what we have been part of spanning across three centuries.

It's been nearly 60 years since I won my first Manchester XC League in the Under 13's age group and my enthusiasm is even stronger now than then, when I thought it was no big deal.

I have Volunteers to take the lead in most set areas, and a few to help, but I need you to help them If you can, with either course set up, marshalling and dismantling etc. You can race also if you choose to.

Friday afternoon (10th Nov), I will be setting out a skeleton of the course.

ie Stakes on bends, start and finish line and funnels, course junction letter signs on the main field, and woods to minimize work on the day. Filling in gaps, taping to stakes, colour spraying tree roots, marking the start line etc.

The top fields and bridge will have to be set up on the day only.

Please contact me if you can help, set up, or marshal / steward and time available. I will be there from 8.15am setting up the facility, letting in service providers and constructing the course. Also Friday afternoon preparing for the races and setting up a skeleton of course stakes.

Dave Rodgers.

https://maccl.co.uk/

https://www.race-results.co.uk/results/2023/