Windmill Whizz

[Marvin]

I didn't take part in this race (my loss), but the comments on here say a huge amount about the spirit of fellrunning, which has been lost in so many other sports and pastimes. A huge thank you to Allan and everyone else who puts on these races for our pleasure.

[stringman]

We've made the papers again !! - AG

http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news...try.5076630.jp

[GrahamB]

The Times has lifted the story and it is on page 4 today.

[stringman]

Results....

The Windmills Whizz Trail Race - Saturday 14th March 2009

Pos Name Club Time Cat
1 DAVE COLLINS TODMORDEN HARR 46-13 V 50
2 VINCENT PROCTOR KEIGHLEY & CRAVEN 46-40
3 DAVID ASKEW HARROGATE 47-20 V 40
4 DUNCAN ASQUITH SKYRAC 47-31 V 50
5 HAYDN KEITH UNATTACHED 47-39
6 SALLY MORLEY ILKLEY HARRIERS 47-45 L
7 LYNNE CLOUGH CHORLEY HARRIERS 48-01 L
8 ANDREW CUTTS VALLEY STRIDERS 48-06 V 40
9 ASHLEY BROOK HARROGATE 48-14 V 40
10 STEVE PLUNKETT BINGLEY HARRIERS 48-16 V 40
11 JOHN LUDVIGSON WAKEFIELD TRI 48-17 V 40
12 DAVE KELLY ROSSENDALE HARR 48-22 V 50
13 RACHEL CHATWIN PENNINE FR 48-27 L
14 PAUL STEPHENS ILKLEY HARRIERS 48-31 V 50
15 COLIN HUGHES STAINLAND LIONS 48-36 V 50
16 ALEXANDER WESTMAN BINGLEY HARRIERS 48-39 V 50
17 BRIAN MILLER HARROGATE 48-42 V 50
18 CHRIS JONES SPENBOROUGH AC 48-45 V 40
19 GARETH PATCHETT SPENBOROUGH AC 48-49 V 40
20 MICHAEL TOMAS ROSSENDALE HARR 48-51 V 40
21 BARRY CHAPMAN HORWICH RMI 49-18
22 JESSICA RILEY STAINLAND LIONS 49-29 L
23 PAUL HOBBS UNATTACHED 49-58
24 LEE NAYLOR STAINLAND LIONS 50-00
25 ANDREW BIRKINSHAW PUDSEY & BRAMLEY 50-03 V 40
26 PETER MORLEY ROSSENDALE HARR 50-12 V 50
27 DICK SPENDLOVE CALDER VALLEY 50-17 V 60
28 DAVE KNIGHT HOLMFIRTH HARR 50-40
29 AIDEN FORSTER UNATTACHED 50-44 V 40
30 JOHN HAZELL F R A 50-47 V 50
31 NIGEL CROSSFIELD HALIFAX HARRIERS 50-50 V 40
32 JONNIE BUTLER KEIGHLEY & CRAVEN 50-54 V 50
33 MARK LATHAM BINGLEY HARRIERS 50-54 V 40
34 WARREN THOMAS STAINLAND LIONS 51-01
35 ANNE JOHNSON CALDER VALLEY 51-16 LV40
36 STEVE WEBB VALLEY STRIDERS 51-20 V 40
37 CHRISTOPHER GROVER KIRKSTALL HARRIERS 51-31 V 40
38 PHIL COOK TODMORDEN HARR 51-36 V 40
39 IAN ROWBOTHAM ILKLEY HARRIERS 51-41 V 50
40 JOHN WILCOCK UNATTACHED 51-56 V 40
41 THORNTON TAYLOR ROSSENDALE HARR 51-58 V 50
42 CRAIG GEOGHEGAN STAINLAND LIONS 52-01
43 STEVE CLAWSON ROSSENDALE HARR 52-06 V 40
44 JAMES SENIOR BINGLEY HARRIERS 52-07
45 CHARLIE BOYCE CALDER VALLEY 52-13 V 40
46 ANDY MOUNCEY SETTLE HARRIERS 52-18 V 40
47 ANDY THORPE HALIFAX HARRIERS 52-19
48 JOHN BASSINDER STAINLAND LIONS 52-23 V 50
49 TIM WRAGG SPENBOROUGH AC 52-28 V 40
50 ANDREW BASEY NOTTS AC 52-36
51 HUW ILLINGWORTH OTLEY AC 52-42
52 RICHARD GREENWOOD CALDER VALLEY 52-46 V 40
53 BILL JOHNSON CALDER VALLEY 52-47 V40
54 PHIL ROBINSON OTLEY AC 52-50 V 60
55 PETER CLEMENTS ASKERN DRC 52-51 V 40
56 NICHOLAS CHARLESWORTH UNATTACHED 52-53 V 40
57 ADAM BAIRD UNATTACHED 52-55
58 JOSEPH CROSSFIELD HALIFAX HARRIERS 52-59
59 ANTHONY FRYER VALLEY STRIDERS 53-01
60 BRIAN STEVENSON PUDSEY & BRAMLEY 53-09 V 40
61 NEIL HORROCKS UNATTACHED 53-10
62 STEPHEN BATLEY SKYRAC 53-24 V 60
63 JIMMY SMITH STAINLAND LIONS 53-28 V 50
64 PETER BOWLES TODMORDEN HARR 53-30
65 TOM FEATHER UNATTACHED 53-31
66 LEE JONES UNATTACHED 53-39
67 CHRIS KING SPENBOROUGH AC 53-43
68 STEPHEN BOOTH UNATTACHED 53-46 V 40
69 ANDREW ALTON UNATTACHED 53-48
70 HUGH TOOBY CALDER VALLEY 53-53 V 40
71 JEFF ANDERSON STAINLAND LIONS 53-53 V 40
72 ALLAN RENTON UNATTACHED 54-04 V 40
73 ANIA SROKA KEIGHLEY & CRAVEN 54-08 LV40
74 KAREN SINKINSON HOLMFIRTH HARR 54-11 LV40
75 TONY BRADLEY CALDER VALLEY 54-38 V 50
76 XANTHE HANNAH VALLEY STRIDERS 54-42 L
77 DUNCAN CLANK ABBEY RUNNERS 54-52 V 40
78 MICK BULL MIDDLETON HARRIERS 55-04 V 50
79 DARREN SABEY STAINLAND LIONS 55-08
80 BILL MITTON ACHILLE RATTI 55-35 V 60
81 BOB GRANT F R A 55-37 V 60
82 GARETH BYRNE UNATTACHED 55-40 V 40
83 STEVE HUNN SKIPTON AC 55-45 V 40
84 ANTHONY McMANUS STAINLAND LIONS 56-03 V 40
85 CHRIS WHITAKER KEIGHLEY & CRAVEN 56-15 V 40
86 SCOTT OWENS UNATTACHED 56-19
87 LORNA BALMER CLAYTON LE MOORS 56-28 L
88 JANE LEONARD TODMORDEN HARR 56-44 LV50
89 ROBERT HALSTEAD HOLMFIRTH HARR 56-48 V 50
90 ROY BRADLEY SADDLEWORTH 57-27 V 60
91 ROBERT HIRST CLAYTON LE MOORS 57-41 V 50
92 CHRISTINE HALSEY UNATTACHED 58-55 LV40
93 REBECCA HALSTEAD HOLMFIRTH HARR 59-39 L
94 GEORGE EMMOTT QUEENSBURY 59-42 V 60
95 AMANDA NEWHAM ILKLEY HARRIERS 60-08 LV40
96 TREVOR MURGATROYD STAINLAND LIONS 60-12 V 40
97 GILLIAN WISBY CALDER VALLEY 60-26 L
98 JONATHAN AVIARD UNATTACHED 60-30
99 STELLA CROSS ABBEY RUNNERS 61-08 LV40
100 JIM SOMMERVILLE HOLMFIRTH HARR 61-13 V 60
101 RICHARD HAYWARD UNATTACHED 62-47
102 DAVE BROCKLEHURST OTLEY AC 62-49 V 50
103 GRAHAM DAVY UNATTACHED 62-52
104 CLIVE BOOTHMAN BAILDON RUNNERS 63-18 V 60
105 ANDREW BIDDLE WEST PENNINE 64-10 V 50
106 STUART WALTON DENBY DALE 64-28 V 60
107 PAUL STEVENSON PUDSEY & BRAMLEY 64-41 V 40
108 STEVEN BAYTON HALIFAX HARRIERS 64-46
109 BEN CROWTHER HALIFAX HARRIERS 64-54
110 MANDY GOTH TODMORDEN HARR 65-20 LV40
111 JON BALE UNATTACHED 65-33 V 40
112 CHRIS SMALE TODMORDEN HARR 66-00 V 40
113 LEE MORLEY ILKLEY HARRIERS 66-02
114 GREAME COWLING UNATTACHED 66-25
115 LINDA CAREY BAILDON RUNNERS 67-06 LV50
116 KATE WALTER BAILDON RUNNERS 67-16 LV40
117 CHRIS MILLER HARROGATE 67-18
118 QUENTIN LEWIS BAILDON RUNNERS 67-19
119 SARA DYER VALLEY STRIDERS 67-33 LV50
120 CATHERINE SHAW BAILDON RUNNERS 68-14 LV40
121 RICHARD BREAR STAINLAND LIONS 69-20 V 40
122 BRIDGET RICHARDSON CALDER VALLEY 70-10 LV40

It must have taken only a couple of minutes for some mindless lout to alter one arrow and move three flags from the end of Sawood Lane, thereby undoing my two hours of course marking until dusk on Friday evening. As I said on the start line, the Windmills Whizz is a left handed course. You always have the windfarm on your left.

From the start at the beautifully picturesque Ogden reservoir we run North alongside Ogden Clough, to join Hambleton Lane. At the farm gate we turn left and run along the stony Sawood Lane. After a mile or so, where this bridleway reaches a T junction with the old Cold Edge Road, we turn left, run up tarmac, unmade road and cobbles to The Withens Inn. Then it’s left for the final time, and back down the cart track to Ogden.

Well, I hope whoever sabotaged the course had a good laugh. There is nothing more disheartening for a race organiser than to hear that competitors have gone astray. It has happened more than once in my 18 years of putting on these fun events, though never at this one. I always feel that I’ve somehow been cheated, and on this occasion I must admit, I really did feel that it’s time I chucked it all in and called it a day. Fed up… Deflated… Demoralised. It takes weeks and weeks of planning to put a race on (making the course markers and signs and preparing finish recording equipment, getting land access permission, booking the pub, buying prizes) and when it doesn’t go as planned…..

However, after the leading runners had finally started to flood through the finish, and the crowds of exhausted runners were circulating around the finish area to take their drinks, my mood altered. People were just laughing it off. “Oh, we put an extra mile or two’s training in!” said one, “Well, congratulations to who-ever won it” said another, and there were some very heartening comments of support later on the Fellrunner’s FRA website Forum. In paticular, one person said he was new to fell running and new to the event. “But is was a terrific and well organised event, and now that I know the route, I’ll be back again next year”. Thankyou for your kind words. Other sports could learn a lot from fell runners.

First prize went to 53 year old veteran Dave Collins of Todmorden Harriers. No stranger to picking up the occasional supervets prize at local events, and especially the odd low key orienteering event, Dave knows the area well and had studied the course map at registration. He instinctively knew that something was amiss when he reached Cold Edge and noticed a long line of runners heading off right, down towards Oxenhope. So he took his chance. Luckily, the rest behind him followed on. After a while, those who had erred from the route retraced their steps to rejoin everyone else in the stampede up to FlyFlatts and back to Ogden.

As I stood on the finish line I wondered, what can I do? I felt that I had done my best to mark the route and tell everyone that it is an anticlockwise loop. Well, in the end all I could do was place runners as they crossed the line. At the prizegiving, which was a very light hearted and laid back affair, I paused for a few seconds in order to let Dave savour the occasion!
Vincent Proctor of Keighley and Craven followed Dave home with Harrogate’s David Askew coming third to win the over 40 veteran’s prize and lead his club to team victory (beer!) with Ashley Brook and Brian Miller for support. Duncan Asquith of Leeds based Skyrac AC won the over 50’s prize in fourth spot. The first woman to finish was Sally Morley of Ilkley Harriers who placed sixth overall, one place ahead of Chorley’s Lynne Clough with Rachel Chatwin of Pennine third. Stainland’s Jessica Riley finished next with Calder Valley’s Anne Johnson finishing in fifth place to win the over 40’s prize, Jane Leonard of Todmorden was the over 50 victor.

Baildon Runners’ ladies were surprised and delighted to win the team prize choccies!
A big thankyou to my Mum and Dad who manned the drinks at the finish for the 18th successive year. Thanks to Jackie on registration, Bill Smith who travels all the way from Liverpool by public transport to assist with my races, this time marshalling, collecting some of the markers in and compiling the results boards, and Linda Crabtree who marshalled at The Withens. Finally, thanks to Jackie who along with Kathrine Smale recorded times and numbers on the finish and of course Terry and Christine who had good beers and hot food ready for us at the pub.

A generous donation has been made to Cancer charities as a result of this event.

Thanks for being good sports and see you all again soon.
Allan and Jackie.

[zimmer]

Once again, for all of us who ran many thanks, Alan. We all appreciate the work you and other race organisers do and as you have said many of the sharp end had a good run out. Great for Dave! Sometimes life is fair for those that try and try and tr.... y. Wish it could have been me with my name in The Times for something legal.
See you next year - if not running I will marshall that check point ( and send the first 25 the wrong way!) Give some of us older, slower folks a day in the sun!

[Tussockface]

Allan, I was running with Quentin Lewis at Baildon last night and he was just laughing about the race - very philosophical. He commented that it was a race of extremes for him, going from first place to last. And I can tell you that the Baildon Ladies were doubly delighted, to be the first team AND to all beat Quentin! Talk about career highpoints...they'll be dining out on that for years!
Just about everyone appreciates the job done by race organisers, and no-one with any sense will feel anything but genuine sympathy for them if an idiot tries to undermine their efforts.
I can understand that you want everything to go smoothly - as it nearly always does in your events - but from a participant point of view, the most memorable races are always those that feature some kind of minor disaster. We're fellrunners after all; we court adversity.
No-one got hurt. Some people got a longer run. They're lucky you didn't charge them extra.

[Stagger]

I beat last years winner

[stringman]

As i have said on a few occasions since Saturday week, many other sports could learn a lot from fell runners and their sport.

I went to The Fiendsdale race on Saturday just gone and I was pretty surprised that it was still the talking point, before, during and after the race !! I was at a party that evening and the race winner Dave Collins was there.

We had a good laugh, got some stick as well. What a superb sport we have.

To cap it all.... my boss came down to see me today and told me that he'd read about it all in his glossy Sunday magazine !!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for that Phil.
and thanks for the offer Zimmer - I may hold you to that!

Life's good....... life's very good.

Allan G