A small but select WRC team made the trip up to sunny Clitheroe for this incredibly high quality race. The course is billed as flat and fast but really it was rather more undulating than say Whitley taking in a pleasant loop along closed rural roads. There was a Sutton-like dip and hill to be negotiated at the start and finish. Such was the quality of the field that over 50 runners ran under 33 minutes – and I wasn't one of them. You know that it is a good race when Super-Di doesn't come away with any vouchers.
Jamie's 2nd in the V65 was a great result in this company.
It was an amazing race for Ellen who broke her club's U17 record by over 30s and was part of the team that won both the women's team and Northern titles. I contented myself with driving the car and making the sandwiches …
I've given the chip times as the start was quite slow and congested. This is the sort of race that we should be targetting if we want to compete with the best clubs in the region.
1 Jonny Mellor (Liverpool Harriers & AC) 29:12
57 Georgia Taylor-Brown (Sale Harriers Manchester) 33:34
76 Rob Downs Men 2 MV45 34:15
132 Diane McVey 5 FV35 36:36
177 Allan McCormick 38:07
239 Ellen Downs (Stockport Harriers & AC) 39:28
487 Jamie Smith 2 MV65 45:10
1082 finishers
Full results at http://www.ukresults.net/2013/ribble.html