Macclesfield Harriers Fellrunning Club Championships 2020

[Tom Whittington]

Macclesfield Harriers Fellrunning Club Championships 2020

There are lots of exciting things to look forward to in 2020. We have been working hard to try to capture the spirit of inclusivity as well as the challenge of fell running and are keen to support both experienced and fledgling runners.

This year we have separated the races into three different championships. Each will have a series winner and offers a different set of obstacles to provide something for everyone. In addition, we are also introducing the Barry Blyth Club Enthusiast Award for the most races entered across all three series’. In the event of a tie the individual with the biggest improvement will be awarded. This is very much about participation and an opportunity for people who don’t usually win races to be recognised for their efforts.

The Local Peaks Series (LPS)
The LPS is roughly half seasoned club champs races and half an opportunity to try something new. Terry’s High 5 will see its first year as an FRA race and it would be great to get a big turnout for this new club race in February – a race record is guaranteed for the winner! There are several shorter and medium distance races that few may have had the opportunity to run in Shrigley Stag, Cressbrook Crawl and Chrome Hill. The back end of the Series is more weighted to longer races in Holmes Moss, Groovy Kinder Love and club stalwarts Windgather and Roaches. One Long race is required to complete the series. There are 12 races to choose from and 6 need to be run in order to qualify for the series championship. Most of these are enter on-day-races, but not all so do check the website.

Sat 29th Feb Terry’s High Five BS 8.2km 365m £7 EOD or Pre-entry @ Fabian4
Sun 5th April Mow Cop BM 11km 400m £5 EOD
Sat 9th May Cressbrook Crawl BM 11km 350m £7 EOD
Sun 7th June Passing Cloud BM 16km 565m £6 EOD
Sun 14th June Shrigley Stag BS 10km 280m £7 EOD or Pre-Entry £5
Sat 27th June Chrome Hill BS 6km 213m £5 EOD
Sun 5th July Langley Fete BS 5km 198m £5 EOD
Sun 19th July Holme Moss AL 29km 1,315m £11 EOD or £10 Pre-Entry
Sun 23rd Aug Crowden Horseshoe BM 13km 518m £5 EOD or Pre-Entry @ Race-results
Sat 12th Sept Groovy Kinder Love AL 25km 1,300m £8 EOD
Sun 11th Oct Windgather BL 22km 762m £10 EOD
Sun 8th Nov Roaches BL 24km 1,128m £5 EOD

High Fell Series (HFS)
The HFS has some tough races, but there are also more accessible races to help build confidence and experience for relative newcomers and encourage them into new territories. There are races in the Lake District, Snowdonia, Yorkshire Dales and Shropshire and a mixture of short, medium and long races, including the renowned Yorkshire Three Peaks race, Borrowdale and Ennerdale Horseshoes from the Lakes Classics. We have also included most of the English Fell Running Championship and British Fell Running Championship Races. These will sell out very quickly, so look out for the pre-entry dates. Yr Aran, Coledale Horseshoe, Coniston and Blencathra are a little shorter and easier on the navigation front if the long distance races are too intimidating. There are ten races to choose from and just 4 needed to qualify for the Series.

Sat 14thMarch Snowdonia Yr Aran AM 16km 945m British Champs Pre-entry @ Fabian4 from Jan2020
Sat 28thMarch Lake District (choice of two races)
Coledale Horseshoe AM 14km 915m Pre-Entry via Ellenborough AC website
Eskdale Elevation AL 20km 1,455m £7 EOD
Sat 25th April Yorkshire Dales Yorkshire 3 Peaks AL 37km 1,608m Pre-Entry from 9am Feb 1st
Sat 2nd May Lake District Coniston AM 14km 1,065m £10 EOD
Sat 16th May Pennines Alderman’s Ascent AS 9km 400m English Champs Pre-Entry
Sat 13th June Lake District Ennerdale Horseshoe AL 37km 2,290m English Champs Pre-Entry from 1stJan
Sat 4th July Lake District Blencathra AM 13km 825m English Champs Pre-Entry April
Sat 1st Aug Lake District Borrowdale Horseshoe AL 27km 2,000m Pre-Entry from 31st May
Sat 29th Aug Lake District Arnison Crags AS 5km 305m English & British Champs Pre-Entry via SIEntries
Sun 20th Sept Shropshire South Mynd Tour AL 23km 1,270m English Champs

Summer Midweek Series (SMS)
The SMS are typically short and fast races of 5-13km and no more than 450m climb, so expect lung busting, eye-popping sprints usually fairly close to Macclesfield. Several familiar stalwarts have been garnished with a few additions that will provide new adventures and challenges (Kett Killer, Gun Run, Calton Crawl and Bamford Carnival). Note that two of these are not on a Wednesday. Three of these races are club organised races, so please turn up to support and offer help even if you plan to run them (this includes the new Gun Run race as well as Rainow 5 and Forest 5). There are ten races in the Series for 2020 and you need to run 5 to qualify.

Wed 6th May Rainow 5 BS 8km 229m £5 EOD
Wed 20th May Gun Run BS 9km 250m £7.50 EOD but £6 Pre-Entry preferred
Fri 29th May Kett Killer BS 10km 304m £12 EOD or £10 Pre-Entry
Wed 3rd June Boar’s Head BM 13km 400m £4 EOD
Tues 16th June Calton Crawl BS 9km 244m £5 EOD
Wed 1st July Hope Wakes BS 10km 451m £8 EOD
Wed 15th July Bamford Carnival BS 7km 305m £5 EOD
Wed 22nd July Forest 5 CS 9km 307m £7 EOD
Wed 5th Aug Cracken Edge BM 11km 442m £6 EOD
Wed 12th Aug Eccles Pike AS 5km 305m £6 EOD or £5 Pre-Entry

Club Fellrunning Weekend
In addition to the three Series’, we have a club fellrunning weekend away in the Lake District planned for the last weekend in March, where there will be a choice of races on the Saturday. Coledale Horseshoe for those that like a shorter/faster run with less significant Nav, or Eskdale Elevation for those seeking a longer gnarlier affair. Either will contribute to the High Fell Series and we will regroup in the evening to recant tales on the hills and plan future adventures! Then, for anyone wanting to make the most of a trip to the Lakes, on Sunday there will be a gentle reccy over the course of the Coniston fell race route (the 4th race in the HFS five weeks later). Look out for posts on FB and forum soon. The last trip in September was enjoyed by all, so if you haven’t done one before please get involved – there is no commitment to run either race.

Other club events
To top off an already packed out calendar, there are also several orienteering events, nav training and fell relays. Stay tuned for more info!

14th March (tbc) Navigation Skills Event
28th March Club Weekend Away
27 May May-time Scamper-O
17 June Polly Lander Orienteering Trophy
4th October Hodgson Relays
17th October British Fell Relays & Club Weekend Away
29th Nov (tbc) Club Fell Handicap


We have created and attached a double page downloadable year calendar of all of this information, so feel free to use this to help organise your running year and add in any other events you plan to get involved in!
Here’s to an event-ful 2020!

Cheers,

Dennis, Alannah, Graham and Tom

[Richarda]

Dennis, Alannah, Graham and Tom
Thanks for the effort that's obviously gone into putting this championship series together.
Looking forward to 2020,
All the best
Richard Applewhite

[neilclarke]

thanks for that all of you...its much appreciated....and looks great..some lovely races,and a nice mixture....looking forward to seeing lots of folk out on the fells....neil

[Colin Ardron]

Excellent choice of races - I aim to do as many as my frail body will allow