Littleborough 5k Road Series Race 3 - Race Report

Blue and sunny skies greeted our five participants on this fine Wednesday night in lovely Littleborough, nestled in the foot of Lancashire's Pennines.

This was mine and Dave Avery's first time meeting Wes and our Grant Thornton nemeses, Jane and Nick. We found Jane easily enough wandering around the Con Club race headquarters in her unmissable Cheltenham Harriers vest and bumped into Wes soon after. Worries for Nick missing his train proved unwarranted as he rocked up with 15 or so minutes to spare.

A contingent of 153 runners, a large amount of them Royton Road Runners, gathered on the car heavy street down from the Con Club. The start proved a tight affair with runners dodging the parked cars, and Wes, Nick and Jane were off in the blink of an eyelid. So this left me with fellow Lopianer, Dave, in my sights. However a heavy stitch 4 minutes in led to Dave becoming another dot in the distance once hitting the cycle track, before disappearing altogether.

Billed as a road race, the route then took in a small section of trail through a farm, to the sounds of a loud mooing cow, before hitting the main road at around 2k and a steep ascent towards Smithy Bridge. Word has it that somewhere in the distance Nick managed to keep pace with Wes up said hill.

A little bit of flat ensued before a gradual decline past the beautiful Hollingworth Lake, basking underneath the glorious sun to a background of rolling hills, clear skies and wind turbines that weren't working. A sudden left turn took us on a further decline past more greenery and flocks of lambs bleating from the hillsides, seemingly very interested in the passing runners. A setting sun provided a picturesque background for this last 2k and the point at which Wes sped away down the hill leaving Nick and a ‘12 and a 10 year old’, who’d tracked him most of the way round, in his wake. Apparently the youngsters had been purposely stamping in the puddles on the trail section, so they deserved it*!

By the time I had finished, Wes (19:58), Nick (20:15) and Jane (20:39), running a fantastic race and finishing second female in 20:39, were nowhere to be seen. Dave came in at 23:38 and myself in a difficult 26:20.

Despite struggling, I loved this course, mainly for the scenery. The race organisation was great and friendly and I’ll definitely be back!

* No children were harmed before, during or after this race.