Red Hot Toddy: Tom’s easy win

Todmorden Harriers’ big race of the year, the Red Hot Toddy 10k, lived up to its fantastic reputation on Sunday as 182 runners took on the tough course.
Todmorden Harriers fun run at the Red Hot ToddyTodmorden Harriers fun run at the Red Hot Toddy
Todmorden Harriers fun run at the Red Hot Toddy

The field was a little down on usual in wet and windy weather but runners showed great determination to master a route which featured a few laps of Centre Vale Park, a challenging 1.5 mile climb up to Sourhall Road and a 4km descent through to the finish at the park.

Twenty nine runners, most of them youngsters, tackled the earlier fun run.

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Queensbury Running Club’s Tom Collinge made it look easy as he crossed the line in the main race 35.52, almost a minute and a half in front of Ben Crowther of Halifax Harriers.

Queensbury’s Paul Greenwood was fifth and Sean Suttle was first home for Sowerby Bridge Snails in ninth place.

There were nine Todmorden Harriers in action with Jonathan Mitcham the first home and the veteran over 60s winner in 44.11 and an excellent 17th overall. Gemma Lord was first V50 in 56.15 but was edged out by team mate Bev Wright, who finished in 55.55 and was 16th female and fifth V45.

Blackburn Harriers’ Pauline Powell won the women’s race by more than four minutes in 42.52.

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Lennie Halstead of Todmorden Harriers made light work of the one mile fun run course, winning in a blistering 6 mins 14 secs for a 42 second cushion over second-placed clubmate John-Paul Cash-Birks.

Another Harrier, Sophie Smith, was the first girl to finish in 7.34, 32 seconds ahead of teammate Elizabeth Yates.

Todmorden results in Hot Toddy: 17, Jonathan Mitcham 44.11; 51, Rosa Blackwell 50.16; 55, Sam Lund 50.48; 57, Simon Anderton 50.54; 59, Mark Anderton 51.00; 77, Andrew Bibby 53.11; 93, Bev Wright 55.55; 95, Gemma Lord 56.15; 173, Myra Wells 75.50.