BACK IN THE SWING
GOLF BALL 
A record turn out at Golf Ball of 236 is quite a crowd for a low key race in the Rossendale valleys. It wasn't short on quality at the top end either. Three fellow Ribble Valley Harriers had made the trip, including international machine Chris Holdsworth, a Summer signing from Clayton-le-Moors. He's at the very top of the fell running game and still in ascendancy. With Holdsworth present, all bets were off to pick the night's winner. Scanning around at the other talent on show, it became clear that a repeat of last year's top five spot was not going to happen, even if I ran a better time. In fact, it became clear that even a top twenty position was going to be a challenge. So there's also Ste Hall and Shaun Livesey Jnr from my club, a resurgent Andy Buttery from Rossendale, two Royton lads that I knew were handy, Matt Driver from Holcombe, Chadderton and Gilbert of Horwich, the Preston lad Oliver Heaton that I can't get near, then I spot Alex Whittem of Calder Valley for the first time in many a while... it had the makings of an interesting race. This is how it should be. A mid-forties nobody in particular like myself shouldn't really be getting top five placings when still running up to a minute per mile slower than the winner.
Finally though, I managed to make a decent account of myself and felt back in the swing of things. It wasn't special, but it was solid. For the first half of the race I found myself on the trail of Clayton's Peter Coates who was making a comeback to racing after injury. His pace seemed to suit mine early on. I felt I had to overtake Rossendale's Marc Barrett, even though he's been kicking my arse in the latter stages of races all Summer. I did say to him that he might well see me again later - there's confidence for you, not - but I didn't see him again as it turned out. I was feeling pretty strong and in control. After the moorland descent of Hameldon Hill I passed Peter and another chap before dropping down on to the quarry tracks. I lost a place to a young dread-locked Todmorden runner on the following rocky climb and briefly thought about making an extra effort to sit on him. But then that could backfire later on, I considered. This was a lack of confidence in motion, but equally a decision based on stark reality of recent racing. I couldn't risk the wheels coming off. Back on the tops again and heading past the golf ball transmitter, a descent not really to my liking follows. Hard track on the same gradient, slap-slap-slap... give me something technical any day of the week. I wasn't going to force the issue on this section and near the bottom the breath down my neck revealed itself in a Holcombe Harriers vest. I was actually confident that I could mop him back up over the fields to the finish, but having got a few seconds over me, the Holcombe man Matt Dunn was equal to what I had to chuck back at him. That cost me a top twenty spot, but my time was up on last year so there was no sulking. I reminded myself what a cracking little race this is and appreciate the simple things in life like just being there, competing and enjoying it.
Sure enough Chris Holdsworth quickly ran away from the rest and showed why he is a complete class apart to win with a whopping three minutes to spare. Prior to this race, the last time I saw him was last Saturday night on the box when belatedly catching up on S4C's coverage of the Snowdon International Mountain Race. He beat Britain's best and came an amazing second place overall to Italian Alberto Vender. It was fantastic viewing and certainly the best thing I've seen on television since that Scandi police drama 'The Bridge' came to an end.
A quick pint in the social club at Loveclough then and I get talking to a chap who I used to see around at more or less every race in the first few years of my time on the fells, Rick Solman of Rossendale Harriers. Rick's been out of the racing game for some time because of a recurring injury he can't seem to shake, but he came along with Buttery to this one to watch the latter roll back the years with another great run. Utterly Buttery looks ridiculously good for nearly 48, but for me, Chorley's hardy perennial Mr Ellithorn still tops the charts in the looking good for age contest. Not so well preserved are my own looks it seems. Rick thought I was in the Vet50 category, now that was one thing - then he says I, "did well to be around top twenty in that company for a big lad''. Cheeky fecker!
On a parting note, one of the first sights I saw on approaching race headquarters and searching a parking place that evening were the Todmorden shorts of Duncan Cannon again. They seem to be haunting me. It wasn't an accident at Lee Mill, he deliberately races in them. I'm going to have to pluck up the courage to politely question him next time I see him at a race. This may seem like some weird obsession from my end, but genuinely I just want to help save someone valuable seconds per mile!           

Wednesday 28th August 2018
GOLF BALL   5.5m/800ft
1st Man - Chris Holdsworth (Ribble Valley Harriers) 36:27
1st Lady - Heather Hughes (Manchester YMCA) 48:31
My Stats - 42:37   21/236