Runners’ teamwork was put to the test when Todmorden Harriers hosted the UK Athletics Fell and Hill Relays last week.

Competitors set off from and returned to Centre Vale Park, via a selection of routes that quickly took them up and out of the valley onto the moors above.

Each team of six runners completed four legs in the race; the first and fourth being short solo runs, whereas the longer legs two and three are run in pairs. The distances of each leg vary and the third leg runner must navigate their own route.

Calder Valley Fell Runners were out in force with no fewer than seven teams taking part in nearly all of the eight different race categories.

Calder Valley Fell Runners' teams were in great form at the Relays. Pic: Cass Chisholm

placeholder image — Calder Valley Fell Runners' teams were in great form at the Relays. Pic: Cass Chisholm

The men’s V40 team of Math Roberts, Gav Roberts, Gav Mulholland, Ben Mounsey, Lee Athersmith and Adam Osborne cruised to first place in their race, winning three of the four legs in a total time of 3:57:05.

Valley’s men’s V50 team were also first across the line, with Stephen Smithies, Karl Gray, Shaun Godsman, James Logue, Jason Williams and Mark Burton clocking a time of 4:20:04 that gave them an 11-minute cushion over the nearest competition.

The women’s V50 team came close to a podium finish, finishing in fourth place overall, and the two open teams both secured sixth spot.

One of the highlights of the event was Clara McKee’s performance in the final leg of the women’s open competition. Picking up the baton with the team in 12th place overall, McKee produced an incredible performance to cruise past no fewer than 25 runners to win the leg and catapult the team to their final sixth spot.

Tom McKee and Andy Worster, Pic: Mark O'Connor

Calder women’s captain Cass Chisholm said: “The British Fell relays were a fantastic day out with results that we should be proud of.

"With some good fortune on the ballot, we were able to have seven teams racing and I was thrilled that we fielded three women's teams including a WV50 team.

"There were some outstanding individual performances with many of our club runners coming first or second on their leg.

"All the teams had strong runs, but a special mention has to go to the men's V40 team who absolutely dominated their category. Alongside the great results, there was also plenty of fun, smiles, camaraderie and great vibes in the CVFR camp.”

Ambi Swindells and Helen Curtis in the women’s V40 race. Pic: Mark O’Connor

Men’s captain Martin Howard said: “The British Relays is always one of the top events of the year, and this year didn’t disappoint. It was great being in one of the top teams in Britain and fighting it out in the medals all day, although we didn’t come out with one, it has only made our young open team hungrier for a top spot in next year’s event.”

Elsewhere, a trio of Valley runners dug out their road shoes to compete in the hugely challenging Lakeland Roads Langdale Marathon event.

The Langdale Valley provides a stunning location for the marathon and half marathon races. The route follows an anticlockwise undulating loop through Great Langdale, Little Langdale, Skelwith Bridge, and Chapel Stile, with the full marathon comprising approximately 1,087 feet of ascent.

Jim Cooke signed up for the longer route and came incredibly close to breaking the four-hour mark with a time of 4:00:58. Running the half marathon were Tamsin Cooke (2:30:15), Amy Dower (2:31:46) and Di Wright (2:56:33).