BURNDEN chairman Rob Short led home a 17-strong band of the club’s runners at the Edgworth Reservoir Challenge 10k.

The popular event, with the family fun day atmosphere hiding the fact that this was a very demanding course, attracted 183 starters. Short came fourth in 42mins 19secs closely followed by John McMyler in 43:08.

Paula Pilling was second lady in 47:49, chased all the way by George Butler who finished just behind her in 48:06.

Other results: John Hall (57:52), Jeff Pendlebury (58:04), Martin Twining (59:08), Ann Butler (1:06:08), Joanne Darby (1:08:05), Nicola Hardy (1:08:38), Sally Cottrill (1:11:16), Alec Cottrill (1:11:21), Jackie Cairns (1:11:52), Rita Ledwards (1:13:04), Christine Pendlebury (1:17:50), Gillian McGowan (1:21:42), Jessica Sammon (1:22:40).

Eight Burnden runners made the trip to Wales for the iconic long distance Man v Horse race in Llanwrtyd Wells.

The famous race involves a straight contest between runners and horses and this year featured a new course across 21 miles of rugged Welsh countryside through plunging valleys, forests and open fells.

With a high point of 1,700ft, a total ascent of over 3500ft and a number of river crossings, it is an extremely tough race and a challenging contest for runners and horses alike.

A record entry this year saw 460 individual runners, 165 relay teams and 55 horses, and for the eighth year running the horses took top honours with the first runner finishing in fifth place.

Andy Staveley finished 28th of the humans in 3:05:27 and was 54th in the entire field of runners, horses and relay teams, earning him fifth place V45. Sadly there was no V50 category, as he would have been second in this, his usual age group.

Lee White was 114th overall and 26th in the V35 category with a time of 3:26:08 while Maria Parkinson and Bev Walker recorded the same time of 5:27:40.

The club’s relay team of Kirsty Normanton, Shirley Staveley and Stew Jones completed the course in 3:24:39 to finish 110th overall and were the 28th team to finish.

Lesley Fisher scored another impressive FV55 win in the Knowl Hill 6-Mile Fell Race in Rochdale. She was the ninth female runner to finish out of 52 and was 92nd overall in the field of 180 with a time of 1:00:11. Don Nichol was 127th in 1:06:11.

Paul Duke was the first Burndener home at the latest Haigh Hall 4-Miler in Wigan, finishing 14th in 26:01.

Tony Wall’s time of 27:33 placed him second M55 while Colm O’Brien was the next club runner home in 29:06. Jackie Oakes was 12th lady home and third F40 in 31:10 with Reb Teyve finishing in 32:47.

Four members took on the Holcombe 2 Towers Fell Race with Keith Thomas again showing his prowess over this terrain with an impressive 40:08, finishing 11th overall and third M55.

Lesley Fisher was among the prizes again as she recorded 46:34 to be the third female finisher and the first F55. Laurence Keighley put in a strong finish on the relatively flat run-in but could not pip Fisher, crossing four seconds behind her. Don Nichol completed the tough course in 52:14.

Thomas and Fisher claimed more category prizes in the Hendersons End 6 mile Trail Race, a tough course from Rivington to Two Lads and back via Rivington Pike with 800ft of ascent.

Thomas was first M55 in 57:09 while Fisher claimed the L55 category with a time of 64:44. Kirsty Normanton was second L45 in 62:41.

Other results: Lee White (61:05), Laurence Keighley (62:37), Don Nichol (69:36).