Cartwright makes top ten in national fell-running series

For Cartwright finished seventh overall in the English Senior Fell Running Championships before taking 12th overall in the British Athletics Hill and Fell Running Chamnpionships.

It was the first time he had made the top ten in the former event, which comprises races throughout the year.

His inaugural race-finish in the top ten came with a terrific performance in the Don Morrison Edale Race over 34K. A group of about 12 elite runners set off extremely fast, but Cartwright snaked around the undulating and windy route and began to reel in casualties. He broke away and soon found himself in the leading ten, which he wasn’t prepared to throw away!

As well as the Edale Skyline, the other races in the championship this year were Clough Head in the Lake District over 8K, the Darren Holloway Memorial over 35.5K at Buttermere Horseshoe in the Lake District, the Kate Burge From Sea To Summit Race over 14.5K on the Isle Of man, the Turner Landscape race over 17K in the Lake District and the Cautley Horseshoe Fell Race over 7.54K in the lake District.

Cartwright enjoyed four top-ten finishes in all, with two eighth places being his highest positions. Two athletes who run as second claim for Matlock, Dan Haworth and Harry Holmes, finished the series fifth overall and joint eighth overall respectively.

The British Championships this year comprised races in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland, as well as the Lake District. Haworth and Holmes fnished just in front of Cartwright overall, taking eighth and tenth places at the end of the series.

Meanwhile, Cartwright was also in action at T’Owd Man Fell Race over 22.4K on Sunday, and smashed the course record with a time of one hour, 29.40 minutes.

Hayley Gill was the club’s first lady home in 2.01.12, while Alan Pickering made a welcome return from injury in sixth spot. In a tough race that was a mix of trails and paths, he was also the third veteran over 50 in 1.56.11.