Twelve Macclesfield Harriers made the short trip down the A536 to participate in the hilly but scenic Congleton Half Marathon. Starting and ending a short walk away from Congleton town centre, the course consists of an undulating loop around the countryside to the north of Congleton. A steep downhill section near the start of the race provides a great opportunity to gain some speed and build confidence while the same hill transforms into a mountain when climbing back up it just over a kilometre before the end of the race!
There were some wonderful performances by Macclesfield Harriers in fine conditions. Our three fastest ladies were Faye Sharpley in a time of 01:29:48, Sue Stockdale in a time of 01:38:50, and Emma Galleymore in a time of 01:50:25. Their great times ensured that they ended the day as the 2nd placed ladies’ team, just two points behind Newcastle (Staffs) AC!
Rob Whitby was our fastest man in a time of 01:17:42, Mark Walker was hot on his heels in a time of 01:18:09, and Steve Lomas was our third fastest man in a time of 01:33:49. Their wonderful performances ensured that the men’s team also finished 2nd overall!
As well as team accolades, Macclesfield Harriers also picked up plenty of individual achievements. Sue Stockdale was the 2nd F50 and Mark Walker was the 2nd M45 while Harry Newton was the 1st M80. Not only did Faye Sharpley finish as 1st F40 but she also finished as 5th lady overall, earning herself a podium prize!
Congratulations to you all for some impressive performances!
Full results can be found at this link.
| Name | Time |
| Rob Whitby | 01:17:42 |
| Mark Walker | 01:18:09 |
| Faye Sharpley | 01:29:48 |
| Steve Lomas | 01:33:49 |
| Graeme Eddie | 01:35:09 |
| Sue Stockdale | 01:38:50 |
| Joe de Sousa | 01:40:09 |
| Ray O’Keefe | 01:41:55 |
| Gareth Stockdale | 01:43:05 |
| Emma Galleymore | 01:50:25 |
| Katrina Barnes | 02:00:09 |
| Harry Newton | 02:42:32 |
If you’d like to see how this affects the standings in the Club Championships, please follow the link below. This will be updated after every race and could be some great motivation for some friendly competition with your clubmates! Seven men and two ladies have now completed six qualifying races while two U20s have completed four qualifying races.
2024 Road Running Club Championships Standings
The last three races of this year’s Club Championships are detailed below.
- Macclesfield Running Festival – 5k, 10k, or Half Marathon – Sunday, October 27th
- Wilmslow Festive 10k – Sunday, November 24th
- Stockport 10 Miles – Sunday, December 15th
We hope to see you there!
Preliminary details of the 2025 Road Running Club Championships will be posted later this month; however, I confirm that we will be participating in the 2025 Cheshire Grand Prix and that all Grand Prix races will be a part of our Road Running Club Championships.