Not for the first time, Nick Colburn crossed the finish line nursing a few injurues after a helter skelter descent of Witches Hill on Saturday afternoon.

The ever-tough Slieau Whallian event formed the opening round of the Aston International-sponsored Winter Hill League and, to make things that little bit trickier, there were quite a few muddy stretches to contend with following recent rain showers.

The 30-year-old paced himself in what was a fast start, trailing the two young Stennett boys.

‘The race went off fast. I knew I would struggle with the early pace as all the races I’ve done this year have been two to four hours in length,’ said Colburn.

‘So, I paced myself and was trailing the two brothers on the first climb. About half way up I had overtaken both and then didn’t see them again.’

With about 1km to go his foot caught a tree branch as he was jumping and brought him down like a sack of spuds (in his own words!)

‘I fell over and had to take a few seconds to recompose myself. I ran the last kilometre with a completely dead leg. My hip, knee and ankle are all bruised,’ he added.

Even with the loss of time after his fall, Colburn, runner-up in last year’s hill league, won the race by a comfortable margin of 27 seconds from Year 13 boys Lucas Stennett.

The evergreen Lloyd Taggart, now aged 55, split the Stennett brothers at the close in third place - 17s down on Lucas and 15s clear of Year 10 boy Harry (about a 40-year difference in age between those two).

Over-40s Matt Callister and Tom Cringle completed the top six ahead of George Salter (U11B), with Kevin Shimell continuing his comeback to athletics in a solid eighth place.

The women’s race was won by Emily Mylchreest in 25th place overall, with diminutive Poppy Clayton (Year 8 girl) 28th and Emily Bridson a close third.

A total of 126 runners took part over what was a testing but enjoyable course. Further rounds take place on November 9 at Cringle plantation and December 7 at Colden, West Baldwin. All welcome.

RESULTS

Winter Hill League round one results (Sunday, October 13): 1, Nick Colburn 19 minutes 02 seconds; 2, Lucas Stennett 19.29; 3, Lloyd Taggart 19.46; 4, Harry Stennett 20.01; 5, Matt Callister 20.44; 6, Tom Cringle 21.03; 7, George Salter 21.21; 8, Kevin Shimell 21.40; 9, Ben Corkill 21.55; 10, Gary Kelly 21.59; 11, Timothy Perry 22.02; 12, Alex Delaney 22.06; 13, Alan Sandford 22.09; 14, Neil Brogan 22.15; 15, Chris Reynolds 22.19; 16, Zac Woodward 22.44; 17, Tim Dunne 22.27; 18, Tom Williams 22.34; 19, Liam McCann 22.38; 20, Stephen Kelly 22.51; 21, Nick Bowden 23.01; 22, Richard Winn 23.35; 23, Paul Sheard 23.39; 24, Ali Stennett 23.43; 25, Emily Mylchreest 23.48; 26, Ewan Reid 23.56; 27, Ryan Hampson 24.01; 28, Poppy Clayton 24.35; 29, Paul Rodgers 24.35; 30, Emily Bridson 24.44; 31, Faith Teare 24.47; 32, Chris Addy 24.55; 33, Max Bezance 25.04; 34, Damien O’Toole 25.08; 35, Guy Wood 25.09; 36, Joshua Hewett 25.10; 37, Finbar McSevney 25.11; 38, Andrew Milnes 25.22; 39, Stephen Corlett 25.51; 40, James Fisher 25.54; 41, Immie Birchall 25.57;42, Ciaran Dougherty 25.59; 43, Mark Corrin 26.08; 44, Timothy Knott 26.10; 45, Erin Bonett 26.10; 46, Jim Reid 26.13; 47, Florence Griffin 26.14; 48, Mark Murphy 26.28; 49, Chris Cale 26.31; 50, Rosy Craine 26.35; 51, Ian Goatman 26.42; 52, Gail Sheeley 26.51; 53, Richard George 26.53; 54, Janette Gledhill 26.55; 55, Andrew Woodward 26.57; 56, Nigel Comley 27.00; 57, David Griffin 27.05; 58, Caroline Caren 27.09; 59, Al Graham 27.11; 60, Richard Trubshaw 27.11; 61, Abi Clayton 27.23; 62, Victoria Jacobsen 27.24; 63, Ryan McDonald 27.26; 64, Mark Hotchkiss 27.28; 65, Callum Clarke 27.33; 66, Mike Cross 27.34; 67, Paul Kneen 27.37; 68, Elissa Wood 27.41; 69, Drew Alstead 27.46; 70, Max Skelly 27.51; 71, Peter Bradley 27.57; 72, Rachel Kelsall 28.02; 73, Piper Withington 28.08; 74, Lewis Veale 28.17; 75, Joseph Ricciardi 28.21; 76, Charlie Elliott 28.27; 77, Mark Dougherty 28.32; 78, John Norrey 28.36; 79, Mike Connors 28.38; 80, Lee Alstead 28.46; 81, Olivia Marshall 29.53; 82, Svetlin Krastev 29.56; 83, Sara Hinds 30.07; 84, Aaron Roberts 30.10; 85, Christopher Gledhill 30.35; 86, Rachael Kelly 30.42; 87, Geoff Quayle 30.48; 88, Jim Caley 31.08; 89, John Watterson 31.12; 90, Lee Clayton 31.25; 91, Ian Callister 31.27; 92, Elizabeth Knott 31.38; 93, Sarah O’Reilly 31.49; 94, Steve Willmott 31.52; 95, James Moore 31.54; 96, Rachel Roberts 32.12; 97, Chris Hogben 32.14; 98, Deborah Tyrer 32.37; 99, Michael Crook 33.21; 100, Phill Swales 33.37; 101, Christine O'Shea 34.04; 102, Samuel Mercer 34.13; 103, Rose Hooton 34.30; 104, Angie Robinson 34.31; 105, Joanne Christian 34.40; 106, Peter Cooper 34.47; 107, Elijah Bradley 34.59; 108, Bruce Blacker 35.23; 109, Glenn Blacker 35.26; 110, Kate Roberts 35.43; 111, Paula Garland 36.15; 112, Nathan Holden 36.42; 113, Nick Venables 37.14; 114, Ollie Venables 37.15; 115, Monica George 37.27; 116, Emma Lagardere 37.58; 117, Jill Condon 38.22; 118, Claire-Louise Lace 38.58; 119, Deborah Smith 39.10; 120, Simon Holtham 39.47; 121, Denise Bridson 40.04; 122, Alison Corlett 41.32; 123, Moira Hall 43.36; 124, Alan Pilling 44.18; 125, Rebecca Botwright 49.26; 126, Rebecca Greatbatch 49.34.