IT has been a busy week and Easter period for Radcliffe AC runners, who have taken in some very changeable conditions, including a great turnout when 12 took on a midweek 5k trail race at Rochdale.

The event, the Colin and Brenda Robinson Cowm Race was a multi-terrain race and part of Radcliffe's new trail championship introduced this year. On the two-lap undulating course of Cowm Reservoir in Whitworth in wind, rain and mud new member Neal Emmerson was first home and fourth out of 55 runners in 18mins 33secs. He was closely followed by Rob Shiels (V40) in sixth place in 18:42, Peter Hunter was 19th in 20:49, Kris Lee had a personal best with 20:52, Dave Bartlett ran 21:35, Mark Cartwright (V45) 23:31, Mark Emmett (V55) 23:35, Chris Saville (V40) 24:43, Kath Davies (V50) 25:11, Eileen Royle (V65) 27:11, Iain Harris (V65) 28:51 and Tom West (V75) 31:38.

Four members also braved atrocious weather to run the Peter Hartley Memorial Liver Hill Fell Race, named after a former member of the organisers, Rossendale Harriers.

In the event, which started from the club's headquarters in Rawtenstall and covered more than four miles and 820 feet of climbing, David Ward (V40) was first home for Radcliffe in 40th place out of 154 runners in 42:43. Fiona Lynch (V40) was eighth woman out of 28 with a time of 49:30. Paul Swyers (V45) clocked 51:42 and Mark Wolfenden (V45) ran 54:26.

On Good Friday, four members took to the road in the popular Salford 10k with Rob Shiels again showing form and coming 103rd out of 545 runners in 37:20. For the others three there were personal best times for Simon Barrett who run 41:41, Kate Holden (V40) 53:09 and Kirsten Cook (V50) 53:22.

Barrett had another personal best in the 5k Heaton Parkrun with 20:11, finishing 24th out of 568 runners. Peter Hunter also set a PB with 20:23, Sheila Jones (V55) ran 23:17, Rachael Molloy 31:44 and Katya Pursall (V40) 32:47.

At Bolton, Eileen Royle (V65) ran 27:52 and at Worsley Wood Vince Ashton clocked 25:52.

There was action on the fells over the Easter weekend with three running one of the oldest fell races in the calendar, the Rivington Pike Fell Race, at Horwich on Saturday and two taking on the Pendle Fell Race on Sunday.

At the three-mile plus Rivington race with 700-feet of climbing, Paul Swyers (V45) ran 26:14, Mark Wolfenden (V45) 28:18 and Kath Davies clocked 28:41.

At Pendle, Mark Cartwright covered the tough four mile plus with 1,500 feet of climbing in 50:02 and Sinead Hayes clocked 57:21.