From Sally Armitage…

Today I felt like I’d committed a crime, I didn’t race in my club vest. Not because of the jokes from my club mates but because I actually felt guilty. If I thought for a second I would have a podium finish I would’ve at least taken it for the presentation. 

Onto the race…. an undulating road 10 miler. After a recce last weekend I was pleasantly surprised that there were no brutal hills, I would describe them more as tedious inclines. After Otley 10 two weeks ago this race felt almost flat! It was lovely to see such a big Harriers turnout, and to run alongside teammates, there was encouragement and light banter between everyone throughout the race. 

After a very fast start the first incline arrived quickly, turning the stampede into a more orderly line. At around mile 3 we dropped down to the reservoir and followed an ‘off road’ track around the edge, I found this challenging underfoot in my Vapourflys, not the best shoes for anything not pancake flat. At mile 5 the real race began, and the ‘tedious inclines’! It was between miles 5 and 8 that I passed the 3 women that had overtaken me in the first few miles, putting me in 3rd position. I then focussed on Jeff, who had just passed me but was still in sight, and hung on for dear life. 

The finish was tough, more mentally than anything else, once back on Long Causeway, the home straight, you could see the EvenSplits bright yellow arch in the distance yet it felt like it was never getting any closer. Well done team, lots of placings, age group prizes and team prizes in the bag! 

Results

(1           52:53 Graham Rush, Leeds City AC)

16         1:02:01 Nick Kealey                    

17         1:02:12 Justin Pierce                  

21         1:02:53 Rob Cunningham                                     

29         1:03:38 Jeff Green                      

32         1:04:04 Sally Armitage               

41         1:05:07 Iain Young                      

44         1:05:34 Andrew Overend           

80         1:08:57 Steve Newell                 

88         1:09:43 Peter Shelley                  

90         1:09:49 Phil Joyner        

103       1:10:59 Tony Pye           

134       1:14:02 Thomas Lambe              

181       1:17:10 Michael Ho                    

211       1:19:07 Keith Wood      

213       1:19:17 David Singleton

214       1:19:20 Tracey Watson 

220       1:19:44 Claire Mcloughlin                                     

271       1:22:36 Jill Ezard            

278       1:22:31 Erin Keating      

286       1:23:23 Sacha Jones                   

326       1:25:56 Bess Sturman                

376       1:29:04 Jayne Norman               

416       1:31:27 Lucy Elliott                     

496       1:38:55 Alex Hyde                       

543       1:43:38 Bernadette Gibbons      

623 ran