From Jill Ezard…
This week got off to a cracking start with two local, midweek opportunities for racing. Wednesday saw the staging of the Hyde Park Summer Mile, a one mile, two lap race on tarmac paths around Woodhouse Moor in Leeds. Participants are organised into one of fourteen heats based on their predicted finish time with the fastest runners going off last. Two Harriers tried their hand at the event with Matthew Thackwray the first home in an impressive fifth place in 4:36:01, achieving the gold standard level! Jane McCarthy came over the line in a blistering time of 06:01.1 taking first place in her age category and securing a silver medal standard.
This was clearly a warm up race for Matthew who lined up on Thursday evening for another superb Ilkley Harriers’ hosted event, the fourth race in the Harrogate and District Summer Race league. Run by local running clubs the events take place on weekday evenings through the summer and are between five and six miles long, predominantly on road. It was a challenging 5.1 mile course for the more than 300 runners who turned out in great conditions. Starting with a lap of the football field by the Rugby Club, the course gave the runners a false sense of security along Denton Road, Langbar Road and Nesfield Road before the long slog up Owler Park Road. Following the bridleway to Myddleton Lodge, and taking Slates Lane, down Carters Lane, runner had the opportunity for a fast finish along Denton Road before finishing on the grass around the rugby pitch. It was a great turnout for the Harriers with 28 taking to the start line with some excellent results. After his warm up race the night before Matthew Thackwray had a tremendous run on home turf taking first place in the race in 26:57. Michael Odell was the next over the line in sixth place in 29:18 taking second place in his age category. There were some excellent top five age category placings on the night: Philippa Rawling was first Ilkley lady home taking fifth place in her age category in 38:41; Peter Shelley and John Hayes battled in their category taking third and fourth place in 32:11 and 32:56 respectively; Nicky Liptrot took fourth place in her category in 40:03; and continuing her consistent run of results in the league, Diane Kitchen took first place in her category in 44:30. All participants were treated to pie and peas after the event, supplied by volunteers from the club.
The weekend’s race action took Harriers off road and onto trail and fell. Gawain Moore was the only Harrier to take on the challenge of the Eldwick and Gilstead Gala Fell race on Saturday. This three mile route, starting on tarmac, follows a well-worn footpath up to the ‘summit’ of Baildon Moor, plunging back down the hillside before an energy zapping uphill finish giving an impressive total elevation gain of 550ft. Gawain had a great run completing the race in 18.41 in seventh position taking second place in his age category.
Perhaps Gawain was the sole participant in the event as several Harriers were up the valley competing in the annual Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association (UWFRA) Wharfedale Three Peaks Challenge. Raising much needed funds for the service the event sees participants completing a 17 mile race across Wharfedale taking in Birks Fell, Buckden Pike and Great Whernside, a route that affords fantastic views across the valley. Taking in the view was clearly not the aim of the Harriers taking part however who flew round the course dominating the podium. Oli Murphy was the first Harrier home in a course record breaking time of 2:09:36. In a fantastic clean sweep, the Harrier men took all top five places with Dan McKeown in second in 2:40:01, Gavin Lamb in third 2:43:05, Dave Robson in fourth in 2:46:10 and James Batterley in fifth in 2:46:40! And it was a first and third for the Harrier women with Rachel Carter winning the race in 3:05 and Katie Poulter taking third place in 3:23. Robin Moffat was the final Harrier over the line in 4:04. Well done to the Harrier team for such a great turnout!
Sunday saw second outing of the week for one Harrier as Alex Stanley-Hyde, continued his return from injury to take on the Harrogate Harmony Energy 10k. An undulating course on tarmac and bridleways, the course takes participants round Follifoot and the surrounding areas. Alex had a great run completing the course in 1:09:36.
And finally, our 17 parkrunners were travelling far and wide achieving personal bests (PB) and finishing in the first ten. Hitting the triumvirate of a PB, a top three finish and an eye-watering age grading this week, Alison Bennett had a superb outing at the Morecambe event, finishing in second position with an age grading of 91.91%! Other top ten finishers were Jacqui Foster in seventh at the same event, Helen Thurston in second at the University Parks event in Oxford, Sally Malir at the Cinder Track in Whitby in seventh, Samesh Chotai in fourth and James Horrex in sixth at the Skipton event, and Michael Odell taking first in a PB time at the Watermeadows event in Towcester. Nigel Illingworth was also in PB form at the Lister Park event and Hilda Coulsey and Diane Kitchen were pushing the age gradings with results both over 80%. Thanks to all the parkrunners who have been taking part in the interclub parkrun challenge with Saltaire Striders and Baildon Runners. With her amazing run in Morecambe, Alison Bennett was the clear overall winner with Mark Hall taking the plate prize to make it a Harriers’ double! Well done to all that took part.