REPORT BY: JILL EZARD

Two evening races started the week for the Harriers.

On Tuesday Kyle Bethell, Jane McCarthy and Mark Iley ventured to Rudding Park, near Harrogate, for the Rudding Park Race.

Consisting of an undulating single loop, this 10k trail race takes in a mixture of paths and woodland with some technical areas.

Bethell was first home in 45:45, followed by McCarthy in 50:25 and Iley in 51:08, with the latter two taking third place in their respective age categories.

Wednesday evening saw the 37th running of the Jack Bloor Fell race. Starting on the moor opposite Darwin Gardens this local race covers only 8.4km but takes in 350m of ascent.

It’s an unmarked course taking in the Badger and Swastika Stones and Cowper’s Cross before finishing back at the bottom of the moor. Michael Odell was the first Harrier home taking fifth place overall in 46:23, and along with Jeff Green and Oscar Shinn, secured the men’s team second place.

Alison Weston was the first female home in 1:01:03, followed by Joyce Marshall in 1:02:21, taking a well-deserved first place in her age category.

On Saturday Harriers were in action on both road and fell with podium success on both! Sally Armitage travelled to Lancashire for another of the Lancaster Race Series, the Caton Gala Windmill 10k. An undulating course through the scenic countryside around Caton village, the race takes runners three miles uphill with a short section on the tops with glorious views, then three miles downhill. Racing in a very small field, Sally powered through the race despite the heat finishing in third place overall and first female in 41:51, nearly ten minutes ahead of the next female finisher!

A little further north but continuing on the roads, Stephen Liversedge took on the Windermere Marathon. This wonderful and undulating road marathon takes participants on a 26.2-mile anti-clockwise circuit of Windermere through the villages of Hawkshead, Newby Bridge, Bowness-on-Windermere and Ambleside, finishing at Brathay. Liversedge had a great race and completed it in 4:53:56.

Closer to home five Harriers took on the Up the Odda 10k race from Hawksworth. Jack Cummings had an outstanding race completing the challenging course in 37:35, over six minutes ahead of the second finisher.

With a fantastic top ten finish, Dave Robson was next over the line in 47:09 taking second place in his age category. There were also impressive runs from Samesh Chotai, Justin Phillips and Darryl Stead.

Not content with the win on Sunday, Cummings took part in the Calderdale Way relay as one of the Ilkley A team on the next day. One of two teams taking part in this challenging six leg race, with legs ranging from 10.5 to 4.5 miles and some challenging climbs, the A team had a fantastic race taking fourth place overall.

In addition, three of the pairs took first place on their leg: Tom Adams and Sam Atkinson on the first leg; Ed Hobbs and Sam Bentham on the third; and Jack Cummings and Nathan Edmondson on the last leg. The Ilkley B team also had a great run out taking 28th place out of the 99 teams that ran.

Still on the trails and a new race to the calendar, two Harriers took part in the inaugural Bronte Half Marathon. Starting from Penistone Hill, the undulating lollipop route follows paths and tracks between Haworth and Hebden Bridge, finishing with a challenging last mile up hill. Helen Waddington and Mary Fairclough had a great race and came over the line within a minute of each other, fourth and fifth females respectively in 2:23:38 and 2:24:29.

Heading in the opposite direction two Harriers travelled to Burton Leonard to take part in a challenging multi-terrain 10k. This undulating route follows the tracks, woods and fields of the Mountgarret Estate in North Yorkshire. Kate Lofthouse and Susan Williamson took on the challenge completing the race only one second apart in 1:09:19 and 20 respectively.

For the Harriers' last race the club return to the roads where Hilda Coulsey was the only Harrier taking on the Essar Chester Half Marathon. The event boasts a lively city centre start and finish, with a route that takes in all the city centre sights alongside the surrounding picturesque countryside. Despite the heat, Hilda had an outstanding race coming over the line in 02:05:11 and taking first place in her age category.

And finally, our 24 parkrunners were travelling far and wide achieving Personal Bests (PB) and finishing in the first ten. Hitting personal bests this week were Harry Sime at the Skipton event, Martin Stubbs at the Conyngham event and Gaenor Coy at the Roberts Park event which had a great turnout of nine Harriers. Out top ten finishers this week included Jon Denniss at South Manchester, Penny Coulthard at Westport, Ruth and Diane Kitchen at Druridge Bay, Jonathan Turner at Carlingark Loch and, travelling the furthest this week was Amanda Newham, the ninth finisher at the Løvstien parkrun, in Bergen, Norway. Well done to all that took part.