REPORT BY: JEAN SULLIVAN

Always a landmark in the Ilkley Harriers calendar, but especially now more than ever, with this race being dedicated to former Ilkley Harrier athlete, coach and friend to all, Pete Shields; This bank holiday weekend saw the staging of the Pete Shields Ilkley Trail Race.

Thanks to the huge efforts of Race Director Neil Chapman and team of excellent volunteers, this race was a great success, with all profits from the race being shared between the Marie Curie charity and the Revival Centre and Orphanage in Matugga, Uganda, which has been supported since the race started in 2008.

Ilkley Harriers were out in force, with 39 Harriers running this 6.9-mile trail race, which offers superb views over the Wharfe Valley.

Christos Tzelis led the Harriers home to finish in a superb fourth place overall, Tzelis running the course in 44:43.

Gawain Moore was the second Harrier to cross the line in 46:24, finishing in sixth position, with Jeff Green the next Harrier to finish in 47:24, who managed a top ten finishing place. These superb results, along with Forrest Hamilton’s great time, meant that Ilkley men had the winning men’s team.

Rachel Carter led the Ilkley ladies home in a great time of 53:58, taking first prize in her age category. She was followed by clubmate Jane McCarthy, taking first place in her age category. Nicole Liptrot also had an impressive run also and was the third Ilkley lady to finish.

Well done also to Justin Pierce and Tim Ashelford who secured age category prizes.

This week saw the first race in the Harrogate District Summer Race League take place in Skipton, hosted by Skipton AC. This series of five races, which are only open to club runners, consist of five summer evening races in various locations around Yorkshire, with the last race being a handicap race for all to enjoy.

There was an impressive turnout of Harriers at the first race in the series with 25 Harriers taking part. The 8km race, mainly on the roads, starts and finishes in Skipton’s Aireville park, with Harrier Matthew Thackwray stealing the show to win the race outright in 27:49.

Nick Kealey was the second Harrier over the line, in a great time of 32:02, with clubmate Jaysson Sawyer the third to finish in another speedy time of 32:29.

Jane McCarthy led the Ilkley ladies home, with Jane taking first prize in her age category. Erin Keating was the second Ilkley lady to finish, followed by Phillipa Rawling. Other notable results included for Diane Kitchen who took second prize in her age category.

This weekend also saw the staging of the popular AJ Bell Great Manchester 10km road race. Harrier Nathan Edmondson’s blistering pace meant that he not only finished in a very impressive 29:48, but in doing so he also set a new Ilkley Harrier’s club record, breaking his own previous club record. His sub-30 finish makes him the first Ilkley Harrier to have gone sub-30 in the 10km distance.

Great running also by Clare Boyle at this event, with her time of 52:03 meaning she achieved a course PB. Dave Ibbotson and Juliet Green also had great runs at this event.

Up in Scotland, the Hayes family took part in the Edinburgh marathon festival. The festival offers a choice of marathon, half marathon, 10km & 5km race distances, as well as lots of junior race options. While mum and dad, Sarah and John were busy completing the marathon, son Daniel and daughter Lucy took part in the half marathon event.

Daniel finished in an impressive 1:22, with Lucy also having a great run, completing the course in 1:49:12. Great results from Sarah and John, with the miles recently clocked at the London marathon still in their legs. Despite the challenging weather conditions with strong headwinds to contend with, as well as torrential downpours, Sarah completed the course in a great time of 4:27:02, with John running the 26.2 miles in an impressive 3:23:52.

Harrier Carolyn Stone also completed the Edinburgh half marathon in a great time of 2:20:07, with fellow Harrier Steve King completing this iconic Scottish marathon in a superb time of 4:09:45.

Also on the roads two Harriers took part in Northallerton 10km, organised by the Northallerton 10km team, with all funds raised going to the Pendragon Community Trust. Taking first prize in his age category, Harrier Mark Hall completed the undulating course in an impressive time of 37:18, finishing in thirteenth place overall. Close behind, was Harrier Jaysson Sawyer, who finished in another great time of 38:08.

It was also busy on the fells, this week with two Harriers taking part in the Kildwick fell race, organised by Keighley and Craven Athletic Club. This 3.7-mile marked course, with 800ft of climbing, sees runners leave from Kildwick, climb to the Farnhill Pinnacle and across the moors before the return to Kildwick. Harrier Duncan Cooper led the Harriers home in 31:15, followed by clubmate Alistair Barlow in 31:43, both finishing high in the field of runners.

Also on the fells, hardy fell runner Dave Robson took on the Helvellyn and the Dodds fell race, organised by Keswick AC. This tough 15-mile course, with 1337m of ascent, is an out and back course from Threkheld Cricket Club. Luckily the weather was favourable, sunny with good visibility, and Dave completed this challenging race in a great time of 3:09:57, with Dave finishing highly placed in his age category.

Further afield in the Scottish mountains, Harrier Nea Weston, took part in the Isle of Jura fell race, described as ‘the pilgrimage of the fell running calendar’. No stranger to fell running, with her Mum Alison, a fell-running legend, Nea tackled this 28km course, with 2370m of ascent, over seven summits, made all the more challenging by the route not being marked and runners having to choose their own lines between checkpoints. Nea completed this technically challenging course in an impressive time of 5:35, but even more impressive was that she was 45 minutes quicker than her previous attempt at this event

The John Carr 5km race series, a longstanding tradition hosted by Saltaire Striders, has undergone some exciting changes for this year’s event, with a series of 5km races held throughout the day at Greenhead Athletics Track in Keighley. Runners were grouped into heats dependent upon their predicted finish time. The event, had a great atmosphere, with music provided by a resident DJ, and the finishing straight consisted of a ‘Lactate Tunnel of Love’ with four designated lanes to allow spectators to get up close to the action.

Four Ilkley Harriers took part, with Luke Watkeys achieving a PB by a large margin. Superb runs also by Danny Thompson, Helen Waddington and Jacqui Foster, who all enjoyed their track experience.

A beautiful sunny Saturday morning enticed many Harriers out to take part in the weekly 5km timed parkrun events, with lots of great results all round. Martin Stubbs managed a course PB at the Harrogate parkrun, as did Tom Lambe on the Leicester Victoria parkrun course, with Harry Sime also getting a parkrun PB under his belt at the Robert’s Park parkrun.

There were lots of top ten finishing places also, including for; Tom Worboys, fourth finisher at Llyn Llech Owain parkrun, Samesh Chotai fourth finisher at the Skipton parkrun and Rob Cunningham also fourth to finish at the Bedgebury Pinetum parkrun in Kent.

Tim Ashelford was the seventh finisher at the Chevin Forest parkrun. Penny Coulthard was flying the flag for the Ilkley Harriers at the Castlebar parkrun in Co. Mayo, Ireland, with Penny finishing high in the field of participants.