Last Sunday, half a dozen members of Otley Athletic Club took part in the demanding Liversedge Half Marathon at Robbertown. The day was wet and windy over the exposed tops of the course.

Ian Fisher at first decided to go for position rather than course record as he won the York Half Marathon in 66.09 two weeks earlier, and a sixth position with 30.47 at Dewsbury 10k last week.

Feeling a bit under the weather through recent training, Ian was a bit unsure about turning up for it. In the end he decided to chance it because he didn't want to let the local folk down who arranged their day to come out and see him run. Also his brother David was running.

Due to the nature of the course, it doesn't attract the likes of runners who finish at the front end of the Dewsbury 10k. The original course record 68.50 was set by David Watson from Holmfirth Harriers. He was on good form that day and he set a record that for five years noone has been able to get close to it. Not until Sunday that is.

Before the runners went onto the course properly. They had to do a half mile loop around Robertown's village green. Ian had already had built a large gap by this point. He went through the first mile in four minutes 43 seconds.

Around the seven mile point Ian was directed off the main road through a park, because the old part going through Brighouse wasn't possible anymore. The path through this half mile section was too muddy for road racing shoes.

After a fair bit of climbing he passed through ten miles in 53.10. He figured at that point that beating the record wasn't possible now. That was to change in the last few miles as he made up ground on the last climb to the village and went on to finish the race in a new record of 68.45.

It took him by surprise because he was suffering from a headache prior to the race.

Next runner in was Pudsey and Bramley's Richard Pattinson with 75.06. Third was Darlington Harriers Drew Inglis with 77.30.

As for the rest of the Otley club Howard Jeffries did 93.53, Carl Walsh 98.05, Phil Robinson 98.40, David Fox 106.45 and Billy Rayner 120.45.

Meanwhile a little closer to home it was the Yorkshire Vets race in Esholt. The five mile road and trail circuit had taken the brunt of the overnight rain and made climbing difficult in places. Two Otley runners took part, one was Golden Shoe award winner Colin Best.

He finished 72nd with 40.13 while Kath Robertshaw finished in a fine time and position 92nd in 42.33 and first V60. The winner was Pudsey and Bramley's Brian Stephens with 29.40.

Andrea Dennison from Bradford Airedale was the first lady with 32.29.

Club nights are at Otley RUFC at Cross Green on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7.15pm.

Ilkley Harriers

On Saturday Ilkley Harriers Debbie Rosen and Claire Smith journeyed over the Pennines for the Anglezarke Amble, a 16 mile route over Rivington Pike and the West Lancashire Moors, and were fourth and fifth runners to finish.

On Sunday, at the second race in the Sport Direct Cross-Country League at Kippax Dave Wilby was sixth for Ilkley, Lawrence Basham 14th, Jamie Hutchinson 15th, and there were good results too from Ian Marshall, Graham Stead and Bob Payne for the men.

Alison Bennett was third lady, Kelly Harrison, Joyce Marshall, Jemma Basham, Amanda Parnaby and others made a good turn out for the ladies' team.

Pete Bedwell ran in the Liversedge half marathon and in a field of 432 he came 245th in a time of 1.52.12.

In the Wadsworth Half Trog, 9m with 1500ft of climb at Hebden, Richard Joel was 12th in 1h22:22; Emma Barclay 25th and second lady in 1h31:30; and Jon Tindall was 36th in 1h43:54.

Ashley Hardwell was 78th in the full Trog (20miles and 4000ft of climb) in 4h04:59.

The first race in the Yorkshire Vets Grand Prix series attracted the remaining racing Harriers. This race was a five mile multi-terain race at Esholt, which was fast in places and very muddy in others.

The first Harrier in was Andy Wade, having a good run coming back from injury, with Neil Chapman the next finisher in 34.34. Alison Eagle and Keith Wood were battling with each other, with Alison getting past Keith on a steep muddy section and managing to hold him off, finishing in 36.06 with Keith just behind in 36.24.

Not far behind them was Pete Shields completing a busy week of training and racing to finish in 36.43. Barbara Bullock had an excellent run finishing in 40.25 with Bernie Gibbons continuing to race well, and finishing in 42.33.

Ilkley Harriers is a friendly club, training from Ilkley Lawn Tennis and Squash Club every Tuesday at 7pm. Visit the web site ilkleyharriers.org.uk for more information.

Skyrac AC

"Wimps" was the cry that surrounded runners setting off on the nine mile Wadsworth Half Trog from Old Town, near Hebden Bridge, last Sunday from those runners waiting to set off a few minutes later in the 20 mile Wadsworth (Full) Trog; who duly received the response "Idiots".

This is because some believe that the Half Trog contains all the best running, including the section over private land near Cock Hill, whereas the extra loop taken by the Full Trog merely takes runners up onto Top Withins on Haworth Moor where even walkers can be found.

Nevertheless although 55 runners completed the Half Trog, which has only been run twice before, three times that number set off on the Full Trog: but who said fellrunners are quick learners?

Excellent conditions - frozen ground, clear views and no wind - produced fast times and Lee Athersmith (Skipton) won the shorter race in 1.11.21. Graham Breeze (Skyrac) was 23rd in 1.31.04 and First Over 60.

The longer race was won by Karl Gray (Calder Valley) in 2.42.17 thereby breaking Rob Jebb's record. For Skyrac Robert Pritchard and Malcolm Coles took advantage of the excellent conditions finishing in 3.58 and 4.08 respectively.

Skyrac AC is based at Nunroyd Park on the Guiseley/Yeadon boundary and enjoys the facilities of the magnificent ANSA clubhouse. Skyrac can be contacted via www.skyrac.org.uk or 01943 874046.

Wagner stars

Young Guiseley athlete Matthew Wagner starred in the West Yorkshire Sports Hall Athletics Championships at the Richard Dunn Sports Centre, Bradford.

Over 120 boys and girls from all over West Yorkshire competed to gain selection for the West Yorkshire teams to go to the Yorkshire Regional finals in Halifax on March 5.

At the championship records tumbled in six track events and in the U-13 boys' speed bounce where Ilkley Grammar School's Thomas Scott set a new record with 84 in a minute.Thomas, of Ilkley Harriers, was also second in the six lap time trial, fourth in the standing long jump, third in the high jump and third in the obstacle time trial.

His Ilkley Harriers colleague Danny Elliott was fourth in the U-15s two and four lap time trials, third in the standing long jump and jumped a personal best standing triple jump with 7.16m.

In the U-13 boys events Matthew Wagner of Menston St Mary's School won the standing long jump with 2.30m, standing triple jump with 7.08m, obstacle time trial in 23.20 and the one lap time trial in a new record time of 12.80secs.

If the West Yorkshire teams can win at the Yorkshire Finals in Halifax on March 5 then a trip to the National Finals at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham is the coveted prize.

St Mary's four selected

Four athletes from St Mary's School, Menston, have gained selection for the Leeds Schools' Cross-Country team after the recent trials at Leeds Grammar School.

Sam Webster was placed a second in the senior boys' race while Jodie Gregorczyk also came second in the intermediate girls' event.

The Harrison sisters, Rebecca and Bethany, continue to improve at the junior girls' level. Bethany was placed 12th whilst Rebecca secured selection with another second place.

Finally, the junior boys' team recorded some very creditable performances with Jack Peacock (41st), Tom Loughlin (21st), Nathan Thackwray (16th), Chris Whiteley (15th) and Oliver Webster (6th). Oliver also gained selection for the West Yorkshire.