Running log

Danielle Hodgkinson broke the women’s course record in the Epilepsy Action Bradford 10K.

The Wallsend athlete’s time of 35min 32sec was well clear of second-placed Aiveen Fox (Horsforth Harriers) and Laura Allen, from Totley AC in South Yorkshire.

Edinburgh-born Allen was delighted to knock two minutes off her personal best, clocking 38:12 as she finished just behind Fox.

Lisa Mawer (Wetherby) was first over-40 in 38:27, with Donna Edmondson-Booker of Idle AC a fine fifth in 38:53.

The new course avoided part of the climb through Little Germany and extended further to Shipley along Canal Road. Unfortunately a biting wind blew up from 8am and reduced most times by around a minute.

Gerard Mills from Bradford-Airedale had arguably the performance of the day, finishing ninth in 34:37. Former clubmate Tesfaye Debele won in 31:42, a minute down on his best and outside his course record from last year.

Scott Harrington (33:21) was second, with Spen’s Kevin Ogden (33:41) third. Behind them a further 22 men broke 36 minutes, with many of West Yorkshire’s best club runners in their ranks.

A competition between several composite teams of invited runners saw Airedale Athletics (Simon Pass, Girma Ayana and Quentin Lewis) victorious among the men over an Otley invitational team (Harrington, Jamil Parapia and Zack Whitehead). The Leeds Peco Ladies team won the female prize.

Sunday morning’s race was the biggest in Bradford since the Bradford-Leeds Ten-Miler in 1986 with 1,800 runners. Epilepsy Action had 1,720 entrants and were turning people away at the end.

Katie Stocks, the race organiser from Yeadon-based Epilepsy Action, said: “It’s been great to see the race grow this year and have nearly 1,500 runners take part.”

She particularly thanked the 40 marshals from the Airedale Athletics clubs, saying: “The event would not have the atmosphere and support along the course without them.

“We received a great comment from one of the runners on Runnersworld – ‘The best marshals ever! All without fail happy and encouraging’.”

Focus now turns to the BigK 10K in Keighley on Sunday, March 30 in aid of Sue Ryder. That also expects to pass 1,000 entrants.