Running Log

The fell and ultra-running season continues to generate extreme performances, particularly from Ilkley Harriers.

A team of eight Harriers completed the THUNDER RUN on the final weekend of July at Catton Park near Birmingham.

There were 147 teams competing, with members taking turns on a gruelling 10K course and the most laps completed in 24 hours winning.

Each lap climbs 149 metres but curves through ‘Murder Woods’, some plantations and successions of hills.

It is all set in a park where the teams camp overnight but can spectate as the competitors loop in and out at the 2K, 6K and 8K points.

The Ilkley team expected to finish 24 laps but actually achieved 27, putting them in 47th spot – ahead of the RAF team.

Pudsey Pacer Stuart Walker was another to push the limits of his endurance with eighth place at the classic LAKELAND ULTRA 100-mile event, achieving the feat in 25hr 24min.

Closer to home, last Saturday saw the HELLIFIELD GALE races, incorporating the Yorkshire Junior Fell-Running Championships.

Thunder, bolts of lightning and torrential rain welcomed record-breaking numbers of runners to the Gala field, with the girls in particular shining.

Nine-year-old Sunnivah Waterman started the girls’ record sequence. In the under-12s, it was Sarah Pickering (Ilkley), Bronwen Owen (Scarborough) in the under-14s broke the course record and Annabel Mason shattered the under-16s best by 2min 23sec to become Yorkshire champion after twice finishing runner-up.

James Lund (Keighley & Craven) broke the under-12 boys’ course record, as did James Hall in the under-16s.

The senior men’s race was won by Marc Scott (Richmond), followed by Billy Pinder (Skipton) and Sean Carey (Todmorden).

In the women’s, Katie Balshaw (Holmfirth) fought off Owen and the local pair of Claire Pearson and Vicky Lambson (both Skipton) for victory.

* At a time when famine is gripping parts of East Africa, Ilkley Harriers made a donation of £1717 to the Revival Centre and Orphanage at Matugga, a village 12 miles north of the Ugandan capital Kampala. These were the proceeds of May’s ILKLEY FELL RACE.