Running Log

Otley AC won the fifth and final race of the 12-team HARROGATE DISTRICT SUNNER RACE LEAGUE but not by enough to prevent Richmond & Zetland taking the overall honours by 4,611 points to 4,530.

Richmond youngster Marc Scott had won all the four previous races but Otley’s Ian Fisher, having finished second in the penultimate fixture in his home town, returned to his normal winning ways in Scott’s absence at the Sicklinghall fixture, organised by Wetherby Runners.

Wednesday evening’s race was a 4.5-miler held on country lanes with a downhill and sharp climb around Netherby at halfway, finishing outside Sicklinghall village hall.

Richmond won the top-three prize on the day, with Douglas Roberts, George Robinson and Scott Wardman in second, fourth and seventh positions respectively to make a combined time of 77min 44sec. Otley top three Fisher, Liam Dunne and Tom Midgley finished with 78:25.

Yeadon-based Dragons RC had second-claimer James Kovacs in third spot, with Richard Balshaw and Tim Bellwood 22nd and 24th, while Mark Mon-Williams in 28th was the first Ilkley Harrier home.

Otley’s Racheal Bamford continued her outstanding form by running 27:25 for 12th spot overall, two minutes ahead of Wetherby’s classy veteran Lisa Mawer.

Neil Chapman, 78th of the 282 runners, led Ilkley to the over-55s team prize. They had 27 runners out for the race.

The results team for the league, led by Paul and Shirley Wood, reported: “What a perfect race it was – great course, a perfect summer evening and good food afterwards. And it was made even better by winning one of the team competitions on the night.”

Bradford district’s new five-month ADULT ENDURANCE TRAINING programme continued this week, with its first sessions held at the new track at Keighley on Saturday.

Bingley Harriers’ home base at Wagon Lane hosted a session led by regional endurance head-coach Brian Scobie on Thursday evening.

This week’s sessions are on Monday at Hanson School (7-9pm) and Saturday at University Academy Keighley (10am-12noon).

Full details are at www.sportsshare.org/training. Five-session passes remain available and are open to anyone aged 16 or older, from beginners upwards.