Running Log

Bradford-based athletes took the top places in the BRADFORD CITY RUN, with Canadian middle-distance star Michael Del Monte of Bradford Airedale the overall victor.

It was a chilly but fine Sunday morning, with frost countered by blue skies and little wind as the runners headed out from the Alhambra along Thornton Road before a series of hard hills round Thornton, Sandy Lane and Heaton.

Del Monte looked at ease, flying across the Lister Park finish line in 73min 07sec – a remarkable time for such a tough half-marathon.

Even more impressive was the fact that it was simply a training run for him as part of his autumn base-work.

Saltaire-based Stephen Broadbent (Bingley Harriers) took second spot in 76:01, Del Monte’s team-mate Gerard Mills, from Undercliffe, was third in 78:43 and Will Kerr (St Bede’s) a close fourth.

Karen Pickles (Pudsey Pacers) was first of the women, making the hills look a breeze with her fantastic 86:13 finish.

Evergreen Andrea Dennison (Bingley Harriers) and Melanie Pollard followed her home in 90:21 and 91:00 respectively.

This year attracted double the participants of the inaugural 2009 event, run as a ten-mile road race, as 2,000 runners tackled the half-marathon, the 5km open race and the junior event held in Lister Park, where the finish line was a buzz of spectators and athletes.

Full results are on the Bradford City Run website from tomorrow. Visit www.bradfordcitymarathon.com.

Andrew Pearson (Longwood) stunned the competition at the BRIDLINGTON HALF MARATHON, also on Sunday, with a winning time of 67min 18sec.

The course is a particularly fast one and makes for some impressive times.

The first ten finishers all finished under 78 minutes. Among them was Mark Hall (Otley AC), who was first of the over-50s in 76:09.

Emma Yates (Knavesmire) and Helen Cross (Pocklington) were in a league of their own among the women.

This pair left the women’s field trailing in their wake, with both coming home minutes before the rest of the field.

Yates was first, also taking the over-40s title, in 83:55, while Cross was just behind her in 84:12.