Running Log

Bingley’s ladies pushed back the years to record a fighting fifth place in the Northern Road Relay Championships at Warrington.

Young Scottish steeplechaser Emma Raven led them off in fifth place with a 16min 45sec run over the 4.7km course.

She handed over to Sue Becconsall, who must have run the fastest leg for an over-50 in 17:47. Sharon Taylor then passed Durham as Bingley regained fifth place, although the top four (Morpeth, Stockport, Leigh and Salford) had now built up a sizeable gap.

Evergreen Andrea Dennison ran the anchor leg in 18:50, just shy of Taylor’s time but well clear of a fast-finishing Liverpool Harriers team.

Bingley’s placing qualifies them for the National Road Relays in Sutton Park, Birmingham, in three weeks.

Behind Bingley, Keighley & Craven finished 28th, just outside the national qualifiers. Helen Glover ran a strong first leg, finishing tenth in 17:26.

Airedale Athletics’ ladies were pleased with their own strong showing, placing 32nd of the 64 starters.

Baildon’s Emma Stoney ran their fastest leg, in anchor position (19:13), following good runs by Jen Willingham and Steph Wilson (Saltaire) and the improving Shirley Oldale (Eccleshill).

Rotherham (ninth), Leeds City (11th) and Holmfirth (13th), Kingston-upon-Hull (20th) and Wakefield (22nd), City of Hull (25th) and East Hull (30th) were the best other Yorkshire outfits.

Bingley’s men were less fortunate, missing out on the nationals in 31st place, despite strong opening and penultimate legs by Lee Athersmith (19:42) and Stephen Broadbent (19:14) over the two-lap 6km course round the Birchwood industrial estate and parklands.

They were given a fright by an increasingly strong Airedale Athletics team, who were heading them into the fourth of the six legs.

Quentin Lewis opened with 19:36, followed by Simon Pass, Will Kerr, Martin Firth, Matt Nowell and Gerard Mills.

Keighley & Craven finished 46th of the 105 starters, with Otley AC 68th.

At the front, Leeds City just held off a resurgent Morpeth, with last year’s victors Derby third followed by Liverpool, Salford and Gateshead.

Redcar-based New Markse Harriers were next best Yorkshire team in eighth, with Holmfirth 20th.