Running Log

The last of the big city-centre spring road races took place at the WAKEFIELD HOSPICE CITY 10K.

Top local performances were by Bingley Harriers duo Stephen Bailey, fourth in 33min 28sec (chip time), and John Convery, tenth in 34:25.

Convery was first over-50 with the second-best age-graded result of all 1,130 finishers (achieving 87.2 per cent of a world-best performance).

After strong runs at Dewsbury and Bradford, Simon Pass of Saltaire Striders finished ninth on Sunday in 34:26.

Overall winners were Matthew Pi erson (Holmfirth) in 31:23 and Helen Singleton (Wakefield) in 36:25.

Meanwhile, 277 runners completed the final leg of the AIREDALE TRIPLE CHALLENGE at the Meanwood Valley Trail race on Sunday.

Previous leader Quentin Lewis (Baildon) could not compete, opening up the series victory to Colin Walker (Pudsey & Bramley) for the men and Sue Brown for the women.

Brown, a newcomer to the sport locally, achieved a record series time of 2hr 57min 29sec – combining her Meanwood time with those at the Baildon Boundary Way and Guiseley Gallop races.

In the over-50 category, Saltaire’s Jack Verity was a strong winner in a combined time of 3:03:54, placing sixth in the overall standings.

Tamara Weatherhead (Otley) and Jenny Beaumont (Airecentre Pacers) were winners of the over-35 and under-35 female categories.

In the race proper, the laurels went to Jon Holt of Leeds Met University AC, who held off series victor Walker to complete the undulating 10.8km course in 42:48.

Brown, a Baildon resident, was the winning lady in 48:10, 15th overall, just ahead of Skyrac’s promising youngster Christopher Dove.

In the Meanwood Valley junior races, Ilkley Juniors put in strong performances led by Dominic Coy, second in the one-mile under-ten race, and Lucy Williamson in the two-mile girls’ race for 11-16 year-olds.

On Saturday, the fell-running contingent were running the COLEDALE HORSESHOE nine-miler, climbing 3000ft around Braithwaite.

Winner was local Kendal athlete Joe Symonds in 67min 45sec and Todmorden’s Lauren Jeska in 82:40.

Ilkley Harriers had an eight-strong contingent out, led home by Tom Adams (38th in 76:43) and Jann Smith (39th female in 1hr 41:39).