Running log

The John Carr 5K Series finale in Esholt featured some tight racing as both the men’s and women’s races came down to sprint finishes.

There were four different men’s leaders after Kevin Ogden (Spen) and Quentin Lewis (Baildon) had set a brisk early pace.

By the turn they had been reeled in by series leader Lee Athersmith (Bingley) and Peter Branney (Leeds City) and were facing a stiff headwind in the second half of the race.

With 1500 metres to go, the group split as Ogden was dropped on the sharp hill out of the Yorkshire Water Estate, although he had already done enough to secure the over-40s series win.

The other three runners remained inseparable until 300m from home when Athersmith, who had only to finish in sight of Branney to confirm overall victory in the series, eased off.

Lewis mustered some reserves to hit the front and hung on grimly in the sprint to the line, eventually winning by a nose in a personal-best time of 15min 46sec.

An equally close ladies race saw Jo Buckley (Bingley) hold off Sally Morley of Ilkley by a second to secure a winning time of 18:07.

Fourth place and a series best of 18:38 was enough for Margaret Beever (Stainland) to celebrate an overall win in the open age group.

Kirsty Moon (Spen) picked up the overall over-35s age-group prize, while Serena Blackburn (Horsforth) Alison Bennett (Ilkley) and Sue Coates (Baildon) won the FV45, FV50 and FV60 categories.

Will Kerr, from race organisers Saltaire Striders, was eighth on the night and won the MV35 title with a cumulative time of 49:16.

Anthony Bradford (Spen) won the MV45s in 51:40 and John Ewart (Holmfirth) was first MV55, while Bingley duo John Convery and Gerry Bell won the MV50 and MV60 age groups respectively.

Baildon Runners retained the male junior title, with Joel Griffin following in the footsteps of 2011 winner Will Nottidge.

Lewis Crank (Longwood) was a convincing winner of the male youth category, as was Lucy Williamson (Ilkley) in the female equivalent.