STORM Dennis was a menace to many local races last weekend, with various events being called off or postponed on safety grounds.

But it still proved to be a notable week for Ilkley Harriers, with the club's all-time men's 5km record falling for the second time in the space of six months.

Euan Brennan had eclipsed the previous long-standing mark when clocking 14.52 in the Barrowford Podium series last August.

But that was bettered on Thursday night at the Armagh 5k International Road Race.

Celebrating its 30th anniversary, no other event brings together so many athletes running under 15 minutes.

The 2019 record of 113 running sub-15 was shattered as no fewer than 144 went under the mark this time - and among them was Ilkley's Cameron Reilly in 14.46, with the race being won by Adam Clarke (Team Real Runners) in 13.41 and all 237 competitors breaking the 17-minute mark.

And at the weekend, also over the 5k distance, there were no fewer than three Harriers' Parkrun first places.

Nathan Edmondson, fresh from his PECO heroics the previous week, ran out the winner at Woodhouse Moor again, this time in 16.29.

And Helen Thurston (19.23) and Rachel Carter (19.53) were the first ladies at Roundhay and Skipton, respectively.

What better way to avoid the stormy weather back home than head out to sunny Spain?

That's what seven Harriers did over the weekend, to take part in the Barcelona Half Marathon along with a record-breaking 23,000 other runners.

Kenyan Victor Chumo was the race winner, dipping under the one-hour mark with a time of 59.58 - narrowly outsprinting Stephen Kissa and Moses Koech.

And the Harriers septet were led home by Lisa McDonell in a time of 1:57.52, closely followed by Paul Sugden, Sheena Pickersgill, Peter Tapper, Melanie Edwards, Donna Jackson and Jo-Ann Pattinson, with the latter's time of 2:14.32 a six-minute improvement on her previous personal best.

One of the few longer races that did manage to beat the weather back home was Sunday's Great North West Half Marathon, run in challenging conditions around Blackpool.

The sole Harriers representative was Andrew Merrick, who was aiming for a 1:45 time.

That was made a trickier target by the gusty winds along the seafront, but he stayed on course throughout and crossed the line in 1:44.15.

RESULTS:

Armagh 5k International Road Race, last Thursday

(1 13:41 Adam Clarke, Team Real Runners)

117 14:46 Cameron Reilly - an all-time club record

237 ran

Barcelona Half Marathon, Sunday

(1 59:58 Victor Chuma, Kenya)

11,708 1:57:52 Lisa McDonell

12,276 1:59:19 Paul Sugden

13,162 2:02:00 Sheena Pickersgill

13,244 2:02:15 Peter Tapper

13,525 2:03:12 Melanie Edwards

14,953 2:08:39 Donna Jackson

16,062 2:14:32 Jo-Ann Pattinson

18,572 ran

Parkruns, Saturday

Bradford

(1 16:59 Martin Soszka, Saltaire Striders)

92 25:42 Will Worboys

422 ran

Clapham Common

(1 16:06 Johnny van Deventer, Clapham Chasers)

20 19:52 Rob Cunningham

630 ran

Horton Park

(1 18:29 Joe Baker, Stadium Runners)

2 19:26 Jonathan Turner

38 27:32 Dawn Turner

85 ran

Roundhay

(1 18:08 Chris Mullen, U/A)

12 19:23 Helen Thurston, 1st F

403 ran

Skipton

(1 17:42 Chris Ovenden, Skipton AC)

6 19:49 Jim Ryder

7 19:53 Rachel Carter, 1st F

29 22:40 Catherine Gibbons

37 23:41 Geoff Howard

218 ran

Woodhouse Moor

1 16:29 Nathan Edmondson

562 ran