The second West Yorkshire XC league race was held on a sunny autumnal day at Thornes Park, Wakefield on Sunday afternoon. Halifax Harriers were represented across all the age groups over the challenging hilly course.
The U11 girls were out in force and took 4th team place, with the U15 Boys doing one better to secure 3rd team place. In the Senior Womens race, Sarah Cumber and Katrina Oddy both won their respective age categories, placing well up in a quality field. The senior men fielded a full team again and all ran well to finish in 7th team place.
The results are on the Recent Races page and the XC standings after 2 races are on the Cross Country page. The next West Yorkshire XC league race is on 10 November at Middleton Park, Leeds.
The U13, U15, U17s and the Senior Men will be in action next Saturday (2nd November) at the iconic English Cross Country Relays at Berry Hill Park, Mansfield. We wish them all the very best of luck!
The annual trip to Mallorca just keeps getting better and better with more people attending each year. This time there were 36 of us and it was so much fun! Racing, bike rides, meals, yoga, boat trips, karaoke, bingo, table tennis, pool, lots of laughs…. the list is endless.
The centrepiece of the trip was, as usual, the races in the island's beautiful capital of Palma, starting early on the Sunday morning with runners enjoying the stunning sunrise ahead of the races.
Ryan Barker and Max Stytsun took on the full marathon distance, finishing in 3:18:59 and 4:13:25 respectively, with Max setting a Personal Best (PB).
Ten Harriers ran the Half Marathon with April Stewart (1:30:36) and Will Stewart (1:33:17) leading the way. Next was Steve Wilford in a new PB time of 1:43:53. Other Harriers were; Joanne Arundale, Paul Hopkinson, Marc Rocheteau, Jenny Hopkinson, Hazel Berrett, Andrea Ackroyd and Jenny St Romaine.
A total of 15 Harriers and their guests participated in the 9k event. Craig Empsall was first home in 40:35 followed by Mark Crabtree (3rd M65) in 42:11 and Phil Grimes, who won the M70 category in 43:03. Full results are in Recent Races on the website.
Rachel McCauley was an absolute trooper taking part in the 9k and keeping her spirits high after breaking her ankle a few days before the trip. Chris and Debbie Kirkbride heroically pushed Rachel around the course in her wheelchair (see photo).
Thanks to everyone who made it special and well done to everyone who raced and pushed wheelchairs. Thanks Chris and Debbie as always for all the organising.
Who’s coming next year?
Harry Johnson was ninth out of more than 18,000 runners at the Manchester Half Marathon on Sunday. Harry set a personal best and club record time of 1:06:21, continuing his recent sensational form. Erawan Wanithanont also represented the club, finishing in an impressive 1:24:15 in 551st place.
Ten Harriers participated in the ever-popular Leeds Abbey Dash 10k. Ben Crowther led the team home in 33:25. Watson Peel was next in 34:54. Tabitha Howe was the first of our ladies, clocking 43:23, with Joanne Arundale (44:08) and Alice Vick (44:18) close behind. Susan Hall was third FV75, setting a new age group club record of 1:13:42.
Husband and wife team, Will and April Stewart, raced in the Holmfirth 10k. April was third female finisher in 17th place in 42:12. Will completed the challenging undulating, but scenic, course in 43:29 in 23rd.
Further afield, John Moore finished the Chicago Marathon in 6:06:27.
Away from the roads, James Franklin ran in the Withins Skyline Fell Race. James finished the 6.2 mile course, with 820’ of total ascent, in 53:28 in 32nd place.
Ryan Barker travelled to South Yorkshire for the Sheffield TenTenTen. This 10k trail race takes place in the city’s Endcliffe Park, incorporating grass, roads, paved paths and woodland trails with a fair number of lumps, bumps, twists and turns. Ryan was second MV50 in 35th place overall in 45:08.
Well done to all our athletes competing at the weekend. Full results are on our website under Recent Races.
Photo of Harry at the Manchester Half Marathon