From Dan McKeown…
The Baildon Boundary Way was back this Sunday after a c. 18-month hiatus. The preceding few days were a flurry of number trading, as half the field succumbed to Covid or other ailments / injuries, causing the organisers a few last-minute administrative headaches. I was one lucky beneficiary and arrived on a cold, fresh morning to collect a number, where someone had helpfully crossed out the name ‘Bridget’ and put ‘Paul’ on it.
More than 30 Harriers toed the line for this latest renewal of our highly beloved race league, a meandering slog through the Esholt woodland, back along the river / canal and then up Shipley Glen when your legs can least be bothered with it. There follows the boggy, quaggy section across to the Gallops, so beloved of Rombalds Stride veterans (or survivors, if you prefer). The coup de grace is a tortured scurry up a last sharp bank, a plunge downhill, then a bone-shuddering hard right to negotiate two sets of steps in a snicket before you can think about the final sprint.
Michael Odell put himself firmly in contention for a podium place from the get-go, battling another runner for about nine miles before being distanced. He rallied to hold on for fourth place overall, followed (distantly) by me; I was followed rather less distantly by Chris Welford, giving us undisputed dominion over the bottom half of the top six places.
Nick, Mike AC and Jeff were all also in the top 20, and Justin was 24th. Kate Archer was 8th lady, in a strong-looking field.
All of which brings us on to the prize giving, which I stayed around for, partly to uphold the Harriers’ honour and standing in local athletics, but mostly because it was in the bar and I wasn’t driving.
The roll of honour runs thus:
- Michael, Chris and I swept the MV35 category like a crimson tide with a hint of green.
- Nick (2nd) and Jeff (3rd) also claimed prizes in the MV45 category
- Kate picked up third FV35, and Catherine Crawley bagged third FV45
Having called out all these illustrious names and only had my solitary hand to shake, the announcer declared us winner of the men’s team prize (3 to count) rather more sourly than I would have liked. Not sure why – giving it to us is just as good as giving it to Pudsey Pacers. I departed laden with a sheaf of envelopes to distribute, so if you’re one of our prize winners, get in touch.
(A few of us also won spot prizes at the finish line, just to put the cherry on the cake.)
As a race league fixture, all this means that Jeff has edged into the overall lead from Rachel Carter, who won the Dentdale 14. Nick is in third, and Justin holds fourth place at the moment.
Standings are available here – there are a few things that need a bit of a tidy up, but you should be able to see how you’re doing.
From Petra Bijsterveld…
32 Harriers toed the start line for the 2022 Baildon Boundary Way, it was lovely to see this sea of red and green gathering outside race HQ at the Baildon Rugby Club. A cold morning and thus the half mile walk to the start was a shivery affair, but the sun came out as we set off at 09:30 and weather conditions were excellent for running. It was not really muddy underfoot anywhere, a big improvement from when I last did this race in November 2020, when it had been squeezed into the narrow window of opportunity between various lockdowns. Today the first section of the route had been changed slightly from previous years due to resurfacing work on part of the canal towpath between Apperley Bridge and Shipley. As someone who is very much not into the tedium of canalside running this suited me just fine. Though the endless rocks on the woodland paths between miles 8 and 10 when you have finally left the canal aren’t much fun either. I guess I am hard to please when it comes to terrain! The advantage of a multi-terrain event is that at least there is a change every few miles. Overall I did enjoy the event, which I have run many times before. I was slightly faster today, but whether that was down to the changed route or greater fitness is difficult to know. I found the pace/distance combination quite challenging, as lately I have largely spent my time running either parkruns or longer/ultra distances. This event is not exactly a sauntering picnic like an ultra (for starters there is no coke or cheese on offer!) so I tried to at least make a bit of an effort and look as if I meant it, even though I will always be in the lower end of the results table whatever I do. As ever Baildon Runners shone with flawless organisation and super friendly marshals all along the route. Lovely to see Ilkley support along the route from Tom Adams, Dave Reynier (thanks for the jelly babies!), Dave Robson and Steve Gott, apologies if I have forgotten anyone.
From Rumana Chowdury…
‘Well done Ilkley!’
3 words guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. And so it was, another first experience, this time a trail half marathon. I had been a bit worried about the snow earlier in the week, but conditions turned out to be great – chilly start but then the sun came out and not too many bogs to negotiate. Lots of tarmac and woodland trails, a tricky stretch through Shipley Glen, then up onto the moor in all its glory. I have only recently felt able to call myself a runner, let alone a member of an actual running club, but turning up to this event with so many wonderful Harriers, and all the shouts of support from the marshals, spectators and fellow runners meant that even as I crossed that finish line well behind others, I finished with my head held high.
Well done to all, some fantastic results for the club.
Please note this event has the following 10 year categories for prizes: F35, F45, F55, F65+, M35, M45, M55 and M65+, these categories have been used in the listing below. Standard 5 year categories are additionally listed on the online results.
Ilkley men won the 1st team prize.
(1 1:22:23 Philip Boynton, Horsforth Harriers)
4 1:26:30 Michael Odell 2nd M35
5 1:28:11 Dan McKeown 3rd M35
6 1:28:27 Chris Welford
11 1:31:04 Nick Kealey 2nd M45
13 1:31:41 Michael Abrams-Cohen
14 1:32:07 Jeff Green 3rd M45
24 1:34:55 Justin Pierce
47 1:40:59 Andrew Overend
49 1:41:23 Kate Archer 3rd F35
61 1:42:45 Peter Shelley
76 1:46:23 Adam Gerrish
86 1:48:34 Mark Iley
87 1:48:41 David Singleton
90 1:48:46 Catherine Crawley 3rd F45
103 1:51:03 Paul Disney
117 1:53:51 Duncan Cooper
128 1:56:06 Derek Oliver
138 1:57:36 Mike Williams
145 1:58:43 Matthew Snow
157 1:59:50 Mary Fairclough
167 2:01:24 Mark Judkowski
189 2:04:38 Rebecca White
202 2:07:40 Catherine Charlton
227 2:11:50 Jill Ezard
244 2:14:59 Liz Price
252 2:16:01 Diane Kitchen
272 2:21:38 Petra Bijsterveld
275 2:23:10 Scott Armitage
279 2:23:39 Rumana Chowdhury
287 2:25:08 Helen Doyle
310 2:29:10 Paula Reynier
342 2:42:22 Amanda Newham
362 ran