From Forrest Hamilton…

Despite plenty of sore Three Peaks and Fellsman legs there was a fantastic Ilkley turnout for Dick Hudson’s, a roughly seven mile out-and-back from the bottom of the path to White Wells to the gate at Dick Hudson’s, by whichever route you please.

Tom Adams and Oli Murphy went straight off the front, going by the White Wells track to the cairn, with the majority of the chasing Harriers instead choosing to go straight over the more direct, but steeper, hillside. 

Dad [Bob Hamilton] created this race during his Wharfedale Harriers secondment many years ago, which meant I (supposedly) had an inside track on the best lines to take. This worked out almost too well as I found myself (very briefly) leading the group over the hillside, my legs furiously writing cheques my lungs couldn’t cash. The remaining six miles were mainly spent cursing him for creating this race and for getting me into this ridiculous sport.

The great thing about an out and back is that you get to see just HOW FAR BACK you are from the leaders, with Tom, Oli and Lawrence McCourt making up an Ilkley 1, 2, 3 after the turnaround, with plenty more Ilkley vests following close behind.

Tom came home first, setting a new course record by a ridiculous three and a half minutes. A sceptic might think his cramping on Ingleborough at the Three Peaks was merely an excuse to ensure fresh legs for his main season goal, a continued obliteration of the Harriers Race League…. Oli also broke the previous course record in second place, I can only imagine his race was spent cursing Tom.

Ilkley won yet another team prize with Steve Gott claiming the fourth counting spot. Jeff Green also enhanced the ‘Three Peaks as a great training race for Dick Hudson’s’ case with a great run and another MV50 win.