Photo credit: Becca Ashelford, Andrew Bennett, Pic2Go
From Hilda Coulsey…
Someone said this original course, Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath, was the muddiest place on the planet. Don’t be daft I thought we know what cross country courses are like up here! I agree now though. For a predominantly road runner looking to speed up there were precious few opportunities – the last kilometre was good!
It was lovely that Sheila Shields was with us. We remembered Pete, how this event was a highlight of his year. It was particularly poignant for us as we Harriers gathered together at the start line.
For those who haven’t been before, this was my first time, the cacophony of noise as we stood at the start line chatting with Harriers team mates and with those around us from so many other clubs was unbelievable, then it went silent for about 20 secs and we were off, then the noise from the crowd as we set off up the hill was as loud – amazing!
Runners from all over the country were there with their tents and flags, friends and families. It is inclusive for club runners of all capabilities. From the elite, Mahamad Mahamad the men’s winner running like a gazelle skipping along seemingly not touching the mud, the triathletes Georgia Taylor-Brown and Alex Yee, to the thousands of club runners old and young, fast and slow out for a day’s enjoyment. It was tough this year, it was exceptionally muddy but so inspirational.
Support almost all along the route was stunning. I lost track of how many “well done Ilkley”s I heard. One of the ladies I was running alongside, from Chorley and about aged 30 (I’m happy when running alongside 30 and 40 year olds) said I should be used to these hills coming from Ilkley. I said I am, that’s not the problem, its the mud, mud, mud, which caused pained laughter all round me. I thought if I have enough energy to chat and chuckle shouldn’t I be running harder as I slithered and slid into the next 100m of mud. I tried so many times to pick a line at the edges which wasn’t too bad only for 20m later it to become worse I probably added 10% to my distance. Of course seasoned cross country-ers will be sniggering at this knowing its best to plough on regardless. And I was wearing mudclaws, which I thought were the thing for mud only to realise that spikes were the thing as then you can get some purchase on the less muddy bits (I think?).
What a great family/social atmosphere, open to all, and after the shoes and clothes are hosed off who knows maybe I’ll return too.
From Petra Bijsterveld…
I had been to the Nationals in London once before, in 2018, and 4 years later it turned out to be just as exciting. Whilst this event is also great when held at Wollaton Park, Donnington or Harewood, nothing can beat the iconic start line at the bottom of Parliament Hill and the charge of a thousand women, or two thousand men, up that hill, colourful with club tents and flags, flanked by walls of noise from cheering spectators as the course narrows towards the top and turns right into the first patch of serious shoe-sucking mud. The course was a brilliant mix of some of the worst mud I have encountered (and I have seen quite a lot!) and good, dry and runnable terrain. The weather was perfect, dry, breezy and sunny, and such a relief after endless weekends of gales and rain.
It was a tough run but I felt good, and buoyed by quite a few cheers from friends and some familiar figures from the Northern running scene around the course, as well as very friendly marshals. I always try and thank every marshal in the hope of some good karma, e.g. protection from ankle twisting or tripping over tree roots! It worked as I had a smooth run finishing just inside 50 minutes, slightly slower than 4 years ago as my Strava was quick to point out, but in 2018 it had been bone dry underfoot (Beast from the East) which Strava has no way of taking into account. I think I did well, so there! Excellent results from all 6 Ilkley women today, Ruth Kitchen leading us home in brand new spikes hastily purchased on site on our unanimous recommendation!
Lovely to watch the men afterwards, sadly two entrants had to pull out leaving Cameron and Tim to represent the Ilkley males, unfortunately not enough for a team, but excellent running from both.
The Junior club was represented by Oscar Shinn who had a very good race in the U15 boys, with thanks to mum Karen and her brother for helping me with the flag and tent at the start of the day.
Senior Women
(1 29:00 Jessica Gibbon, Reading AC)
291 38:35 Ruth Kitchen
459 41:42 Sarah Pickering
467 41:54 Alison Bennett
743 47:53 Diane Kitchen
811 49:45 Petra Bijsterveld
873 51:56 Hilda Coulsey
1010 ran
57th team out of 104
Senior Men
(1 40:52 Mahamed Mahamed, Southampton AC)
285 49:29 Cameron Reilly
1084 60:37 Tim Ashelford
2087 ran