[Matthew Thackwray battles for the lead – photo courtesy of Clare Ashton]
From Dawn Turner…
It was the turn of the Dragons Running Club to host the event on Thursday evening. The course uses much of the old railway line between Guiseley and Yeadon and runs down through Esholt woods on Guiseley Gallop territory for a loop back up again.
It was very dry underfoot and road shoes were the order of the day, the only real hazards being the tree roots, which had been well marked with yellow paint to make them easy to spot. The Dragons race marshals were excellent, hats off to the club as there were plenty of them and they were a friendly and encouraging bunch.
Adopting my usual laid back approach to “racing” I chose a place more towards the back than the front and even managed to recruit Jane McCarthy to my zen-style, I think it might be a one-off however as she found the “walking start” particularly bemusing!
Sixteen Harriers made the start line and there were four men in the top 20 led by relatively new recruit Matthew Thackwray who continued his fantastic run in this series with second place after a great battle with the winner. Ruth Kitchen was second lady while Dave Foyston and Jonathan Turner won their respective age categories.
If you haven’t tried the HDSRL before I can’t recommend them highly enough, they are incredibly friendly and welcoming races on varied courses and often with a supper included at the finish. We couldn’t make it to the food venue on Thursday but feedback on social media suggests it was excellent. I’m already looking forward to the next race at Wetherby and I hope more Harriers might sign up for the 2024 season.
(1. Chris Ovenden, Skipton AC, 31:20)
2 Matthew Thackwray 31:22
4 David Foyston 33:51 (1st MV45)
12 Michael Abrams-Cohen 35:27
17 Jonathan Turner 36:03 (1st MV50)
26 Ruth Kitchen 36:40 (2nd lady)
73 David Singleton 40:03
79 Robert Budding 40:30
87 Matthew Snow 40:42
99 Mark Iley 41:24
108 Jane McCarthy 41:53
172 Jaysson Sawyer 46:35
191 Paul Stephens 47:28
212 Alan Travis 48:56
224 Roar Leijssen 49:40
247 Dawn Turner 51:42
351 Sarah Lambert 65:19
362 finished