From Sally Armitage ...
This is a monthly 5k series organised by Evensplits which consists of 5 1k laps of the York Sport Village cycle track. The flat profile makes it a slightly more attractive course than the Leeds version of the same series (not yet resumed), which runs at the Brownlee Centre and has a slight hill with each lap.
This was the first race back since COVID halted the series in March. The organisers do a fantastic job of making the event 'COVID safe', including separating runners into 3 waves, within each wave 8 socially distanced runners are set off at 10 second intervals. We were then quickly ushered away from the track immediately on crossing the finish line.
3 Harriers made the trip to York. I went specifically with the goal of a sub 19 minute time, which I was pleased to achieve. Mike obliterated his current PB yet again by 16 seconds with a stonking fast sub 18 minute time. Rhys also ran fantastically and came in well under the 20 minute mark.
Results ...
(1 15:07 Rob Scott,Richmond & Zetland) 38 17:45 Michael Abrams-Cohen 66 18:59 Sally Armitage 78 19:34 Rhys Jones 142 ran
From Jann Smith...
50km, 4300ft - 5hr 54 mins - 8th overall.
Ranger Ultras did so well to put this event on combined with its sister event the 3Peaks Ultra at 70km. We were set off in groups of 6, every 5 minutes which made it a bit more intetesting, also wearing face masks for the first and last two miles.
These races are very friendly and low key and great as an introduction to Ultras. We set off from Hawes, uphill to Ten End then across to Horton in Ribblesdale where we climbed Pen Y Ghent then rejoined the Pennine Way and made our way back to Hawes, all great views and landscapes.
I was 5th overall and finished in 5h44, half an hour within the ladies course record but there was another lady in front of me!
From Petra Bijsterveld... For most of us the first racing event since lockdown in March, this very well organised event by Evensplits offered a choice of all distances, using laps of the Elvington Airfield runway. Runners were set off in groups of 8 at short intervals therefore this was a time trial rather than a race, and it felt very safe as far as social distancing is concerned. The location would have been a road runner's paradise had it not been for the strong headwind which put paid to any aspirations of a PB for most of us, hares or tortoises alike. Excellent times nevertheless for Dan and Michael who tackled the marathon which surely must have been the most mind-numbing as well as leg-numbing experience ever, with almost 10 laps of the circuit and absolutely zero of interest to look at. Personally I think I ran an all time worst for a flat 5k, it didn't help that it was mile 3 which was straight into the wind! That aside, it was great to be at an event again with some fellow Harriers.
Marathon (1 2:25:45 Michael Wright, Central Athletic Club) 34 2:55:24 Dan McKeown 92 3:42:15 Michael Ho 131 ran 10K (1 31:43 Joe Sagar, Spenborough AC) 91 42:42 Harry Stead 298 ran 5K (1 15:25 Gary Priestley, Salford AC) 42 18:28 Michael Abrams-Cohen 62 19:46 Sally Armitage 78 21:00 Archie Budding 101 23:26 Rob Budding 110 25:02 Nicola Budding 127 28:09 Petra Bijsterveld 158 ran
From Sally Armitage ...
A multi race event holding a 5k, 10k, 10 miler, half marathon and full marathon on the runway. There were 6 harriers entered in the 5k which was one lap of the runway, finishing with a 1 mile straight run to the finish. The first 2 miles got all our PB hopes up, I am convinced there was no wind at all, however turning the corner to begin the 1 mile home-straight saw us all run into an horrific headwind. Whipping PBs from under our feet!
However, I thoroughly enjoyed the day, it was fantastically organised, there couldn't have been more room to social distance and, despite the 5k being the last event of the day, the portaloos were still immaculately clean! The sun was shining and it was brilliant seeing friends again.