From Sally Armitage…
I look forward to this race all year long, I can’t pinpoint why but it’s my favourite race of the year. Which is odd considering I hate running off road and this has a mile through a field… which was wet & muddy this year!! There was a small Harriers turnout with myself, Adam Gerrish, Sue Williamson and Andrew Picken.
A race renowned for always being hot I was grateful for a some cloud cover. I’d felt tired and niggly all week from my half the previous weekend and tried my best to run steady and just focus on enjoying it, but then accidentally went through the first km in 3:37… Then I couldn’t bring myself to lose the top 3 ladies, I knew who was at the race and 1st place wasn’t an option for me, even if I’d been feeling 100%, 2nd lady went away at a pace I didn’t feel like trying to stick with so I ran directly on the heels of 3rd lady the entire race (I’m sure she hated me for it!!) but it was a good tactic because when a speedy St Theresa’s female shot past us in the last mile in a determined bid for 3rd place, taking us both by surprise, I had enough kapow left to get back past her!
This final effort also caught me up to Adam G resulting in a sprint finish for the 2 of us down the home straight! I couldn’t quite catch him but had a lot of fun trying. Already excited for next year!!
1st male Joe Gentry (unattached) 32:47
1st female Catherine Williamson (Loftus & Whitby) 37:39
33rd Adam Gerrish (Ilkley Harriers) 39:15
34th Sally Armitage (Ilkley Harriers) 39:15
366th Andrew Picken (Ilkley Harriers) 55:14
562th Sue Williamson (Ilkley Harriers) 01:05:19
724 ran