A magnificent triumvirate of Ilkley runners made the trip to the Doncaster 10K on Sunday and surpassed all expectations to return home with prizes and records galore.

A popular event on the calendar being a fast and flattish opportunity for personal bests, the race attracted more than two and a half thousand athletes. The Harriers certainly left their mark in South Yorkshire and were headed by up and coming star Christos Tzelis who is fast becoming one of the club’s most prolific race winners, claiming first place and a PB of 30.59. In a tense finish Tzelis came home just seven seconds of the athlete in second place.

The event which is based at Doncaster racecourse also attracted Sally Armitage who won her age category in a brilliant time of 37.07, finishing as 8th lady overall, bagging a big PB and also the club record for V45’s at the 10K distance. Last but not least Mark Hall also won his age category and continued his relentless sweep of the club records by lowering his own V60 time to 35.55.

Back in West Yorkshire on Saturday was the annual two wheels verses two legs challenge. On the face of it a race named Harriers V cyclists would perhaps be an unfair match up. But taking into account the off-road trails and hilly moorland terrain not to mention the quality of the experienced fell runners taking part, the race becomes much less of a foregone conclusion. In fact in the end the first seven finishers were all runners, with the first cyclist coming home nearly four minutes behind the winner. Harrier Jack Cummings had a great run and was just pipped into second place for the third year running, bizarrely beaten by a different athlete named Nathan each time. This time it was Dark Peak runner Nathan Lawson who won the race. The rumours that Cummings is planning to become Nathan Cummings by deed poll before next November’s race are currently unconfirmed.

The event is organised by Bingley Harriers and starts by the canal near Saltaire. The challenging route snakes up through Shipley Glen and then out into a loop around Baildon Moor before retracing it’s steps and back down into the valley, covering five and a half miles and over a thousand feet of climbing. Other Ilkley runners posting impressive runs included Jim Ryder, Harry Brook-Dobson and Jamie Hutchinson all finishing well within half an hour of the winner.

Earlier in the week on a blustery evening in Leeds two Harriers took part in the last in this years even splits 5K series. Both Hilda Coulsey and Harry Sime had excellent runs with Harry managing to improve his PB to a time of 22.05.

Ilkley runners also excelled over the 5K distance at various parkruns on Saturday morning. Catherine Gibbons was first lady at Roberts Park in a time of 21.19. At the same event there were PB’s for Andrew Smith as well as Bernie Gibbons on the day before her 70th birthday. Down the road at Lister Park, Rachel Carter was the first female while Dave Foyston and Alexander Wolfenden came 3rd and 4th overall. James Horrex and Stephen Coy both came 3rd; at Gunnersbury and Oakwell Hall respectively. Meanwhile at Skipton, legendary Harrier Geoffrey Howard had a landmark run, completing his 200th parkrun, finishing in a time of 26.04.