A busy and diverse weekend of running for club members, proving the cold, damp and dark of the English Winter are no impediment to getting out there and giving it a go.
Especially if you escape to somewhere far warmer !
Benidorm Half Marathon.
A group of club members had a great weekend away in the Spanish sunshine, even taking in the Newcastle Parkrun on their way. It was someomes Stag do I believe ? , and they even managed to drag along a member of York Acorn ( how do they always manage to photobomb our group photos? ).
22nd Jonathon Pinder 01:19:47
119th David Leese 01:29:47
139th Alex Bedingham 01:30:35
175th Stef Durkin 01:33:30
201st Ewan Cochrane 01:34:15
213th Nick Griffin 01:34:33
230th Rob Ward 01:35:02
508th Stephen Robson 01:44:51
Lee Mill Relays.
It would seem that Knavesmire’s Ladies are unable to let a weekend go by without winning something at the moment, this was probably one of their most hard earned victories, a true test of determination in the face of the worst mother nature could throw at them.
We would be fielding four teams in all , a Ladies, Men’s and two mixed teams
The weather forecast for Sunday had forewarned us that we were in for a pummeling with winds of 45/50 miles an hour predicted , but we had the necessary kit for protection from the elements. On arrival at the race start somewhere a little north of Rochdale the weather seemed fairly benign, and we were lulled into thinking that the Met Office had got it wrong .
Once those on the earlier legs of the 4 x 6 mile leg relay race had climbed up onto the exposed Moor top they realised the forecasters were not having an off day, the brutal wind would gust and buffet you , making forward motion at times comically difficult and balance on the precarious ridges among’st the old Quarry workings that littered the hill top rather tricky.
The highest point was reached at a Trig point , with great views for some of a wind farm across the barren Moor at the aptly named Hail Stone Hill. Runners could now thankfully change direction and with the wind at their backs attempt to fly down the moor , leaping or sinking into the treacherous bogs as they went.
This epic course then featured a steep , tricky descent on almost friction less grass, a horrendously steep climb back up taken by most on all fours , some more wind swept moor top running, an icy pond to be waded through and a return through the quarries which got many navigationally confused.
The above description applies to the conditions for runners mostly on legs one and two, by leg three Storm Clodagh was whistling it’s way up the valley and for those still to run things were about to get serious. It was no longer a case of competing but surviving.
Runners were arriving at the finish looking ghostly white, shell shocked and shivering / shaking violently.
Taking the most punishment from the gale force winds and hail were those on leg three, Knavemire’s Nik Vogan had to shelter in the heather when forward movement became impossible and Sarah Attwood was guided by a good Samaritan when the wind was blowing her into the barbed wire fence along the edge of the drop into the quarry. Some runners had to receive medical attention for hypothermia , but thankfully none of ours although they were not in a good state at the finish of their legs,
For some idea please see the video below , Tom Ratcliffe and the ‘lake’ at 2.38, Anwens great descending skills on show at 6.10 and the foulest weather after 9 minutes.
Once warmed up and after a lot of hot tea the Knavemire Ladies were declared the winning womens team . Well done Scout Adkin, Anwen Darlington ,Nik Vogan and Cassie Holmes.
Knavesmire’s Male team of Harry Holmes , Chris Roberts, Barry Atkinson and Neil Stabbs were 8th overall and our two Mixed teams consisting of Tom Ratcliffe/Giles Hawking/Andrea Lancaster/Sarah Attwood and Stewart Creasey/Pete Downes / Andy Gibbs / Petra Gibbs also ran valiantly.
York Parkrun
Saturday’s Parkrun was tropical by comparison , we had 21 entrants with a few regulars heading to Spain instead.
PB’s for ;
Andrew Martin (first Parkrun)
James Ollerenshaw
Barnsley 10k
Stephen Maddison 39:10
Well done to all.