If you went down to the woods this weekend you were sure of a blue and yellow surprise! For this weekend was the weekend of the TaSH Virtual Mountain Race – and it’s no picnic! The 6.3mile club virtual race (with 1,200ft of ascent) takes place over several days with runners choosing when to run and then submitting their own finish times. To add a bit of fun and camaraderie, runners are organised into country teams with the winning team being that with the fastest average time. This year, first place went to Team Fiji with an average time of 6:53:58! Congratulations to the team members: Helen Ashworth (1:06:50), Laura Till (1:21:46), Carol Thompson (1:33:54), Paul Peacock (0:49:52), Joe Poole (0:57:50) and Rob Burn (1:03:46).
Margaret Wikeley finishes the Virtual Mountain Race for Team Cape Verde
But the woods weren’t the only place to spot Harriers last week: on Wednesday, Paul Chapman took part in the annual Roseberry Topping Fell race, part of the summer fell race series. This short, sharp classic has been part of the local fell-running calendar since 1953. Generations of runners have tackled the lung-busting climb to the summit of one of the North York Moors’ best-known landmarks before throwing themselves back down the fast, technical descent. Paul finished in a time of 19:57, cheered on by fellow harrier, Ashley Dodgson, who this year, swapped running for marshalling duties.
On Saturday, four harriers took part in the ‘Tripsdale Trot’ at the 113th Bilsdale Show in the heart of the North York Moors. The Trot is 8.9km race consisting of a quick lap of the show ring, followed by an ascent onto the moorland of Nab Ridge and Hagg House Moor before descending back to the show ground for some well-earned applause! The route offers everything from good moorland tracks to sheep trods, to bracken and heather bashing to the deep peat bog gullies leading down to Tripsdale Beck. TaSH member Joe Martlew finished in 2nd place with a time of 41:21. Ashley Dodgson finished 11th in 48:41, winning his age group category. Paul Chapman finished in 58:14 and Gavin Coventry, on his first fell race back from injury, in 1:01:00.
Joe Martlew takes 2nd Place at the Tripsdale Trot
On Sunday, back at Roseberry Topping, three Harriers took part in the Roseberry Topping Hardmoors events: Sarah Harrison and Lucy Sillars completed the Roseberry Topping Marathon with Sarah finishing in a time of 7:26:01 and Lucy in 7:50:48, while Bronwyn Mayo completed the Roseberry Topping Half Marathon in a time of 3:05:06.
Sarah Harrison and Lucy Sillars ready to take on the Hardmoors Roseberry Marathon
