Ilkley Incline, 2 September 2026

Olivia Mulligan took part in the Ilkley Incline race this week and came first female!  Well done Olivia.  She wrote the following report for us… 

The Ilkley Incline is a unique, 1 mile, uphill-only race where 560ft of climbing, rewarded with stunning views across the Wharfe Valley. 

Since having a good race up Helvellyn a couple of months ago, I’ve been inspired and really made hills a priority in my recent training. I had the Ilkley race in my diary quite a while ago and I was keen to give it my very best… 

I know you can’t judge someone on their running by looking at them, but let’s be honest, we all do. On the start line I thought, yikes, this looks like a fast field. I followed my Dad’s advice to ‘go hard from the start line and hang on for dear life.’ And that’s exactly what I did. About half way in I could taste blood in my mouth (#health) and the final 400m I felt I had nothing left to give, but I had already committed so deeply, giving in just wasn’t an option.

I felt true elation at the finish line on the top. It sounded like I had a smoker’s cough, I probably had snot all over my face, but I was really happy, promise!

I had roped Sarah and Joe in to do it with me, on the promise there would be pub celebrations at the end featuring beer and pizza. Both being strong downhill runners and hating the uphill, they were quite vocal on the weeks leading up to it that they weren’t keen and that I ‘owe them one.’ However, once the traumatic shock of what we had just put ourselves through wore off at the top, we all merrily trotted down back to the start for prize giving. Sarah looked at me and smiled saying, “You know what, I’d do that again next year.”

Perhaps next year some other T&S Harriers will join me? Fantastic race, fantastic prizes, fantastic pub.