Runing isn’t always about race times or PB’s. A lot of the time it’s about social runs, supporting each other, having a catch up, having a laugh with friends and relaxing. The past week is a great illustration of this with Thirsk and Sowerby Harriers out and about in the North Yorkshire countryside either doing a ‘recce’ of a route for a future event or just out enjoying each other’s company and running for the joy of it. Doing a recce is very helpful as it gets you familiar with the navigation and the terrain and gives you confidence ahead of an event. Using the knowledge of others in the club is a great way to get together and support each other. Even if you don’t intend to the do the race event, the routes are often chosen to show off the area and are useful as ideas for runs.
World Mountain race recce
Last week saw several recces ahead of the annual club ‘virtual world mountain race’. This is not an organised race but is a set route around challenging (hilly and tricky!) forest tracks, timed by individuals. Runners pick when they do the route over a set number of days. To add some fun, runners are split into teams of 6 and given a country to represent. Total submitted times for each team are added up and the winner is the team with the lowest time. It is a great way of bringing runners together and getting them to experience different terrain. The route takes in the White Horse and the fantastic views on top of Sutton Bank. By the look of the pictures, everyone is having a great time discovering new routes in the woods.
Harriers having fund and supporting each other on a recce for the mountain race
Round Ripon Ultra recce
Andrew Butcher and Alan Longmire were out and about round Ripon, doing a recce of the Round Ripon Ultra route ahead of the race in October. Organised by Ripon Runners, this is a 35 mile ultra race following the northern section of the Ripon Rowel over beautiful moorland and through pretty villages. It starts and finishes in Studley Roger. Andrew has done the event already and is kindly supporting Alan, a relatively new member, in his first ultra event. They were out on Saturday doing a recce of the first section of the race to Masham.
Andrew Butcher and Alan Longmire on a recce of the Round Ripon Ultra
Round Hill fell race recce
Also on a recce were Gavin Coventry and Trudy Morrice, who headed out on Saturday to Blubberhouses Moor to recce the 14k Round Hill Fell race route (organized by Otley Athletic Club). This is a beautiful route, and fell running at its best, taking in Round Hill, Ellar Carr Pike and lots of fantastic views and purple heather.
Boundary stone on Round Hill fell race
Moorsbus outing
Harrier Alan Simpson was out on Saturday with Kim Werner for a 22km route. Taking advantage of the fantastic Moorsbus, they left their car at Coxwold and got the bus to Helmsley (via Byland Abbey and Ampleforth). Tickets cost just £3 one-way for an adult. From Helmsley they made their way to the Cleveland Way and followed it to Rievaulx Abey then took the ancient ‘coffin road’ towards Scawton Moor, now part of the Aelred’s Pilgrim Trail. Crossing the A170, they headed into Wass Woods, down Wass Bank and then on to Snever Woods and the atmospheric Mount Snever Observatory. After descending to Oldstead they made their way back to Coxwold.
Alan Simpson and Kim Werner on the Moorsbus
Hardmoors Farndale marathon
On Sunday, harriers Dave Wood and Bronwyn Mayo completed the Hardmoors Farndale marathon. Starting and finishing in Thornton-le-dale, the route heads west through Gillamoor and on towards Rievaulx and then north to Bransdale before returning to Farndale. With over 4000 ft of ascent, it’s a challenging but very pretty route. Well done Dave and Bronwyn.
Dave Wood at Hardmoors Farndale marathon
Running for life
Lastly, here is a wonderful example of 4 Thirsk and Sowerby harriers who enjoy getting together on a Saturday for a run in the North York moors. Between them they have almost 320 years of life experience. Hundreds of races, countless miles, changing fashions, changing trainers, changing routes… but one thing has never changed: the joy of putting one foot in front of the other. Our club isn’t just about chasing PBs. It’s about friendship, encouragement, laughter on training nights, sharing wisdom, and proving that running really is for life. Every one of our members brings something unique, and those who have spent decades collecting experiences remind us that age is never a barrier to belonging or achieving. We are incredibly proud to have them wearing the blue and yellow. They inspire us all—not because of how fast they run, but because they show what a lifelong love of running, community and resilience looks like.
Alan Wikeley, Ken Evitt, Geoff Bullock and Margaret Wikeley, enjoying running and life!
parkrun
As always there was an amazing turnout for parkrun events far and wide over the weekend with 35 members running at 17 parkruns spread across 11 counties in the UK and Ireland this week. Anne Jones (30:14) ran the Forest of Dean parkrun, a scenic route through woodland in Gloucestershire. Elizabeth Wordsworth (31:12) and Chris Wordsworth (32:43) completed Bedgebury Pinetum parkrun, located in a beautiful conifer conservation forest in Kent. In County Durham, Nicky Hawkes (29:42) was at Darlington South Park parkrun and Pete Jackson (24:39) was at the Heritage Coastal Path parkrun. Helen Ashworth (28:49) was at Clitheroe Castle parkrun, a multi-lap course set in the historic castle grounds in Lancashire. James Harrison (24:54) ran the coastal South Shields parkrun, Tyne and Wear.
Down in Norfolk, at Catton parkrun, a rolling parkland course, Natalie Lyth (29:12) put in a good performance. Grove Fields parkrun, a meadows course located in Oxfordshire was visited by Richard Grant (22:32) and Tessa Grant (29:59). At Sandhurst Memorial parkrun in Berkshire, Grace Rowland (23:19) was 4th female.
Back home, in North Yorkshire, Evie Rawlings (26:37) got her fastest 5k of the year at Millfield parkrun. Evie was supported by Michael Sanders (24:40), Andrew Pollard (27:10), Ruth Pollard (28:14), Michelle Barratt (30:55), Paul Adams (32:27), and Ian Codling (56:42) all completing the event. At Northallerton parkrun, Esther Harrison (20:04) claimed first female finisher, followed by Paul Atkinson (23:00), Vanessa Arthur (28:09), Julia Harland (28:28), Phillip Craig (32:27), and Anna Pus (37:58). At Fountains Abbey parkrun, Liam Nolan (18:50), Michael Cropper (22:09), Ian Ord (32:09), and beginners graduate, Sara Ramon Moore (34:44) all competed well.
At Dalby Forest parkrun, Isaac Myer (18:23) was 2nd place. Kim Wilkinson (25:33) and Carol Longmire (32:38) were among the finishers at Thorp Perrow parkrun. At Heslington parkrun, Adam Harper-Walker (19:30) secured a top ten overall finish. At Oakwell Hall parkrun in West Yorkshire, Sarah Fairhurst (21:51) was the first female runner. At Stewart parkrun in Teesside, Bronwyn Mayo (24:25) was 4th female.
Furthest travelled this week was Olivia Mulligan (21:16), who claimed 1st female at Fairview parkrun in Dublin.
Olivia Mulligan, 1st female on Saturday 8th August at Dublin Fairview parkrun
