1. Margaret Wikeley, Team GB Silver Medallist in the F70 World Masters Mountain Championships
2. Beth Haggath with BBC's Jeanette Kwakye at the Great North Run
3. Tom Levi at the Castleton Show race
Photo – Marc Davies
4. Pedro Carrasco for Germany and Alan Wikely for Team GB at the World Masters
Photo – Rob Burn
5. Joe Joyce at the GNR
6. Richard Soper, in his Thirsk and Sowerby vest, spotted at the GNR in the BBC Highlights programme
The World Masters Mountain Championships took place recently at Ponta da Pargo, Madiera, with 6 members taking part, five of them wearing Team GB vests and Pedro Carrasco proudly wearing his Germany vest! Being a Mountain Race, it was, of course, tough, over 5.3 miles with 2600 feet of ascent starting at 1400 feet starting on road then a slog trail, not unlike the trails on the North York Moors! On a coolish, cloudy day, Gary Bastow was first off, in the M60 category, taking 1.12.33. Christine Burn, F65, took 1.12.33, Rob Burn, M70, 1.10.30, Margaret Wikeley, F70, 1.41.13 – which earned her a Silver Medal in her category. Congratulations. A superb effort. Alan Wikeley, M75, took 1.54.06, and Pedro Carrasco, M65, for Germany, took 1.18.34. The following day, Gary Bastow and Pedro Carrasco entered the ultra run over 32k (about 19 miles) with 3200 feet of ascent and Gary took 3 hours 47, Pedro 4 hours – almost missing his plane home in the attempt! Well done everyone.
If you remember the heat on the Great North Run day, you will remember what it was like for Castleton Show – excellent for the show, but very difficult for the Castleton Show Run. It was listed as a road race for fell runners and was very hard in the extreme heat, over 6 miles with 850 feet of ascent. Starting from the village of Castleton and taking in Dibble Brook, Hob Hole and Westerdale over hills and dales, it finished back in the showground. Despite the heat, Tom Levi had a good run to finish 4th out of 73 in 41.37, with Gary Wilkinson 20th in 46.14, closely followed by Esther Harrison, 21st, and 3rd lady, in 46.36. Trudy Morrice, 40th in 53.02, was 1st in the F50 category, Pedro Carrasco 57th in 62,05 and Marc Davies 60th in 65.42. Well done to the men for picking up 3rd Team prize.