Report from Chris Carver

It’s been a long time. Frustrating illnesses mainly along with one or two injuries. September 2012 was the last one but now, at last, I’ve managed to get back the fitness needed to run 24 hour races.

I first heard about this one about five or six years ago and always thought it was an interesting idea – cross the Humber Bridge on foot as many times as possible in 24 hours. Looking at the website I saw that the course record was 29 crossings (116 miles) and that was what prompted me to enter. I knew I could beat that – I know I’m five years older now but I ran a couple of hilly 100 mile races in the Cotswolds and my times were 17h 43 in 2011 and 16h 41 in 2012 (with much help from Hugh Pearson).

Arriving at the nearest hotel to the Humber Bridge at 5.00pm loaded down with kit for all weathers and enough food to feed an army – but no tin opener for the rice pudding, custard, beans or spaghetti. Thanks to a bit of quick thinking I managed to borrow one from the kitchen for a couple of days. First problem solved.

Woking up at 5.00am for a race start at 7.00am Fay and I ambled the ten minute walk to the Humber Bridge Country Park (aka race HQ) where I collected my number and waited for the pre-race briefing. The remaining time to the start passed all too quickly before the 26 runners sent slowly on their way to a traffic cone two miles away on the south side of the Humber. We had to round that cone and return to race HQ as many times as possible before 7.00am the following day.

One thing we were not warned about was the extreme wind on the bridge. And I do mean extreme. For a short while the crossing was closed to high sided vehicles. For the first 15 or 16 hours the speed limit was 20 or 30 mph instead of the usual 50. During the first 10 hours I was almost blown over the fence three times and at about 8 hours I was blown into one of the giant bolts holding the cables in place – bruised left thigh and twisted right ankle trying to avoid the collision.

A totally unanticipated problem caused by the wind was my breathing. I have a narrow trachea anyway due to a dozen or more operations on my larynx and the build-up of scar tissue over many years. Extremely windy conditions in a 10k race or half marathon are hardly a problem as they are over relatively quickly. But half way through a 24 hour race, that’s altogether different.

Also, battling the wind led to the race masseur being needed almost permanently as posture problems became increasingly serious. I had a shoulder massage about 16 or 17 hours into the race.

A few stats now:

My first lap took about 32 minutes but every subsequent lap began with a walking period of 7:40 whilst I ate and drank.

From the start I found myself in the lead and continually increased the lead by running about 30s per lap quicker than my schedule to account for inevitable toilet breaks.

I passed 10 miles in about 1h 07, 20 in about 2h 50, 26 in about 3h 48 and 50 in about 7h 45.

Lap 15 was where the wind began to take its toll (see above) and 60 miles was reached in 9h 50.

A couple of hours later my closest challenger pulled out unable to cope any longer with the intense conditions.

After 13 hours things began looking bleak for me too. I informed the race director and doctor of the problems the wind was having with my breathing and following their advice I ran one lap at a time with a good rest out of the wind (approx. 30 mins) before starting the next. The problem with that is that the muscles began to get stiff during the rest periods and running again was increasingly difficult – leading to ever slower lap times. However, once I got going my pace was surprisingly quick and I found myself passing runners competing in the 6 hour race.

However I’m very pleased that I didn’t throw in the towel and carried on to the end where I was to learn I had finished second with 25 laps (100 miles). The winner ran two and a half laps further. I didn’t catch his name but he was flabbergasted to have run further than me – he obviously saw how quickly I was running in the first half but not how slow my lap times were in the second.

For my first 24 hour race after five year break I’m happy with that especially in those conditions.

Overall a brilliant and well organised event with decent merchandise. Four races on offer too makes for a good day out (whole day that is). 24 race starting at 7.00am, 12 hour race at 7.00pm, 6 hour race at 7.00pm and a special race for children or runners and crew.

But don’t let anyone tell you it’s a flat one. The race HQ is at about 20m above sea level and the first 300m of each lap climbs 10m onto the bridge itself. The next 1000m or so is flat but then there’s a long descent, dropping 30m in about 1300m. Then the same in reverse. The first 1300m climbs 30m, the next 1000m is almost flat and the last 300m drops 10m. That final drop, around a spiral slip road, in the dark, isn’t as easy as it seems after 20 hours or more of running.

And now I’m travelling to Ypres in Belgium as my great grandfather was killed near there on 1^st September 1917.

Results have now come through for the recent 24 hour race

MEN
1 – Rich Buckle (108 miles)
2 – Chris Carver (100 miles)
3 – Ian Griffin (84 miles)
4 – Jason Brunt (84 miles)
5 – Keith Lamb (80 miles)
6 – Thomas Quirke (68 miles)
7 – Billy Walmsley (60 miles)
8 – Dan Watford (60 miles)
9 – Mark Dagg (60 miles)
10 – Mark Dobbs (58 miles)
11 – Daniel Slaughter (56 miles)
12 – Gary Shann (52 miles)
13 – Matthew Waddingham (36 miles)

WOMEN
1 – Elizabeth Nairn (110 miles)
2 – Julie Masterman (92 miles)
3 – Sharon Tummons (80 miles)
4 – Sally Wheelhouse (72 miles)
5 – Helen Reevell (68 miles)
6 – Ede Bone (64 miles)
7 – Sophie Hempsall (60 miles)
8 – Catherine Shann (52 miles)
9 – Judy Lankester (48 miles)
10 – Lauren Dearden (44 miles)
11 – Michelle Richardson (44 miles)

Report from Matt Podd

Not the best weather – cold and showery with a stiff breeze, but not deterred 5 Otley AC Heroes toed the line for the 10 mile road race. Off we set with the first two miles uphill to Hebden into a biting shower. Helped that I felt I was going to die, but things level out on the way to Grassington and after that it’s undulations and hills to the downhill run in to the finish. Lovely support from the Saturday group who kept popping up along the course to cheer us on. Always a joy to be passed by Sara – this time at about 1/2 way round.
People who have never done it were keen for us to do the double and compete in the Fell race. The Burnsall Classic, 1.75 miles of hell. During the 10 I had decided that if Sara passed me I would punish myself by going for it. So after a change of shoes and a nice cup of tea there I was toeing the line again, but in the opposite direction facing a bloody great muddy hill. Not my fastest ascent, but the descent is a blast and I managed to overtake a few people and saved coming in nearer the back. Shane did better, but came to the race fresh. Nice to see him also having a post race curry at Red Pepper.

10 Mile Road: John Armitstead, 46 in 74.10; Sara Elliott, 64 in 79.09; Matt Podd, 71 in 81.18; Billy Andrew Rayner, 99 in 90.25 and the legend that is Antonio Cardinale brought up the rear, 120 in 115.34.

Classic Fell Race: Shane Braveheart, 53 in 21.45 and Matt P, 115 in 29.53. 129 ran.

Full results to follow.

Mark Hall, 11th, 59.45, 1st V55

Report from Tom Lynch:

Goats, sheep, llamas, prosecco, pizza, pints, cake, pies, silent auction, strongman contest, egg and spoon race, village green, classic cars, road race, fell race, Tommy Sedgwick, sunshine, rain, steep hills, few miles. Winner Ted Mason (Wharfedale) 1st 10:46, Tom Lynch – 15th 13:00 (5th BOFRA champs), Antonio Cardinale 89th 30:16 (fell) & 53rd 44:44 (road), special mention to juniors Charlotte and Jessica Rawstron 1st and 11th BOFRA U9s.

Hats off to Antonio on the road……

….and the fell!

Report from Steve Robinson:

It’s taken a while for the results to be published for this race, which is surprising as there were only 47 starters!
Myself and Tom L headed over to Silsden to have a crack at this local fell race, and we bumped into Antonio whilst warming up.
It has quite an unusual start whereby all the runners mass outside the Kings Arms pub, the RO presses the button for the ‘green man’ at the pedestrian crossing, and once the traffic has stopped, off we went.
The route takes you up through Swartha and on to the moor via Silsden Nab End. You then cross the moor following a long wall towards the plantation, touch the trig and returning via the same route finishing at the Bandstand in the centre of Silsden.

1st Jonny Bradshaw Wharfedale Harriers 43.50 1st Lady Sophie Martin Wharfedale Harriers 51.07 10th Tom Lynch Otley AC 48.57 22nd Steve Robinson Otley AC 53.50 46th Antonio Cardinale Otley AC 1.46.13

See results here, lots more photos from Hugh Pearson here and Jack Robertshaw here.

Chris Miller

First of all a big thanks to everyone who made for a successful morning at Timble.  After several days of heavy showers the weather gods finally relented on Friday afternoon and Saturday to allow the farm fields to dry up enough to allow us to use one for parking which was a big relief.

140 hardy fell runners set off on a perfect morning for running.  Chris Miller established an early lead on the climb to Round Hill and finished a couple of minutes clear, with a time of 55:55, of Otley’s Liam Dunne, 1st V40 and Richard Pattinson, Calder Valley,  despite a minor navigational mistake on the descent off Round Hill.  Finishing third Richard took the V50 record down to

Nik Tarrega

58:43, he now holds the fast ever time for the race and the V40 & V50 records.

Knavesmire’s Nik Tarrega repeated last year’s win, having a great race running a couple of minutes quicker than 2016.  She was pushed all the way by Monica Padilla, Wharfedale who finished just 17 seconds behind.  Both notable times, being the fourth & fifth fastest ladies times since the first race in 2003.  Alice Leake from Leeds City finished 3rd just less than 2 minutes later.

Nick Pearce, Ilkley H. was the first V60 in 1:10:02 and Otley local Dave Tait, Dark Peak was 1st V70 1:20:29.  Harrogate’s Sarah Gill was 1st V50 finishing 4th lady, Michaela Clark, Abbey Runners 1st V40 and Sue Morley took the V60 prize.

Liam in 2nd

Otley finishers were 2nd Liam Dunne, 58:27, 11th Edward

The bogs have a victim..

Davies 1:03:32, soon to be new member Lizzie Irvine 5th Lady, 1:09:09, John Armitstead 1:09:53, Matt Podd 1:20:03, Mary Hampshire 1:30:07, Serena Blackburn 1:32:19, Nick Hodgkinson 1:40:19, Antonio Cardinale 2:14:50.

Apologies for the late recognition of June’s runners of the month which were awarded to Antonio Cardinale and Jackie Ackroyd for their efforts throughout the Harrogate league.

July’s runners of the month are Tony Walker for his sub 20 5k efforts and Debra Brown for her handicap win at Leathley which followed a good run at the Otley Harrogate League handicap.

Position   Gender Pos parkrunner   Club   Run Time
Woodhouse Moor
1 1 Steven MAYERS Unattached 0:17:07
32 1 Hayley LLOYD-HENRY Prestwich AC 0:20:18
56 55 James Rawstron Otley AC 0:21:44
331 99 Elly WARDLE STEAD Otley AC 0:30:52
Bradford
1 1 Alexander FLAHERTY Bingley Harriers and AC 0:18:07
8 1 Lesley WATSON Bingley Harriers and AC 0:20:07
60 6 Sara Elliott Otley AC 0:23:39
93 80 Michael HASTINGS Otley AC 0:25:25
305 116 Claire HASTINGS Otley AC 0:35:00
Harrogate
1 1 Unknown ATHLETE Unattached 0:17:40
20 1 Shamiso SISIMAYI Harrogate Harriers & AC 0:20:15
30 28 Jenson Brogden Otley AC 0:20:46
110 12 Elizabeth YATES Otley AC 0:24:21
119 14 Ann YEADON Otley AC 0:24:45
137 121 Rob Fearnley Otley AC 0:25:12
277 208 Charlie TOMLINSON Otley AC 0:30:23
279 71 Charlotte Tomlinson Otley AC 0:30:25
Roundhay
1 1 Ross ARMSTRONG Abbey Runners Leeds 0:19:24
3 1 Susan LEWIS Roundhay Runners 0:19:44
102 80 Philip Robinson Otley AC 0:26:17
195 60 Sarah JONES Otley AC 0:30:40
Sewerby Park
1 1 Shaun HOBSON Driffield Striders 0:17:33
21 1 Emma SIMMONS Pocklington Runners 0:21:15
56 50 Stephen SMALL Otley AC 0:24:27
Fountains Abbey
1 1 Reece DALTON Ripon Runners 0:16:18
21 1 Robyn WYNN Claremont Road Runners 0:20:52
131 102 Peter CROWDER Otley AC 0:26:39
Wetherby
1 1 Richard Thomas HERRINGTON St Theresa’s AC 0:18:07
10 10 Martin STRINGER Otley AC 0:21:41
27 1 Helen TATE Unattached 0:26:23
Blackpool
1 1 Unknown ATHLETE Unattached 0:18:29
14 1 Nicola UNSWORTH Wesham Road Runners AC 0:21:45
59 45 Andrew Rayner Otley AC 0:25:27