Skipton Athletics Club

Wharfedale Half Marathon, Threshfield

The Wharfedale Half Marathon took place on Sat 6th June at Threshfield out of 189 runners, Skipton's Richard Barret came 3rd/1st MV40 (1.34.41); Karen Chown 31st/1st FV45 (1.51.54) and Steve Hall        38th/3rd MV50 (1.54.56)

The Full Bronte, Haworth

The Full Bronte 5m Road Race (incorporating Yorkshire Vets 5m Championships) took place on Thurs 4th June. Skipton's Richard Barrett came 6th overall with a time of 28.36. (3rd MV40 Yorks Vets)

Results: Helvellyn Fell Race

This 11 mile race started at the Thirlmere side on the 24th May. A lovely day with perfect conditions, windy on summit though. Karen Chown picked up the prize for 1st V40 and finished 6th overall with a time of 2hrs 22 (3rd lady to top).

'Not sure why I went for this one as we had been at a ‘ball’ until 2am and Nick reckoned I’d had at least a bottle of wine over the evening! Oh well … life is for liviing!!!'

Results: Fairfield Horseshoe

Results: John Carr 5K Incorporating Yorkshire Vets 5K Championships

Results: Fountain's 10k

The Three Peaks with Virgin, Andy Ellwood

Well done to Skipton AC runners at the Three Peaks, 25th April, 2009: James Mountain (3:48), Andy Ellwood (4:22) and Phil Hargreaves (4:43). It looks like from the results that Triss Kenny retired (hopefully not hurt) at the Hill Inn, so presumably the beer got too tempting! Andy Ellwood has kindly put finger to keyboard to tell us how his day went ...

Dentdale 14

The Dentdale 14 was as ever a challenging run and a great day out always leaving one feeling ‘I’ll run it faster next year’. Although the weather was a big improvement on past years, and could not be used as an excuse for extended running times. Perhaps alteration of Ruth’s biomechanics through the absence of a tried and tested, worn ‘bum bag’ could be though, alongside motion sickness, Achilles tendonitis, new insoles, being too hot, too cold, too tired, too hungry and generally feeling lethargic.

Chris stoically helped Ruth come to terms with absence of 'the bum bag’ by supporting her all the way around with positive mental talk such as ‘dig in’ etc. This resulted in a non stop running experience, along some of the most scenic countryside in Dentdale, lasting 2hrs 19 minutes culminating in the usual culinary feast of cakes and sandwiches, with lashings of hot tea and coffee in the Primary School afterwards.

Bill Smith Nearly Wins the Arkendale 10k!

With those people in mind who had joined in with JogSkipton, it was with fingers crossed that this event was targeted. It looked like it was a friendly, relatively small (400 max), teas and cakes, village green event but none of us had run this event before!

Anyway, a large contingent of Skipton AC-related folk (members, not quite yet members plus some supporters) headed to Arkendale, just the other side of Knaresborough. The weather during the week before had been cold, wet and squally but with a persistent sunshine symbol against the Sunday forecast. This turned out to be true with the sun cracking the flags and a clear blue sky. Perfect running conditions (drat, no excuses!).

The upshot of all this was one the best days in the life of Skipton AC seniors. This was up there with two teams in the Calderdale Way Relay (with the mixed team winning) and a grand day out at the Great North Run. We had 21 people running of whom 12 had come to the club via JogSkipton and all achieving very creditable times! The icing on the cake was that Clare Pearson was second female and Richard Barrett was first overall (having taken Bill Smith’s number during the week before!). The only blot on this idyllic landscape was that Derek Ives was poorly during the race and had to retire.

Well done to all and thanks to the supporters. We’ve apologised to the Arkendale residents for the noise which Chris Lamb was making when Baz won and have asked matron to increase her medication!

Blakey Blitz (22nd March)

Justin Hill writes:

Took part in the Blakey Blitz last weekend, up on the North Yorks Moors. This is a new race, part of the North East Hill Running Winter Series, and was organised by North Yorks Moors AC. Started and finishing at the White Lion, on Blakey Ridge, taking in 10.5miles of every sort of terrain you can think of, as well as the luscisouly titled Great Fryup Dale. Category AM - returned a time of 1hour 55mins.