Swaledale Road Runners

The next dates in our Spanish Race Calendar were two very different affairs, one being an uphill-only mountain race and the other an international Half Marathon. Unfortunately I was unable to run either as I was recovering from a foot injury, so I relegated myself to the role of 'bag carrier'.

Firstly, the Gandia Vertical Kilometre did exactly what it said on the tin - it ascended 1000m from the outskirts of Gandia to the finish line at the top of a mountain with a distance of approximately 12km. In the event it was even steeper than expected as the first 6km was along a flat, dried river bed which left a very steep second half. The final 2km involved hands on scrambling over steep rocks. Neil Bowmer crossed the finish line on the summit in 1:24.57, 93rd overall and 22nd in his Veteran Category. Once again there was a huge field for this mountain race with over 1,400 runners and walkers. Once over the finish line Neil had a 4km downhill jog to the village of La Drova where a spread of food and drinks were laid on and runners and spectators mellowed out in the sunshine.

After a night of partying the idea of doing a fell race seemed less appealing than it had a couple of weeks before. Alarm failed to go off, so woke up at 9.30, the time that Derek was picking me up! Pit stop breakfast and off we went with Johnny Tennant as support. Arrived at Great Ayton, very busy in Royal Oak at race registration, quick change and onto the start line as the heavens opened. Large strong field of good runners, pleased to see Ione, Simon and Erika were also there.

Very wet and windy, boggy and slippy conditions, just what a hangover needed!! A great run well supported all around the course even in these conditions.

I came home first for Swaledale followed by Derek then Erika and then Ione and Simon,  Great run - don t know why I've not done it before, great start to the year!! Happy New Year everyone!

John Wilson

Results: John Wilson 40.08 (61st), Derek Parrington 41.39 (85th), Erika Johnson 42.07 (4th female, 1st F40), Simon Dowson 54.36, Ione Dowson 54.44. Total number of finishers 290.

Click on the photo to go straight to the gallery.

Fourteen Swaledale runners were among the four hundred and fourteen who took part in this year's Jolly Holly Jog. The race was won by Jamie Rutherford of Darlington Harriers in 36.16 while Becky Penty from York Acorn RC was 4th overall and first woman in 37.36! Martin Randall was first man home for Swaledale in 42.57 ahead of Derek Parrington in 43.34. Jackie Keavney was first vet 40 in 45.57. Stu Clarkson was next in 51.21, followed by Janet Mcrae 52.59, John Hunter 56.26, Pete Richardson 58.51, Kate Derrick 59.19, Marian Hunter 59.20, Helen Mckay 1.01.13, Vic Parkinson 1.00.37, Linda Turnbull 1.04.52, Julia Spittle 1.05.49 and Pauline Bennison 1.05.50.

Claire Stewart and I went and did the above race yesterday in Rothbury. The route this year was slightly shorter than normal due to icy conditions on the top of Simonside. The race organisers were concerned about the slippy stone slabs underfoot and rerouted the last few miles though woods instead. The conditions on the day were very mild but as always the route was nice and boggy. The race has two road sections, one at the start and the other at the finish with open moorland in between. There are three sections through woodland, in one of which the organisers had put up fairy lights and Christmas music was playing! It's a very enjoyable route but quite rough and technical in parts, especially the added new section of downhill through woodland - oh those tree roots! The new route was 10.4 miles and 1670 ft of ascent. James Taylor from Northumberland fell runners won in 1.18.15, Karen Robertson again from Northumberland fell runners did 1.29.19. I came fifth in 1.43.53 (first vet 40), and Claire Stewart was 12th woman in 1.53; in all ninety runners took part. Put it in your diary for next year.

Jackie K

On Sunday the 4th of December I travelled up to Blyth to take part in the Blyth Sands handicap race. After getting lost in Blyth and making it to the registration after they had officially closed it and put all their pens away I just about managed to enter the race. As the name suggests this is an age and gender handicap so my group was second from last to start with only the under 40 men after us. This means waiting on a beach, in Northumberland, in running gear, next to the north sea in December while the other groups go off in two minute intervals. Luckily it wasn't that cold or windy so no one froze to death.

Well done to all Swaledalers who completed the rather blustery Brass Monkey Half Marathon today! The wind was blowing across the course so it was pushing you sideways for most of the race, backwards for a couple of miles and forwards for about half a mile. All in all very hard work but we were rewarded with a 30th Anniversary gilet at the end. The race marks the start of our new club championship.

Dave Atkinson – 1.27.05, Simon Barlow – 1.32.33, Jacqueline Keavney – 1.34.17 (2nd V45), Chris Lamb – 1.36.12, Stuart Clarkson – 1.46.23,Gary Young – 1.47.04, Jess Young – 1.49.00, Karen Saward – 1.51.11

Jess Young

I went and did the Nine Standards fell race today, a new one for me. It's a cracking run, one to do again. It's 8 miles and 1800ft of ascent. The standard was amazing, British and English champs there. The ladies' course record was broken by four minutes. In all about 110 runners did the race. It was the usual enter on the day and soup in the pub afterwards, just what you need. The rain held off but the route was very boggy and slippery. I stepped in a puddle right up to my middle, no lie!

Jackie Keavney

The results are now in (see www.fellrunner.org.uk) and they show just how well Jackie did. She finished in 1.14.33, making her 11th woman and 3rd V40 - particularly impressive when you see the names of the two ladies ahead of her. Overall she was 62nd out of a total of 109 finishers, with a certain Michael Keavney In 63rd place.

Runners enjoyed great weather conditions at the Loftus Poultry Run on Sunday December 18th. This was the first time Stuart Clarkson, Ros Blackmore and Neil Bowmer had tackled this course and they all really enjoyed it. Stu said it was his most enjoyable run of the year! Darren Bilton running for Leeds was awarded third man and Jackie Keavney  picked up a goose for first vet 45.

Results: Ricky Lightfoot from New Marske Harriers won in 40.34, Kirsty Legg from Middlesbrough ac won the ladies' race in 49.15. Neil Bowmer was first Swaledale man in 43rd place in a time of 52.39, then in 93rd place and 8th woman was Jackie Keavney in a time of 57.08 (first vet 45). Stuart Clarkson was 159th in 63.46 and Ros Blackmore was 228th in 70.34. In all over 300 runners took part.

See galleries for photos.

Flying the flag for the Swaledale Road Runners at the Eskdale Eureka this year were Neil Bowmer and myself. This is a circular moorland route, starting above the village of Castleton on the North York Moors. The route out has several nice hills followed by one evil but short steep grass bank up to the half way point. The pay off is that the return route is mainly flat or downhill with just a steep hill to finish.The route was really 'runnable', with no bog and only one short section of bracken and heather trampling. The views over the moors were gorgeous, when I dared to take my eyes off my feet for a second.

The race started in lovely sunshine but I ran the last mile in a blizzard! Neil finished a creditable 26th place in 67.42 and I managed 92.25, pleased to still have 15 runners behind me. Progress indeed!

Ros Blackmore

Thnaks for the photos to Chris Thornton of the Esk Valley fell club.

Wet, wild and windy are the only words I can use to describe this run. Neil Bowmer and I braved the blustery conditions and did decent times considering the weather and with Neil still recovering from the Wensleydale Wedge last weekend. James Bulman won in 34.43 and Pippa Madams from Keswick (the current ladies overall British fell running champion) won the ladies' race in 38.58. Neil was 26th overall in 41.01 and I was 5th overalll in 44.28 and picked up 1st vet 40. Soup and rolls were most welcome post race.

Jackie Keavney