Created by : Tom Shaw On : Tue, 10/21/2025 - 15:57
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A busy weekend on and off the roads as we had prize winning, record breaking and PB busting set of races starting off early on Saturday with the Dukeries 10. Closer to 11 Miles the off-road trail race heads out of Walesby before through the woodlands and trails to and around Bothamsall. A great team turnout for the green and black saw a share of the spoils as Matthew Daly led the team home in 3rd in 1:09:26, followed shortly by Nick Moore in 4th (1:11:31). Adam Turner made it three men in the top-10 (1:16:57) followed by Kerry Saville (1:24:27). Samantha Robinson followed, missing out on the podium by mere seconds (1:27:49) followed shortly by Neil Allsop (1:28:28) With Charlotte Randell (1:52:53) and Sam Thornloe (1:56:33) making it a great showing for the Green and Black. However, top performance for the day goes Hannah Miller who not only finished 1st lady and 6th overall but also covered the course in 1:14:12 to set a new course record!
On to Sunday and sticking with the off road stuff as our Juniors headed down to Newark for a fast and flat edition of the mini-league XC. Ranging from a single-lap 1,500m for the U11 up to a four lap 4k for the U15’s its another great morning out for our juniors if a very wet one time of year!
Some of our hardy fell runners headed up Marple to take part in the Signpost Challenge. Organised by South Manchester LDWA, this was a 24 mile self navigated route with approximately 4,300 ft of elevation. The route took runners over Werneth Low, Combs Edge, Lantern Pike, Chinley Churn and the Goyt Valley on the Stockport/Derbyshire border and included the Millennium Walkway in New Mills. Weather was kind to us for the first half of the event, but the forecast rain and wind arrived at lunch time, making conditions more challenging for the second half. Well stocked checkpoints provided with a much needed serving of delicious hot pot and tea and cakes at the end for an excellent day in the hills!
Finally, Sam Marriott and Jo Campbell took on the Drone Valley Trail Half. 22 km and nearly 500 m of climbing around Unstone and Eckington meant it an offroad half not for the feint hearted but a cracking medal to finish meant worth the effort!
With the off-road stuff wrapped up it was time for another Autumn Marathon with the season in full swing as the York Marathon and 10 Mile Race made its way out from University Road and through the city before out in to the country side to the North East. Two varied courses as the 10 miler cuts back at the five mile point for a fast and flat course whilst the Marathon heads further out in to some rolling country side with the well spectated and supported out and backs of Stamford Bridge Road before dropping back down towards York. Both courses finishing with a testing blast back up university road hill. First Harrier back with a superb effort emptying the tank right to the finish line to grab the elusive sub-3, Paul Parry clocked 2:59:56 for a superb birthday celebration and secure another year of London-GFA qualification with an impressive 25 minute PB and set a tone for the day. Recent recruit Aaron Buckland followed in 3:20:34 for significant PB. Next up and the first of our GFA ladies as Lucy Binch made an impressive Marathon debut in a very near 3:29:18 as she was joined by Luke Davis. Following shortly our next GFA lady came through as Madi Spencer hung on to the end to dip under in 3:36:52. Making up a trio of sub-4 ladies another recent recruit marked the biggest PB of the day as Darcie Wasnidge knocked off an incredible PB knocking off over an hour in 3:48:35. Finishing up our ladies marathoners and veteran of both marathons and multiple York Finisher returned to where it all began as Cathy Mhembere ran an excellently paced 4:14:42
Alongside the Marathon of course was the York 10 Mile following mostly the first and last 5 miles of the course with more excellent runs from the Harriers as Dom Ayton put together a well executed race to run 1:10:25. Next up and Rachel Silcock continues her return to racing in 1:32:27 whilst it was a long awaited return for Emma Shaw as ran nearly perfect even splits and a PB in 1:39:33. Rounding out the Harriers for the day and Debbie Lawrence made preparations for her first half marathon running the 10 miles in 2:07:27.
