2018-19 Road Championship – Hyde Park Harriers

10 rounds lay ahead for competitors in the club road championship with your best 6 scores to count.

This year we started with something a little different with the Brownlee 5k challenge. It was an interesting new addition as it gave runners the chance to post a time each month between April and November with their best time counting. A massive 44 men and 29 ladies took part and it must be said the atmosphere on race nights were great, HPH rocked the bridge.

July was the month to post the fastest time in the mens championship and it was a dead heat between Michael Vargas (1st division) and Adam Lomas (2nd division) with a time of 16.56. Fastest premier division time went to reigning champion Philip Goose with a time of 17.10 in May. Amy Young started off in dominate style posting a time of 18.53 in October to take top points in division 1. September saw Lydia Green take top spot in the 2nd division with a 20.43 and Rebecca Gray in the premier with a 20.53. The event saw many Harriers claiming new 5k PB’s. Over the whole series Amy Young came out as the female winner with Adam Lomas 3rd overall and Chris Jones winning the MV60 class.

Round 2 saw the delightful Bronte 5 mile race back on the calendar. It was a lovely evening, its hilly but always a great atmosphere. 15 men and 7 ladies took part with Amy finishing 2nd lady and top spot for HPH with a time of 33.55. Lydia was again 2nd with a time of 37.11. Taking top points in the Premier division was reigning champion Clare Evans. In the mens Phil Goose came home 7th and took top premier points with a time of 29.03 which was a club 5 mile record. Tom Thomas was next up taking max points in the 2nd division followed by Michael Vargas who again took the 1st division points.

Round 3 and the challenging Otley 10 miles faced the 18 men and 6 ladies on a Wednesday evening. Flat first 3 miles then it was into the hills, some tough climbs and fast downhill. In the mens it was the same top 3 as the previous round with Philip Goose picking up a PB along the way. Amy and Lydia continued there top points hauls. Amy coming home as 3rd lady overall while Jo Rhodes took the premier division points. Some cracking PB’s which included Jo knocking 9 minutes off her previous 10 mile best, Nicola Moreland improving by 6 minutes while Curtis Broadhead and Mark Haddrill both improved. Steve Rhodes was 1st in the MV55 class while the ladies won the team prize.

Another 10 mile race was next up at the scorching Eccup 10. Tom Thomas was fastest Harrier home in a time of 1.00.37. Top premier time again when to Philip Goose while Angus Milne took the points in the 1st division. 16 men posted a time, while 18 ladies were led home by Amy and Lydia with Clare Evans taking premier points.

Round 5 and it was the Firefighter5 at Birkingshaw, starting at the Fire Station with 14 men and 8 ladies. Michael Vargas was first Harrier home in a new PB of 29.25. Next up was Philip Goose on 31.57 followed by Tobias Adkins in 32.25 and claiming the 2nd division. Amy and Lydia again dominated not just been first two Harriers home but being the top 2 ladies in the race. They came home in times of 33.29 and 36.14, Amy claiming a new club record time. Sarah Farnell claimed the premier division points.

20 men and 15 ladies were at the Vale of York 1/2 this year where we also had a team of volunteers out. Top spot went to the flying Adam Lomas in a time of 1.20.49 and top 2nd division points. Next and claiming top points in the premier was Chris Smith with 1.24.02 and the 1st division went to Angus Milne with a 1.24.41. Clare Evans was 1st lady home claiming in the premier points with a new PB time of 1.38.27 followed by Alison Pullan (1st division) and Ruth Norman claimed the 2nd division. Many PB’s were to be had on this event with Robert Butler claiming one on his first outing in the HPH vest and PB’s also to Roberta Jordan, Chris Hassall, Jonathan Spain, Ruth Norman and Lizzie Coombes among the excellent times.

Round 7 and although not on roads it was a rare chance to take on the track with the Golden Mile. Not to many took the chance just 12 men and 7 ladies. Angus Milne took the fastest time with a stunning 4.49.1 and top division 1 points. Michael Vargas also sneaked under 5 minutes while Scott Watson took the premier points and Daniel Marquina the 2nd division. Amy Young was again top lady this time claiming a new club record of 5.34.9 and another maximum score. Lydia again took top spot in the 2nd division with a 5.59.0 and Rebecca Gray took the premier division. Some nice PB’s along the way for Amy, Clare Evans, Rebecca, Matty Gray and Daniel.

The final 3 races were all 10k’s. 1st up was the Bramley 10k where 14 men and just 4 ladies took on the 2 lap course. Scott Watson came home as first Harrier claiming the premier division points but also was 2nd overall. Just behind in 3rd overall was 2nd division winner Tom Thomas. With Curtis Broadhead coming home 5th in meant the men claimed the team prize. Winning the 1st division was Mark Haddrill. Claudia Bauer was 1st Harrier lady home and took the top points in the 1st division. Clare Maxwell took the premier division points and Grace Roberts the 2nd division.

As always the Abbey Dash was very popular and fast. The ladies lead the numbers this time with 36 and the men on 35. Amy was top lady in a time of 38.45 which was another PB, followed by Meghan Bentley taking the 2nd division in 41.30. Matilda Rhodes claimed the premier division top points. Into the mens and Michael Vargas was back on top in a time of 35.07. Andrew Carrier claimed the 2nd division points in 36.11 while Phil was back on top in the premier division with a time of 37.40. So many great times and PB’s as always.

The final round saw 20 ladies and 18 men rock up at Dewsbury. Amy continued her awesome year of running and top points again with a time of 37.27. Clare Evans claimed the premier division points in 45.02 and Naomi Adkins smashed her PB to take the 2nd division points. Philip Goose was in PB form to be 1st Harrier home in 33.45 but having their best race result ever was Tom Thomas winning the 2nd division with a time of 33.59. Also claiming a PB as well as the 1st division was Rob Howard with a time of 35.20. This event seems to be a really good one for PB’s and just a few of them went to Paul Dickens, Chris Lodge (in his 1st event as a Harrier), Alison Hargreaves, Stuart Harris, Josh Dawson, Mike Gallagher, Jo Rhodes, Heather Fulton and Vicky Houghton who claimed a 1 second PB.

All of this left us with the following winners –