Harriers of the Month and Chair’s Blog – March 2026

March saw the conclusion of our club championships and loads of other great running too – read on below, but firstly congratulations to our…

HARRIERS OF THE MONTH – MARCH 2026

Olly Hulson – Finally achieved both running and completing the marathon at the third attempt. 2024 he had signed up to Blackpool marathon, training well but broke a toe. 2025 he was training well for Manchester until he broke his shoulder weeks out. 2026 again training well until he had to have emergency surgery just weeks out from race day. Undeterred he continued training post operation with the idea the race was again too big a challenge to the healing body. But the training carried on well and he was able to race and set a flying time of 3.42. Great effort!!!

Jonny Spain (multiple nominations):
- No appendix, no problem! Mr Spain continues his incredible form with a new club record at Trimpell 20!
- Setting a new 20-mile club record!

Well done to all our nominees, copied below:

Adam Lomas – A first place finish and another club record – not a bad day’s work for Mr Lomas at the Spen 20…

Callum Starling – Great run at Middlesbrough Half in windy conditions, completing it in 1:22:33,a 14-second PB!

Chloe Brooks – Another 100 mile ultra in the bag for Chloe – this one had elephants…!

Ciaran Tracey and Anne Akers – Anne and Ciaran have turned up to every PECO and been brilliant captains all season long – really appreciate all their efforts!

Nigel Wallis – Last year’s marathon training was broken with recurrent musculoskeletal problems, with many a time on the physios couch. He completed the Manchester marathon but admitted he was not happy with himself for going out too quick. This year – undeterred, he restarted training despite niggles throughout the body and smashed his goals on his 2nd ever marathon finishing in 3.12. Great effort!

Pablo de Pablo Carrion – I want to give Pablo a shout for completing the Rome marathon despite injury – showing real grit and determination!

Tom Walker – A PB at Roundhay half – well done Tom

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS 2025/2026

Congratulations to our winners of the HPH championships! We’ll be celebrating a fantastic year of racing at the 20th anniversary celebration on Saturday 11 July – keep an eye out for the official invitation very soon! In the meantime, the 2026/2027 season starts in April – check out the various competitions here.

Summer League – Men / Champion: Jonathan Spain

Summer League – Men / Runner Up: Edward Hale

Summer League – Women / Champion: Clare Evans

Summer League – Women / Runner Up: Claire Hougham

Summer League / Age Grade Champion: Jonathan Spain

Summer League / Age Grade Runner Up: Edward Hale

Winter League – Women / Champion: Chrissy Donnelly

Winter League – Women / Runner Up: Vicky Houghton

Winter League – Men / Champion: Michael Vargas

Winter League – Men / Runner Up: Richard Edwards

Winter League / Age Grade Champion: Gordon Crawford

Winter League / Age Grade Runner Up: Tom Moulding

Fell Championship – Men / Champion: Adam Lomas

Fell Championship – Men / Runner Up: Colin Tranter

Fell Championship – Women / Champion: Jo Rhodes

Fell Championship – Women / Runner Up: Alice Houldcroft

parkrun Championship – Women / Champion: Jane Prust

parkrun Championship – Women / Runner Up: Kristan Webb

parkrun Championship – Men / Champion: Gordon Crawford

parkrun Championship – Men / Runner Up: Chris Jones

Club Competitor – Men / Champion: Richard Cartwright

Club Competitor – Men / Runner Up: Adam Lomas

Club Competitor – Women / Joint Champions: Helen Noyes and Lucy McKerrell

Club Competitor – Women / Runner Up: Clare Evans

THANK YOU!

A huge thank you to all our leaders this month – Adam L, Alice H, Andy B, Bethan M, Cat M, Chris W, Clare E, Curtis B, Daisy W, George A, Hannah L, Helen N, Honor B, Jenny C, Jonathan S, Josh S, Kevin L, Lisa B, Lorraine B, Lucy B, Lucy R, Mike G, Naomi A, Olly H, Richard C, Richard K, Samantha T and Will D!

If you’d like to give leading a go, speak to any of our existing leaders or committee members and we’ll give you all the support and help you need.

HIGHLIGHTS OF MARCH 2026

As part of our 20th anniversary celebrations, we’re undertaking a club-wide year long relay! As of the end of this month, the baton has travelled 723km, and during March it was carried by Beccy N, Richard G, Lou G, Alice H, Ed S, Mike V, Lucy M, Samantha T, Helen N, Julie R, Joseph W and your humble scribe! If you’d like to get involved, there’s a specific chat in the club’s WhatsApp community to co-ordinate handovers.

Adam L sped round the Middlesborough Half Marathon, clocking up another sub-71 minute time… Crazy stuff as ever.

We had a handful of Harriers at the Ilkley Moor Fell Race, taking on more than 400m of climbing across five miles! Great work everyone, and remember to sign up to the Ilkley Incline in September for the shorter version!

Lou G and Claire H ran the Dark Skies @ Kielder, racing 11 miles across trails in the dusk and darkness! Sounds like a cracking event; one to watch out for next year!

We had a couple of Harriers at Cambridge Half Marathon, with Coralie running another sub80 minute race! A special mention to Abdu who ran an incredible sub70 time – just a shame it was in a Leeds City vest…!

Six teams took part in the relays at Middleton Park to close out the PECO cross country season. Well done everyone; great to see a decent turn-out – there wasn’t as much mud as the last couple of PECO races, but the course was a tough one!

Julie R, Naomi A and Rob M headed to the York 5K series race this month, battling some blustery conditions but coming out with some great times – kudos folks!

HPH represented at Barcelona marathon, congrats to Jonny C, Nigel W and Olly H!

A club record that had stood for eight years was broken twice this month – firstly by Jonny Spain at Trimpell 20. Great to see Jonny continuing his fantastic run of form, and the race also saw cracking performances from Sarah U, Caite B and Chris H in inclement weather!

The Haworth Hobble saw Ed S and Rich C triumph over 50K of brutal Bronte country! Well done lads!

Five Harriers took part in We Need To Talk About Chevin, the final race of our fell champs for 25/26. 600m of elevation in just over 13km is nothing to be sniffed at, great work all!

The final race of the 25/26 championships was Wakefield 10K and saw some amazing performance from the eight Harriers who took part, with Doug B finishing on the podium and Tom M in the top 10 too!

Rome marathon saw several Harriers take on the notoriously cobbled streets of the route; nice work folks!

Meghan B and Alex B represented the club at Wilmslow Half – well known for its speedy course. Both ran brilliantly, with Alex running a sub 73min PB!

There always seems to be a half marathon happening in Roundhay these days… March’s version saw several Harriers take part, well done all! Now, who will be doing the April edition…?

HPH was by far the rowdiest gang at the PECO awards; we turned up en masse to celebrate a cracking cross-country season and collect our awards! Congratulations to Adam L, Emma K and Honor B who all won individual prizes! Our women’s team collected the runner-up award, and our men’s team celebrated their clean sweep of victories with the winners’ trophy! Roll on PECO 26/27…

Spen 20 saw Adam L steal Jonny’s week-old 20 mile record, as well finishing first overall! Great work to Mike V who finished 11th!

Chloe B, our Africa correspondent, ran the 100 mile Addo Elephant Trail Run in South Africa – by far the most exotic run this month! Well done Chloe!

Jonny S and Mike G braved a very windy day to take on the Vale of York 10; nice work chaps! Mike V took on the 5 mile race and bagged himself a new VM40 club record!

Sheffield Half is an absolutely brutal course (if you’ve done it, you know…) didn’t stop some fantastic times, including a sub90 for Daisy W!

Congratulations to Phil H, who completed his 289th marathon at the Titus Trot!

Well done everyone, and apologies to anyone I’ve missed! Looking forward to what April brings…