Following the leg-sapping, sun-burn inducing inferno that was the Coniston 10km, Round 7 of this year’s Summer League made the short trip up the road to a sultry Skirlaugh. 158 of the area’s finest (and Tim Simpson) toed the start line hoping for some rather more forgiving conditions than two weeks previous. The running gods duly obliged with muggy conditions and 20 degree heat. T’riffic, thanks.

Fortunately, the weather did nothing to deter the field, with many racers (even Tim Simpson) smashing their handicap times and scoring well. Anthea Eskrett extended her advantage at the top of the Handicap League, with Linda Huart ensuring a grandstand finish in Hedon with another stand-out performance, leaving her trailing the league leader by a slender 13 points.

The picturesque route wound it’s way from Skirlaugh, past Tim Simpson, and out towards Rise, darting left towards Sigglesthorne and picking up a portion of the familiar East Hull 20 course. Racers were treated to a welcome breeze heading in to Long Riston, shortly before Angela Alsop punctuated the arduous conditions like an oasis in the desert, manning the water station at 5 miles along with two helpful local lads. The Mighty Reds dominated proceedings, taking first place in men’s and ladies team and individual categories, and storming to 6 of the 12 age category spots. Continuing to prove that life for runners really begins at 40, the formidable pair of Steve Bateson and Sara Rookyard took first place in their respective fields, ably supported by Mike Hargreaves, Matty Smith, Carol Fee and Bethany Hunt in the team competition. The usual suspects Matty, Ian Grewer and Lance Kirlew once again showed the young ones how it’s done, taking their familiar top 10 spots, with Tim Simpson also running the race.

Prizes

Position	Ladies	Club	Men	Club
1	Sara Rookyard	EHH	Steve Bateson	EHH
2	Kerry Young	U/A	Gregan Clarkson	KuH
3	Corinna Turner	COH	Mike Hargreaves	EHH
1st Team	East Hull Harriers		East Hull Harriers
1st V35	Anthea Eskrett	EHH	N/A
1st V40	Liz Underwood	HH	Matty Smith	EHH
1st V45	Caroline Barker	EHH	Mark Williamson	HH
1st V50	Sharon Puleston	BRRC	Lance Kirlew	EHH
1st V55	Janet Potter	BRRC	Ian Grewar	EHH
1st V60	Shirley Oglesby	EHH	John Potter	BRRC
1st V65+	N/A		Peter Taylor	COH

Rather ominously for our local rivals, the Harriers are quietly growing a squad of rapidly improving talent, with a burgeoning group of new members creeping their way up the field.  Danny Jones appears every inch the baby-faced assassin, taking 12th spot in under 50 minutes, with Neil Seddon and Lee Alcock also making impressive gains. As Darren White, Vince McGowan and Steve Taylor continue to impress, it may not be too long before our elite are looking a little more nervously over their shoulders in future.

Once again, many thanks to the many volunteers for marshalling, photographing, cheering, time-keeping, measuring and recording. Impeccable as always.

So, as we head for a nail-biting finale in Hedon, the big questions are: Can Julie Salvidge edge West Hull’s Tracy Toner to make it an East Hull 1-2-3? Will Linda Huart pull off the race of the season and topple Anthea’s march to glory? Will Tim Simpson still talk to me after this? Tune in later to find out!

Tony Cross

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Results: EHH Summer League 2015 Race 7

Photographs: courtesy of Dave Gowans available on FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.670214913111068&type=1