WHILE most people are taking in the festivities and eating drinking and being merry, the runners from Richmond and Zealand harriers are hitting the roads, trails, cross country courses and parkruns for their own merriments and many improving their own personal bests.

This the big races were the Yorkshire cross country championships held at Lightwater Valley in which historically the squad have been very competitive at.

First out on the course were the U13 boys with Josh Hammett having another excellent run to take him to 5th in the race, he was followed by Dominic Wilford in 55th, Sam Archer in 57th, Thomas Carter in 58th, Riley Deighton-Harrison in 60th, Robbie Lee in 79th and Thomas Greer in 82nd, giving the squad 11th and 16th in the team race.

The U13 girls race had Shannon Robinson finish in 10th, with Holly McCowie just behind in 11th and Olivia Jackson-Bowers in 55th giving them 6th in the team race.

The U15 boys race was led out by Richmond's runners and they packed beautifully to take the Yorkshire team title. Kyle Rabjohn was 2nd, followed by Charlie Stephenson just behind in 3rd, Dan Francis just off the podium in 5th, Joe Reeve in 41st and Tom O’Mahoney in 47th. Alana Teasdale was 36th in the U15 girls race and Emily Francis was 60th. In the junior women Rachael Smith was 12th. Pauline Whittaker was 150th, Elly Robertson was 153rd and Nicki Buckett in 183rd in the senior womens race. The men were led home by Liam Rabjohn in 37th, Jamie Berry in 88th, Robin Wilkin in 96th, Liam Fletcher in 268th and Ryan Greer in 324th. The Ribble Valley 10k, doubles up as the Northern Road racing championships and has been a very happy hunting ground for the clubs runners over the years with a strong squad assembled again. Marc Scott took the win last year and hopes were high for another repeat performance and he didn’t disappoint with not only the win but a new course record in the process (28:58, 1st). Rob Scott followed him home in 22nd in a massive new pb (31:17), next was Tony Lambert as the 3rd V45 (34:36), Josh Lincoln was the next runner home (36:18), just out sprinting Lee Davies (36:26) with another good run and Ellie Robertson in 674th and a huge new pb (49:41). Also run over the festive period is the local Jolly Holly 10k which is much more of a trail race and very testing. Carl Jones again took to the course with gusto and produced a fine performance in 2nd and the top V40 runner (35:37:9). Leon Reeve was next in 44th (42:55:8), Issy Starkey in 118th (47:18:4), Simon Withers in 129th (48:02:1), Kimberley Reeve in 158th (49:03:9), Garry Malton in 166th (49:16:7), Ian Hepworth in 406th (59:47:6) and Michelle Withers in 725th (1:16:21:4). Leon and Kimberley Reeve took on the arduous Hardmoors 15, with two fantastic results. Leon was 6th and the 3rd V40 (2:00:06) and Kimberley was 17th and the 4th lady (2:12:34). There were also numerous parkruns over the festive period and even the dreaded doubles on New Year’s Day!

Steve Middleton took the tape as the first finisher at Northallerton parkrun (19:36), Rob Lickley was 8th (21:52) and Alastair Wilkin was 10th (22:36). At Penrith parkrun Matthew Lambert was 1st (17:34), Tony Lambert was 2nd (18:01), Sam Kettlewell was 8th (18:54) and Tracey Lambert was 210th (34:42). Catterick parkrun had Lee Davies in 1st (17:38), David Hack in 2nd (17:42), Garry Malton in 25th (21:58) and Ian Hepworth in 56th (25:18). Deborah Jefferies took son Caleb round the course in his buggy at Hartlepool parkrun and finished 112th (35:39). Mark Crawford was 5th at Bingley parkrun (19:33). On New Years day at Northallerton junior parkrun Shannon Robinson was 1st (8:15), Ollie Middleton in 3rd (8:29) and Rhys Robinson in 6th. Athletes that took in the double parkruns on New Years day were Nicki Buckett, Pauline Whittaker, Deborah Jefferies, Garry Malton, Alastair, Rebecca and Jim Wilkin. At Northallerton junior parkrun Ollie Middleton was the first finisher (8:24), Jim Wilkin was 5th (09:19), Rebecca Wilkin was 10th and the 2nd girl (09:36), Kiki Fletcher was 23rd (11:21), Charlotte Jackson-Bowers was 24th (11:27) and Sofia Wardman in 27th (11:31).

Further information on the club and training nights can be found on the website www.richmondzetlandharriers.co.uk.