Quality shines at Auld Lang Syne
Andi Jones
One of the biggest races of the festive period saw some high class performances from a top quality field, with Mary Wilkinson breaking Olivia Walwyn’s course record, and fast-man Andi Jones winning a third title…
The men’s race had been a ding-dong battle between two of the UK’s foremost endurance athletes. The Bingley Brownlee’s were represented by younger sibling Jonny this year, fresh from a strong win at the Boxing Day Chevin Chase race. However, two-time winner and course record holder Andi Jones was not to be denied by the European Junior triathlon champ, as the Salford man ran out a 10-second winner in 39.39 – some 45 seconds outside of his course record.
Writing on his Runners Life blog Andi stated:
This race always attracts a good field and is now pre-entry only as its such a popular race. Some 400 numbers are sold for the race, but whether they all turn up I dont know. The race was on the normal route which suites me better as the down hill sections are easier. I dont have a problem with the climbs but do hold back a little on the downhill parts. Jonny Brownlee and I had a great battle all the way round with the lead changing several times on the route. As we headed in to the last mile it was still anyone’s race and in the end I won but by seconds.
Mary Wilkinson
The women’s race was less close from a racing viewpoint, but exciting in the fact that Mary Wilkinson made it a Chritmas 1-2 after winning the Stoop race a couple of weeks earlier. Returning from a long lay-off the GB mountain running international strode away from Jo Buckley over the 6.6 mile course to take the three year-old course record in 46.57.
She told the race organisers afterwards:
At the trig point I had about 40 seconds over Jo, and enjoyed flying down the moor on to the Pennine Way. I looked at my watch before the descent back into the fields and thought with 10 minutes to go to beat the record, it would be a piece of cake. But it wasn’t at all, out of the beck on that killer climb my quads were on fire and calves screaming, even on the good track back my legs just wouldn’t go any faster, it was horrible!
Some great coverage over at the Woodentops site, with results and images galore.
