Club runners among the thousands who took on the London Marathon

LOCAL RUNNERS were among the 50,000 taking part in last weekend’s Virgin Money London Marathon.

Six Halifax Harriers were led home by Ryan Barker 2:59:01, followed by James O’Rourke 3:06:26 (pb), Paul Hopkinson 3:39:48, Angela Clarke 3:42:13, Nigel Taylor 4:16:01 and Andrea Ackroyd 4:22:12 (pb).

Stainland Lions’ Stephen Hall took 77 seconds off his 2019 time to clock a personal best time of 2:43:01.

Wendy Paulson knocked 43:41 off her 2019 time, finishing in 4:44:48.

Other Lions results: Gavin Foster 2:50:49, Jamie Westwood 2:57:35, Darren Reece 2:53:50, Mags Beever 3:00:14, Maria Harron 3:34:16, Gerry Banham 3:40:51, Michelle Rogerson 3:56:27, Graham Robertshaw 4:46:13, Richard Brewster 5:00:32, Melissa Vincent 5:02:19, Kim Ison 5:04:29, Becki Watson 5:12:46 and Paula

Statham-Drake 5:50:46. Virtual: Tony Pinnington 4:11:40 and Joanne Cooke 5:30:11.

Four Todmorden Harriers travelled to the capital; Peter Kerridge 3:29:48, Stuart Wolstenholme 3:46:05, Katie Samuelson 3:53:49 and Dan Taylor 3:57:16.

Tom Paget clocked 3:50:46 and was first back for Halifax Harriers at the Chester Marathon. Hazel Berrett 3:53:57 and Robert Hick 4:38:37 recorded personal bests and David Parrington finished in 5:28:51.

Harriers also recorded good results at the first West Yorkshire Cross Country at Cleckheaton last weekend.

Five U11s boys competed with Albert Jones first back in 14th place, followed by Ewan Edwards 16th, Rory Smith 21st, Ziggy Jackson 25th and James Hall 28th. In the U11s girls, Poppy Jowett had an excellent run to finish fourth with Paige Richardson 19th and Annabelle Aghahowa 33rd.

Joseph Stone was first back for the U13s boys in 13th, ahead of Ben Slow 14th, Beau Clark 17th and Ralf Jones 27th.

Kitty Harrison Sargent showed her potential taking third with Faye Skilbeck 11th in the U13s girls while William Cattermole 13th and Jayde McGregor 16th starred in the U15s boys and girls respectively.

Alex Franklin was second in the U17s men with Ned Hughes in fifth. In the U17s women, Molly Firth was 11th.

Verity Clements was second and Anna Bosford third in the U20s women. In the senior men, Thomas Hodgson was ninth and Michael Gaughan 14th. Michael King was ninth M40 and Stephen Fitz-Costa fifth M55.