Fifty two Vale of York athletes made the trip to Temple Newsam on Sunday for the first race of the 2026-27 PECO Cross Country League, hosted by St Theresa’s AC and Nidd Valley Road Runners. We had nine senior men, eleven senior women and thirty two juniors take part on the day.
It was a beautiful morning with the ground hard underfoot as the runners made their way up and down the hills of the estate. The only mud to be seen was either side of the infamous water crossing.
Noel Akers spent the morning at the water jump with a camera, and he took a great set of pictures that really capture the spirit and camaraderie of this cross country race.
The water crossing photos
Noel’s pictures of the water crossing say more about the race than the results will ever show. Look at the photograph at the top of this page. Bex has a hand out to the runner in front of her and behind as the women work together to make it across the stagnant stream.
The following shots all capture the positivity and energy of the Vale runners taking on the course’s biggest and most pungent challenge.
Our newly promoted women lie fifth in the Premier Division
Second place in the First Division last season means the women start this season in the Premier Division. The women’s Premier Division requires eight scorers rather than seven and is a much tougher proposition. Eleven Vale women started, eleven finished. First job done.
Annie Dickinson led them home in 33:36, nineteenth senior woman in a field of 295. Katie Adams followed in 34:30, then Amelie Udall and Anna Pratley. Bex Williams, Merry Gibbard and Amber Owens came through within thirteen seconds of one another, which is either excellent pacing or excellent support. Or both. Lesley Stainthorpe closed the team out in 40:59 for eleventh FV50 with Beverley Horsfield, Serena Lowes and Donna Ryan making it eleven out of eleven.
The women lie fifth out of eight on 726 points. York Postal Harriers are only two points ahead on 724. Just two points. If we keep getting eleven women to the start line the Premier Division holds nothing to be afraid of for the women of the Vale.
| Pos | Athlete | Time | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | Annie Dickinson | 33:36 | 19th FSEN |
| 42 | Katie Adams | 34:30 | 22nd FSEN |
| 74 | Amelie Udall | 37:31 | 35th FSEN |
| 95 | Anna Pratley | 38:14 | 44th FSEN |
| 129 | Bex Williams | 39:55 | 19th FV35 |
| 130 | Merry Gibbard | 39:59 | 54th FSEN |
| 132 | Amber Owens | 40:08 | 55th FSEN |
| 140 | Lesley Stainthorpe | 40:59 | 11th FV50 |
| 231 | Beverley Horsfield | 48:02 | 26th FV50 |
| 254 | Serena Lowes | 50:23 | 50th FV45 |
| 272 | Donna Ryan | 52:10 | 56th FV45 |
The men: another season in the Second Division
Nine men started and we needed seven to count. We did it and finished fifth out of ten in the Second Division on 1,090 points. Rothwell Harriers won the race on 647, with Airecentre Pacers second on 800. So promotion is going to be a big challenge again this season.
Steve Hillam was first Vale man home in 30:19. Oscar Shinn, Ben Garfield and JJ Grice were a minute behind Steve and all came through within sixteen seconds of each other so another case of excellent pacing and excellent support. Ian Martin recovering from his Yorkshire Marathon DNF was eleventh MV55 in 33:14, and Neil Ryan, three weeks on from his thirteen minute marathon personal best at York, and making his PECO debut, was close behind in 33:42. Neil Musgrove, Richard Johnson and Mark Roberts completed the nine for the Vale of York men’s team.
Only the first second claim runner counts for the team so our nine men gave us our seven counters with one to spare. Twelve or thirteen in the squad gives us a team that survives winter colds, half-term holidays and an annoying niggle in the same week. So if you have been thinking about joining the team, race two at Pontefract is the one to make your debut.
| Pos | Athlete | Time | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 86 | Steve Hillam | 30:19 | 20th MV35 |
| 112 | Oscar Shinn | 31:19 | 43rd MSEN |
| 119 | Ben Garfield | 31:29 | 44th MSEN |
| 123 | JJ Grice | 31:35 | 45th MSEN |
| 178 | Ian Martin | 33:14 | 11th MV55 |
| 188 | Neil Ryan | 33:42 | 25th MV50 |
| 233 | Neil Musgrove | 35:23 | 35th MV40 |
| 285 | Richard Johnson | 37:11 | 39th MV40 |
| 392 | Mark Roberts | 43:03 | 55th MV45 |
The juniors: thirty two ran with fifteen first timers
Thirty two Vale juniors raced at Temple Newsam, twenty in the shorter race for the primary school children and twelve in the longer race for secondary. A stunning fifteen of those thirty two had never run a PECO race in their lives. That is close to half the group making a debut on the same morning in November, and every single one of them finished.
Max was first of ours home in the shorter race in 7:34, twelfth U10 boy. Behind him, Harriet, Marty and Alicia all crossed in 8:43, which yet again is an example of excellent pacing and excellent support. In the longer race Tobias led the way in 9:57, and James and Alistair finished together in 12:52.
Primary race, 1.2 miles, 222 finishers
| Pos | Athlete | Time | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 58 | Max | 7:34 | 12th U10B |
| 84 | Albie | 7:54 | 34th U12B |
| 87 | Harris | 7:57 | 37th U12B |
| 97 | Esmé | 8:03 | 28th U12G |
| 102 | Thomas | 8:10 | 24th U10B |
| 117 | Charlotte | 8:21 | 36th U12G |
| 124 | Anna | 8:25 | 38th U12G |
| 141 | Rosie | 8:38 | 45th U12G |
| 145 | Harriet | 8:43 | 46th U12G |
| 146 | Marty | 8:43 | 47th U12G |
| 147 | Alicia | 8:43 | 48th U12G |
| 163 | Evelyn | 9:00 | 13th U10G |
| 164 | Isabella | 9:01 | 54th U12G |
| 170 | Edward | 9:14 | 56th U12B |
| 176 | Elena | 9:22 | 59th U12G |
| 179 | George | 9:23 | 40th U10B |
| 208 | Carys | 10:09 | 27th U10G |
| 214 | Georgia | 10:24 | 68th U12G |
| 219 | Henry | 11:16 | 49th U10B |
| 222 | Francesca | 12:34 | 31st U10G |
Secondary race, 1.7 miles, 198 finishers
| Pos | Athlete | Time | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56 | Tobias | 9:57 | 29th U17B |
| 81 | Toby | 10:32 | 20th U14B |
| 91 | Jack | 10:41 | 23rd U14B |
| 129 | Oscar | 11:29 | 30th U14B |
| 169 | James | 12:52 | 41st U14B |
| 170 | Alistair | 12:52 | 42nd U14B |
| 176 | Charlotte | 13:11 | 41st U14G |
| 181 | Connie | 13:43 | 45th U17G |
| 182 | Ewan | 13:52 | 43rd U14B |
| 187 | Molly | 14:06 | 45th U14G |
| 192 | Megan | 14:43 | 49th U14G |
| 196 | Kyla | 16:49 | 52nd U14G |
One for the over 55s
PECO runs vets leagues alongside the main senior leagues, and both our vets teams finished seventh of thirteen with an empty slot costing us a maximum score. With Steve Middup out due to illness, the men had nobody in the 65 plus category and the women have nobody at all at 55 plus or 65 plus. If you are over 55 and you own a pair of trail shoes, you are worth a great many points to this club. Please do consider signing up!
What’s next
- Saturday 14 November, West Yorkshire Cross Country League meeting 2, Thornes Park, Wakefield.
- Sunday 13 December, PECO race 2, Pontefract Park, hosted by Ackworth Road Runners and Rothwell Harriers. Entries through RaceBest, and only advance entries count towards the team.
Entries and links
- PECO senior entry, £17. It is a season ticket, so it covers race 2 through to race 5 and the relays, and you only register once.
- PECO junior entry, £8. Same arrangement, all the remaining races in one go.
- Full race 1 results on the PECO website, every division, every age group and the team scores.
- Our cross country page, with both leagues, every fixture and what you need to enter each one.
Find our tent, collect your number, and let’s get muddy!
All water jump photographs by Noel Akers.
