Last Saturday Simon Jones ran the Kirkstall Calverly Cutter 16k, organised by Great Owl Running. The weather was ideal; crisp, cold and bright. Perfect for taking in the sights of the Leeds Liverpool Canal and River Aire. The route took runners through the brutal Calverly Cutting, or Honoria Drive, made in 1865 by the Thornhill family to replace an old packhorse track linking Calverly to Apperley Bridge. The entrance used to be guarded by Apperley Lodge, locally known as The Needle’s Eye. The sights would, however, have been fleeting for Simon as he zoomed by in a super speedy 1 hour 14 minutes placing him 3rd overall.

That evening Julia Ellis joined 239 runners on the start line of the Dalby Forest Headtorch Run organised by Mad Bull Events. The 5 mile route takes competitors through the mighty Dalby Forest in the dark. Julia got slightly lost on the tracks and trails but despite the extra distance still managed an excellent time of 1 hour 9 minutes.