WITH virtually no organised races at the moment, members of Thirsk and Sowerby Harriers are finding their own ways to challenge themselves, and five of them, Fran Jeffery, Alan Simpson, Trudy Morrice, Rosie Gatenby and Brett Edgeworth, decided to tackle the Foss Way Walk over a distance of 30 miles.

On probably one of the coldest, wettest mornings in recent months, they caught the early train to York and walked round the city walls to the start. They headed for Haxby, then New Earswick, Strensall, and Martin on Forest, with a detour to Stillington for a warm-up at the log burner at the Mill, along with the compulsory cake. Finally it was on to Crayke, Oulston and the finish at Easingwold. The whole trip took six hours and 51 minutes – not a bad effort for Rosie on her first ultra marathon. The terrain underfoot was mainly very wet farmland.

Park runs were due to begin again on June 5, but problems with some land owners being slow to grant permission means the start could be delayed until red tape is sorted out. Undeterred, nine members completed "notaparkrun" park runs, with Gary Wilkinson registering the quickest time, 24.51, Mike Lowther in his first experience of the event, 25.46, Tracey Lowther – also a first timer – 28.31, David Palmer 29.40, Caroline Pearce 35.34, Tracy Hayden 35.35, Rosie Gatenby 37.15, Sharon Keegan 37.16 and Hugh Jenyns 38.42.