HAVING gained a deserved reputation as a road runner, Jamil Parapia decided to enter his first open fell race while holidaying in the Lake District.

The Loughrigg Fell Race, organised by Ambleside AC and billed as a start of the summer season is a four-mile dash. Parapia's primary target was to complete the course in under 30 minutes with no broken bones and in the process make it onto the Ambleside website’s sub 30 minute hall of fame.

Jamil finished the race in 15th place in a time of 29.36 thus making it onto the Ambleside AC hall of fame. The race was won by Tom Addison of Helm Hill in 26.21. The first female was Sarah McCormack of Ambleside in 30.20.

Four Otley members travelled up to the Lakes to take part in Saturday's Coledale horseshoe Fell Race. Following an unexpected overnight snow fall, the Coledale horseshoe was switched to its emergency route. The revised route was just shy of eight miles with 960 metres of elevation, including a maximum peak of 762m up Grisedale Pike.

First home for Otley was Jeremy Stewart in 1.29.53 in 84th position. Shane Ewen followed closely behind in 1.30.26 (88th). Tom Lynch came home in 1.40.37 (154th), just pipping Steve Robinson in 1.41.39 (163rd). The race was won by Ricky Lightfoot in an excellent gravity-defying time of 1.06.49.

Sunday saw the annual running of the Bailden Boundary Way. This was the second race in the Airedale Triple Trail Series.

The winner was Otley’s Frank Beresford in a time of 1:17:23 and the first lady home was Claire Cooper from Keighley & Craven AC in 1:34:07. Also for Otley were Robin Outtersides in 01:29:56, Matt Podd in 01:51:47, John Dade in 01:57:45, Andrew Rayner in 02:08:05 and Sara Richard in 02:15:21.

The Otley AC committee had a tough choice in choosing the club runners of the Month for March. There were many fantastic performances but they decided to award it to Charlotte Tomlinson and Eriks Zvaigzne.

Charlotte was given the award for her fantastic performance and ten mile personal best at Thirsk and for the second place in the Leathley Handicap. Eriks was given the award for also having a fantastic race at the Thirsk 10 and the handicap.