THOUSANDS of people took part in the York Run For All this weekend, with thousands more on the streets of the city to cheer them on.

York was bathed in sunshine but remained cool, as about 6,500 runners gathered at York Knavesmire for the annual race, inspired by Jane Tomlinson.

>> 49 pictures from today's run

Among those taking part were Mike Francis and the Why Guy Team who were running in aid of the Guy Francis Bone Cancer Research Fund, in memory of the the Wheldrake teenager who suffered from the condition.

Mike said: “There are 22 of us running, we’ve done all six runs. We’ve no idea how much we will be pulling in today, as we have a lot of people going in for the Yorkshire Marathon so they are treating this as a training run, but however much we raise is a good thing.”

York Press:

Peter Fairfield and Team Autoweb from Selby ran for CLIC Sargent, after a colleague’s young daughter was diagnosed with childhood leukaemia in 2009.

Peter said: “She got through it and we do this every year now for her. I think we’ve raised about £3,000 just this year so far.”

York Press:

Neil Malcolm from Mirfield was the first wheelchair racer to cross the line, and said: “It was a good, fast course. I’m very happy with my time, it’s a personal best. Unfortunately, a few of the guys I normally race with couldn’t be here but I’m happy to win it on their behalf.”

Emma Yates, 45, runs with Knavesmire Harriers and was the first female runner to cross the line - at 38 mins 11 seconds - in her sixth York Run For All.

She said: “I’ve done it every year, it was absolutely brilliant, I really enjoyed it. There was a great crowd as usual, it was really good fun.”

Cousins Ben Rivis, 32, from Kirkbymoorside, and Zoe Sleighthome, 37, from Hungate in York, both ran the 10km to support Candlelighters.

Ben said: “We just thought it was a good cause, a charity for children’s cancer, you can’t get a better cause than that.”

Zoe said: “It’s an awesome course, and well laid out. The crowd were great and everyone supported us everyone was standing outside houses and shops cheering, it makes a big difference.”

In the mini and juniors’ run, Team CHSF made up of 22 children raised £1,600 for the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund to help support young patients and their families.

Jacqui Scott, mum of heart patient Cameron, said: “The kids have done fantastically well, I’m overwhelmed by the amount raised and the support we’ve had.”

Adrian Armitage, 52, and his daughter Katie Starkey, 25, travelled from Wakefield to take part in the race.

Adrian said: “We did it last year for the first time, and did about ten minutes better this year, which was great. We went round together, because Katie wouldn’t leave her old dad! 

“We will be back again next year, see if we can chip another few minutes off our times.”

Katie said: “The crowd were great, and I think that might have been because they got a bit of a lie-in from the delayed start, they were a bit more lively.”
 

TOP MALE RUNNERS
James Bulman: 32.38
Frank Beresford: 32.43
Steve Robinson: 32.58

TOP FEMALE RUNNERS
Emma Yates: 38.11
Victoria Needham: 38.27
Michelle Nolan: 38.53