A YEAR'S worth of runners (365) romped around the hills of Haworth in the Auld Lang Syne on New Year's Eve.

Robert Burns wrote “Auld Lang Syne” in 1778, after which this now popular and iconic Yorkshire race is named.

The race itself has been around since 1994, being inaugurated by Dave and Eileen Woodhead, and has been a popular end to the local fell running year ever since.

To the bagpipe serenade of Auld Lang Syne itself, the runners jostled their way out of the bottom of the disused Penistone Quarry and down the track leading to the Bronte Way and eventually the Bronte Falls.

The race featured an incline up the the puddle-strewn Pennine Way, including a hard slog to Top Withins, where runners were met with a swirling mist.

The runners made their way to Lower Withins, where the track follow the mainly downhill descent to West End Cricket Club.

The men’s race was a battle all the way between Holmfirth Harriers’ Mark Buckingham and Ribble Valley’s Michael Cayton.

On their return journey Cayton was just ahead of Buckingham. Buckingham, however, bore that look of steely determination on his face.

Determination paid off as Buckingham went on to win the race by a clear margin, approximately three miles later (40.31) from Cayton (40.44) and Rossendale Harriers’ Sam Tosh (41.56).

The ladies race was just as hard fought with Dark Peak’s mountain running ace, Hatti Archer, gaining a clear lead over nearest rival Ribble Valley’s Nichola Jackson.

Archer maintained her lead to win in 46.19, finishing 13th overall and breaking Mary Wilkinson’s 2010 record (46.33).

Jackson romped home in second place, just under a minute later (47.05) ahead of Leeds City’s Sarah Hodgson (50.20).

Nidd Valley’s Alex Robinson returned to improve on his 2018 third placed under-21 position to win the title (46.46) from City of York’s James Tucker (50.23) and Daniel Batty (54.41).

Winner of the 2018 under-21 ladies title, East Cheshire’s Lily McGuinness (55.19) returned to reclaim the title in 2019 from Ilkley Harriers’ Nea Weston (71.12).

Men’s veteran 40 category winner was North Derbyshire’s Martin Dawson (45.30) from Saltaire Striders’ Will Kerr (46.14) and Keighley and Craven’s Chris Loftus (47.03).

Keighley’s Hinda Hardaker (51.39) won the ladies V40 category, ahead of Ilkley Harriers’ Kate Archer (54.31) and Bingley Harriers’ Ruth Thackeray (58.06).

Ilkley’s Jeff Green (50.33) took the MV50 title from Horwich Harriers’ Mark Walsh (50.48) and St Theresa’s Dave Parker (51.09).

Harrogate Harriers’ Helen Price (61.49) won the LV50 title just ahead of Wendy Jones (61.56) and Skipton’s Jayne Butterworth (63.15).

First MV60 was Preston Harriers’ Colin Shuttleworth (55.46) from second placed Rossendale’s Thornton Taylor (55.58) and Leeds Bradford Triathlon’s James Cunningham (57.23).

West Hull Ladies Amanda Dean won the LV60 title in 65.51, a mere three seconds in front of second placed Wharfedale’s Caroline Glover (65.54), and third placed Stainland Lions Aileen Baldwin (69.34), who still holds the LV60 record of 62.44.

Rossendale’s seasoned Ken Taylor took the MV70 title in 63.33 from Calder Valley’s Dick Spendlove (68.38) and Bingley’s Bruce Duncan (74.50). Baildon Runners’ Jackie Walters won the LV70 title in 93.55.