14/08/2026
Heat, Grit, and Great Club Spirit: Sessay Swift 6k 2026 Race Report
Sessay, North Yorkshire
The village came alive once again as Thirsk & Sowerby Harriers hosted and turned out in force for the 14th running of the annual Sessay Swift 6k. Known for its fast, flat loop sweeping out of the village along country roads and finishing by the cricket club, the event delivered another brilliant evening of road running.
A huge thank you goes out to everyone who made the night such a massive success, with so many positive comments rolling in post-race!
Fantastic Team Effort. So fantastic that the team prize was won by Thirsk and Sowerby Harriers who maintain the trophy for another year!
393 runners in total took on the tarmac course and for the first and last time ever, it was ran with a partial solar eclipse.
Results for the race can be found here:
https://www.ukresults.net/2026/sessay.html
Photographs from the race can be found here:
https://tasharriers.club/photos
It was a true club-wide effort on the night. An impressive 77 runners took to the course, powered by a brilliant team of 35 helpers (including 8 star volunteers who doubled up as runners!) working before, during, and after the event. The energetic atmosphere and constant encouragement along the route gave every runner a fantastic boost.
Runner’s Perspective: Pushing Through the Heat
While the flat profile of the Sessay Swift offers prime potential for fast times, the warm conditions made for a grueling mental and physical battle on the night:
“My race didn’t go to plan—I set off too fast, felt sick in the first mile, and wanted to give up by 3k. I had to stop to walk a few times because it was just too warm. Other runners nearby offered great encouragement, calling out, ‘You can do it, only a mile to go!’ My reply was ‘Yes!’, but that still didn’t stop me from doubting I could finish. In the end, I dug deep and crossed the line in 32:15—which turned out to be 14 seconds faster than last year!”
It was a tough outing in the heat, but fighting through to secure a course personal best proved that the grit and determination paid off!
