| Chris Randall | 2:27:59 |
| Wayne Grant | 2:29:39 |
| Bec Day | 2:33:21 |
| John Moore | 2:36:36 |
| Shaun Hall | 3:05:28 |
Author: kieran
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Kentmere Horseshoe
[+ Chris R] -
Buxton Carnival 4
Written by Chris Bowen.
Just over two weeks since I finished the Spine Challenger North, I found myself on the start line for the Buxton Carnival 4. “A bit short for you” said someone I know from Pennine.
Several of us had travelled by train from Whaley, meeting some Glossopdale members on the way -having a chat with them made for a sociable start to the afternoon. The train was delayed in Chapel but after a quick trot to registration to collect numbers, we made our way to the start with time to spare.
Thunderstorms were forecast but it was just drizzle that was falling as we suddenly set off down from Spring Gardens. This made for a cooler race than it might have been as it was a humid day. The long climb up St John’s Road was not as bad as I remembered and I overtook Christine H and then Moira. Ita was way in front in by this time. Moira quickly passed me again as we turned the corner and we headed downhill back towards the Pavilion gardens. A quick cut across town and we were back up for the second climb up St John’s Road. I wasn’t as quick this time and Moira stayed ahead of me. Very soon we were heading down to the finish in the Market Square.
After waiting for all Striders to finish and the usual congratulations, we headed back to registration to get our bags. We decided to have a beer before our train back and so were still there for the prize-giving. This was fortuitous as Christine H, Ita, Moira and James Rees had all won their age categories and we collected a table full of prizes! Well done to all!
PS My quads are still sore. 160 miles of the Pennine Way – not a problem but 4 miles of road is a different matter.
Nathan Porter 23:35 Robin Leathley 24:00 James Rees 26:20 Wayne Grant 26:59 Matt Biglin 29:12 Brian Holland 30:22 Paul Hunt 33:46 Ita Kelly 33:54 Moira Hunt 35:36 Chris Bowen 35:46 Christine Hill 36:21 Stuart Keen 37:39 Chris Tetley 38:13 Jane Keen 46:02 -
Hathersage Gala Fell Race
Robin writes:
Upon reviewing the entry list, I thought it would be a small party at Hathersage, only to find that there were many striders entering on the day! 11 striders in total made the race, to continue the streak of a really well attended fell championship this year. (great race picking Kieran!)
Initially I thought it was strange to be given a leg tracker pre-race for timing, but it later became clear it was a great idea!
206 of us huddled onto a small taped off bit of grass for the pre-race briefing, nothing to note from the RD apart from the route would not be diverted by cows like a race a couple weeks ago. After shuffling onto the road it was a very congested start. It was made clear that we should all keep to the left on the road and bless weren’t people obedient of that. I did however use that to skip past on the right as once again, I’d let myself start too far back in the pack.
The race curves up a trail after a few hundred metres and your heart rate is elevated almost immediately with no reprieve for the first mile and a half with so much climb, before you reach the top of Over Owler Tor, what a name! There isn’t much room for overtaking on this race, whereas most would be happy with this, I was racked with guilt for holding people up on the climbs. Tired legs from the fast mile from the race before took their toll faster than I’d hoped and I graciously moved to the side when heavy breathing behind me became to burdensome for me to bear.
Once at the top after the narrow trails opened up at last, it was very reminiscent of the top of most of the edges around there, Stanage, Curbar, Frogatt, lots of rocks to dance around. A welcome shower of wind and rain helped cool me down at this point as I thanked the marshals who’d drawn the short straw on the tops. I should say all the marshals were brilliant, lots of clapping/encouragement, really a fantastic job.
After coming off the top of Higger Tor, I knew that if I’d kept Rob Nock at bay, that the 60 points would be mine, as I glanced round I hoped that perhaps he wouldn’t be in sight and I could run down to the finish a bit easier….sadly not he was only 5-6 seconds behind! Bollocks. Pushing to end are we Rob? Damn it.
With a wonderful descent of grass, road, trail, I pushed it as much as I could, passed a few and sprinted with whatever I had left around the school field to the finish. 33rd in the end, but the time was more-or-less what I was aiming for so I was happy and I secured the 60 points with Rob coming in 45 seconds or so later. I knew it was going to be close!
A great race, one which was hard fought but I’ll definitely go back for again, as it seems, fell racing just sucks you in like this. I’ve never done fell races in short sequences like this year, but man are they addictive. It’s 3 weeks till Brassington and I’m gutted I have to wait till then!
Last point to note was that with the leg tracker, the Hathersage team had put together a live results screen scrolling through all the positions as soon as you came in, wow, what a great idea and one I may have to look into for the future!
Robin Leathley 36:43 Rob Nock 37:28 Col Allott 39:12 Thomas Penn 39:37 Wayne Grant 40:03 Chris Randall 42:11 James McGill 43:18 Bec Day 45:20 Brian Holland 45:58 Julia Carter 53:29 Pete Fotheringham 61:20 [Ed: Bec is officially Summer Fell champion! And Robin has all but secured the men’s champs. Check out the tables here.] - Distance: 7.3 km / 4.5 mi
- Ascent: 325 m / 1066 ft
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Hope Wakes Fell Race
Nine Striders raced in Hope, with Rob first over the line for GVS and 38th of 185 runners overall. In the third change of leader in as many races, reigning Summer Fell Champ Wayne takes the front in the latest tables. Bec has all but sealed the ladies title after 6 of 9 races.
Fuller report to follow from Rob Nock …
[+Neilio] Rob Nock 54:07 Wayne Grant 58:53 Neil Colquhoun 62:14 Connor Lomax 63:15 Bec Day 64:42 Brian Holland 65:09 Roy Whittle 69:48 Andrew Dobson 73:04 Peter Fotheringham 91:38 Route details
- Distance: 9.5km / 5.9mi
- Ascent: 451m / 1480ft
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DCRO Dash
The Dash is a fast, tough race over the hills south-west of Castleton. It’s a major fundraiser for the Derbyshire Cave Rescue Organisation.
Bec Day was our on site reporter for this race.
Only 5 of us this evening. For those that don’t know this race has a very British start and a brutal finish. Once the initial climb is done it’s totally runnable. It was perfect conditions for the 45 minutes waiting for the start, unfortunately once the race had started the rain stopped and the sun came out and it was far too bloody hot! The boys had points to contend for and had a good race. It was a good evening for all involved.
Bec Day won the V40 category. It was a sprint for the line between Chris, Connor and Matt, with only twenty seconds separating them.
Bec and Thomas Penn now lead the way in the latest tables, after 5 of 9 races in the Summer Fell Champs.
Thomas Penn 49:55 Chris Randall 52:15 Connor Lomax 52.35 Matt Biglin 52.37 Bec Day 57.13 Route details
- Distance: 8.5km / 5.3mi
- Ascent: 370m / 1200ft
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Tideswell Inter Inns 5k
Written by the unofficial strider, Wilf D’Cruz aged 9:
15 Goyt Valley Striders turned up to a well attended (109 people raced) 5km race starting at the Star Inn. Starting speedily at 19:00, the race commenced flat though Tideswell and up the big hill and then down into Litton. It was well supported there and curved back up the hill and then down again into Tideswell. I expect some fast sprint finishes from GVS.
Well done to Nathan coming 6th overall as well as the winner Charles Bell. Ita came first v60 woman and Rob coming first v40 man and I came 2nd u11 boy with my new PB: 22:57. Most of us had a most deserved drink after at the finish pub, the Horse and Jockey. Everyone did very well, I must say.
[ed] One team photo missed John, and one missed Bec. Sorry, John. 
Nathan Porter 18:10 Rob Nock 19:05 John Moore 21:03 Matt Biglin 21:54 Wilf D’Cruz 22:57 Kieran Smallbone 22:58 Brian Holland 23:18 Andrew Dobson 24:06 Rebecca Day 25:20 Ita Kelly 25:36 Aidan Grant 26:02 Jamie Mifflin 26:15 Shaun Hall 27:00 Christine Hill 27:14 Sarah Millington 41:45 Route Details
- Distance: 5 km / 3.1 mi
- Total ascent: 60 m / 200 ft
- OS Maps Route
- Downloadable GPX file
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Boar’s Head
Robin writes:
Arriving nice and early with Kieran and Connor, we embarked on a modest 1 kilometre warm up on what looked ideal racing conditions, a nice breeze and beautiful early evening sunshine. With 11 striders posing for the team photo, including new Strider Jamie who’d picked THIS race as his first ever race, we lined up for the start. With the race split up with 3 checkpoints, there’s portions of self-navigation leaving runners to decide which route across Lyme Park is fastest.
The Race Director at last minute before announcing go, decided to make certain other amendments to the course known, but due to a loud and excitable crowd of runners, I only caught, “nesting curlews” and “don’t go this way”. Worried for my pre-planned route to the left of Lantern Woods I thought following the person in front would be fine, if they were listening…
Chatting with a Wilmslow Strider (boo strider is ours) on the start line, he warned me of a fast start ruining his race last year, so what did I do, charged ahead of him before he later passed me just before the cage. We’re a stubborn bunch us runners aren’t we. I was happy with my route across to the cage, it seemed to cut out a good portion, “a nice start” I thought. On route up, there were 2 or 3 runners cursing their friend for suggesting this race, laughing and joking while I struggled to stay ahead breathing heavily wondering how they sounded so fresh! As soon as I rounded the cage, I immediately abandoned my plan and charged down to the reverse of the park run route, encountering a large group of deer I would have otherwise missed, so wonderfully fortunate. For the first time on a fell race I happened to be wearing a vest with my phone in so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to take a video, simultaneously dropping my car key and losing precious seconds, I got the footage I needed and charged on.
The climb up to Bowstones from this side is much steeper but I was relieved to see I wasn’t the only one reduced to walking, although I did fear that I must be further back in the pack than I’d realised, I’ll catch a few on the downhill I hoped. Finally up and over the stile past Bowstones I charged across the Gritstone Trail after the few in my sights. Turning back down to Lyme Park, skipping along with a big grin in the reverse direction I saw Col Allott offering a “Well done Robin”, “Keep going Robin”? I can’t recall, it was encouraging nonetheless!
The second half of the course is much better than the first, although undulating you can really make up some time if you like downhill, which I adore. Taking a couple over each section, I knew I was making my way through the field which felt great. I then found a pair who were very much my equals. The first I accidentally closed a gate on the back of his shoe taking it nearly completely off, upon which he called “Sabotage! I’ve been cheated!” He wasn’t serious, I don’t think…I did linger behind him while he re-slotted his foot in his shoe as a gesture of good faith anyway.
Upon the final descent back down to the Boars Head, I got past the sabotee(?) and set off after the only other I could beat in the time remaining, a Sedgley Strider (boo again). My competitive nature can’t abide another Strider being ahead of me, even if they’re not Goyt Valley. I managed to pass him in the last 400 metres or so but was chased by heavy breathing over the line to finish 21st, take that Sedgley.
What a cracking race, one I’ll definitely do again and would highly recommend.
Robin Leathley 54:23 Wayne Grant 59:33 Thomas Penn 61:13 John Moore 63:04 Ivan Whigham 65:19 Connor Lomax 66:25 Kieran Smallbone 66:29 Roy Whittle 72:37 Andrew Dobson 74:43 Rebecca Day 81:36 Jamie Mifflin 84:06