Stanage Struggle

From the Stanage Stuggle website 2011

 It was the picture above, or one just like it, that alerted me to the fact that these races were even going on across the peak district.  I was still pretty much a running novice at this stage, running at lunch times with a couple of road 10k events behind me.   The guys I was running at work with were pretty much road runners, but with my son playing football in Wirksworth, I had managed to hear about and take part in their Stuart Learmouth Undulator, which I had loved.

Not sure how I came upon the picture above but it spoke of something a bit more out of the ordinary, a bit more out in the wild.  I liked the fact that you can see the line of runners tailing off into the distance looking like for these runners there is still a lot of climb left to do.

So I did this race in 2014, signed up on the day, for a fiver!! and it was fantastic.  A flatish first mile followed by a climb up to the edge, a run along the top that seemed to go for ages, a charge back down the hill and a final mile that seemed to have more up than down, especially as I'd left any energy I had remaining on the hill.

Can't remember why, but I couldn't make a return in 2015, so had it on my radar for this year.  The fact that so many of these small fell races are entry on the day is great for me, think I have a problem with long term planning and the cost is in most cases very reasonable and going to local causes or school or village funds.

So this year I've made it to the lovely Hathersage, driving over the tops via Owler Bar.  My natural instinct to avoid a queue leads me to not patiently waiting to park in the field but drive through the streets of the town getting further and further away from the school before finally getting a space under the railway.  At least I then get a warm up getting back to the registration.

By the time I get into the hall there is no queue and sign on is completed in a couple of minutes. Plenty of Belper Harriers out on what is a fabulous day weather wise, with blue skies and sunshine on a warm September day.  As an added bonus, son number one has made the bus trip from Sheffield and is there to meet me.

Time for a bit more of a warm up and a trip to the Hathersage's public toilets, and let me just take time to say that, I am fully prepared to pay double next year as long as the extra money goes into the replace that toilet block fund.

Back into the fresh air and down to the start where we had a pistol to see us off.  First mile does give plenty of time for the field to sort itself out before the climbing starts, so no need to push the pace too much.  You get a great view of Stanage Edge during this time which does seem some distance away but its good to have the objective in sight.

The climb takes in tarmac, steps, a field and woods before a single track sandstoney path works it way up to the ridge.  Two years ago there was a short bit of walking time as the runners bunched up near the top, so I've pressed on this year expecting some of the same, but as it turns out there is no rest bite and its straight up and on to picking my way along the sandstone edge.



Not much traffic along here, unlike last time, and I find a bit of time to take in the amazing views that are all around at this point.  A quick check behind me even tells me I've enough time to quickly whip out the phone and get a shot or two on the run.

The picture on the right shows the drop off point from the edge which sees the start of the down hill back to the village.  Single track at first, with not many passing places so there is a chance of getting caught behind or holding others up, but once over a stile there is plenty of space to pick up the pace or let others pass.



All the walkers encountered on the way down were extremely generous, seemingly not minding at all their walk being interrupted by a sting of vest clad runners zipping through the countryside, even holding gates open and offering encouragement.

Remembering last time, I've kept enough back for the run through the fields and back up to the church before the final run down the road to the finish.  No sprint to the line needed today as I've enough distance between me and the runners behind and no chance of catching those in front, honest.

A bottle of water, some prize giving and a roast pork roll at the Pool cafe follows, chewing over the race with fellow Harriers, including Alan Billington, who took the fab shot below.  Strikingly similar to the one at the top, except this time there's me in the race, fantastic, thanks Alan.



Thanks also to the Fat Boys Running club for putting on such a lovely event and the fabulous marshals.  Would I do it again? Yes, how about next year.

Totley's exterminator

I've just had a check and a fair bit of this fell race isn't actually in Derbyshire but I'll carry on regardless.

Decided a while back to try something a bit further than I am used to, and having missed the half tour of Bradwell settled on the 'Exterminator', a fabulous looking route through some of the western most areas of the peak district.  I felt I knew some parts of the route already, Stanage Edge, Padley Gorge and the Longshaw Estate, whilst some areas would be new to me such as Totley Moor and Mitchell's Field.

I felt that with my partial knowledge and some studying of the route from afar, I would be ok in amongst the other runners, figuring the bit I knew the least about would be covered whilst the runners were all still in reasonable close proximity.  Armed with my checked, mandatory kit, map of the route and instructions I was ready to go.

The weather forecast was for fine, dry weather but the skies over Matlock and Bakewell on the way over promised anything but, with a blanket of thick black cloud covering the Derwent valley towns. Totley itself was in under blue skies though the low lying rainbow on the horizon promised something different.

The climb up to the trig point on Totley moor (CP1) was taken at a steady enough pace, with the leaders already disappearing into the distance and sure enough I was able to follow the line of runners off the hill and down to the stepping stones (CP2), taking some routes I certainly would not have picked out had I been on my own. 

After the climb up to the road had been completed, I had managed to find myself a fair way behind those in front of me so decided to push on up through Houndkirk Moor and onto Burbage Moor.  The narrow paths though the heather were again, not on the original route plan I had in my head, but I managed to tag onto a few other runners by the time we dropped over the rocks and headed to Higger Tor.

Keeping it nice and steady over Higger Tor to CP3, some water and a Jelly Baby, the route then took us up onto Stanage Edge.  Although the clouds still looked a bit threatening the rain was holding off and the temperature was good.  CP4 was duly reached and we were shown our route off the rocks and into the bracken.  Could have picked a better route down here I'm sure.  Looking at google earth there do seem to be some tracks through but I struggled to find them and was off my feet twice on my way to the bottom.

Some nice steady running was then ahead taking in some of the Stanage Struggle route to the Church at Hathersage.   Another water and Jelly baby at CP5 and a fellow runner asking me if I was ok? which was nice of him, thought I must have been looking a bit tired or something.  A bit more climbing up to and beyond CP6 at the far end of Mitchell's field saw me drop a couple of places before starting a long slow decent to the familiarity of the pump station at bottom of Padley Gorge.

I'd managed to fall behind those ahead of me at this point and rather than wait for a few seconds for those behind I set off from CP7 on the route that I had worked out before hand, down to Grindleford station and then taking the path up into Longshaw.  Now I still say this doesn't look to bad on the map but the height loss and subsequent gain I had to make, meant I found myself on a route with no other runners, and the climb up the steep ascent into the National Trust estate was taking it toll on my legs. Combine that with missing the planned entry point, then running what ended up being three sides of a square instead of one, my decision to not hang around for someone who knew what they were doing was proving to bit of a minor disaster.

Looking back I was pretty cross with myself for the amount of time and places I lost because of this, and the extra distance was telling as my pace slowed to a walk once up on White Edge Moor.  It was however, quite interesting to be in a race but out there on my own cutting through the acres of purple heather.

No runners in sight, either back towards Longshaw...

...or ahead towards white edge.

The Skies were becoming much brighter as I made my way back onto Totley moor and up to the trig point again, finally joining up again with some other runners approaching from the other side, all moving better than me at this stage. Thankfully the return back down to Totley was all downhill and I managed to get back to the Cricket Inn without losing any more places, but felt the lap of the sports field was a little uncalled for.  I was shattered.

Post CP8 performance aside, a cracking event through some magnificent scenery and with the heather still out in force it was fabulous views all round.  Lovely roast pork bap and cake at the finish made me feel a bit better as well.  Found the guy who had shown concern for my health back in Hathersage and thanked him.  I had only noticed later in the run that my knee and shin were covered in blood, almost certainly a result of my descending technique off Stanage Edge.

Would I do again?  Certainly, but may get in a recce of where I went wrong  before my next attempt.

My route