Gritstone Tryal Navigation Race

Gritstone Tryal Navigation Race  27/04/14

This is organised by a Staffs Moorlands runner Ian Ankers, a super nice chap. 

This is my first navigation race, and I wanted to do it to force myself to learn how to read a map and use a compass. Dale Colclough showed me how to do it before the race. Now time like the present.

After a quick plan and chat with John Whilock on what route to take to the marked checkpoints we were standing on the starting line.

I decided that I wanted to go my own route and not follow anyone, as I wanted to learn the hard way. I certainly did, I was last at the first checkpoint. I had a lot of work to do to finish in a respectable position. Lucky the other checkpoints were areas that I kind of knew. So I hoped that my local knowledge would come in useful.





It did, I decide to run free, off paths, off tacks and take direct lines through woods and fields. And where possible to take an easy line.

I had no idea what position I was in, but I knew I was moving up the field and moving up the fields themselves. With the navigation and the map reading I felt okay during race, as I had a chance to catch breathe within this 15mile race.

Towards the end of race I caught up with Dale, as he took a wrong turn somewhere. We stayed together and pushed on to the finish.  It was nice to run together as Dale gave me lots of advice when I first started running, I have a lot of respect for him as he has a lot of knowledge of the land and sport.

I finished 10th in 02:28:47 and Dale finished 11th in 02:29:01. Whilst John won the race in a time of 01:58.