Shelf Moor Fell Race

The opportunity to run a fell race came by, Gareth Briggs from Staffordshire Moorlands Athletics Club ask if anyone wanted to join him. I said yes.

It was a cold and damp morning, and we headed towards Glossop, I hadn’t heard of the race before and didn’t really know what it would be like. Gareth described it as one long up hill and one long downhill over the moors and peat.  Mark had also joined also from SMAC.

My knowledge into the race was that it is six miles long with an 1800ft contour that took you to one of the highest points in the peak district. The race record was set in 1989 by Colin Donnelly the time record was 39 minutes.

After a few stretches and nervous pacing, I signed up at an old scouts hut and then headed to the starting line. There we also saw Jack Ross, a great young runner from Staffs Moorlands.  Gareth told me not to go off so fast at the start. I said there is no chance of that, as I still a little stiff in my legs from LTOB and thought this may be a good chance to open my legs a little. We wished each other luck and we were off.

We set off and I started off with a steady pace over the rocky stone and twisting paths that lead to the hill that Gareth talked about, the first part of the hill is runnable but I was soon slowed down to a power walk up by nature staircase.   Heading towards the first false summit I could feel my legs burning, but the breath of other runners behind kept me moving. At this point Gareth and Jack were well in front, there were both in the top 5, with jack and Gareth fighting for positions between them…And that was there race. Something I could only be spectator to.

Gareth Briggs (SMAC) start of the first climb (Photo Ian Oates)

I managed to overtake a few people on the climb and but a few other people managed to get past me to, so a bit of tip for tat. I heard a marshal say I was in 21^st. Heading past the one of the three aircraft crashes and another checkpoint we headed towards Higher Shelf Stone, the highest point on the route. I desperately tried to catch the person in front of me, this worked and I managed to catch him by running better lines. As we reached the top, we were neck and neck. I saw Gareth and jack fly down the hill as the route looped back on its self.

(Top of Higher Shelf Stones, neck and neck toe to toe, slightly behind, photo Peak District Fell Races)

The person I was toe to to toe with decided to unleash his downhill legs. I couldn’t keep up him, though I did try to no avail.  This did mean that I gained on  a couple in front.  I couldn’t make much ground between them, as my downhill technique obliviously needs some work.  I soon found myself running by myself, so I decided to keep pressing as much as possible.  This was a long down hill and down I went. I could feel my legs burning with ever stride.  Trying to avoid the peat bogs, and the stones, I picked up the lines as best I could hoping to catch someone.

Descent from Higher Stones, tum bag 

Them suddenly someone flew past me, this was the wake up call I need. I tried to stay with the blue thing that shot past at a rate of knots. I pushed hard but I couldn’t catch him either… Things were getting worse. Until I got till the steepest part of the down hill section and then I managed to open my legs more. I could see I was catching a small group of runners in front of me. I had this last down hill section and the sprint road finish to make my places up. I still had some energy in the bag. Once I reached the road I open my legs to sprint to the finish passing a couple at the end of the downhill and the start of the road section.

On the way to finish line (photo Ian Oates)

I managed to finished  19^th for Team Raidlight with a time of 51minutes and 03 seconds.

Gareth managed to beat Jack for the first time in about three years. Though Jack was running with a broken wrist…

Gareth finished 3^rd and Jack finished 4^th with times of 45:59 and 46:46.

Gareth home straight (photo Ian Oates)

Mark finished 54 with 57:14 all for Staffordshire Moorlands.

It goes to show how good Colin Donnelly was at running beating my time by 12 minutes. I also learnt that I need to work on my downhill technique.