To weekend of 27th / 28th January, 2024

Congratulations to Nicky Spinks, Sophie Littlefair and Jennie Stevens who all completed The Spine this week. Nicky did what Nicky does to finish 4^th= woman in 4 days 15:40:56. Sophie was 7^th= woman and finished in 5 days 9:10:37 with Jennie 11^th woman in 5 days 21:40:29. Jennie put in a proper shift on Friday and well into the early hours of Saturday traversing the 40+ miles from Bellingham to the finish in Kirk Yetholm including the Cheviots in the dark on her own. Respect!

Jennie Stevens at Kirk Yetholm. We’ll excuse her if she was a little emotional.

Past races

Moz’s Birthday Run – 15 runners for this DPFR classic with not a soul under the age of 40. Wins for Tom Brunt and Kirsty Bryan-Jones. Results https://dpfr.org.uk/wp_dpfr/dpfr_results/845902

Trigger – Lisa Watson writes… Well done to everyone at Trigger today! What a great day for it. I’d take some icy slabs for near frozen bog and sun in my eyes for the beautiful views any day it was a fast one today and a new course record was set for the men by Joe Oldfield (Matlock) in 3:05:21, Oli J had previously held the record for 11 years. Dark Peak Ladies dominated with a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (Lisa, Anna W-P, Des, Sarah Hornby, Helen Roberts). The men didn’t quite sneak into to the top 3 but took 10 of the top 20 places with Philip Montgomery first runner home in 4th. Neil N won the MV40 prize.”  Results 

Anna Watkinson-Powell (2^nd), Lisa Watson (1^st) and Des Berdeni (3^rd), the Trigger women’s team winners.

Hathersage Hibertator – Tim Rutter writes… A handful of non Triggerers descended on Hathersage for unofficial running of the new Hathersage Hibernator route.  The MapRun app was embraced with warm disgruntlement by most but a few Luddites decided to go it alone.  Near perfect running conditions meant for fast times with 4 of the group breaking 2 hours.  Toms won most categories with Saville getting the senior and Brunt the first wrinkly.  Rachel Rose got the women’s result.  Tom S’s time is likely to be the course record for the run next year (however still 2 weeks for someone to beat it). Lisa Watson is currently the fastest woman on the app, having run round earlier in the month.  There were a lot of other people running the route at the same time which allowed for a few spontaneous chats on the way round. The general view was it’s a great route that should make a good mass start race next January.  Unfortunately, quite a few ended up disqualified on the app due to missing checkpoints but they’ll probably be allowed through by the RO. Hopefully an alternative timing method will be found for the real race.  I asked everyone to put an estimated time which are in the comments, Tom B gets the prize (nothing) for the closest estimate.  Well done! Tea and scran in the outside cafe afterwards but no hats as promised. Results 

Upcoming races

Sunday 21^st January – Ashop Horseshoe. DPFR race from the bridge below the Snake Inn as was. Start times 09:30 (or earlier) for the slow and 10:00 for the speedier types. The weather forecast isn’t looking great so southerners probably shouldn’t run and northerners might want to take their big coat. Debrief at The Anglers in Bamford.

Sunday 28^th January – Tigger Tor. Pre-entry only.

Saturday 3^rd February – Margery Hill which is simply one of, if not the best, of the DPFR races. Just do it, you know you want to! That said, it can be a serious undertaking in poor weather so take more kit, including food than you think that you could possibly need. You’ve been warned! Details in the Calendar.

Saturday 10^th February – Tour of Bradwell Winter Half. Over 17 miles and 3,500 vertical feet of Type 2 fun. Pre-enter here. 

Sunday 25^th February – Doctor’s Gate, a Des Gibbons race from Old Glossop. 12.7 miles with 2,822 feet of climbing which makes it an AL.

Saturday 16^th March – Flower Scar, English championship race. Entries open. SiEntries.

Sunday 24^th March – Edale Skyline. Entries open on 1^st February.

Saturday 6^th April – Lad’s Leap, English championship race. Entries open.

Saturday 25^th May – Jura. Entries open.

A long way ahead but Lewis Ashton has booked Beudy Mawr, the Rucksack Club hut in Nant Peris, for the weekend of 20^th / 22^nd September to coincide with the Peris Horseshoe British Championship race. Contact Lewis to reserve a place.

Lewis is also organising the Rucksack Club running meet at High Moss in the Duddon Valley over the weekend of 1^st / 3^rd November. All welcome.

JimP

Saturday 20^th January, 2024