Rivelin Foxtrot

Rivelin Foxtrot on Sat 1st Oct 2016

Introduction to the Results [fortunately the RO has kindly provided the following to explain all; the results themselves have been uploaded to reflect positions as these feature in the 40@40 - i.e. Neil and Mike are relegated in the field behind all runners carrying a stone or more in weight -ed.]

This is a resurrection of a training-race that Dark Peak used to hold regularly during the summer months. In it, we incorporated an innovative feature from another training-race that was based on the Sportsman. Awards were based on the weights of the contestants including the weight of the contents that they carried in their rucsacs.

The Foxtrot is a 3-mile race starting and finishing at the Club Hut at The Sportsman. It can arguably claim to have terrain more difficult to traverse than in any other fell race in Britain (see the results and the comments on them below). In my opinion, it should be classic training ground for the hard men of Dark Peak (as it was in the early days). But much to my surprise, the Foxtrot terrain was a revelation to some who took part today.

Before reading the results, it is assumed that you have read the competitor instructions on the DP website given out before the race (see here). Unfortunately, website instructions did not include a map of the course (but a map was given to competitors prior to the start). This caused trouble for Neil who arrived at the last minute and didn't have a map to pinpoint the position of the last control which he bypassed. Maybe he saved himself 5 minutes but would still have won comfortably if he'd reconnoitred the course. Instead Neil's been shining in other big fell-running events. Clearly, Neil could do this race in 30 minutes.

If 30 minutes sounds an easy time to beat for a 3-mile race, here is a challenge. Run round the course in under 30 minutes and claim a free drink from me (Mike Hayes) in The Sportsman. And win a bottle of wine if you beat Roger Wood and Rob Davison's record time of 27 minutes – set in worse weather with fewer major paths than today.

RESULTS Body-weight + Rucsac weight = Total weight in lbs (Time) - rucsac contents ...

Neil Northrop 157 + 0 = 157 (33-26)

Richard Hunt 177 + 28 = 205 (47-37) - lead (carefully wrapped in felt and gaffer tape)

Willy Kitchen 196 + 14 = 210 (53-30) - cooking salt, gardeners' gloves, secateurs, small saw, golf balls

Kevin Saville 152 + 14 = 166 (60-30) - sack of earth (as provided by Mike)

Mike Browell 178 + 0 = 178 (66-45)

Stephen Martin 200 + 23 = 223 (70-20) - 2 x 5kg lifting weights

Keith Holmes 138 + 14 = 152 (114-00) - small apples (from Mike's garden)

Dave Lund 168 + 14 = 182 (114-00) - to be confirmed (Dave?)

AWARDS

Just like in the early days of Dark Peak, this is where a small handful of runners can share the awards – in this case, quite legitimately, with everyone winning something.

Neil wins the Jonny Brownlee Award for winning a race easily then, as the finishing-line approached, finding an innovative way of losing it.

Richard scoops up the Heavyweight Champion of the World award as well as winning the accolade of being a Supreme Sherpa – no-one with a combined weight heavier than him ran faster than him.

Willy is a Heavyweight Champion (getting round with a total weight over 200 lbs) as well as being a Supreme Sherpa too (his combined weight was greater than Richard's).

Kevin is a Sherpa Champion but really he was just messing about today after doing the 3 Peaks last weekend. Kevin carried a bike up Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough and could have carried more weight to take on Willy and Richard seriously.

Mike wins the special Eternal Old Fart Award for being the only contestant in previous Foxtrot races to make an appearance – and to get round comfortably on zero training.

Stephen is both a Heavyweight Champion (the heaviest contestant) and a Supreme Sherpa too (no-one faster than him had a combined weight greater than his weight).

Keith and Dave are both Sherpa Champions. In spite of their slow times, they got round correctly with 14 lbs in their rucsacs. They also win a special Two Toe Sloth Award for managing to run the last 1½ miles at an average speed slower than a sloth (1 mph). They could also be in line for a Pertex award too if Sue and Alan broadcast their exploits.

Sue and Alan also deserve special mention for monitoring runners' progress in the wilds of Wyming Brook and for guiding the last finishers to safety before the pub shut.

Concluding Comments

We could say quite a lot more about today's adventures (as could the participants) – as well as describing how this Foxtrot terrain played an important role in Dark Peak's history. But enough is enough for the moment. Please, contestants, get back to us with any corrections or comments whilst today's events are still fresh in our minds.

Thank you for keeping alive this very special training event.

Mike and Mary Hayes