Peakers Stroll Sunday July 4th, 2010 (TBC)

The Peakers Stroll is held annually on the first Sunday of July, and can be walked or run as a 25, 17, 13 or 9 mile route. Organised by the Tidswell Male Voice Choir . Alternative information from Iain Brignell’s site , but unfortunately some of the pages don’t seem to load. The route maps, for this reason, are approximate, especially on the 25 miler, with the descent from Win Hill and the ascent route from Ladybower to Jaggers Clough being open to my interpretation.

All the runs start from Peak Forest and head towards Mam Tor. The 17and 25 milers continue after the descent from Lose Hill with the rather severe ascent of Win Hill. The 17m then descends back in the direction of Hope to a checkpoint and then onto Hope and Castleton. The 25m goes the other way down to Ladybower, and then picks a route back to Edale, then over Hollins Cross, via Cave Dale and finally to Peak Forest.

Peakers Stroll 25 Map

Peakers Stroll 25 Profile

Peakers Stroll 17 Map

Peakers Stroll 17 Profile

Peakers Stroll 13 Map

Peakers Stroll 13 Profile

Peakers Stroll 9 Map

Peakers Stroll 9 Profile

 

Review of our 2009 run

Results Peakers Stroll 2009

Grindleford Gallop 13th March: Route Map

Route maps of the Grindleford Gallop for anyone interested. Route starts at Grindleford and goes anti-clockwise. More information, a route map with marked controls and an excellent little video of the route on http://www.grindlefordgallop.co.uk/

The four main climbs are

1. Froggatt-Eyam – quite long, quite steep

2. Housley-Longstone Moor – long but gradual

3. Bakewell-Ballcross Farm – short, steep and muddy

4. Baslow Bar – long, steep, but not muddy at all!

Enjoy the walk/run

Grindleford Gallop Northern Half

Grindleford Gallop Southern Haf

 Another fantastic day – I keep waiting for the year that delivers serious winter conditions, but touch wood, it hasn’t happened for the last 5 runs. Great organisation with a really homely feel, coupled with a challenging course which needs  to be treated with respect, all adds up to a pretty fine feeling after finishing.

Our two ‘blinders’ were Simon (2:55:37)  and Helen – 2nd lady (3:03:16). I managed a 2:59:14 , a touch slower than last year, mainly due to a measured first leg to Eyam. I did see Simon in the distance, but he kept up such a good consistent pace, there was no realistic possibility of catching him up. Ian and Andy, I think,  had strong runs and maintained their positions through the race (3:28:56 and 3:30:23 respectively). Andy is a relative necomer to this kind of distance, having been ‘blooded’ by Helen last year at the Stretton Skyline. Ian and Simon are in training for the London Marathon, so I hope the GG is a good springboard for them.

Grindleford Gallop Profile

My feeling is that the hard work for the race proper begins after the fast descent to Edensor. On reaching the flat trail past Chatsworth, not only is the fuel running low, but you realise that you have successfully zapped your quads overdoing the free-fall.  And Baslow Bar awaits, with still, the best part of an hour and a half left to run, or crawl, depending on pacing. Hats off to the top runners – how they manage their ferocious pacing through the entire race is beyond me.

Crich Monument 10K Race Saturday 17th July

 

 

2010 Review

A nice festive start at the recreation ground, with good food and entertainment laid on means that the non-running family members need not get bored. Some of the displays were very good indeed, and with a band waiting in the wings, there was no shortage of activity, and plenty of people taking part.

 

For a first time event, the race was busy, with over 150 runners registering – the event itself must have attracted quite a few ‘new’ people to the fete. The run was longer than 10K, a fact which was apparent from the map details, and the terrain was most decidedly off-road. I suspect a few runners entered thinking that the event was a nice road -race and were taken by surprise. A fast sweep into the village is follwed by a short sharp climb out. A squeeze stile in the first half mile of the route caused some hold-ups for the majority of runners, but then the route opens out with a fast downhill section through woods all the way down to the Cromford Canal. Footing requires concentration most for most of the descent, but the sections through the thick woodland are exhilarating.

 

Unfortunately by design or by accident, a key arrow sign on the entrance to the woodland, pointed us the wrong way. The error was realised within 400 metres, but this placed us disorientated, in an ‘unsigned’ part of the woodland. Those of us with some familiarity of Crich Chase were able to relocate the original line (making the run total 7.5 miles), and the Derwent Valley Orienteering members who were running, probably relished every single minute of it.  A road route, it ain’t!

 

Once found, Cromford Canal encourages 2 miles of fast running, with the long climb all the way back to Crich Stand the highest point of the route looming.  The steepest part of the climb seems to come in the last third. Over the tramway tracks, taking the correct path, and skirt around the back of Crich Quarry.  A long, enjoyable climb, if you like that kind of thing, and Crich Stand is gained with some measure of relief. Salute the  fallen members of the Sherwood Foresters (more information on Crich Stand here) and look around at the eight counties said to be visible from this point. A fast descent all the way back to the recreation ground beckons.

 

Well, it was all a bit of an adventure. A superbly interesting course (I ran the correct route a few days later) which demands a varied range of running skills. Well worth running again next year, if you know what is in store!

 

Results 2010Crich10k

Download application form 10k Run Application Form 

Download Flyer Crich Monument 10k Race :

SRTS Run Sunday 28th March Middleton Top – Parwich 21.3M

Or Parwich the long way. The route starts at Middleton Top and follows the High Peak Trail to Minninglow Hill. A direct traverse over to Biggin to rejoin the HPT, but now towards Ashbourne. Staying on this section until Tissington, when we break off the trail and take, perhaps the most interesting section, through Parwich, past Rainster Rocks, and ascending back to Harboro Rocks, and finally return to MTop and a cup of cocoa.

Helen and I set off at our usual time at 8am fully expecting a nice warm morning. We had decided to reverse the route to get a feel for the White Peak Marathon. As the clocks had gone forward, it was really 7am, and 3 degrees C – rather chilly! It took  a while to get warm, but the stretch to and beyond Parwich is interesting, with quickly changing scenery - past Rainster rocks and over a couple of steeper hils, Ballidon, through and over Parwich to join the High Peak Trail at Tissington. After a brief stop, the HPT is also the route of  the White Peak Marathon, and a bit of pre-race rehearsal. Yep, it’s still subtly uphill; enough to make you feel like you are running on a ‘bad day’. Arrive at Biggin and over the Ashbourne Road and the accompanying hill to Minninglow. We managed to get to Minninglow feeling fairly good (15 miles) and after a rather decadent stop for drinks and JBs, my legs obligingly turned to putty. Helen, helpful as ever, looked as fresh as a daisy, and ran like she was easily capable of pushing on. The last 6 miles required a firm effort, but were enlivened by meeting quite a few runners on the way out (hello Martin and friend from Little Eaton!). We were glad to get back to Middleton Top deciding to forgo our customary ‘winner takes all’ sprint. The  flapjack and the promised cocoa provided courtesy of Helen. Thank you!

20 milers are never easy!