trail – Page 4 – Stilton Striders

19 Mar 2016 – Charnwood Marathon

It’s the twentieth Charnwood Marathon and my personal favourite race in Leicestershire, this Charnwood stunner at a mere £10.00 entry for the 16.4 mile or 27 mile version with every penny going to charity!

Sadly with Ashby 20 and the Stathern Duathlon amongst the many events happening this weekend this great event does suffer somewhat and for me at least its a better course than the ultra-popular Charnwood Hills race in local vicinity.

Today its Rob Beers, Greg Pettingill, John Hudson (in Barrow colours) doing the shorter route, Rich Gray doing the 27 and Sue Pettingill walking the 15 miler. The challenge begins at Rawlins College Quorn before heading out of the village on a slow uphill towards Woodhouse and Woodhouse Eaves before turning up Upper Broombriggs. Today was meant to be very much a training run but Greg went flying off at the start and I felt honoured to join him and sort of kept it up although I did hang back a bit at sections of the course. From Upper Broombriggs it’s the long climb up Beacon Hill followed by a long descent off the top down Deans Lane before cutting round the Beacon plantation. From there the course goes up Windmill hill, back into Woodhouse Eaves and into that (Bloody) golf course, I always wonder going through here about flying golf balls and which way they will come!

Up Cardiac Hill before the slight incline into Bradgate Park and looming ahead the climb up Old John which I might be in a minority but strangely enjoy. An orienteer over Bradgate Park towards Swithland gates before entering Swithland woods which somehow I found easier to navigate in eight inches of snow doing this event a few years ago than in early spring. Into Swithland village and I hope the fatigue in my legs is enough to keep my away from my nearest rival some 30 seconds back. Turning left at the Telephone box and getting the right path (Something race leader Wreake Runner Bruno Nikoloff surprisingly got wrong!) towards old Woodhouse. It now became a re-trace of the route we took outwards and I up the speed on the way back to Quorn although the last road before the high street seemed to go on forever. I spot John Hudson whose race was curtailed due to injury early on and tells me I’m currently in fourth place! Turning the corner I enter Rawlings college but this is the hardest navigation bit on the course and I can’t remember which way I came in! Anyway I make it in and yes very happy with fourth place for a quick training run!

I can’t say enough good about this event I really can’t , the only downsides slightly being the races it clashes with over the weekend and if you don’t know the area the first time can be very hard to read the map. [Rob]

16m results: Rob Beers (4th, 2:09:58), Greg Pettingill (9th, 2:16:46), Sue Pettingill (73rd, 4:52:19)

27m results: Rich Gray (51st, 5:20:56)

13 Mar 2016 – Keyworth Trail Run

The initial Keyworth Trail Run is an event of 15 or 30k (although they’ll happily admit it’s 31.5k), a good crowd is on hand for the event in proceed of Willowbrook primary school in Stanton on the Wolds. It’s a nice day although the fog is quite heavy and when it clouds over quite cool, having rained much of the week it’s going to be heavy going in places. There is but one Stilton Striders shirt on display this morning for this local event (cough!) and far more from our local neighbours.

The longer distance starts half an hour earlier at 9:30am, having done 21 miles and over 3000ft of ascent the previous day the idea of staying with Malcolm Harris and Simon Cole from Barrow Runners on the way round thankfully leaves my head in the first 2 miles. I can feel very uphill in my quads and by mile three the option of cutting back via the shorter route is certainly more than an idea as we head towards Wysall. Do not be put off by the word ‘Trail’, this route has some serious XC equal to and surpassing the wetter years of the Charnwood Seagrave course and the Belvoir Challenge-ploughed up fields and mud baths aplenty.

Next we head towards Wymeswold and all throughout the run I’m on tracks and paths I never knew existed, it really is that superb and rural sometimes you could be anywhere in the country let alone somewhere between local villages. A little later we head towards Willoughby and even then we are on paths I hadn’t of thought using before, although a couple of people went wrong I found the signage throughout very good indeed. On the other side of Willoughby the sun comes out, and head towards Widmerpool , there is now a few really feeling the strain, saying it’s supposed to be only 195ft of ascent its very undulating! Never does the terrain become a bore: one minute your going through fields, then a track, then road, then woodland, even though I’m familiar with the layout of the local villages it kept me guessing throughout.

Long pull back to Keyworth, with me doing a great impression of someone trying to run on the road back to Stanton on the Wolds, finally I get back and happy with the time given I used as a training run and some often brutal terrain. Great organised event with very nice marshals and event staff, chip timing, absolutely awesome route, didn’t expect a goodie bag so to get a really good one including a T-shirt was superb! Very fairly priced entry and really hope this grows next year. Really would like to see more Striders shirts next year, there were quite a few excellent events on but it’s always nice to support the local races and this was a cracker. [Rob]

27 Feb 2016 – Belvoir Challenge

A week of mostly pleasant weather sees a lot of the course a lot drier than the week previous when we reccied part of it and was very boggy. Fixture pile up sees this year’s challenge which usually gets a huge Striders contingent battle against the National XC championships at Donington Park and Stilton’s own race the `Stilton 7` on the Sunday.

As usual a sold out Belvoir Challenge, it’s around 3 degrees and it seems I’m the only person running in a vest. This year the start is from the Village hall field which I’m not sure is an improvement but the pre-race music is the best I’ve heard at any race.

The opening 10k sees the traditional climb out of the Vale of Belvoir, this year we head through Goadby Marwood and to the first checkpoint at Scalford. Aware of the friendly rivalry with Greg Pettingill keeping with him throughout is in my thoughts as not wearing a watch also, whilst it may be drier underfoot this year the undulation is certainly more I think this year.

The route follows towards Waltham and Bescaby then to the halfway stage at Croxton Kerrial, surprisingly this is the last I see of Greg who had a few issues on the day and I’m sure will be back pushing me next time. The legs actually felt slower by 15 miles but I just sat at it on the way to Harston, a child who at 18 miles at Woolsthorpe by Belvoir tells me I’ve only six miles to go, I wish!

It’s a long slog up to Belvoir, I’m not sure if I’m running or just moving my arms but the sight of Stathern woods ahead I feel a little better after a few dark miles. Upon entering Stathern woods I take a cheeky 50 yard walk, I am tired, I actually felt delirious at the Wood Lane check point; although unlike last year the whole Stathern woods section did go a lot quicker despite the feeling I’ve been passed by every man and his dog. The last few miles do not feel pretty at all I’m just intent on finishing and pretty sure a slower start and a GPS watch would have made my overall time a lot better. The legs are shot with sharp pain into my hamstring at every uphill, without a doubt a very undulating course this year, not dry underfoot but certainly still a fair share of mud (those mud divots at the rear of Bescaby were killer), come in to a superb Stilton welcome at the finish and I believe a new Striders course record! Big well done to all who ran, a lot of Striders people running this event for the first time (including a Marathon debut!) very nice day out. For all.

15 mile results – Clive Kent (65^th, 2:17:27) Katie Hateley (97^th, 2:26:37) Brian Walkling (170^th, 2:46:50) John Houghton (182^nd, 2:49:30) Lou Houghton (257^th, 3:07:14) Kaye Mead (283^rd, 3:12:29) Jenny Kent (366^th, 3:36:46) Susan Pettingill (370^th, 3:37:19) .

26.2 mile results – Rob Beers (40^th, 3:56:02) Dan Valencia (69^th, 4:15:44) Simon Bottrill (78^th, 4:23:08) Richard Gray (119^th, 4:51:05) Greg Pettingill (150^th, 5:09:51) Helen Metcalfe (202^nd, 6:26:25).

[Rob]

7 Feb 2016 – Charnwood Hills Race

This year’s CHR sold out in some 25 mins, the 350-odd places snapped up so quick the website almost crashed. One of only two fell races in Leicestershire this race has now become one of the most popular and oversubscribed, given how many Leicestershire athletes we see on the actual fells (apart from Stilton of course and a few exceptions!) perhaps previous entry in a set number of FRA races over the previous 12 months would be a good race pre-requisite? Given that near 700 ran the Bradgate Derby runner league race and only 300-350 allowed here it may be a way for the race to move forward as a CL Fell race not just an extended XC.

Anyway CHR 2016, a mere three Striders this year with colds and flu depriving us late on of two Stilton entrants, it’s Rob Beers and Greg Pettingill out there suffering with heavy colds and Katie Hateley swearing she`s done no training. Not thankfully overly cold but a cold wind and quite a breeze, a few spots of rain in the sky but it has rained heavily the few days before and the mud is very plentiful.

The usual start off around the field with many people going off as usual with a far too positive split and an early faller who got tangled up in Mr Pettingill`s legs! The Greg-meister has made an impressive start and I’m towing him as we head into Bradgate Park and the looming Old John in the distance, at least I`m comforted by the fact he didn’t run all of that said hill. Yours truly does and then it’s the usual job of getting the breathing back to normal on the descent and down a very muddy cardiac hill into the (Bloody) golf course. Sue Pettingill is playing lead Stilton cheerleader today at Broombriggs and ahead of me is Greg climbing (walking!) upper broombriggs, I finally feel I’m gaining on the veteran warrior a little although I throw far too much into my descent towards Beacon Hill. Never my favourite climb the Beacon but for once no-one over takes me, a nice downhill off the Beacon where I sensibly go past Greg who is at the time suffering somewhat (you wouldn’t have thought given how effortlessly he was running).

Into the (Bloody) golf course and Cardiac Hill is a mud rink, back into Bradgate Park and by now I`m feeling not having a gel or water as by the technical section by Lady Jane Grey`s house my feet have the agility of your average Ogre. The last two miles I felt I lost 2-3 mins and the pace slowed greatly for me, I looked behind to see Greg climbing the long slow path towards the school thinking he had no way of catching me. Anyway a `Bottrill-esque` finish saw him take me in the last 100 metres followed by my climbing into the final field like it was Everest!

Greg Pettingill (73^rd, 1:59:27), Rob Beers (77^th, 2:00:09) and Katie Hateley a superb debut (131^st, 2:11:14), felt like a letdown in the end (elusive sub 2hrs!) but given we were full of cold and results of similar runners I reckon team Stilton did very impressively.

And again thanks to the Blue Lion at Thrussington for their impressive Chip Cobs! [Rob]

18 Nov 2015 – Newark Festival of Running

It doesn’t feel good to have to give a negative review given the effort when people put on running events, I have since found out the usually very good `How hard can it be events` put this on under their name for someone else.So the initial festival of running, I’d signed up for the Marathon distance but both 10k and Half Marathon were also there. Things didn’t start good in the week or so preceding knowing the course was a double loop how actually monotonous the course was I didn’t find out until the day. The strangest thing of all was that at 5k we weren’t allowed to run due to an issue with the council, thus had a 200 metre strip every runner had to walk or face being disqualified! Yeah Running in a Marathon, who’d have thought it!

Race day and its very cold with the wind chill really crippling, very icy down near the River Trent where race HQ is and sadly no real cover from the elements, that I actually ran in my Striders jacket the first 7.5 miles tells you how much the cold bit in. The first of two sold out days of the Festival of running begins with the 10k setting off 15 mins late and the half/full 10 mins late, really very glad to get underway however the path markings start with a mix up just after the first mile. Just starting to warm up and then we get to the 5k section where we have to walk, was it some major junction or busy street? Not at all, something on par with perhaps Elmhurst Avenue or Oxford Drive, oh well I walked it, better carry on.

Once out of Newark centre we head around a few more offroad bits, the organisers has told everyone that Road Shoes would be fine, I’ve gone for trail shoes but to be honest given the course it would’ve easily been run better in X-Talons, some old boy has racing flats on! The Nature reserve is the best bit of the course, however a good dozen of the field have gone wrong somewhere due to poor signage, and it’s not great with you coming back on yourself a little too much. The offroad sections were ok but the course wasn’t great with many repeats and would have been better called the River Trent Marathon as we were along the towpaths almost constantly, got attacked by a Dog also-certainly not my day!

Head back towards Newark and 10.5 miles again were at that place and forced to walk 200m, so do I have to do this twice more running a Marathon? Absolutely preposterous!

I decide by this time forget the expense I’ve had enough, I call time at Half Marathon and had to signal like Maximus in Gladiator to say I’d finished the race/gone over the line with another minute spent writing down my time. I`m then given a rather awesome medal (which the company always do) and that’s it no word of thanks, no hot drink, no goodie bag which given the entry cost would’ve been nice. Y`know some things were out of the organisers hands and some were not a pretty awful event for many reasons, my worst experience ever of a running event.

So an easy 1:41 for my Half Marathon (Clocked at 1:42 due to organiser faffing) , 3^rd place in the half Marathon, if I’d had carried on would easily have been a Marathon PB and on an offroad course was running well, and chatting away so gutted on one level but very happy about current form. [Rob]

28 Nov 2015 – Chase Water 10km

Stuart Gregory was the only Stilton Strider to make his way to Chase Water for the annual 10km trail race and lined up with 304 other runners on a breezy, cool and cloudy day. With a relatively high number of runners on trails that were less than favourable towards overtaking Stuart found it hard to find a way through and as the possibility of a personal best sailed away into the sunset Stuart decided to put all of his efforts into the second half of the race and with clearer trails his times began to respond as Stuart crossed the finish line in 1hr 5m. [Stuart]

21/22 Nov 2015 – Dirty Dash & Mo Run

Stuart Gregory was the only Stilton Strider to take part in the final race of the Midland 10km trail run series at the National Watersports Centre and joined 189 other runners on the start line on what was a very cold day with a biting wind chill making it feel more like -3c. The first half of the race followed a series of foot paths and trails around the outside of the main boating and multi events lake before heading out into the main parkland, at this point Stuart was holding on to what remained of the main field which had been blown to bits in the first few KM’s. As Stuart headed out into the parkland around the centre he began to make ground on a number of runners including some familiar faces from other races and after a number of short sharp inclines Stuart hit the final incline to finish out on his own and rounded off a steady run with a sprint finish to complete the 10km course in 1hr 4m 59s.

Stuart Gregory was also the only Stilton Strider to make his way to Nottingham for the annual 5km Mo Run, having placed highly in last years event and with his form slowly picking up towards the end of the year Stuart was hoping for a similar performance this time around and after making a good start to the race, his pace settled into the 10 minute per mile range where it remained for the rest of the race as Stuart completed a nice steady run in 31m 17s. [Stuart]

31 Oct 2015 – Zombie Trail Run

This great event, now in it’s second year, always attracts a variety of runners and is very much a fun and friendly event suitable for the whole family. Never ones to miss a out on a good run, a number of Striders took to the 3 mile near pitch black course on a oddly mild night for the time of year. The first of the Stilton contingent back was Michael Cooke in 4th place with a time of 23:42, James Ridealgh finshed 5th with a time of 24:05 and Stuart Gregory in 13th place with a time of 27:37. For the ladies, Sarah Lawrence crossed the line in 30th place with a time of 33:43 and was closely followed in 31st place by Kaye Mead in a time of 33:44. [Stuart]

15 Nov 2015 – Beacon Hill Trail Half Marathon

12 Striders joined a field of around 300 for the 2nd Beacon Hill half marathon on a very windy but mainly dry day. A two lap course around the country park, with over 1500 feet of ascent, this was no small challenge – particular for those making their Striders debut over the distance.

Dan Valencia crossed the line as first Strider home and 10th MV40 with a time of 1.42.41, next back and 1st junior was Luke Eggleston in 1.47.02, closely followed by Mike Bryan 1.48.52 and Simon Bottrill 1.50.27. Next back, first female Strider and 7th Vet 40 was Louise Houghton in 1.59.44, Shane Sharkey followed closely behind in 2.00.55 along with John Houghton 2.01.07, Jon Wilson 2.07.21, Deb Wilson 2.17.50, Matt Chalmers 2.27.14 and Stuart Gregory in 2.36.35 completed the finishers. Hopefully Vicki will recover soon from injuring her leg during the race.

31 Oct 2015 – Norfolk Coastal Marathon

Louise, John & myself [Dan] entered the inaugural Norfolk Coastal half & marathons respectively. The event was organised by positive steps in partnership with Norfolk County Council. The course ran between Weybourne & Sea Palling. The event fell on John’s birthday, so the day was set up perfectly, & the weather was fair. As we arrived in the village hall we were greeted by the organiser ‘Kevin’.“I take it you’ve downloaded your maps” Kevin probed sternly. When the hilarity ceased & the realisation that we might need to navigate set in, it became obvious that the standard retort “We’re Striders we don’t do Nav” wouldn’t wash with Kevin. We awkwardly shuffled over to the maps on the wall and took photos of the course.

Kevin sounded the klaxon & we set off.
The path took us right along the cliff edge, which was suffering from serious erosion, so much so that the path simply disappeared in some places adding to the allure of the challenge. As we scurried down a path between some dunes a rather rotund child turned to his mother & queried “what’s this running all about?” It wasn’t long before we had an answer. We ran down onto the beach and in a scene reminiscent from the film chariots of fire, we pegged it along the surf line! We felt like running couldn’t get much better! There is a lot of beach running on this race, which we loved however if it’s not your thing be advised. After missing an (acorn), and completing an extra mile we still managed to come in at 4hrs:20 ish.

Meanwhile Louise had “chosen” to set off with the walkers. After it dawned on them Lou & some others quickened the pace & completed the half with a highly respectable time of 1hr :50 after being reprimanded by Kevin for not tearing a page out of the book at the end of the beach (evidence of completion). After the race it transpired that Lou had run upwards of 13 miles after a navigational error but still managed to be 1st lady!

A great event & would definitely, do it again next year. [Dan]