At 9.5 miles long with some 1300ft of ascent, the Curbar commotion is the first of this year’s `longer` fell races of the Gritstone accelerate series. An impressive five Stilton Striders (Myself, John and Lou Houghton, Steve Dewick and Dan Valencia) were on hand for the days proceedings, we beat all the other Leicester clubs in total (One Huncote, One Roadhogg and One Barrow!). The morning is cool-ish but the sun is going to blare out when it comes out properly, a large turnout has come out for this race along the edges, first time this new course has been run in the race`s two year history.
Team Stilton makes a gentle run out as the race starts, a nice hill early on thins the field out a bit, I join Barrow Runners Haydyn Williams accompanying a rookie Fell Running friend on the ascent, obviously having far too much fun as the banter and comments are flying !
I kick on when I reach the top and am really enjoying myself (it does happen), really seem to be moving very well along Baslow and White edge. Some rather protective Angus cattle along the rear of Longshaw and finally Haydn has caught up with me although I keep him near throughout the rest of the race, only person who passed me during the entire race.
Into Baslow woods where I’m stuck behind some bloke with appalling body odour! Couple of hills that we didn’t expect come out of nowhere and then a really fun descent through tress, ferns and finally fields to the finish. No way was I going to catch serial mountain man Haydn on descents but a minute behind I’m overjoyed at, very happy with my performance crossing the line in 1:13 .
Surprisingly Dan who seemed to be taking it steady early on follows in a 1:15 battling a female runner over the line superb performance, followed by John Houghton, Lou Houghton and Steve Dewick.
£6.00 entry and a massive cake free-for all at the finish, great day in the peaks, happy days! [Rob Beers]