“Autumn has indeed arrived” Weekend report.

For your delectation and delight – Steve Crossman has detailed the specifics of the 4 leg relays from over the hill…

Starters

A good number of GDH braved the queues on Mottram Moor to head over to Uppermill for the annual Cross Keys Road & Fell Relays.

Always a fantastic and low key event, the organisers had tightened up the rules this year, only allowing teams of four runners to compete where in the past runners could double up or even do all 4 legs.

Not to be thwarted by the rule change, Team Overperformers (Jeroen Peters, Mark Milns & Joe Travis) went on a recruitment drive. Their one criteria, ‘can you run a sub 17min 5k’ was soon answered and one of Chris Webb’s AM Mayhem proteges stepped manfully into the team.

Team MAZE (Matt Crompton, Alan Schofield, Zoe Barton & Emma Rettig) looked mean and ready for business and were supported by young Fox, sporting his GDH hoody.

Team ‘Hunks in Trunks’ (Andy ‘Burners’ Burnett, Ian ‘Ironman’ Oates, Phil”lys” Swan & Steve “early bird” Crossman) would surely have won the best dressed category had there been one. As always, the team was resplendent in brightly coloured trunks and attracted many admiring glances.

Team Glossopdale ‘D’ (Tim Budd, Caity Rice, Kirsty Sharp & Paul Peters) looked on paper to be a good bet for a podium place. With a flagrant disregard for the rules and a definite ‘up yours’ to the FRA fun police, the team allowed Caity to don the mighty blue and orange vest for her fell leg.

Main Course

The 4 GDH Teams lined up alongside the other 36 teams for the road leg start. Off they went down the road with the leaders missing the first turn, leaving Andy ‘Burners’ Burnett leading the pack.

Handovers were made and the fell runners went on their merry way. A good number of runners had arrived back and there was growing concern that Caity wasn’t, particularly when other GDH who had started after her got back to the changeover point. A fuming Caity arrived and the explanations began. After binge listening to Fleetwood Mac, she had decided to ‘Go your own way’ and had a scenic tour of the moors and adjacent fields as the planned route wasn’t long enough! (It actually transpired that the route had been flagged the previous night and someone had thoughtfully moved some of the flags). Much ribald banter ensued with Caity taking it in good humour.

Lots of great running, speedy changeovers & noisy support saw the race end with all GDH safely accounted for.

Afters

We retired to the pub for rehydration and the prize giving, making sure Caity didn’t get lost on the way!

Holmfirth Harriers 1^st 01:22:43

Glossopdale ‘D’ 5^th overall, 1^st Mixed Team, 01:33:24

Overperformers 7^th overall, 01:34:41

Hunks in Trunks 10^th overall, 2^nd Vets, 01:39:56

MAZE 17^th overall,  2^nd Mixed Team, 01:49:00

Notable Performances

Tim Budd 2^nd fastest fell leg by 3 secs

Paul Peters 2^nd fastest road leg by 3 secs

English Half Marathon

A report from Steve Page off doing the Half marathon thing…

– Hi Tim, just me and Tony Hillier at English Half Marathon in Warrington today. It was a grim, grey miserable morning but ideal for running in. Support was great on the course and the event was celebrating its 10th year. The only part of the course which baffles me is around mile 12 where you end up running through Warrington Wolves’ stadium (fake rugby stadium), weaving in and out losing valuable time. Completely unnecessary I feel but it could just be that I’m getting more miserable as more grey hair surfaces on my bonce!

Anyways, results wise: Tony rocked in at 1:46:54 and of course 1st M70. I didn’t get a chance to catch up with him post race but I guess he’d be happy with that. As for my race, all was going well for circa 88 min finish until mile 10 when the legs were telling me they weren’t playing today. Distinct lack of long miles in the legs of late put paid to 88 min finish and I eventually finished in 1:30:38. On reflection I’m content with that. I’ll need to stop being lazy and get out with Crossman at some godearthly hour during the week before work!

Good work from both of them I’d say!