Clocks go back/forward/sideways weekend report

This week everyone has been trying to work out if their smart watches do what their phones do and if they need to reset the time, try to reset the thermostat clock and screw up the settings, blow up the cooker doing the same job and then leave the clock in the car because its only really 6 months til you need to work out how to set it back to the right time anyway.  Although there was a race cancellation this weekend, there has indeed been a fair amount of kerfuffle going on this week, what with the final racing weekend of October. Mostly fact based this week as people keep sending in information, which is wonderful! Keep sending in stuff about what you’ve done! The email address is gdhweeklyreports@gmail.com

The OMM

Despite a few last minute will-they won’t-they moments with people dipping into and out of teams like carrots into a hummus dip at the GDH party, there were eventually 3 teams who got to the OMM with at least 1 member of Glossopdale in them. As a bit of an extension to last weeks Hill and Fell Relays, the outlook was very much Heather, Tussocks with a few hills imbetween. So basically stuff that anyone from this end of the Peak District should be very comfortable with. The weather up in Scotland was apparently astoundingly good, and much fun was had by all. From provisional results and occasional updates from those on the ground (or indeed, in cars on their way back), it seems that the results looked a little like this:

B Class- 3rd overall and 1st Mixed team- Sarah Andrews and Robin Hoffmann

Combined class- 28th overall and 3rd Female team- Zoe Barton and Josie Greenhalgh

Medium Score Class- 78th overall and 2nd Female pair, Immy Trinder and Hephzibah Hill.

Superb running/navigating/camping/surviving by all!

Lakeland trails 10k

John Pollard was out and about in the Lakes this weekend- and send this missive over… Must give another plug for the Lakeland Trails races, they’re not cheap & they don’t scale the heights, but for those who want a faster, less vertical experience with imaginative routes they satisfy the appetite. And they’re in the Lakes, big plus.
I did the 10k version yesterday…and it was possible to enjoy some of the autumn scenery of the valley alongside Glenridding & Grisedale Becks.
Would have been nice to combine it with the bona fide fell race today at Buttermere Shepherd’s Meet, but just not up to it yet. Buttermere looked glorious in the better weather today but the climb was brutal.

Eryri Marathon

Lucy Wasinski was the one who drew the short straw and sent in this lovely missive about the wonder that is the Eryri Marathon:

This was the 37th year of Snowdonia marathon, not to be confused with the trail marathon in July which takes you up the Pyg track to the summit (almost) of snowdon. In October it is the road marathon, and whilst a lot less hilly than the trail one, it certainly packs a punch for a road marathon with approx 800m elevation, and attracts a strong contingent of top Welsh runners. Me and Will Mather were lucky to get transfers for this sell out race, but 3 weeks post Chester marathon I’m not sure I was thinking it was a good idea! Will on the other hand, well its pretty much a walk in the park for him this;) I thought I spied Marie Williamson walking from the car park but I wasnt sure…until I checked out the results!
Given the forecast for friday/saturday, it was looking a decidedly bleak affair and I was massively regretting my entry decision ….but it really wasn’t as bad as they made out, and probably an hour after the race start the rain stopped and it was pretty ideal running conditions. There are 3 main climbs in the race; the first going out from the start in llanberis up to pen y pass, then there’s a decent fast descent before a slight climb at Beddgelert, and then the one they call “the wall” at Waunfawr ..at mile 22, and goes on for 2 miles. That’s pretty tough leaving the biggest climb for that stage of the race!  Everyone kept saying during the race, “don’t forget,  leave enough for the last climb”! I was starting to dread it, and without the Pacers to keep you in check like Chester I was convinced I’d gone out too fast and was gonna hit the wall, at “the wall”. Felt pretty good though at the bottom of the climb and a guy said to me “don’t worry, 95% of people walk it…oh but, um,  obviously I don’t mean you are gonna have to walk”…the unconvinced look on his face said otherwise! Pah, right then, game on! Head down, short strides and onwards and upwards, and suddenly there was the mile 24 feed station!

What was all the fuss about 😉 when you live in Glossop that hill isn’t that bad! After the feedstation the fun really started! It was all downhill to the finish, and this was one of 2 places they take you off road…it was mud, wet rock, wet grass and pretty funny after nearly a months worth of rain in just over 24h with everyone in road shoes! (Bar one guy in inov8s, not worth 24 miles on the road in those!) Credit to my Brooks, I stayed on my feet and made up some ground on a few women. Then, it’s all change and you hit steep tarmac and it’s a final sprint down into the high street in Llanberis, with loads of people lining the street cheering. What an absolute corker of a marathon! Incredible atmosphere, support on the course was brilliant , fantastic views with snow on Snowdon, gold, orange and red leaves on the trees and loads of clear fast flowing rivers and waterfalls…and the bonus of being on road….you get to look around and appreciate the views! It’s such a popular race it’s going to be a ballot entry next year but I would massive recommend it as a road marathon, blooming loved it.
I was well pleased with getting round in 3h 38m 08. Will was saving himself for escape from Meriden and sung and danced (much to the *delight* of fellow runners haha) himself round in a cracking 3h 56m 50s….pretty darn rapid for someone taking it easy!! Marie had a good run to get in under 5h in 4h 59m 46s.

Lucy Wasinski 3:38:08
Will Mather 3:56:50
Marie Williamson 4:59:44

Oldham Half

I really don’t know much about this as no-one has said anything about it. Basically, it is as you would imagine. A half Marathon around Oldham, trying to get back to your car before your hubcaps/alloys have been nicked. The most information I have about it is from the race results which are below. From them, we can divine that yes, it appears it was a road race, and yes, people ran pretty damn fast. And yes, that is Marie Williamson who you just read about running the Eryri Marathon on Saturday.

11th Kirsty Sharp 1st lady  1:29:45
138 Emma Rettig 1:54:12
174 Tony Hillier 1:57:15
189 Jo Brack 1:59:29
211 Charmayne Brierley 2:02:20
305 Marie Williamson 2:22:29

Dammed if we don’t

I understand there was a bit of a gathering over at Toddbrook reservoir this weekend, visiting the various reservoirs around it to a) have a bit of a jolly run around and b) realise just how much water there is held behind dams over there. I’m not totally sure if it was a race or not, and I don’t know how many people did it. I also don’t know if there were any prizes or anything, What I DO know is that Nick Ham ran it, and as it is the first time it has ever been run, he almost *certainly* ran a PB.

Winsford 10k

Tim Crookes was over at Winsford today doinig the 10k, in typical “short n sweet” style, this information came in from him…. “Hi did Winsford 10k today great little route but very muddy did it in 46.27 quite happy with that” So there you go.

Parkrun

Thanks to Lynne for sorting me out a parkrun and junior parkrun piece: In a deluge of torrential rain and mud 71 runners sloshed their way around a soggy Glossop parkrun. Taking first finishers position was Paul Peters (doubly impressive given his strava run title is titled “Glossop parkrun, impromptu xc training in road shoes”, he was followed by Mark Ollerenshaw in 2nd position, plus three other harriers in the top ten. A massive shout out to Wioleta Wydrych bagging herself a PB of nearly 30secs – very impressive in those conditions.
In the parkrun tourism corner Frank Fielding was at a wet and windy Swindon (bit of a theme to the weather this weekend),  over at Sheffield Hallam Harry Hawkins took 10th spot and a new PB; Tony Hillier was over at Hyde (did we spy he was pacing this week?); Jo Travis was in Lincoln; Dez Mitchell was at Marple; the whole Munday family were at Great Lines, Medway; Bill Leason was at Lyme Park; Caity Rice ran at Colby finishing in 3rd overall and 1st female; taking 3rd spot at The Pastures (Alnwick) parkun was Stevie K and we spied Mrs K was there doing her first ever parkrun…no club on the results though so maybe her membership form is in the post? Jeroen and Christine Peters ran at Jesmond Dene, Newcastle upon Tyne – Emma Peters was there too, but in disguise as a Tyne Bridge Harrier.
Wyatt Barlow continues his strong running, grabbing himself another course PB at a wet Conwy parkrun….from Laurie “Wet, freezing, more puddle than path. Should’ve brought a snorkel! Took 20 seconds to get over the start line and Wyatt ran with me for the first km before going on ahead, yet still smashed his course PB and told me he took it really easy. Nice.”. Nice indeed, congratulations Wyatt.

Junior Parkrun

Over at Hyde Junior parkrun Holly Munday grabbed a new course PB – well done. Naomi Barlow was next Glossopdale Harrier to finish, closely followed by William Munday. Great running by all.

Please forgive us if we miss out on reporting any junior parkrun results. I’ve only just noticed that the consolidated parkrun results for GDH don’t include junior events. I’m taking this up with parkrun colleagues so fingers crossed we can get this changed. In the meantime please do send in reports to the regular email for inclusion in the weekly report – we don’t omit juniors deliberately.

Frostbite TT

Map 2 has now been done with- there were 9 people who went out and about to find the Snake Ponds. I was rather impressed with Andy O’s line, considering he came up from Glossop to run it from Snake Summit. I’ll link to it all on the facebook page- and encourage you to have a butchers.

Map 3 will be released tomorrow morning. It is a fairly easy one, and considering it is going from Glossop, it might be nice to get a few of you together to have an impromptu head to head from the pub of an evening…. I have changed it from the route I was going to do, simply as I don’t want to go from the same place twice in a row.

XC “Webbinars”

Yes, Chris Webb will be back on Wednesday nights, terrorizing the inhabitants of Hadfield with his XC Webbinars. Famed for their excellent amount of mud, rain, snow, amusement and general stat driven excitement (what else could you expect from a mathematician), watch out on Facebook for his announcement for the first session which should be coming up in Early november.

Christmas do

You may have seen that the Christmas do date has been announced on Facebook. If you haven’t. Well. It has. 15th Dec. Details on Facebook, or from your nearest committee member.