Shutlingsloe Fell Race, AS, 2m/900ft
OK, not the actual 'Matterhorn', but the Shutlingsloe, which is nicknamed the 'Matterhorn of Cheshire'. From some angles, it does bear a very slight resemblance, but not from the direction you run at it. This race is not a particular favourite of mine, it's too short for my liking, and I never get that comfortable feeling where you get into a flow after a few miles. This is just 2 miles of real hard work, much of it hands-on-knees. But it is a classic fell race, and very popular and well organised.
Matthew and Sarah were running in the English championship series here as they did last year, and I entered the open race to get a run-out myself. The race starts heading down a field, then crosses a stream, climbs steeply through a Bluebell wood and follows a path up to the summit. Initially the path is tarmac for perhaps 400 yards, then it's onto a well worn path up the fell side. Once at the top you round the trig point, then you are free to choose your own route back down. The general consensus amongst the U16/U18's who had run the same course earlier was that the best route choice was to run along the ridge for a few metres, and go wide down the fell side where it's most runnable. In fact this was exactly what I did last year, and I found it to be a good choice then.
It's steep going down, and there were a couple of casualties, but I managed to stay upright in the main until I reached the Bluebell woods prior to re-crossing the stream, there I slid down most of it on my backside. Finally, its a climb back up the field which is a real drag, and then a traditional touching of the wall at the top to finish.
I was a bit complacent, and took it for granted that I would beat my 2008 time, since I've been doing that all season, but when I stopped my watch I was about 9 seconds slower. I don't think I tried hard enough today (shame on me) because I'm in bettter shape this year. I promise it won't happen again!
epilogue
Funny, 22:10 only got me 40th from 88 last year, but 22:17 was good enough for 29th from 103 this year. I think the overall standard has dropped generally this year, which is inevitable, because the numbers are definitely up in the majority of races.
Matthew and Sarah were running in the English championship series here as they did last year, and I entered the open race to get a run-out myself. The race starts heading down a field, then crosses a stream, climbs steeply through a Bluebell wood and follows a path up to the summit. Initially the path is tarmac for perhaps 400 yards, then it's onto a well worn path up the fell side. Once at the top you round the trig point, then you are free to choose your own route back down. The general consensus amongst the U16/U18's who had run the same course earlier was that the best route choice was to run along the ridge for a few metres, and go wide down the fell side where it's most runnable. In fact this was exactly what I did last year, and I found it to be a good choice then.
It's steep going down, and there were a couple of casualties, but I managed to stay upright in the main until I reached the Bluebell woods prior to re-crossing the stream, there I slid down most of it on my backside. Finally, its a climb back up the field which is a real drag, and then a traditional touching of the wall at the top to finish.
I was a bit complacent, and took it for granted that I would beat my 2008 time, since I've been doing that all season, but when I stopped my watch I was about 9 seconds slower. I don't think I tried hard enough today (shame on me) because I'm in bettter shape this year. I promise it won't happen again!
epilogue
Funny, 22:10 only got me 40th from 88 last year, but 22:17 was good enough for 29th from 103 this year. I think the overall standard has dropped generally this year, which is inevitable, because the numbers are definitely up in the majority of races.
Spen Results
29 Chris Jones 22:17
103 finishers
Full Results Here
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