Race Reporting: Castleton 2011

Report By Pete Down, from the middle of the field...

A lovely sunny Friday evening, greeted everyone attending the Castleton Fell Race, the third round of the Gritstone Series. It may have been a little to warm for running up hills but we can’t change the weather. Yet again I venture again into the realms of fell running. It’s not the first time I have done this race so to come back and do it again must mean we like it. (or we are mad?)

I had good preparation for the race spending the day dehydrating and getting sunburnt painting the garden fence. Simon and myself got there early and we tried to enter the children’s race – unfortunately we were told our mental age doesn’t count, which I am thankful for as I would have probably been beaten by a 12 year olds, which, lets be honest, doesn’t do the self confidence much good.

The race started at 7:30 pm and the first 500 meters are on a nice country lane, but with over 200 runners trying to squeeze their way to the front it was busy, the gradient is slightly uphill yet nothing to lose your breath on.

We then started with the terrain we had all come to run on, the gully, it’s rocky and lose underfoot and narrow in width (which does stop most people from passing you). Due to the amount of runners we are down to a walk by this point. When we left the gully we started to run again up to a path which contours along the hill.

We then turn and head for the top of Loose Hill, I can’t talk for the leader but it gave me the chance to walk (again). When at the top the only way is down along the ridge which is undulating and the descents can be slow (especially if like me you’re a road runner at heart).

Alomg the ridge and then onto the next big climb, Mam Tor with a change of terrain to large stone slabs, but the hill goes on and on, I’m told the view from the top was great with people paragliding. I didn’t notice this as I was gasping for air and looking at the ground as I have a habit of falling over.

The first part of the decent is nice and you can run quickly enough before you turn on to the steeper gradient with steps cut into the hill, at this point the runners I passed earlier when ascending the hill, began passing me. We go back down the gulley before we hit the road for the final blast to the finish.

I try and lift my pace but my legs had decided not to respond. The finish is at the top of a field providing the opportunity to be completely out of breath when you finish. This year I was 3 minutes slower than last, but this didn’t detract from the level of enjoyment gained from the Friday evening run in a beautiful setting.

Mr Down looks ahead and 'Up'.

The 2011 Accelerate Gritstone Series Partners

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