The Three Peaks Race, Sat 27 April
Report by Kate Mansell
In near perfect running conditions, with a light breeze and cool summit temperatures, eight Tod Harriers headed to the Yorkshire Dales on Saturday for the 65th Three Peaks Race. The race starts with an ascent of Pen-y-Ghent; the runners then follow hard-packed trails to reach the Ribblehead viaduct before a hands on knees crawl to the top of Whernside from where a fast descent takes the runners across to the bottom of Ingleborough for the last summit climb. It is then a 10km descent over Sulber Nick back to Horton; a total distance of 37.4km and 1608 metres of climbing. In a field of 701 finishers, first home for the Toddies in 39th place was Jon Wright in 03.25.45 quickly followed by the Club’s Chairman, Nick Barber in 3.26.03 (44th). Graeme Brown, recovering from a cold, finished in 3.36.45 (65th) and although disappointed with his run, it was enough to secure the trio 2nd Vets team overall. They were ably supported by Paul Hobbs, who secured a 4 minute PB to finish in 3.44.50 (98th), Philip Montgomery in his first Peaks race – 4.22 (322nd), Bob Halstead – 4.49.39 (517th) and Robin Gray – 5.25.36 (677th), who noted that he was simply glad to have cheated the ‘Bus of Shame’ for another year. The only Toddie woman to complete the course this year was Kate Mansell, who finished with a new 3 minute PB in 4.31.24 – 382nd overall and 46th/108 woman. Race winners were Tom Owens of Shettleston Harriers in 2.49.08, and Victoria Wilkinson of Bingley Harriers in 3.22.17. Chairman Nick Barber’s time is all the more impressive because he took a nasty fall on Ingleborough, bruising his face badly and failing to realise that he had also lost his three false teeth (replacement for another accident), which are now forever residing somewhere on the summit of Ingleborough…