For the first English Champs race of the season a group of nine Toddies descended on the Peak District for the Edale Skyline. Clocking in at 21 miles and around 4500ft of elevation, the race is tough but a great test and worth it for the views – most days.
In typical fell running fashion, with sunny days beforehand and nothing but blue skies forecast for the following week, race day saw the Peak District and Edale covered in a blanket of thick fog for the entire race day. It meant with visibility limited to just a few metres, the usually stunning views were nothing but just a few metres of clag and a potentially tricky navigation day awaited for anyone who hadn’t reccied the course (cough cough).
The route is a test, with the 350 or so runners going a sharp first climb from Edale up to Grindslow Knoll, before the circular skyline route takes in Lord’s Seat, the edge of Mam Tor, a brutal climb up Win Hill before a gradual climb and quick descent to the finish. The conditions caught more than a few out, with well over a dozen missing the turning for the first checkpoint and having to hurtle in the opposite direction to the race route to regain it.
Doni Clarke, as ever, led the way for Tod. Involved at the sharp end with the front
runners for the majority of the race before being hit by cramp with around five miles to go, he still came in a superb 16th overall in 2:47 and claimed first Vets 40.
There was more Tod success, with Debbie Gowans winning first FV60, Mel Blackhurst first FV55 and Rebecca Patrick second FV55 in some great runs.
Another Tod battle saw myself and Dom bemused at finding him behind me at the out-and-back, when he had dibbed into the first checkpoint ahead and we hadn’t seen each other in the 12 or more miles since. After some post-race analysis (kudos to Strava Fly-by) it transpired the group he was with had inadvertently in the clag taken an unexpected trip to Kinder Low – very much not on the race route. Thankfully for me, the people I was following in the mist didn’t fancy an extra climb.
All in all a successful first outing of the champs season, with the second race happening in just a couple of weeks time at Newlands.
Tod Results
| Name | Time |
| Doni Clarke | 2:47 |
| Ben Blosse | 3:15 |
| Dom Leckie | 3:22 |
| Ian Symington | 3:32 |
| Ben Faulks | 4:04 |
| Debbie Gowans | 4:07 |
| Mel Blackhurst | 4:14 |
| Rebecca Patrick | 4:16 |
| Emma Fiedler | 4:23 |
| Kate Mansell | 4:31 |
by Ben Blosse