by Duncan Cannon
Meltham AC’s own website bills this as the “Tough” 10k – presumably in an effort to deter flat track bullies who mistake it for a PB course. Well it certainly ain’t that. The website also warns runners, based on previous years’ experience, to be mindful of hypothermia when choosing what to wear. Yes, for a 10k road race.
It’s a triangular route with 2 miles up, 2 miles along and 2 miles down, although this description doesn’t really do it justice. The middle two miles include several extra climbs when you’d thought you’d reached the top, with yet another climb saved up after the turn for home. Oh, and the aforementioned middle section was two miles of running head first into the kind of gale that would have a round the world yachtsman deciding it was time for a cuppa below decks. It was quite a sunny day though, so every cloud and all that…
With races coming thick and fast this January, this was already the fourth race in Tod Harriers’ Grand Prix, with Mark Tempest leading the way so far with 3 races under his belt after an excellent 42:38 which saw him placed 3rd V50. Dave Collins in a rare outing on the tarmac not on two wheels secured 2nd V65 with a time of 50:24. For all who ran this was a good test of fitness and hill work that certainly blew the cobwebs away.
Full Toddie results:
21 Duncan Cannon 41:43
26 Mark Tempest 42:38
50 Sam Lund 46:33
80 Stuart Wolstenholme 49:51
88 Dave Collins 50:24
107 Katie Samuelson 52:27
111 Ian Mclachlan 52:33
112 Darren Gillman 52:40
122 Paul Brannigan 54:04
177 Elise Milnes 60:57
184 Katy May 61:47
189 Andrew Bibby 62:48
213 Paul Cruthers 67:50