Castleton Fell Race
Just 6 members made the trip to Castleton for what was originally billed as the "Long Eaton Fell Race" now replaced with the Tideswell Fell Race at the end of the month. This 6 mile race has climbs of 1500ft and is quite a challenge turning legs to jelly on the long climb to the top of Lose Hill before a rocky run along the ridge via Bak Tor and Hollins Cross to Mam Tor. Here the runners round the trig point and head back towards Hollins Cross and are faced with the spectacular site of the ridge curving to the right with valleys on both sides and a ribbon of brightly coloured competitors making their way to the Cross. Here a steep descent to the right leads eventually to a quiet lane and back to the sports field where all the madness started just a short time before.
The competitive spirit was very much in evidence between Phil Abbott and Andrei Vais with a battle of words regarding relative performance before the race. In the end the greater experience of recent fell running brought Andrei in first for Long Eaton with Phil only 3 1/2 minutes behind - a superb performance after a Lake District Trail race and the Calver Fell race within the previous 5 days. Ian Wallis continues to battle with Colin Bostock, the victor often emerging only in the last few yards before the line. This time Ian took the honours - a promising sign of his continuing return to fitness. Vicky Yeomens was close behind showing her stamina over the rocky terrain - certainly a real threat once she has mastered some of the technical and downhill techniques, and Sean Gauton making a welcome return to the fells after injury and prohibitive work commitments put in a fine performance which we hope is the first of many this year.
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