Grindleford Gallop

Saturday the 10th March saw what is becoming an annual pilgramage for LERC: the Grindleford gallop fell race.

This race covers 21 miles and 3000ft of ascent and descent. With two cake stops on the route and soup and cakes at the finish station, this is ideal training for the Four Inns challenge and spring/summer marathons. 9 LERC members were in attendance this year, ably supported by Colin Bostock and Sharon, who had not enterd the race but decide to walk the course for a Saturday morning out!

With the two Robs, Jackson and Easter, training for the Four Inns, a schoolboy error enforced an unplanned start for them. Not timing their toilet stop corrctly, they entered the starting field only to hear the starting claxon sound and everyone run off from them. Making amends for the late start, Rob Jackson came home in 151st place in 3h 37m 19s, with Rob Esater 280th in 4h 16m 58s.
Bill Sheppard and Cath Rowe, also Four Inns training, had good runs, both finishing 232nd in 4h 00m 08sec. So close to the sub 4 hour mark! If only they hadn't stopped to eat so much cake.

Cheryl brown, Rachel Argent and Victoria Yoemens, AKA the Foxy Fell chicks, also on Four Inns traing with backpacks and kit, ran as a team and came in a very respectable 285 place in 4h 18m 08s.

Damian Cowlishaw, struggling after 16 miles with sore legs and having to walk the last 6 miles, came in with Colin and Sharon in 324th with a time of 4h 43m 39s, followed closely by Duncan Gedge, who, suffering from back discomfort, decided to walk right from the start. Duncan recorded a fantastic 331st in 5h 01m 14s.

The award for outstanding achievement for this event goes to Rachel Hemsley, who is Marathon training and was doing her first ever fell race. Yes, first fell race! Only 21 miles for her first outing! She came 256th in a fantastically amazing time of 4h 08m 34s.

Report by Damian Cowlishaw


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