Fat Boys Stanage Struggle

As Richard is off sunning himself in Greece somewhere (he says it’s work), I decided to head to Hathersage for the Stanage Struggle organised by the Fat Boys Running Club. It was a fell race of 6.1 miles … this distance looked suspiciously similar to 10k, a distance which I vow not to race until I can get close to my last 10 k race, which was a pb. However, the 1200 feet of climb meant that a recorded time was never going to be similar to my pb, so the race looked like a good option. Plus the first 10 finishing ladies (and top 40 men) got a Fat Boys Stanage Struggle t. shirt, which I felt was a worthy aim.

The race started at Hathersage and went up to the top of Stanage, along the ridge and then straight back down again, over some undulating fields to the finish. The pace of this race was much faster than I have been used to recently, but going up was ok and I managed to run most of the way to the top. On the ridge, I picked up some speed again and then fell over one of the rocks up there, which produced a quite impressive stream of blood from my knee! On the way down we were flying and I fell over again … although less damage this time! The undulating fields at the end were pretty horrible, but at the end I was handed a voucher for a t shirt, so I made the top 10! The first aid woman investigated the blood and deemed that there was only a small pebble-sized hole in my knee :-). Back at the car I was wondering what to do with regards to getting changed as I only had trousers and this would not have been comfortable with my holey-knee …. I mentioned this to the chap (from Stilton Striders) in the car next door to mine and he gave me a pair of old shorts to wear! What a kind chap!

The race was excellent. It was well marshalled, well organised, there was cake and tea at the finish and the people were generally really friendly!

Later, Bakewell stood up to it’s namesake and provided superb Bakewell tart!

ps. where is everyone?