Race date:  Saturday 18th May 2019

Report by Jane Huws

Whilst a fair number of Striders ventured to Agden on Saturday and few headed in the opposite direction towards Ladybower to run round the Upper Derwent and Howden Reservoirs.  It’s the route used for the Striders Annual New Year’s Eve Training run.

Judith Kelly, Jess Pemberton and I had done a recce a month previously and we all knew we were up to doing the distance.  It didn’t stop us feeling a bit nervous that morning.   However, it’s a great social event with lots of people travelling quite a distance for the race.  Fairholmes Car Park/Toilets/Visitor Centre/Cafe made an excellent place to gather and relax before we headed down to the Race Start, just under the Dam wall.  We managed a hurried Striders photo but didn’t manage to catch everyone.

The Race is organised by the local Derbyshire based charity ‘Challenge Cancer through Adventure’.  They fundraise so that local people who have faced cancer can undertake an outdoor adventure challenge to help them rebuild confidence and take control of their lives. Challenges are local (rock climbing, paragliding) or trekking in Himalayas or the Andes or cycling round Europe.

At the start line, John, who had benefitted from the Charity told us about his mountain climbing trip and thanked us all for coming and helping the Charity.

It was great weather for running – cool, overcast but dry.   A couple of hills towards the beginning spread the field of about 150.    The miles passed easily.  Marshalls were cheery.  Drinks stations were plentiful.  Sheep and lambs were cooperatively cute.   We came to my favourite bit – the approach to Slippery Stones and still felt great.    At 7 miles, the sign said ‘ 3 miles to CAKE’.  That was uplifting.   After the next drinks station, we upped the pace a bit – finishing 10 minutes faster than our recce a month earlier, just up from the Howden View Point (which is just short of 10 miles, but who’s counting ?).  We were pretty happy with that.

Darren Barnett, a relatively new Strider, ran an impressive 1 hour and 9, closely followed by David Naisbitt who came in 2 minutes later.   Lisa Higgins was first Strider lady back in 1 hour 27.

The Cake Stand deserves a write up of its own.  Lots of bakers had contributed dozens of homemade cakes of all types.  Unbelievably, some people had trouble eating cake so soon after a run, something, I personally cannot relate to.  Everyone sat about at the finish line, cheering those coming in.  There were also about 20 walkers finishing who had set off on the course at 9am.    Thoroughly enjoyable – friendly, low-key, scenic, and for a good cause.    I would certainly do it again.

Men’s winner: Chris Bevan – in a time of 00:57:29 (five seconds off the record)

Women’s winner: Hannah Sharpe –  01:15:36

Striders Results