Race date: Sun 26 January 2020

Tigger Tor (9.6 miles) is the traditional season curtain raiser for many local fellrunners and is also the first race in the annual Totley AC race series. For once, the race wasn’t part of the Striders fell championships, but it is part of the FRA’s 50 @ 50 celebrations. So if you ran it, and you’re an FRA member, you only have another 14 races to complete from the list to win a coverted commemorative garment…

The course takes runners from the start at Sheffield Tigers Rugby Club up across Sheephill Road and over the moor to Burbage Edge. From there runners descend into the valley before climbing up to Higger Tor on the opposite side. Dropping off Higger Tor everyone heads down towards Fox House before making  an about turn and heading back towards the checkpoint at the top of Carl Wark in the centre of the valley. From there it is a long run back to home via a detour to Houndkirk Hill. A steep road descent of Long Line takes competitors back to the finish at the rugby club.

Conditions this year were what most would consider ‘testing’. Underfoot was boggy with plenty of standing water in the Burbage valley and the wind gusted strongly, particularly around Higger Tor and Wynyards Nick. Those close to the front of the race avoided the worse of the rain, but the majority of the field got hit by at least one heavy rainshower.

Performance of the day came from first lady, Phillipa Williams (Sheffield RC), who finished 4th overall in 1:14:31. This was the day after finishing 6th at the Northern Cross Country Championships. First man and overall winner was Greg Hopkinson (unattached) in 1:11:44. There were 372 finishers and 2 DNFs, including Striders Alison Barrett who fell close to the finish and couldn’t complete the race. Get well soon Alison.

Striders results