Race Date: Tuesday 23 August 2022

Only four miles long this little event is part of Taddington’s Wells Week programme and has been described as a fell race for those who don’t like fells. Starting from the Bramwell Institute, the first mile is all uphill on the road. The middle part is relatively flat and includes a mile along a rough track before it returns to Taddington. Here there is a sting in the tail as, with the finish in sight, the route ducks along a ginnel which takes competitors to the top of the village before finishing at the Institute.

With clubs large and small present from all around this is Buxton territory with navy vests to the fore but congratulations to Abbie Pearse and Gillian Allen who finished first and second ladies respectively. Rob Byers third and possibly second senior as the prizegiving, which usually only directly concerns a select few, was deserving of the Edinburgh Fringe. At the outset, the RD confessed that he was more disorganised than usual as he had now retired and he was true to his word. What we think threw him was that he thought that the overall winner was also an M40 with chaos ensuing including the M40 prize (a cotoneaster plant) going to a 58 year old, someone trying to claim the first locals prize as her parents live in Chelmorton whilst one prizewinner needed to provide proof of age (Challenge 25) before getting his prize. Many of the prizes were quite off the wall including mallets, Mars Bars and knee supports for both M70 and F70 victors. Abbie however was well happy with her two bottles of beer and Gillian got a jar of homemade jam. All great fun.