Race Date: Sunday 15th January 2023

This time Redmires was wet rather than frozen. The 15th January run was the new date for the December Steel City Trail 10 postponed due to there being ice virtually everywhere just before Christmas, as intrepid scouts Neil Schofield and Richard Pegg discovered after driving all the way out there with a gazebo while the rest of the team made a cup of tea at home and decided, no it was too icy out there, and went back to bed.

We think everyone enjoyed the mud, and well done to all runners who followed the ecological instructions to avoid forging new paths through the grass and heather that would lead to erosion in a sensitive moorland area. Mud’s much more impressive in early January than sparkling new orange Christmas trainers anyway, we think. 

We had a great turnout, with 75 runners and new participants from Sheffield Hallam University Orienteering Club at the front, with Andrew Macdonald (45:05) and Evan Bowers (47:49) leading everyone back home, closely followed by our own Rob Byers in 3rd place at 48:36.

First women back was unaffiliated Lauren Wilson (1:02:26), Strider Katie Gill (1:03:33) and Fiona Jeffries of Smiley Paces (1:03:47).

This was the first event in the new 6 part spring series of the SCT10, with points awarded to runners and volunteers.

So the crack volunteer team on the day score points as well as the admiration of all the runners, none of whom got lost this time. So, points and praises to:  Jo, Malcolm, Kate, Seth, Kevin, Dot, Nicole, Vikki, Ben, David, Ann-Marie, Bob, Joel and Jane.

Some selected comments post run: 

“Thanks to everyone for putting this event on and volunteers for their time on a chilly Sunday morning. This was my first time at this event and really enjoyed it! Can’t wait for February already”

“Thanks to the heroes. It was fab!”

“Thank you everyone. It was a great route. It took me nearly as long to get clean as it did to run it”

If you don’t yet know, Steel City Trail 10 races take place at seven (so far)  accessible locations around Sheffield, and despite being lumpy, bumpy and muddy, are proving popular with both trail running newcomers and stalwarts.  They are all doable by entrants of any speed, we always have a cheerful back marker, and we’re happy for folk to go as fast as they can or to walk all the tricky bits, whatever you like. 

The aim is to celebrate and promote the Outdoor City’s green spaces, to support local voluntary groups helping to look after these areas, and to introduce runners to new and fabulous places to run through, down and, of course, up.

We’re aiming for a regular 3rd Sunday of the month approx 9.30 am start timetable in 2023 – see the Steel City Trail 10 FB and Instagram pages for more details. As always, all welcome, so please tell your mates! 

The next race is the ‘epic’ Parkwood Springs which we describe as gritty but spectacular. There are steep hills and fabulous views, but don’t expect an easy first 800 metres. See you there ready for a 9.30 ish start at Neepsend on Sunday 19th February .

Striders Results: