Race Date: Sunday 30th June 2024

Race Report by Robin Nelson

What to do, to stave off the Round Sheffield Run FOMO? Find a reasonably priced, local alternative. With a pudding instead of a medal.

The Bakewell Pudding Fell Race is a 10k, starting from the Bakewell Recreation Ground and heading out to Manners Wood on the hillside beyond the river. Fell race and fun run competitors have a mixed start (beware small children weaving about), but the fun runners exit left before the climbing starts for the fell race.

Yes, billed as a fell race, but largely confined to the aforementioned woods, the route map could be mistaken for one of our trail champs races; but once you reach the trees, steep technical climbs with rocks and roots combined with a crowded field can reduce you to walking speed. Further on and an optional fallen trunk obstacle gave me a lovely rainbow bruise, no places gained.

Things are largely downhill from around 5.5 kms, but this includes a rocky section where I lost ground to the runner ahead. Something about looking down while running causes my eyes to water, this spices things up when choosing where to put your feet. The river crossing poses a similar problem. Front and centre in the race promotional pictures, this comes right near the finish. Good fun, I managed some high knees until about 3/4 of the way across where it got a bit deeper. Two helpful marshals were on hand to haul us out for the final push back across the recreation ground to the finish.

My first race with a river crossing, next time I’ll remember spare socks.

After collecting my pudding (very tasty) I made my way over to the drinks station, where I spotted Strider Abbie Pearse, who’d already had 10 minutes to relax/warm down having finished 3rd (3rd female, 3rd in category and 7th overall), well done Abbie!

Five Striders (that I know of, no clubs were listed) were among 308 finishers at the Bakewell Pudding Fell Race. The men’s race was won by Joe Steward in a time of 35:35. Sara Willhoit won the women’s race in a time of 42:20.

Striders Results