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Thread: Stretton Skyline

  1. #41
    Master Dave_Mole's Avatar
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    not this year: just did Fan Brycheiniog in the Brecon Beacons today: great race!

    Always feel sick at the end of the Skyline.

    So will probably do it next year
    ....it's all downhill from here.

  2. #42
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    Great race today, in fairly tough conditions.

    Massive thanks to the marshalls. Particularly the guy on his own on The Lawley where there was no shelter and the wind was howling a gale that you could barely stand in, never mind run. And the guy in the murk on top of the final checkpoint - was I relieved when you finally appeared out of the mist!

    On a personal level was very pleased with today. After last year's retirement I was keen just to get round, but was feeling strong and managed to get a pb over 2015's time by 8 minutes, coming home in 3:19

    Paced it much better, in fact at the final road crossing with perhaps 5 miles to go, I was 12 minutes behind 2015's time, but this year I was prepared for that horrible final climb, and was able to run (ok it was more of a shuffle) the majority of it, picking up a load of time.

    Good to see some familiar faces, who seem to always turn out for the Shropshire races.

    Peris next.

  3. #43
    Master Dave_Mole's Avatar
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    nice one, well done!
    Some quick times this year.
    ....it's all downhill from here.

  4. #44
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    My fave Shropshire race. Obviously Long Mynd Valleys seems to be the purist's favourite around here, and admittedly has more genuine Fell terrain, route choice and technicality... but for me the distance, and combination of steep climbs, runnable climbs, and hard running, make this the big one for me in Shropshire. Those three steep climbs one after another, and have you got anything left for the nightmare runnable climb back up onto the Mynd, before the never-ending descent down the valley.

    Was hot today, unexpectedly so. A few people commented on the way round that they were "f*****g boiling" and I had to agree.

    Didn't feel that I ran well today, but stats seem to prove otherwise, finishing 8th and a pb by 9.5 minutes.

    Struggled up the first climb and even had a re-occurrence of the old "first half hour jitters" where I wonder how I'm going to manage to drag myself round. Such has been my relative confidence over the past months that I can't even remember the last time that I had that bad spell at the start of a race. But once we crossed the A49 and got onto the sharp climbs and descents I seemed to settle in. Pushed up from about 15th to 11th, then saw one of the front runners had retired, so a top 10 was there to fight for.

    Really struggled in the heat up Gogbatch and back up onto the Mynd, in fact from the 2nd road crossing to the finish, was 2mins slower than last year. Luckily the guy I was racing was having an even bigger nightmare and was going backwards, dropping a few places by the end.

    Was with some relief to reach the final checkpoint and see I had a good 4 or 5 minute gap behind, for the long descent to the finish, which I took advantage of and trundled home in 3hrs10.

    Can't complain with a big pb, but I'd secretly hoped to be a bit faster, and I certainly won't be satisfied until I've cracked 3hrs on this one.

    Good turnout today, despite a busy weekend and a notable number of Mercia Fellrunners being up at Ben Nevis... I think the start list may have ran into the 80's.

    Thanks to all organisers and marshalls for another great day in Shropshire. Roll on the Winter Series!

    Pete
    Last edited by Travs; 02-09-2018 at 06:26 PM.

  5. #45
    Master Dave_Mole's Avatar
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    Well done on the top 10!
    Sounds like a typical Skyline experience, especially the last climb up through High Park.

  6. #46
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    Cheers Dave.... yes I knew what was coming over High Park, but still couldn't deal with it...! I was a bit worried as being relatively high up the field, I expected to lose a lot of places, but nobody was really doing anything on that section.

    Definitely need to crack 3hrs in order to maintain anything close to a top 10 position in a typical year.

  7. #47
    Master Travs's Avatar
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    Anybody else on this on Sunday…?

    My favourite Shropshire race. There's nothing incredibly technical on it, but the length (19 miles), ascent (4500ft) and mixture of runnable and steep climbs, and fast running, makes it incredibly tough.

    Can't see me repeating last year's 8th place (It must have been a 'weak year'!) but secretly hoping to chip a bit of time off and get closer to the 3hr mark.

  8. #48
    Master Dave_Mole's Avatar
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    A message from the organiser about this year's race:

    Unfortunately we have decided to cancel the 2020 38th Stretton Skyline Fell Race. This is only the 2nd time the race has been cancelled in its history, with the previous occasion being in 2001 due to the foot and mouth problem. After consideration of the current FRA Covid Safe Race Regulations, issues caused by overcrowding in Church Stretton and Cardingmill Valley, as well as current restrictions on group activities by the National Trust, we feel we have no alternative but to cancel this year's race.
    We would like to thank runners, marshals and landowners for their support in previous years and hope that everyone will be back to enjoy the Skyline in September 2021.

  9. #49
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    Good info and thanks for the post Dave

  10. #50
    Master Travs's Avatar
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    Just a note that this is on Sunday. And in what seems to be a popular option on this forum, it is Entry On The Day only....

    Despite the lack of route choice, it is a genuine test. If it wasn't for the two road crossings then i think this would make a great championship long race.

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