Sandstone Trail Record

The Community Centre on Fluin Lane has good facilities and won't cost much. Particularly importantly, it has a large car park. The "small hall" there is plenty big enough, with a hatchway to a well-equipped kitchen - I went and had a look round today. This means we can lay on tea, pie & peas etc easily. The room has a lino floor, so no trouble with muddy shoes. Plenty of chairs & tables for tired finishers. And by finishing there we can avoid routing runners through the middle of a busy Frodsham on a Saturday afternoon & evening. The Sandstone Trail finishes by heading down an alleyway from Overton church to Red Lane (B5152), then turns left down the road to the traffic lights. For the event we'd route everyone across Red Lane and along the alleyway opposite that continues the line of the other one. It comes out in the Community Centre grounds, and there's a door straight from the field into the small hall. Couldn't be better. I've asked them to keep 14th & 21st May clear for us until we can decide. If Helsby RC is going to be the organising body the date needs to be clear of club counters etc.

And they're licensed... pint of Weary Wanderer from Frodsham Brewery at the end? The only fly in the ointment would be that last road crossing you describe at the foot of the last steep descent to Red Lane to get across to the alleyway, which would need good marshalling. Club counters could be a moveable feast anyway.

I wouldn't've thought the last road crossing would be any kind of a problem - the competitors should be well spaced out by then! ;)

for the record, I'd be very interested in this if it goes ahead
if I don't run it, I might be able to marshal or whatever

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Originally Posted by idler

The only fly in the ointment would be that last road crossing you describe at the foot of the last steep descent to Red Lane to get across to the alleyway, which would need good marshalling.

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Manning road crossings isn't normal practice on challenge events like this. If it were going to be a race that would be different. For instance even the High Peak 40 doesn't marshal the A515 near the end on the way into Buxton. People will be trickling down to that crossing in Frodsham at a rate of 20-30 an hour at most I'd think.

You're right, I'm just being a wet blanket.

Not that wet, it's a pain to cross as people blast down it - not suggesting a lolly pop lady, but we'll need a marshall at the turning anyway, so they can just point out a safe place to cross. I'm just conscious that people will have been running for somewhere between 4.5 and 7+ hours so their judgement for crossing the road may be a little less than at it's best:wink:

It's not a big deal, just something we should consider. On the route I'm expecting people to follow the signs, but there are one or two near the end that it would be good to add some additional signage and a couple near the begining too. Apart from that I reckon it's reasonably self sufficient, just a few tables along the way for people to fill up on water and stodgy cakes :w00t:

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Originally Posted by idler

I think it would be terrific if you got this off the ground. I was just revving up for a go at the Fire Service event when it disappeared. It's always been kind of on my horizon and I'm sure you'd get others interested. Cheshire West would give it a boost I'd assume - it's probably in their remit to promote use of the trail. What about the Church Hall on Church Street just back from the lights?

I reckon Chris and Adair should do a paired run ...and sprint it out at the end :)
Plenty more to come from both I think.

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FYI: Cheshire West do also provide support for the Chester Half which is due to be on May 15th next year. I don't think it would be a problem, as I can't see many runners wanting to do both events (Chester Half is about 80% non-club runners), but thought it could be relevant in choosing the date. Good luck to all in getting it off the ground - would be a good addition to the calendar.

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Originally Posted by downhillracer

FYI: Cheshire West do also provide support for the Chester Half which is due to be on May 15th next year. I don't think it would be a problem, as I can't see many runners wanting to do both events (Chester Half is about 80% non-club runners), but thought it could be relevant in choosing the date. Good luck to all in getting it off the ground - would be a good addition to the calendar.

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Thanks dhr. I think you're right that not many will want to do both, but it's something in favour of the 21st rather than the 14th.

I guess it's all official now.............

http://www.helsbyrunningclub.org.uk/sandstone.htm

It's a fair cop. We're not taking entries yet, but I can confirm we're reviving the Sandstone Trail Challenge for 2011, to be on Saturday 21 May. As before it will be an LDWA-style challenge event for walkers that also supports runners (i.e. not a race). It will start at the new end of the Trail in Whitchurch, and end at the Community Centre in Frodsham. Loads of organising still to do of course.

I remember doing the event many years ago when it was organised by Frodsham Fire Station and it would be fantastic if it was revived. I'm sure that it would be well supported both from FRA and LDWA types if advertised in Strider Magazine. 21st May would be perfect for me as the week before is the Fellsman and the week after, the LDWA 100, so this would be a nice gentle leg stretcher for me.

Good luck with the organisation. You know you've got to do it now :D

It will be in Strider in December, and I'll ask them to put it up on the LDWA website as well before that, once we've got a few more things sorted out. Three local authorities to talk to!

Full marks to Andy for getting this off the ground. Obviously a fair bit to do, but he's off to a flying start with the organisation. I was wondering when he'd go public on here :)

Did this yesterday, wonderful in terms of weather and a good run out for the day. Ran from Whitchuch so had to faff around with trains etc. From train station at Whitchurch to the obelisk at Frodsham toox 6 hours 30 minutes; this did include a run in with curious lama who took a liking to me an decided to run with (after) me, detouring a big bull who was stood infront of my way forward and re-directing a lost family in delamere. All together a nice route but it does have some monotemous bits such as the muddy corn field just after Beeston, talk about clod hopping.

My time somewhat looks a bit pittiful now. I remember aching at the hip, running field after field after field (doing it Frodsham to Whitchurch). Hope to join in the race, theres rivalry in the family my dad won the fire service race in 1997 & 1998.

Not long to go before the big day on 21st May!

Here's the latest - http://www.helsbyrunningclub.org.uk/...ne-results.htm

Wallman

Yep, current record 5h19 Jeff McQueen & Dave Douglas, from this time last week. Sub 5s on for the quick folk, rumour has it one of the pair was saving himself :)

See you on the 21st!

Rumour has it that one of them has been ill since that run and will be lucky to be back to full strength on the 21st!

Will know for sure after a 3 peaks run this w/end.

Wallman

Four more completions this weekend - Andy, Ed, Chris and Steve from Helsby RC. Record's still safe :)

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Originally Posted by idler

Four more completions this weekend - Andy, Ed, Chris and Steve from Helsby RC. Record's still safe :)

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I don't think "safe" is the right word. It'll be gone on Saturday. Mind you, my M50 record might just survive...

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Originally Posted by Splatcher

I don't think "safe" is the right word. It'll be gone on Saturday. Mind you, my M50 record might just survive...

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Well that was as sound a prediction as I've ever made. harrymoon (Helsby RC) smashed the record by 46 minutes with a brilliant 4:33 run. And my M50 record of 5:24 looks a lot less impressive now but still stands. The fastest M50 yesterday was 4 minutes slower. Full results will be up on the Helsby RC website soon.

Loads of pics from what was a superb event on www.flickr.com/photos/runhelsby