DCRO Dash

It was a good turnout for the second running of this lung-buster on Wednesday evening. Derbyshire Cave Rescue Organisation put on a good race. Being my first time I was somewhat taken aback by the vertiginous start, which was reminiscent of Mount Famine - very wide and very steep - but without the undergrowth. Race start must have looked underwhelming to any bystanders as most of us set off walking. As soon as the gradient eased to a more normal uphill, sporadic running began to creep in, then it was run as fast as you can around the hills on top before returning to the vertiginous descent towards the finish. A lot of runners missed the flagged route back down the hill and took the long way round via the grassy path. I might have picked up a few valuable places there.

It was nice to get to run some of the Peak Forest Fell Race route up on top. Its cancellation for Sunday seems a little less sad now. The DCRO Dash is much tougher than Peak Forest, climbing as it does from near the bottom of Winnats Pass.

Thanks to the football I had the roads to myself on the return home.

I took some photos.

Results

Less than three weeks to go to this year's DCRO Dash.

It's a unique and challenging race through the hilly country north of Castleton in the Peak District.

Race control is located at Speedwell Cavern atthe foot of Winnats Pass and the whole event is managed by Derbyshire Cave Rescue Organisation, who also support the Great Hucklow Fell race.

It's a great route, visiting many of the iconic caving locations in the Peak, and a super way to support the local cave rescue team.

https://derbyshirecro.org.uk/the-dcro-dash/