Spofforth Gala Trail Race
Did a recce of the course on Monday. The bog is in perfect condition! The rains have washed away some of the hardcore from the tracks revealing the underlying gritstone. Definitely best done in trail/fell shoes. On Bank Holiday Monday 27th August. If you can't get to the fells: do this.
"I am not a number! I am a free man!"
Unfortunately injury will prevent me from doing this again, however on the shoe front I would recommend trail and not fell shoes as too much fast farm track/road, particularly in the last couple of k.
Good to see the bog has returned though!!
BTW Guick Dotto do you know the route of the Kirkby Overblow trail race in the same area - held for the first time in October last year I believe.
Yes I ran it last year and beat Eddie Gray by quite a considerable margin I have to say!
The route starts from the school in Kirkby Overblow and reverses quite a lot of the Spofforth Trail Race route before finishing over fresh ground via Parks Farm and Low Hall. It was quite a low key event but some hot runners turned up. I've got an excellent alternative route for them if they want to create a totally new race, but who cares it's a free country and it's always great to run round there. I've heard they want to do it again this year so I might well give it another go. Both routes are rough enough for a fellsman/woman to feel they're not wasting their time. Both runs have about 350 feet of ascent.
"I am not a number! I am a free man!"
Definitely trail shoes as the course was very dry today. Look out for the bogs though!
"I am not a number! I am a free man!"
Had considered this race a couple of days ago until I read it was £10 for entry on the day!
http://www.ukresults.net/forms/070827spofforth.pdf
I think we're a bit spoilt in fell racing. This event was a fundraiser for the local playgroup and school. You don't normally pay £3 for an ordinary race these days. Still, my mate won't race on the North York Moors because it's usually a fiver and there's no way he's paying that!
"I am not a number! I am a free man!"
This year the national grid gas pipeline work cuts right through the route and the rights of way are closed. Nil desperandum. There's a new course which includes about three K of the established route. It's a two lap course all on rough tracks except for the start and finish which is across a rough field. 405 feet of ascent and worthy of the brethren's and sisterhood's attention if you're not off to do something more serious. Bank Holiday Monday 25th August. It's that good somebody on the Runner's World forum gave it 0% for "would you do it again" complaining of the roughness
http://www.ukresults.net/08aug.html#spofforth
"I am not a number! I am a free man!"
My complaint when I did it was that it was too flat & fast for my level of fitness at the timeOriginally Posted by Guick Dotto
This year the national grid gas pipeline work cuts right through the route and the rights of way are closed. Nil desperandum. There's a new course which includes about three K of the established route. It's a two lap course all on rough tracks except for the start and finish which is across a rough field. 405 feet of ascent and worthy of the brethren's and sisterhood's attention if you're not off to do something more serious. Bank Holiday Monday 25th August. It's that good somebody on the Runner's World forum gave it 0% for "would you do it again" complaining of the roughness
http://www.ukresults.net/08aug.html#spofforth, especially the final 2k.
I might make it again but don't do committing to races in advance these days!!
I don't commit either as it's usually the kiss of death to me going. I've wasted a lot of money trying to be organised and pre-registering then getting shingles or a calf pull or some other crazy unexpected thing that cause me to pull.
You're wrong about the last 2K. It's not flat- it's downhill!
"I am not a number! I am a free man!"
Ok it was still too fast for me!!
Do you know if Kirkby Overblow race will be on this year?
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