I see from the Mercia FR website that Jim Tinnion is organising a Stretton Hills race this year on the date usually used for the Carding Mill Canter (first Saturday in March). Stretton Hills is 1.4km longer, with 55m more climbing and a lot more route choice than the Canter. https://mercia.giz.me.uk/node/3112
I tend not to make firm decisions on races more than a week or two in advance, but I'm definitely considering this one.
In his lifetime he suffered from unreality, as do so many Englishmen.
Jorge Luis Borges
I'll be there. Possibly with one or two fellow Coventry runners.
I spoke to Jim on facebook recently and the Canter is not being held this year.
I think the entries for this are due to open around early Feb, but if i hear anything i'll post it on here.
Anthony, this is now open on sientries.co.uk
Yes, I had seen that from Jim Tinnion's post on Facebook. I also noticed who was first on the entry list on SI Entries.Originally Posted by Travs
In his lifetime he suffered from unreality, as do so many Englishmen.
Jorge Luis Borges
Come on, folks. Just a week to go, and only 38 entries, with more than half of those from the organising club. If he doesn't get more entries soon, Jim T will be forced to accept EoD.
In his lifetime he suffered from unreality, as do so many Englishmen.
Jorge Luis Borges
I would love to but still on the long road to recovery. Looks like a cracking race though -hope it's still on the calendar next year.
Pete Shakespeare - U/A
Going downhill fast
Don't tell everyone... with only 38 entries i'm guaranteed a pb finishing place!Come on, folks. Just a week to go, and only 38 entries, with more than half of those from the organising club. If he doesn't get more entries soon, Jim T will be forced to accept EoD.
Anthony's rallying call obviously worked, as entries closed with 58 on the list.
Finished 15th at Callow in December... would like to improve on that tomorrow, and go under the hour, which would represent a pb of a couple of minutes.
Another great Shropshire race today.
Race went true to form... 6th at the first top, dropped to 8th on the descent into Cardingmill Valley, held position up the steep 2nd climb, dropped another couple on the long section over the plateau (seemingly due to route choice rather than speed), then lost another couple on the last proper descent (1 due to ability, the other by a different route option). Unable to regain anything on the flat final run-in.
12th in 58:45
Not many 6 mile races can have such a range of route options crammed in.... Two routes up the first summit (i took the runnable line, along all of the top dozen or so)..... the next descent had people taking a range of options.... the long section across the top of the Mynd had people spread out all over the place... and several options for the final descent.... i looked round in the valley and though i was in for a comfortable last couple of km to the finish, when suddenly Virgil Barton and Mel Price dropped in from the left out of nowhere, and suddenly found myself in a 3-way race for 11th-13th... was most unwanted!
Looking at the splits i was clearly stronger as usual on the climbs... however generally across the race lost the odd minute or two consistently on the leaders across all the splits... adding up to 10 minutes by the end. Although take out the first two who were a class above, was only 4mins behind 3rd place.
Mission accomplished. For once i'm fairly satisfied with that. Obviously my descending can improve but it's getting better, and it's just a case of consistently working on fitness.
Hello to AnthonyKay... good to speak to you at the start, if only quite briefly. Although i must say i was regretting agreeing with you to wear a base-layer... i was too hot within about 5 minutes, and was absolutely dripping going up that 2nd climb in the sun!
Took my 7 year old nephew to watch today. Although he was somewhat bribed by the promise of a game of football, and fish&chips. He seemed to enjoy himself, having a good splash in the Cardingmill Stream and cheering people on... there's hope yet!
Pete
Last edited by Travs; 05-03-2022 at 07:54 PM.
Ever since the route was published several weeks ago, I had been intrigued by the possibility of taking the more direct route from Haddon Hill to Jonathan's Rock. After all, I had chosen this race because of its two severe climbs (Yearlet and Haddon Hill), so why not add another, and save a bit of distance which would be on "fast" paths where I can't run very fast these days anyway. The clincher was the brisk north wind, which would be in everyone's face running over the plateau, whereas down in the Batch I would be sheltered.
So off I went, down the ridge. Damn, wrong ridge! Not the one with the nice path down it; but this one was actually even closer to the straight line between the checkpoints, and I did find a very nice sheep trod going down it, as far as the point where the ridge ends abruptly. From there, I discovered that dead bracken makes an excellent surface for bumsliding.
Anyway, the race was great fun, and held in lovely weather conditions (although unlike Travs, I was glad to have that base layer). And I passed 5 people on the climb up Haddon Hill, so there's still something in my legs.
In his lifetime he suffered from unreality, as do so many Englishmen.
Jorge Luis Borges
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