Calderdale Way Relay

[Duff]

Ian,
I’m at work and without a map, so I can’t give you grid refs but;
Where you turn right into the woods before Heptonstall, if one were to keep going up the tarmac it would make up (at least) 300m I reckon. It is a cheat, but I believe some teams aren’t as honest as they should be. I few years ago I did Leg 4, and at this spot there was a couple out watching with their kids. As my partner and I turned into the woods the bloke shouted to us, asking if we were sure that we were following the correct route as ‘a few teams have carried on up the road’.
It’s only one of several places were cheating happens every year (and not the only place on Leg 4!). The organisers can’t police 50 miles so what can you do?

The other thing the teams following you may have done would be to go through the churchyard rather than alongside it, but this would only get you an advantage of maybe twenty seconds.

[Richard Head]

It looks like the start and finish have been moved to North Dean Woods (Grid Ref 080224) so by my reckoning that means the first leg is now just under 9 miles and the last leg about 11 miles

[Multiterrainer]

Ian,
I’m at work and without a map, so I can’t give you grid refs but;
Where you turn right into the woods before Heptonstall, if one were to keep going up the tarmac it would make up (at least) 300m I reckon. It is a cheat, but I believe some teams aren’t as honest as they should be. I few years ago I did Leg 4, and at this spot there was a couple out watching with their kids. As my partner and I turned into the woods the bloke shouted to us, asking if we were sure that we were following the correct route as ‘a few teams have carried on up the road’.
It’s only one of several places were cheating happens every year (and not the only place on Leg 4!). The organisers can’t police 50 miles so what can you do?

The other thing the teams following you may have done would be to go through the churchyard rather than alongside it, but this would only get you an advantage of maybe twenty seconds.

I agree it's cheating but iirc the gap into the woods is quite narrow and easily missed despite the CW sign (which I recall is also quite faded) - It's quite possible it may have been teams who hadn't fully reccied the route that continued along the road and thought nothing of it until they came to the next CW sign in Heptonstall (giving benefit of the doubt here!).

[IanDarkpeak]

Ian,
I’m at work and without a map, so I can’t give you grid refs but;
Where you turn right into the woods before Heptonstall, if one were to keep going up the tarmac it would make up (at least) 300m I reckon. It is a cheat, but I believe some teams aren’t as honest as they should be. I few years ago I did Leg 4, and at this spot there was a couple out watching with their kids. As my partner and I turned into the woods the bloke shouted to us, asking if we were sure that we were following the correct route as ‘a few teams have carried on up the road’.
It’s only one of several places were cheating happens every year (and not the only place on Leg 4!). The organisers can’t police 50 miles so what can you do?

The other thing the teams following you may have done would be to go through the churchyard rather than alongside it, but this would only get you an advantage of maybe twenty seconds.

I agree it's cheating but iirc the gap into the woods is quite narrow and easily missed despite the CW sign (which I recall is also quite faded) - It's quite possible it may have been teams who hadn't fully reccied the route that continued along the road and thought nothing of it until they came to the next CW sign in Heptonstall (giving benefit of the doubt here!).

Thanks for that
It looks like that's what they've done either delibrately or accidentally

Perhaps the RO's could at least put up an arrow there to show the way?

[dylan]

checked my map,
the cw DOES go through the church yard,
i will describe it better after the recce on sunday,
seem to remember the little steps rising into the church and it being very slippy.

shortcutting is cheating,end of.

another short cut taken by a local club was coming off the fell onto high house lane,the runners ignored the cw sign and went left/right down a path and made about 30 secs on a group of us,
we called them back,but were ignored.
we all reported them at finish,
the runners were defended by a team mate,saying it had not made them much time.
my argument was how many other short cuts had been made,
it being there own back yard!
it leaves a bitter taste and not in the nature of our sport.

[Pike]

another short cut taken by a local club was coming off the fell onto high house lane,the runners ignored the cw sign and went left/right down a path and made about 30 secs on a group of us,
we called them back,but were ignored.
we all reported them at finish,
the runners were defended by a team mate,saying it had not made them much time.
my argument was how many other short cuts had been made,
it being there own back yard!
it leaves a bitter taste and not in the nature of our sport.

This is a very deliberate shortcut. Since it was a point of controversy at the 2007 presentation, I stood here with camera last year to see what the leading teams did. About 8 of the first 12 teams took the shortcut, including the accusing team from the year before! (Credit to "local clubs" Todmorden and Calder Valley who took the correct route). Not wanting to marr the event, or some of the country's top athletes, I've kept the photos to myself.

Marshalling the entire route is impractical, but maybe if was made known that one or two marshalls would be randomly placed at places like this, it might keep people on their toes and remove the temptation of cheating. Most people stick to kit requirements because checks are carried out, so the same should hold true when it comes to being honest about the route.

[Mountain Hare]

I'm on Leg 6 for the first time.

Can anyone recommend what sort of footwear - is it too rough for a pure road shoe - or will a trail shoe be a better choice?

Ta

MH

[dylan]

its not rough,just sloppy in some places,the rest is good trails/track/road.
you will be glad of the grip on a couple of sections.
i have run it in a pair of nike pegasus and the grip was goos enough but it all depends on just how much rain we have.

[Man from Del Monte]

OK this is a first for me and got leg 5. any advice please? thinking of going to recce it on Sunday

[SloJo]

I ran leg 6 in trail shoes last year and was sliding all over the place on the sloppy first three miles. I'm going to wear Walshes this year.