Hallam Chase 2019
A version of this report was published on the Steel City Striders website.
Race date: Tuesday, 28 May 2019
The Hallam Chase is apparently the world's oldest fell race, having been run in one form or another since 1862. Apparently Seb Coe thought it was horrific.
The Chase is open to members of South Yorkshire running or fell racing clubs, and it's run as a handicap race, with the idea being that everyone should finish at the same time. I realised when I saw the start list that this wasn't going to work for me (Stuart Jones, whom I never beat, set off before me. Mark Platton, whom I also never beat, set off with me).
The race is a straightish out-and-back, when seen from above. When seen from within, it's a demon made out of contour lines.
We lined up by the stand at Hallam Cricket Club (also Hallam Football Club) (both very old institutions too), and set off at our various handicaps. I was about half way down, 12:10 after the first runner and 6:00 ahead of the last. We were a group of five. By the time we were half way down Coldwell Lane, I was losing touch with the other four as everyone set off completely hell for leather down the hill. Across Manchester Road, a few yards along Hagg Lane past cheering onlookers and suddenly it was sharp left and off the road. The descent of Den Bank started off sandy, treacherous but relatively shallow and then quickly turned into a vicious 20-odd percent plunge across fields down into the Rivelin valley. ("We're doing this up the way coming back, aren't we?" "Yes." "Arse," said my internal dialogue.) Across a footbridge by the Iron Wheel pond and then we'd had our fun, now get climbing. A few yards on Rivelin Valley Road where I struggled to get my breath back, then into the steep ascent of Tofts Lane towards the pub, where there was plenty of support and some photographers to capture the pain.
We cut right, onto a decent path across the fields towards Stannington. By "decent", I mean the surface, not the gradient. I managed to claw back a couple of places on the climb, but most of my fellow starters were still away in the distance. Eventually, we crawled our way up to Stannington Christ Church and were allowed to run round the marshal and set off back down.
The Stannington side of the valley is steep, but not half as bad as the Crosspool side, so I made a better job of the second descent. I made a much worse job of the second climb though. Not long after the footbridge crossing I found myself reduced to a walk, along with a big train of other people, occasionally being passed by a hardcore racer, pistoning up the hill.
I did manage a bit of running, and passed a few people, but this bit was a huge struggle.
Thankfully, it was also short and we were soon back on the road, grinding out the climb up Coldwell Lane and the "sprint" finish round the cricket pitch, where some sod burned me off big style.
Across the line and a collapse on to the grass. Was that really only three-and-a-bit miles? What a race.
Somehow, somewhere, I managed to get my fastest-since-Strava 400m and half-mile times. Somewhere else, my pace dropped to nearly 15 minutes per km.
I was 32nd across the line (of 63), 29th fastest by time in 31:35. Fastest was Paul Middlemas (Steel City Striders), in 25:07. Fastest woman was Nicola Squires (Hallamshire Harriers) in 26:12.
Full result: http://thehallamchase.org.uk/resources/Results-2019.pdf
Race date: Tuesday, 28 May 2019
The Hallam Chase is apparently the world's oldest fell race, having been run in one form or another since 1862. Apparently Seb Coe thought it was horrific.
The Chase is open to members of South Yorkshire running or fell racing clubs, and it's run as a handicap race, with the idea being that everyone should finish at the same time. I realised when I saw the start list that this wasn't going to work for me (Stuart Jones, whom I never beat, set off before me. Mark Platton, whom I also never beat, set off with me).
The race is a straightish out-and-back, when seen from above. When seen from within, it's a demon made out of contour lines.
We lined up by the stand at Hallam Cricket Club (also Hallam Football Club) (both very old institutions too), and set off at our various handicaps. I was about half way down, 12:10 after the first runner and 6:00 ahead of the last. We were a group of five. By the time we were half way down Coldwell Lane, I was losing touch with the other four as everyone set off completely hell for leather down the hill. Across Manchester Road, a few yards along Hagg Lane past cheering onlookers and suddenly it was sharp left and off the road. The descent of Den Bank started off sandy, treacherous but relatively shallow and then quickly turned into a vicious 20-odd percent plunge across fields down into the Rivelin valley. ("We're doing this up the way coming back, aren't we?" "Yes." "Arse," said my internal dialogue.) Across a footbridge by the Iron Wheel pond and then we'd had our fun, now get climbing. A few yards on Rivelin Valley Road where I struggled to get my breath back, then into the steep ascent of Tofts Lane towards the pub, where there was plenty of support and some photographers to capture the pain.
We cut right, onto a decent path across the fields towards Stannington. By "decent", I mean the surface, not the gradient. I managed to claw back a couple of places on the climb, but most of my fellow starters were still away in the distance. Eventually, we crawled our way up to Stannington Christ Church and were allowed to run round the marshal and set off back down.
The Stannington side of the valley is steep, but not half as bad as the Crosspool side, so I made a better job of the second descent. I made a much worse job of the second climb though. Not long after the footbridge crossing I found myself reduced to a walk, along with a big train of other people, occasionally being passed by a hardcore racer, pistoning up the hill.
I did manage a bit of running, and passed a few people, but this bit was a huge struggle.
Thankfully, it was also short and we were soon back on the road, grinding out the climb up Coldwell Lane and the "sprint" finish round the cricket pitch, where some sod burned me off big style.
Across the line and a collapse on to the grass. Was that really only three-and-a-bit miles? What a race.
Somehow, somewhere, I managed to get my fastest-since-Strava 400m and half-mile times. Somewhere else, my pace dropped to nearly 15 minutes per km.
I was 32nd across the line (of 63), 29th fastest by time in 31:35. Fastest was Paul Middlemas (Steel City Striders), in 25:07. Fastest woman was Nicola Squires (Hallamshire Harriers) in 26:12.
Full result: http://thehallamchase.org.uk/resources/Results-2019.pdf
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