Race Report: Adam Leighton
Dark & White’s first round of the 2022 Spring Trail Run Series kicked off from the village of Castleton on Sunday 6th March. The series features 3 races with an option of a long (14-17km) or short (5-8km) courses run over scenic off road/trail routes in the Peak District.
Following registration at Castleton Village Hall there was a stroll through Castleton and a hike up a watery Cave Dale to the start line, helping to get the legs moving and the heart rate up before a final kit check and dibbing in to start within your chosen starting window.
Conditions were fair on the day, following some quite wet weather in recent days there promised to be some wet/muddy sections and there was a persistent cold wind reminding us that it wasn’t Spring just yet!
Thankfully, the start line wasn’t quite at the top of Cave Dale so there were still a few meters of rocky ascent to be had before the route gave way to the better going of grassy tracks near Rowter Farm. Soon after we began the steep climb towards Mam Tor, bypassing the summit, taking in the path to the north of the trigpoint to join the slabbed footpath just below following the Great Ridge. Taking in panoramic views of Edale to the North and Castleton to the South, passing Hollins Cross and skirting below Loose Hill to a long fast technical descent into Hope Village for the final couple of kilometers across undulating grass and muddy tracks to the finish line.
Wirksworth had 2 runners starting for the long course over 15km/9.3 miles with a total ascent of 1318ft/402m. Of the 162 runners that finished the long course, Caroline Burrell finished in: 1:30:41 (50tho/a, Cat 5th), and Adam Leighton: 1:22:06 (20tho/a, Cat 10th), both runners achieving a Gold finishers certificate!
Many thanks to Dark & White Events for another well thought out and organised event, we’ll see you for the next round in Buxton!
Mark Crawshaw (21:34 at Monsal Trail), Brian Clements (25:10 at Bromley), Kate Watson (27:49 at Exeter), and John Potter (21:02 at Seven Fields, Swindon) were in parkrun action on Saturday.