Brief History of Glossop Races: Part 1

During the 80s and 90s Glossop was a thriving scene for both road and fell races. For posterity, I thought it might be an idea to compile a list whilst I can still recall them! There may be one or two unintentional factual errors here so please do not hesitate to let me know. If anyone can add more information I would be most grateful. I have decided to concentrate on races no longer staged, so that is why Shelf Moor and Herod Farm, both deserving of a separate account, are not mentioned here The same would also apply to those races organised by Des. I have divided the races into two groups, those with an entry fee open to all and club races for GDH and friends.

Open Races

1. Midco Half Marathon  - Stuart Robertson who was a director at Midco Builders Merchants at Woolley Bridge, a runner himself, sponsored and staged this great event. High St West was closed for the Sunday morning as the runners headed down to Woolley Bridge before turning right heading up Padfield on to the B6105. Over the dam at Torside, back down the A628, left at Tintwistle and back to Glossop via Woolley Bridge finishing just outside the mill-yard.
   
   
2. Glossop Half Marathon - GDH took over the race organisation eventually with Howard Rees, John Nudds and Vaughan McKay doing sterling work as race organisers. In a Runners World poll the race was voted 4th best half marathon in the country! The event was eventually moved to the Hadfield site of  Glossopdale college, the route going up Newshaw Lane and down Hadfield Road before joining the original route which was changed to cross the dam at Woodhead.
   
3. Glossop 10 - organised by John Brightmore. Starting in Manor Park, the route going up Wimberry Hill, down to reservoirs for a loop then a tough climb back up to the B6105 before returning to the park. Sponsored by local firm Carpenters.
4. Glossop 5 - originally organised by Paul Richards and Godfrey Claff, two Glossop-based Salford Harriers in aid of the local Women's Refuge. Used to attract the elite of local running talent, both road and fell. Taken over eventually by the club and fronted once again by John Brightmore. Started and finished on Philip Howard Rd with two laps of St Marys Rd, High St West, Primrose  Lane, Turnlee, Drovers and Charlestown Rd.
5. Glossop Fell Race - organised in pre-Glossopdale times by DPFR in conjunction with the July Carnival and In The (Manor) Park activities. 22 miles/4200ft, 11 checkpoints including Higher Shelf Stones, shooting cabin high up Crowden Little Brook, Laddow, Tintwistle Knarr and the shooting cabin on Glossop Low. Featured in 'Studmarks on the Summits. Note the mega-size cloth numbers worn which were reclaimed after each race and how the club's reputation as ale swillers was already gaining momentum. 
   
6. New Glossop Fell Race  - the harriers took over the race in the early 90s but with a much changed route including checkpoints on Higher Shelf, Alport Trig, Fairbrook Naze, Ashop Clough, Snake Summit and Doctors Gate. Staged for two years before obtaining continued permission from the Peak District National Park authority proved insurmountable.
7. Up The Nab - organised by the club with several different race directors, run from Glossop rugby club involving a circuit of Coombes Rocks returning  down Slack Edge followed by an excuciating lap of the rugby pitch.
8. Women's Fell Race - organised by Shaun Priestley and Liz Sparkes as I recall. Circular route up to Harry Hut. Held just the once.

Club Races

1. 3 Trigs - organised by me. Pairs, choose your own route event visting Cock Hill, Higher Shelf and Harry Hut trigs. Made harder for the following two years with the addition of a mystery checkpoint revealed as the pairs started
2. Dog Rock Handicap - route from the Queens in Old Glossop up to Shelf Benches, Dog Rock and back down Lightside. Staggered start with handicaps allocated.
3. Christmas Fell Races - fancy dress races on the sunday before Christmas. Originally held from Glossop Rugby Club with a route part way up the Nab, down to Broadbottom and back through Gamesley fields. Later held from the Queens with a route up Lightside, across to the Glossop Low cabin and back down through the quarries. No entry fee, bring a prize, take a prize.

Misty Muddles in the Mountains of Mourne

I was very excited to be part of a small group of Glossopdale runners travelling to the first FRA British Championships counter race of 2014 in Northern Ireland. I had heard the mountains were beautiful, the hostel warm and friendly, the beer cool and tasty and the disco after the race legendary. We had managed to organise both a mens and a ladies team for the race, which is no mean feat considering the weekend included a club championship counter and some nice early spring events in the Peaks. We had also picked up an interloper in the form of Rob Taylor from Pennine. Seven of us set off from Manchester airport accompanied by John S's wife Sheelagh who was en route to visit some family in Ireland. Our first big moment came in the departure lounge where we met none other than the great Wendy Dodds. I must admit I was a bit awestruck though like all the great fell champions she is a warm, friendly and chatty person happy to hang about with other devotees of her sport. More about her sage advice later.

We arrived in the dark in Newcastle, the seaside town at the foot of the Mourne Mountains, ate a Mountain of fish and chips and retired to our bunks. We heard rain battering the window overnight, a sure sign Spring had not yet come to bless us with her warm air and fine views in this corner of the British Isles.

Upon waking, many runners in the hostel, whose number included Cheshire Hillrunners, Calder Valley, Ambleside and a visiting couple from Tennessee, commented on the invisibility of the mountains. We took to studying the maps and learning bearings off by heart. We collected race numbers plus free fun-sized Mars Bar and water and prepared our kit and our mettle. Having looked at the calibre of runners on the start list I was certain of a sound drubbing, though I calculated that if I came halfway down the ladies field I would at least score a point to bolster up Caity's surefire success.

Pre-race we nervously contemplated about 1000m of climbing in impenetrable mist chasing the fastest feet in the land. We sheltered from wind and rain in a little pavilion where we spied Wendy giving advice to another lady on the correct bearing to take from the summit. "If you go on 42 you will end up in hot water, some shady terrain there. 50 is much better" 50, 50, 50 I chanted to myself as I set my compass.  A proper (but well executed) kit check and we were off. Fast climbing on forest paths which necessitated quick removal of my windproof layer. Popped out of the woods onto the hill proper and began the walk/run snaking line to the next checkpoint at an old quarry. I followed the line of runners away from the quarry, knowing still yet more steep climbing was to come. I spied an Eryri lady ahead, compass firmly in her hand, and reassured myself I was on the right line. After some more climbing and thinning out of the field it was only possible to see one or two runners up ahead in the thick mist. I asked my neighbour if he knew if we were on a good line "that there is Jim, he knows this mountain like the back of his hand, follow his yellow socks" and so I did for as long as I could. It was really very eerie not being able to see the usual chain of runners blazing the way and I had no idea how far down the field I was. Finally the gradient lessened and wrapped-up marshals came into view, encouraging us to the top and the next checkpoint. Dibbed in and turned. To see Chris coming up...I shouted encouragement but our puzzled faces said it all.

Runners were now descending by various ways. I saw a Calder Valley lady and companion with their compasses and asked them what bearing they were on - 50. Good I said, I'll come with you, I know which way to go around these boulders, I spied it on the way up. So we worked as a little group finding good rock-free lines and constantly checking the magic 50 was being adhered to. We agreed on the way down that the day was so stinky and the route so challenging, working together was a better option than racing. Soon we were clearing the steep slippy parts and dashing down boggy heather happily. We reached the taped-off quarry and cheered with delight. Now that we were out of the mist we spied runners approaching checkpoint 4 from a variety of directions, but it was no time to question it. The forest section at the end was the part I had looked forward to the most and I sped off down the trail towards it, putting a gap between myself and my erstwhile companions. The forest was a fun-park for runners - fast downhill, twisty and turney with logs and roots to leap over. I revelled in it. Reached the park and put on the gas for a last sprint and crossed the line breathless with a stitch. Alex McVey was there and I asked my usual finish-line question - Caity? How did she do? "Zoe, you're the first Glossopdaler in" No fupping way, I said!!

Post race the situation was surreal and bizarre. I cheered in my team-mates and wondered what on Earth had happened to the top names coming in behind us. Gradually the stories began to circulate.. 'ten followed Lloyd and ended up at checkpoint 2 twice' ...'reached the Black Stairs by mistake' ...'came out by the ice house and had to run back to the forest' Suffice to say the whole of the evening and next day was taken up with runners recounting either disaster or blessed good fortune (or use of noggin) and the also-rans became some of the points scorers whilst some of the champions languished with the pickings.

I am bound by sportswomans honour not to recount the hedonistic events of the evening in O'Hare's. Spring had definitely sprung in the hearts of the runners young and old and they comported themselves in the expected paganistic manner. I met a lot of friendly runners from other clubs and look forward to seeing them perform to their usual skyscraping standards next race at Pendle. I just don't think I'll be able to recognise some of them without their dresses on..

Results and photos on the NIMRA website