Red Bull Steeplchase/Shadwell trail race

So in the last 2 weeks done a couple of slightly different races.  Last week was the Red Bull Steeplechase from Castleton in the Peak District.  This had the potential to be an 8, 12, 18 or 21 mile run.  Was hoping for at least 18 but due to a dose of ‘Man Flu’ got eliminated at 12 miles.  This is advertised as a trail race but had a good deal of fell terrain in it.  The format of the run is that at 8 miles only the first 2/3rds of the field are allowed to carry on and the rest have to retire.  At 12 miles only the first 3/rd are allowed to carry on and at 18miles only the top 30 men and top 10 women are allowed to continue to the finish.  The race started with 200m on a dirt track then straight up a grassy hillside on hands and knees.  The race winner was a certain Andi Jones (GB marathon runner and former top fell runner) and it took him 9 mins to cover the first mile (took me 15mins!)  Got to 8 miles in 180^th with first 220 being allowed to continue managed to move up to 152 by 12 miles but unfortunately needed to be in top 110 to continue.  Mile 20 took the winner 12 mins to complete so probably glad to not have made it that far.

Full results

This week I did the Shadwell trail race.  You turn up to the start and pay your £4 (get £2 voucher to spend at the bar afterwards) and are given a set of written instructions of the course which you can then go away and peruse at your leisure, then when you are ready you head to the start and off you go – no marshalls, no direction arrows just you and your written instructions (and if your lucky maybe someone to follow, but you need to make sure they are going the right way).  Can probably be best described as reccieing a new leg of the Leeds Country Way at pace (complete with abbreviations FPS, LHFE, X ST, etc.).

Full results