Shepherds skyline fell race – 02/11/13

Ali Nash reports

Wet, windy and wild. Race HQ at The Shepherds Rest Inn on the hills dominated by the slopes of Stoodley Pike. With a start at 1pm, 279 runners crammed themselves into a path a few feet wide, scrambling up 400ft over the first mile (note to self: start nearer to the front). The skyline was a rather uppy-downy ‘path’ with acres of swamp and a far-too liberal scattering of jagged rocks, across to the Stoodley monument. At this point the route goes straight down…..540ft of kamikaze descent (scream if you want to go faster) down to a brief respite along a surfaced track, before the lung-busting direct ascent straight back up cardiac hill. The descent back to the Shepherds Rest turned into a Battle Royale with Nick Bolton of Calder Valley who had the damned cheek to short-cut me and then apologise to rub it in. With 1/4 mile left and a complete disregard for our safety it descended into a ridiculous all out sprint cheered on by the finish crowds, and pipped him by 2 seconds.
All for a lollipop.

1st Tom Adams (Ilkley) 41.44
92nd Ali Nash 58:12
215th Pete Huby 71:43

Full results