Withens Skyline fell race, Haworth – 13/10/2013

Ali Nash reports

The time:11.30am The location: Penistone Hill, Oxenhope. The weather as expected: Cold, drizzle, gales. The bargain price: £4.

264 runners set out from the quarry start line like rampaging wildebeest heading for the moorland on the horizon. The route wound its way up over rough paths, heather, bracken and swamp, with the wheezing masses dodging at least 2 running casualties and circumventing 2 very very dead sheep . The easily followed trail steepened and wettened considerably reducing all but the strongest to a fast walk, followed by the relative relief of  the ‘flattish’ moorland section across the Skyline –  a wet, peatty morass, more than ready to pull your shoes off (which it did). The long speedy downhill section from the ruins of Top Withins Farm down to Bronte waterfalls was a delight, so long as you disengaged brain from ‘certain death mode’ and let gravity take control. The short,sharp, hands and knees climb from Bronte Bridge up and across the waterfall, being the final hurdle before a last mile charge across flat moorland to the finish and a well-deserved cuppa and a curlywurly. It may have been my first ever fell race but definitely recommended and I’m already looking for the next one!

The winner, Tom Adams (Ilkley Harriers) smashed Alistair Brownlee’s 2006 record by 2 minutes…….

Tom Adams     39:26   1st

Ali Nash           54:23   83^rd

Bob Hudson     59:31   143^rd

Richard Stone  59:33   145^th

Pete Huby        65:32   191^st

Full results