The Roaches

14^th June 2007

Only a couple of days after moaning that I couldn’t make any of the mid-week Summer Series fixtures a change of work plans left me with a chance to brave the Roaches.

Anyone outside the running community would not have believed the scene at the foot of the Roaches.  What seemed like hundreds of runners squeezed into the parking field.  Then, while wind and rain lashed around them, they joined the long shivering queue to sign up for 6 miles of full exposure to the elements.  Of course the Wilmslow runners were snug, warm and totally dry in our stylish WRC jackets.

As we ran off up the road I took the lead at what seemed like a comfortable pace.  I knew only that the course was road-fell-road-trail.  I thought that if I could get reasonably positioned and survive the fell I could push on in the second half.  I knew that it wasn’t a good idea to be in the lead as far better Wilmslow runners than me have taken a wrong turn on the Roaches in better conditions than this rain and clag.  So I was relieved to see Ian Yates from Trentham stride up as we left the road.  I knew that he’d won the series last year so surely here was a man who knew the way.  Just tuck in and follow.  Or not.  Five minutes onto the moor we looked back to see the rest of the field climbing up the hill having turned left 200m behind us.  I gnashed my teeth as I joined the back of the queue on the steep path up into the mist.

But by the top of the hill I had already cheered up.  I could just see Jim and Graham and there was the revised challenge of trying to make up the ground in between.  We ran up and over a couple of Roaches on nice stony paths.  Pushing on I caught up with Graham then Jim and Stuart appeared on the summit rocks ahead.  Down the other side the flag stone path suddenly looked rather too slippery.  I slowed down thinking that I really didn’t want to fall over up here in the freezing wind and rain.  I could see that Stuart was taking a similar approach.  But not Jim who came storming past somehow conjuring grip out of his racing flats.

Further down the path became easier and dropping out onto the road I was able to work my way past Jim and Stuart before closing down the other runners ahead.  But hang on where was Tom?  As we approached the turn off onto the limestone track I could see him far ahead, arms pumping chasing down the race leader.  Meanwhile I managed to misjudge the end of the race, tripping over a cattle grid and not seeing the finish until I was practically in the funnel.  In the process I rather weakly let a couple of fell runners sprint past.

Tom was grinning from ear to ear having won the race.  Jim, Graham and Stuart piled over the line just behind me in a classic Summer Series dash for points.  We had to agree that it had been the best race between us for a good while.  And somehow it didn’t seem so cold anymore.

I’m sure that there are lots of epic tales to follow from those who enjoyed even more time on the tops.

Full results and some great photos at: http://www.staffsmoorlands-ac.co.uk/summerseries.html

Rob

f