Mow Cop Fell Race – Summer Series race 3

Sunday April 6th.

Not a great forecast; "A wet and windy day with heavy rain at times, particularly over the hills."

Tony has always been adamant that the Summer Series is not the Club Championship. It is more than that. A club championship would reward only ability. The Series also rewards the enthusiastic, who run more races and the lucky, who pick the right races to run. Of course, it is not all luck. Ever since this year's schedule was announced the 'tarts' have been eyeing-up Mow Cop. Not the right race for the marathon runners, London as well as Manchester, weekend races attract lower numbers than midweek races and off-road attract lower numbers than road races. However, so many people have pointed out to me the potential points bonanza at Mow Cop that I had started to fear we might end-up with a record turn-out.

I counted the numbers at Shelf Moor last year and knew, barring a disaster, it was going to be my best score of the year. Mow Cop was likely to be a day when effort, concentration and getting the tactics right could bring big rewards. Tactics here are more difficult than races, like Langley and Cloud 9, that are essentially up and down. Here the long downhill section is followed by a one mile climb through the woods, where all, and perhaps more, of any downhill gain could easily be lost.

Like most people I'm nervy before a race, how well you're going to run on a particular day seems totally unpredictable, but it would be far worse for those doing the marathon, as someone said; ' 26 miles is a long way when you're feeling crap'.

Roy picked-me-up. Three years ago we were the sole representatives of the do-you-remember-when-I…. group. We were joined this time by Simon, less a convert to fell-running more desperate for Series points, well perhaps not that desperate he decided after the first mile.

Gavin and Ian arrived by bicycle, which is impressive, it's the getting home again that I find daunting.

The numbers justified our hopes; 27 compared with 43 at Kynpe Pool and 45 at Cloud 9.

Whilst the rain held off and it was not too windy there was a lot of squelching through mud, some of it ankle deep.

Damian retained the title he had won last year. Mike was 8th., Phil 19th. and James 18th.

Sally Gilliver was, as she had been in 2011, the first Wilmslow lady despite preparing herself in France on the local wine and food. Sally was 1st. L50. Huma gets better and better, 3rd. L40 and second Wilmslow lady.  Carolyn our third lady has now hopefully has shaken-off  the disappointment of Wilmslow.

Phil took the 60 points in League 2 followed by Jarrod and Ian. Andy was 1st. M60, he had done a fell race on Saturday with twice the ascent of today's race, not the text-book preparation for next Sunday's London Marathon.

Steve headed-up League 3 from Richard and Sally.

Huma is dominating League 4, John was again 2nd. with Ian taking 58 points.

Catriona followed-up a great Wilmslow with 60 points in League 5, she's putting her improvement down to a sugar-free diet. Soraya took 59 and Trevor, he likes hills and mud, a was very creditable third.

The post-race banter was cut short by the news of Peter Watson having a heart attack at the end of the club Sunday run. This was a shock, of all we old men  Pete keeps himself in the best condition and is the most sensible with his eating, drinking, exercising and running, or not running, when he is injured/ill. The comfort is that those factors give him the best chance of a quick and complete recovery. We wish him well.

Ian