Tockholes Fell Race

Next race: Saturday 5th July 2008, at 14:30 pm
From: Rock Lane, Tockholes. GR 662234

2007 Race Report

by Simon Fox

The weather, which had recently gone through the whole gamut from drizzle to monsoon, surprised everyone and held off the waterworks so that the race was held in glorious (it’s all relative) overcast conditions.

Eighty-one runners lined up in the lane below The Rock pub by the side of the field where the Gala isn’t.

At the start one unlucky runner pulled up after 200 yards with an injury as the rest of us charged on towards Sunnyhurst woods.

Mark France, marshalling here, took great pains to make sure we actually spotted the huge fallen tree blocking the path and didn’t run right into it in the heat of the battle.

The wheels soon fell off my game plan of getting a fast start and hanging on as Carl Bolton flew by. I managed to re-pass on the climb to the Tower but was then held up on Aggies by finding the only person in the world who descends worse than me to get stuck behind! Both Carl and Gary Taylor then cruised by as we headed for Roddlesworth. I recovered a little on the run in to the finish but I seemed to be always entering a field as Gary left it.

Julie Brown put in a good run in 66^th while Russ Corsini travelled, ooh, several yards to take part in his annual fell race which seemed to have more Dashers marshalling than taking part.

Men’s winner Chris Smale of Todmorden led the race virtually from the start, in a time which was outside Richard Thomas’s record.

Video of the race here

Route Description

5.8 miles with 1160 feet of climb on a varied course across tracks and paths. The route takes you through Sunnyhurst Woods before climbing to Darwen Tower and returning through Roddlesworth Woods to Tockholes. The main climb is from Sunnyhurst to the Tower but this is an undulating course from start to finish. The way will be partially marked and marshaled; local knowledge or navigational skills may be required. Entry on the day only, £3.50 including entry to the Gala field. The race is to be held under FRA rules, race category BS.