Good Shepherd

Mytholmroyd, Saturday, September 11, 2010

BL / 15m / 2000'

Paul Evans

The Good Shepherd is a relatively recent and low-key addition to the fell calendar, attracting this year a field of only around 50. Run from the Good Shepherd church in Mytholmroyd, it takes in a good chunk of the moorlands to the south of the Calder Valley and is, for a race with such a low turn-out, run over a very well thought-out course. Here’s how it went for the lone Strider this year:

Start-CP1. Sunny start. Steady climb up a hardened track, through woods and then onto the open moors. Navigation not required as runners still bunched and route well-marked. Moors surprisingly wet. Legs feeling it by Stoodley Pike (CP1).

CP1-2. All downhill over the moors, with the weather turning and a bit of horizontal rain. Navigation still easy, as CP2 a corner of a large reservoir. First inkling that shoes not grippy enough, as I end up losing places and dignity on the descent.

CP2-3. Flat track round the reservoir, then up over trackless, tussocky hillside, peat hags and finally a sodden path to the cloven stone(CP3). Places gained back and I’m now about 9th, though one slide into a puddle does nothing for my white shorts.

CP3-4. Wet but flat stretch following obvious drain to where the path meets the Pennine Way. Due to standing water, much of this run along the top of a concrete waterpipe. On my own all the way to the descent to CP4 (Mankinholes), which is horrible – overtaken by runners who were hundreds of yards behind me on the flat, Inov8s like running in road shoes.

CP4-5. Cheeky climb back up to Stoodley Pike. Hard on the legs but appears to be harder on some of those who’ve just been past me. Relief to get to the monument again.

CP5-6-finish. Skies clear again for long descent through woods and pastures to road, then short, steep climb through woods to CP6. I miss a flag and get temporarily lost, along with two others. Re-directed by other runners who’ve found it and overtaken us, then downhill again, whipped by holly and nettles, still sliding everywhere. Final 1k a good chance to regain some lost places, as flat stretch along railway line, but not quite enough for top 10 place.

In summary, I really enjoyed this race and would probably have got even more out of it had I brought along the right equipment – entirely my error and responsible for me finishing looking as if i’d soiled myself. Definitely marked down for re-running next year.

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