Saturday 29 July 2017

Elsecar Skelter 27m 2017

My approach to running is different to most runners. I don't care much about times and I  don't aim to get a personal best time. It would be nice if one came along, but I am not interested in doing the training to achieve a personal best. As long as I am fit enough to complete any event I enter, that is all I care about.

The Elsecar Skelter event suits me very well. It is mainly off-road, we run by many follies, country houses, there are hills and views and the route is complex enough to keep me thinking about which way to go rather than thinking about how many miles to go. The checkpoints are very good, lots of sandwiches to eat and there is a meal at the end, all for £12 if you enter early enough. It rises to £13 if you enter on the day ! I find it a relaxing run (well at least as relaxing as a run can ever be).

Melanie was doing this one with me and this would be her first marathon for over two years. Before the start we met up with a couple from the fetcheveryone website who I haven't seen for a number of years and chatted with Gary who I had seen at other events, but not spoken to before. The day before the event Eric decided to run it and he accompanied us round the route. We grew as a group as we ran round which was a bit of surprise given the low number of runners, so overall it was a very social event.

It starts at the Market Hotel in Elsecar right next door to the Elsecar Heritage Centre, which has cafes, art and craft shops and a steam engine railway. An interesting place to visit after the event.


The weather on the Friday had been wet, but today it was perfect running weather, a slight breeze to keep us cool and the sun making the an occasional appearance from behind white clouds.

The briefing was short, to the point and full of South Yorkshire humour. It reminded me of my seven years in Sheffield and Rotherham, three of which I spent working at Wentworth Woodhouse which is on the route.



The route started with a climb through woods and fields with the first views soon appearing



past the first folly, the Needle's Eye and on to Hoober Stand where we had the first self clip checkpoint.



On through the village of Hoober, across fields to Higher Stubbin and Nether Haugh (lovely names). More fields and past a mausoleum (largely hidden in trees but you can just see it in the distance in the photo below)



and on to the private road through the Wentworth Woodhouse estate. Again there are follies


before the main house appears - it has the largest frontage in the UK apparently



Working there when it was Lady Mabel College of Education has lots of memories for me. On to Wentworth Church




and the second checkpoint which had drinks and flapjack.

A mixture of off-road and road for a while and we came out through the woods to one of the main checkpoints in Westwood Country Park which is at the centre of the figure of eight route we were covering. There was plenty of hot and cold drinks and sandwiches. It was good to know we were going through here again later.

Through West Wood and round the edge and then through fields


and on to a section where the farmer had ploughed over the path. Fortunately, the organisers had taped a few trees in this section which made it easier. Shortly after came the next checkpoint where runners could decide to take the 21m route back (there was also a 15m route on offer from the previous checkpoint). It was good to have the flexibility to change as we went round.

Another hill to climb with lovely views from the top.


Then it's my favourite section Wharncliffe Edge






And on via the Wortley Hall checkpoint, back to Westwood Country Park checkpoint (more lovely sandwiches) and the last four or five miles across more fields


Into the Market Hotel, taking our shoes off before finishing


and eating quiche and mushy peas and collecting our badge and certificates


before having a drink from the bar. A perfect day. Well done to Melanie for completing her first marathon for a while and it was great to have Eric's company 😃