MENU

Running in a Winter Wonderland

PAUL BROWN 26 JAN 2013
News Details

I was tipped off about The Hebden, a 22-mile LDWA run/walk around the Calderdale valleys, by new member Darren Holland way back in October last year. He even warned me that it was a popular event so entries should be made well in advance.

Me being me though, I didn't send my cheque off until late November, by which time I was well down the reserves list with seemingly little chance of taking part. Ho hum.

In the week leading up to the race, the weather turned from mild to more than a little wintry with extensive snow, hard overnight frosts, and daytime temperatures barely pushing the mercury above zero. I felt rather relieved that I'd missed the cut. Then two days before race day, an e-mail from the organisers informed me I was in (probably because most of the entrants had sensibly decided to stay in with a cup of cocoa and their feet up). Yikes!

So I prepped my gear the night before and squeezed in about five hours' kip. Waking at 5.45am and having some brekkie, I huddled by the fire trying to pluck up enough courage to venture to the car, never mind run 20-odd miles over fields and moors. When I did emerge though, it didn't feel as cold as I'd feared, so off I went wending my way along snow-encrusted roads to registration at Mytholmroyd by 7am.

This was my first proper LDWA event and, as other long-distance devotees in the club will attest, they are exceptionally well-organised and have a super-friendly atmosphere. I met up with Darren Holland outside and we collected our tallies together before I headed off in search of the complementary coffee and marmalade on toast.

Just before we all gathered in the foyer and ventured out into the semi-darkness for the start, James Catlow popped up to say hello, which meant three crazy TAC fools were undertaking this wintry epic! I just had time to ask if he'd done this sort of thing before ("No! I'll just follow the footprints" was his reply) then the race was underway.

I kept apace with Darren over a fairly brisk first mile before we started a climb up to Foster Clough. It was rather eerie but serious fun trotting along in the twilit morning over the frozen terrain. Daz wanted to keep up with a former CLeM clubmate but by the time we hit CP1 he was feeling the fast start, so after scoffing some chocolate cake we carried on together at a slightly more sedate speed.

The ground was completely covered in snow, in places masking an icy veneer, so grip was at a premium making progress quite slow at times. This didn't detract from the amazing feeling of freedom while running around the frosty countryside - it was like being a kid again!

Dropping down to Hardcastle Crags, Daz wasn't relishing the prospect of climbing up the other side of the valley, but I told him it wasn't as bad as hacking up the face of Whernside on the Three Peaks, which from his snort of agreement kind of helped a little I think!

It had started to snow again by CP2 where the brave and undoubtedly freezing marshals were in great spirits doling out jelly babies and fruit pastilles. We pressed on, passing Blackshaw Head and starting the long descent to the A646. As we passed one farmhouse, a trio of testy terriers snapped at our heels and left Daz cursing the little blighters!

We reached CP3 and a veritable feast! All manner of cakes, biscuits, sandwiches, hot and cold drinks were laid out inside a barn. I homed in on the stollen and fabled dripping butties - don't knock 'em till you've tried 'em - full of salty goodness!

Jeff Pickup and Paul Hesketh from Clayton caught us while we were munching, so we continued together over Lodge Hill where the happy Sports Sunday photographers were hunkered down doing their business. As we climbed around the back of Stoodley Pike, I pulled away a little from from Daz and the CLeM lads, skipping along Dick's Lane and over Erringden Moor through further snow showers to CP4.

Another energy-sapping snowy section ensued through woodland and riverside paths to Cragg Vale and CP5 just beyond. I was feeling stuffed from all the dripping and cakes I'd consumed so far, but I couldn't resist another couple of slices from the marshals' van as we were informed the route had been slightly modified to avoid the loop up to Water Stalls Road due to severe drifting.

This just left a mile on road and a further two along icy, rutted and snowed up paths. I paused often hereabouts to take some snaps for posterity - most unlike me! Close to the finish I grew a tad complacent and tucked my map away, content to follow the chap in front. When we ran into a school yard and realised we'd made a little boo-boo, we had to backtrack about 200m to the correct path, where Daz and Paul Hesketh were just coming into view. So despite running separately for the past eight miles we came in together in 3h 50m - I later learned James got around in just under 5 hours, a good maiden outing on a tough day!

Back at base the legendary LDWA spread lived up to expectations. There were pie and peas, vegetable stew, tons of bread and brews, either apple or rhubarb crumble with lashings of custard, and even mulled wine, all freely available and dished up with a smile.

What a fantastic and unforgettable run out and all for less than a tenner!

News Archive

GO