Fell Captain Dan Takes on Storm Goretti
The Trigger Fell Race (affectionately monikered Trigger) is a challenging fell running event held each January in the Peak District. It is a classic test of endurance, navigation and hill running skills ever popular with seasoned fell runners who like long, hilly running in often testing conditions and this year the weather duly obliged. Race communications described conditions as “savage” and “brutal” with competitors subjected to bone numbingly cold temperatures, high winds and exposed ridges increasing the wind chill factor considerably. It is a linear (point to point) race starting at Marsden and ending in Edale and unmarked, necessitating competitors to self navigate a route taking in Black Hill, Bleaklow and Kinder Scout, visiting several trig points or checkpoints in order. Hence the origin of the race’s name and not some esoteric reference to the eponymous character from Only Fools and Horses.
An AL category race with variable distance around 33km depending on the aforementioned skills and lumpy with over 5,400 ft of ascent. Finishing is itself considered an achievement and doubly so this year as the Peaks in winter showed their savagery with a staggering DNF attrition rate of nearly a half. Club Fell running captain, and sole Harrier finisher, Dan Gilbert, described weather conditions as the worst he’d ever raced in, with wind gusts so strong a group of runners on Kinder were knocked onto all fours. It is, however, worth braving the elements as all race profits go to the worthy cause of Woodhead Mountain Rescue Team.
The aftermath of Storm Goretti earlier in the week bringing in snow, ice, strong winds and yellow weather warnings across the region took its toll on a number of local parkruns with many cancellations due to icy and dangerous conditions. Some did go ahead, and by the looks of it quite a few converged on Heaton Park where there was a phenomenally large turnout of 1,073 runners. Scrambling through the melee Marcus Taylor was 368th (30:11) and Janet Middleton 732nd (35:50). Preston had a smaller but still sizeable 589 runners where Mary White finished 221st (27:24).
Boasting a similarly large number in the high 500s was Worsley Woods which saw a trio of Red Vests; Robert Jackson was 16th (19:57), Andrew Storey 164th (26:48) and Gordon Stone 240th (28:34). The undulating, forest trails at Witton no doubt provided some underfoot entertainment for Chris Charnley 125th (41:32) and Paul Murray 133rd (47:24). Andrew Crickmore braved his usual at Clitheroe Castle having his barcode zapped at 24:32 (16th overall). Tawd Valley was the victory venue for Danny Hope stopping the clock 1st in 19:42. Colin Rigby was 47th (19:55) at the usual fast but, most likely slippery Alexandra Park.
