Halloween Heaven in the Hell Up North

Sunday 29.10.06 saw the first staging of the Saab Salomon Hell Up North adventure race, which event will no doubt become one of the most eagerly anticipated fixtures for local runners. The event certainly lived up to its pre-race billing as true test of stamina run over a superbly laid out and marshalled course that included too many twists, turns, jumps, hills, and changes of terrain to recount. Although many of the less hardy 1,000 plus competitors (which of course did not include any of the seasoned EPRC runners on display), were thankful that the course was a little drier than expected, several EPRC runners were heard to voice a little disappointment that it did not include more tramping through waist high bogs. However, there was plenty of depth to the fetid water in the swamps close to the finish that tested the mettle of every leg weary runner and immediately preceded the sting in the tail of two short sharp energy-sapping hills. To a chorus of ‘ Big Jump, Big Jump’ from the assembled crowd at the point of the biggest leap of the day, runner after runner sprang forward like lemmings over a cliff. Several fell just short and sank a trailing leg into the murky black water and squelchy mud with others falling well short and plunging in up to the waist.

EPRC were once again well represented at the business end of the race with newly installed race machine, Paul Robertson, finishing in 1hr19m26s to secure 8th placed MV40 and 42nd overall. Paul evidently benefited from his marine surveying expertise to both navigate the quickest route through the wetter parts of the course and avoid partaking in the delights of the bog baths. Not far behind Paul came a surprisingly dry and mud free Steve Laker in a storming 1hr23m21s for 62nd SM and 83rd overall, with a contrastingly very wet and mud caked Mike Burns in close order finishing in 1hr24m36s for 16th MV40 and 94th overall. Putting in a sterling performance was as reinvigorated Alison Macdonald who fair sprinted home in 1hr34m to fantastically finish as 3rd placed F40 and 241st overall. Roy Traynor’s quest for a return to fitness will have been greatly enhanced by his fine performance and strong finish in 1hr38m29s for 66th MV40 and 315th overall. Completing the EPRC contingent was a delighted Tommy Downey who crossed the line in 1hr46m37 for 109th MV40 and 491st overall.

Thanks to Nicky and Pasha for providing excellent and welcome support at a number of points on the course.