The Rainow 5, 751' BS

I enjoyed the Rainow 5 so much last year that I just had to come back and do it again.  I saw a few faces I haven't seen in a while, which was nice.   The weather was not that bright so, unfortunately, photo opportunities were few.  Dark skies couldn't spoil a good race however, they just added a different character and good fun was had, even if tree roots were a bit hard to spot at times.

 White Nancy - Last year's bi-centenary mural is now  completely hidden under a fresh coat of white.

I parked in Bollington as I did last year.  It's too far to drive home first, so I came straight from work and had plenty of time to spare.  I ate half the sandwiches that I had brought with me, oriented my map and set off for Rainow 'Institute'.

The walk to Rainow Institute for the start of the five is about two miles and was a very pleasant way to use some of the time I had to spare.  There are several squeeze stiles of an unusual type made from upright stone slabs, which I found fascinating, on route.

By the time I got halfway there, the patchy sunshine disappeared altogether and the sky became heavily overcast.  There was a slight chill in the air, but it was never actually cold.  Cool enough to keep a lot of the runners in the hall until close to start time though.  I was pleased to see Ian Ankers and Debbie Hill among the runners gathered, it has been some time since I have seen either of them.  Eventually we poured out onto the road and many kept windproofs on until the throng was called to order for the briefing and then start.

A good turnout again.  The start is on the road, though the route goes left onto trail shortly.  Dark enough for the auto flash to fire, hence the 'luminous' legs.

I made a fast start, this was deliberate.  Last year I had found that I was capable of a good speed on the descending trail.  However it is quite difficult to pass and so easy to get held at an uncomfortable pace.  A good start also ensures earlier arrival at the first stile and shorter queues.  However, being deeper in the midst of the pack meant that I encountered slower passage through subsequent stiles than I did last year.

At the first stile.  The fast start cut the queue in front of me to about a third of what it was last year.

Looking down to Bollington before the climb up to White Nancy became steep.  The lighting here gives a pretty good impression of actual conditions.

Someone, somewhere has probably got some good video footage of the ascent up to the monument (ed. it's here).  There was a drone hovering to our right for the whole of the time that I could see.

Whoever was flying seemed to have good control as the craft was almost completely stationary in the gusty breeze.  The falling cost of these things has really changed the way things like fell running can be documented.

Unusually, I had passed both Debbie and Ian very early on and they did not catch me again.    I had looked forward to chasing them, that used to be a good pace for me.  I caught up with a small packet of runners on the ascent to White Nancy.  I lost a few places when I stopped for my photo, the poor light ruled out shooting on the hoof.   As the race continued the packet strung out, we were rarely abreast, but traded places quite frequently all the way to the finish.

The run along the Saddle of Kerridge is a real pleasure.  I know of few ridges of such modest elevation with such lovely aspects.  It was too dark for photos this year I am afraid, last years can be found here (the 'landing' photo in this link is one of my most cherished running images).

Tree roots, rocks and steps all contribute to making the descent 'fun',  the poor light added to the interest.  There were no mishaps to my knowledge.  I remembered to save some energy for the route back this year.  I gained a few more places, but tripped at one point.  I managed to stay upright by running forward faster than I was falling, if you know what I mean (and if you are a fell or trail runner I am sure you do).

I ran hard on the last of the track and sprinted down the road to the finish.  There was someone on my heels and I thought it might be fun to try to hold them off (I managed by seven seconds).  Two other runners, however, passed us both yards from the line so that the three of us finished each only a second apart.

I felt some sharp stabs in my knee on the final ascent, but the pain had no real legacy.  I was more than 2.5 minutes faster than last year, which is heartening, in fact I was third in my category!  Actually this position was just a quirk due to the times of other M55s, if I had run as an M60 I would have been 6th!  Special congrats. to the first M70 who was back in a staggering 44.12!  Links to full results and other stuff on the Macc' Harriers site.

A few of the runners after the finish, Ian Ankers on the right of the group.

Thanks to the organisers and marshals for this excellent event, and to Rainow Guides for the tea, cakes and service. The Rainow five is now an automatic inclusion in my annual event list.

Bank Holiday and The Rainow 5 (BS)

I thought it was about time I joined in with some of the fell racing fun to be had on weekday evenings.  I was very fortunate both with the weather and the event that was available.  The Rainow 5 is deservedly popular and I enjoyed myself thoroughly despite logistical problems and overdoing it the previous weekend.

Bank Holiday
The Bank Holiday weather was not exactly sparkling, but I enjoyed the opportunity to walk and, on Sunday, run.  Saturday I went out to pick wild garlic greens (ramsons) .  During a break in the weather a glimpse of the distant Berwyn mountains across a 'greening' landscape stirred some yearnings.  I craved something steep, my faulty knee demanded something not too remote, so I settled on seven miles of Shutlingsloe and Macc' Forest for a Sunday run.


Berwyn Mountains from a gap in the hedgerow along Crackley Lane (Hollywood Lane end), a local footpath.  Unfortunately this path is a 'BOAT' and horribly mangled by off road vehicles.

Standing Stone car park was pretty empty and I set off, in mildly wild conditions, for Shutlingsloe summit.  I took the permissive path round the edge of the forest, joined the main path then went left  and round to ascend from the south east (Roaches Race ascent).   There was no one else on the summit, I did a quick three sixty and set off down the paved step north descent.

A summit to myself, a wet Shutlingsloe trig. point.  

I fair flew down to the reservoirs, the ascent of the 'Forest Bridleway' heading north had me puffing though.  It always seems to be ascent fitness that goes first when one isn't running regularly.  The first part of the 'Forest Chapel' footpath is also steep, but the wonderfully spooky scenery (pictured elsewhere on this blog) takes away the sting and one hardly notices the gradient.  There are a number of roads by the Chapel and I took the wrong one, unbelievable given my familiarity with the area.  I took 'the road I took last time', forgetting that I was on a different route last time!  I ended up running an extra two miles, and five hundred feet more ascent.  Much as I enjoyed running further than I have run since well before my knee 'op, my knee was a little inflamed afterwards. 

Rainow 5
I had had my eye on the Rainow 5.  Aerial imagery suggested no parking possibilities at all.  Not to be beaten I cast my net wider and found a car park in Bollington a little less than two miles away.  There was virtue to this necessity, the walk would serve both as a warm up and a knee test before the race.  The walk was well worth it for its own sake, and I was fortunate enough to meet a couple of others headed for the event so had company along the way.

The turnout was good on this gorgeous evening and the low sun cast a warm golden light over the landscape and us.

The 'knee test' results were not good and I was a little apprehensive about running.  I signed up anyway as running often seems more comfortable than walking these days (I am guessing tension in the quads is keeping things in line).  We poured out from in and around the Village Institute and filled the small lane ready for the start.  It was heartening to see the large gathering of fell runners glowing in the light from the embers of the day.  At a guess there were around two hundred runners.  I was filled with an, 'as long as this sort of thing continues, all is well with the world' feeling.

Runners stretched out on the lane down towards Bollington, we later turned left onto a footpath crossing the route I had used to walk to Rainow from the car.

We were away and off down Oakenbank Lane.  My decision to run was quickly vindicated, even this fast descent was giving me less grief than the walk had.  A broad smile spread across my face as the familiar 'nothing else matters so long as the run continues' feeling came over me. 

 There was a big bottleneck at the first stile.  This stile 'bunched' the field so there were no real queues at the next few stiles.

A big queue for the first stile.

After the stiles and crossing the 'walk in' lane out of Bollington, the ascent up to 'White Nancy' began.  This steep path surprised quads and lungs after the easy running that had been enjoyed so far.

'White Nancy', sporting a bicentennial celebration mural. I  left the race line here to get the favourable light.

The running along the ridge to Kerridge Hill was really outstanding, a good surface playing few tricks, the gorse looking magical in the evening's glow.

On the way from White Nancy to Kerridge Hill top. - There can be few nicer ways to spend a May evening than enjoying this ridge, this view and this company.

The descent was technical enough to keep one's attention, but not so much as to be threatening (at my kind of speed anyway).  I am no longer passed by hordes, in descents.  It is ironic that I seem to have found the descending skills I needed, only now that I am running on borrowed time.

Big climb out of the way, I had started to pick up a bit of speed.  I passed a good few people on the ridge and subsequent descent, and continued to do so as we contoured.  The ascent back up to Rainow came as a bit of a shock to the system and I began to think I had paced myself badly.  I felt really tired, but managed to keep going.  As the distance slipped away and I didn't feel much worse, I realised that I had just become unaccustomed to the feeling of running tired .  Indeed in the last few hundred metres I found I could still pick it up quite a bit and gave it my best to the finish line.

I hadn't felt so good in ages and finding that there were cheese and tomato rolls available in the Institute, as well as the excellent cake selection, just topped it off.  I found out later that the charming girls with impeccable manners, who served and had prepared the food, were Rainow Guides.  A credit to the community and themselves. 

Rainow's 'Village Institute', home of some remarkable hospitality.

I balanced as much food as I could on a plate (I had come straight from work and home was perhaps an hour and a half away) and grabbed a coffee.  With the walk back to Bollington and the drive home, I couldn't hang around for long.  I shook a few hands, stroked a few dogs, found and thanked some of the organisers and apologised for having to leave before the awards.  As I went outside and dressed for the walk, I met one of my companions from the walk in.  She was ready to leave as well, so I had company to shorten the walk back.  I got home not long after ten, just enough time to sort myself out and for a beer before bed while reflecting on my sojourn in Ladybird Land.

The Rainow 5 is a great event on a route well worth running.  The organisation and luck we had with the weather on this particular May evening, made it something extra special that I will remember for a long time.  My thanks to those who made such weekday fun possible.  Results are up here, on the Macc' Harriers site, they confirm that there were over two hundred and ten runners.  Well done everybody, especial congrats to the two MV50s in the top ten overall.