The fell running is starting to string out for me due a lot of life stuff over the last few months, as well as getting roped into Northern Road Relays a few weeks ago (I ran okay but it was a stressful experience, thanks for asking). Resultantly, I was excited to get out in the Peaks on a bright October Saturday morning for the Curbar Commotion. I was also a bit nervous as I haven't managed to get out and do a longer run on road or on trail for a few weeks (or possibly months) and 10 miles is no short distance.
The Curbar Commotion is a fund raiser for the local school which serves Curbar and Calver. It incorporates some excellent gritstone edge, some nice moorland, a dash of autumnal woodland and a reasonable bash of elevation. Oh, and at one point you look right over the Chatsworth estate, but you might be breathing your lungs up at that point so it's easy to miss it. The start line is run by parents and teachers so it is incredibly organised and everyone was numbered and chipped with efficiency. It does not have a great deal of parking by the way, so be early if you are planning on running. We were funneled on to the layby for the start and then promptly sent off to the old school bell.
After a short sojourn across the verge, we were climbing up the driveway of Cliff college. I was pretty near the back and would firmly reman there for the rest of the race. That was about the only disappointing aspect of the race. The tarmac continued for a little wiggle through Curbar and then we all ended up queuing for the first stile which suited me fine. After a little bit of footpath and some more tarmac we turned up through the local park/play area. It wasn't steep but I already felt a bit tired at this point and I was a bit worried by it. It was a friendly run and people had already said hi in the queue for the stile. At the top of the play area we turned left and started a lovely mile or so through a wooded section. It was narrow so we ran follow the leader and I let this dictate my pace. It was non-technical and there were some fantastic mushrooms but I was aware we were going to have to get up on the edge soon. The edge looms above the village as part of a continuation of edges from Baslow to Higger Tor. The proper climb did start eventually up through the trees but actually wasn't too bad.
Then we were out on the edge with stunning views to the right and a lovely gritstone path to run on. However, it was deceptively still climbing and a bit leg sapping. I was intermittently running with Brian from club, and occasionally walking and losing him. But I was enjoying the unexpected sunshine and the lovely views. Brian was not enjoying the race and both of us commented we remembered the top of the edge being more flat..... As we crested the top, the route actually peeled off to the left across the moor on a sheep trod. I actually enjoyed running across the moor but the upturn at the end early killed me and the matshal laughed as I walked up the tiny up tick towards him, and I was overtaken again. I was very near the back....
The next section continued across moor and pasture towards the road but then again turned left and took us down a dip and then up some really steep steps to White Edge. Looking up at these, I was less than impressed to see a photographer at the top but they weren't as bad as my head imagine and we had a nice run down across the moor after this. I got overtaken again which was a bit annoying as I felt heavy and slow, and tucked in to some jelly babies. I really shouldn't need jelly babies to get around a 10 mile race....
Once across the road, we landed on a track that would take us over to the Wellington monument (which is a bit underwhelming. This track was longer than in my head and I was run walking a bit. I was enjoying it and chatted to the odd person as we swapped places heading towards the monument and Baslow edge. In my head, the monument represented the last of the climbing but sadly this was abit naive. There was a marshal trying to keep the Curbar Highland cattle at bay at the top but I decided to walk past them before starting the very long descent towards Baslow. This descent starts on a rough track, then veers off in to some beautiful single track woodland path and I felt on my own for the first time all race, almost wondering if I had turned the wrong way before popping out on to a small lane again where some school age lads were cheering from their front step. This was a marvellous boost that would soon be ruined.
At the corner the marshal directed me right....right back up the road that leads to the edge! There were also about 4 cars trying to get past the runners and each other, then a much older man over took me. Eventually (not eve that far) we turned left on to a footpath. This footpath headed across some fields but continued in an upward trajectory and there were now several people walking and huffing between gates and stiles. Finally, we reached the pinnacle of this climb and started descending down across some fields. Surely that was it now? I could see Calvert village in the distance at the bottom of the hill as I enjoyed the descent on the track. Then we dropped through some chaotic gauze rat runs where the mud was coming away. This slowed me down and I nearly ended up on my backside before I finally got to the gate and the to the fields at the bottom and enjoyed the grassy descent. Surely that was it? Over the fields and home?
But the race had a few more feet of ascent yet and we turned up the side of a field on a rocky and uphill footpath between a wall and some bushes. I caught up with two men who were both also looking fairly done in. I was sturggling to keep running and when we eventually popped out at the stile to the footpath we queued for at the start, I didn't appreciate the gradual uphill of this path. I also couldn't remember whether there had been another section of village and footpath before the fast descent to the finish. But as I rounded the corner I recognised a house with particularly fine features and hedged my bets we were on the final road section. I picked up the pace and started to hare it down the hill. I flew past the college but its driveway seemed to have doubled in length from the way up. Was it far after the drive to the finish?
I couldn't remember until I rounded the corner and saw it and came across the line pretty puffed and tired. It had actually quietened down at the finish but the blacksheep were still there, cake in hand and warm clothes already on (I was about 20 mins behind the next slowest sheep) to cheer me in. Surprisingly I had beaten Brian round and he appeared 5 minutes later. At the finish there was tea and cake to raise some pennies for the school, a small prize giving (sadly a lot of people seemed to have left) and then it was off home. I'd wanted to turn it in to a day out but sadly it wasn't to be as Martin wasn't in the mood. Oh well, Chatsworth has been there a while and I suspect will stay there a while more.
I accidentally left this and the last post unpublished for a while and realise I don't have photos for either as I took them off my phone. I must try harder. I haven't then raced for the rest of October due to work and starting to build up to some road marathon training. I have been talked in to a road marathon by my sister so I suspect this winter won't have as much fell running in. I missed the first race of cross country due to night shifts and winter is already starting to look busy with work and family, which both come first. Club headtorch season is well under way and Oscar and I have been getting out and about so I may write about some of that. I also have one more race to finish this month. But come next spring it is on to Lakeland 50 training, so can't get too out of hill shape!
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