The 'Paras 10'

[Ria]

Did my last fell race, (with bergen) before the Paras 10, last Sunday- the Chelmorton Chase. 5 miles, 1,000 feet.
www.primitivehall.demon.co.uk/Hall.htm

It was a really good one.
I arrived early to be greeted by a posh bird (Lady Hollinsclough.... )
in a fancy hat, giving out free bacon butties & coffee to all runners!!
It was a nice course, but extremely muddy.
By the time I got round, the ground was so churned up that I had to walk a lot of the course as the mud was so deep. I took my time, as a sprained ankle the week before the Paras 10 was the last thing I needed.

The twist in the tail was the 1,000 foot climb up "Chelmorton Low" near the end. Coming down this was tricky, as it was very steep, & the bergen was making me topple forward. (Shuffling down on your bum doesn't look too stylish, but worked a treat..... )

The last bit was great. Running down the village main road to cheers from the locals!! It was like being at the Olympics crossing the finish line!
I even got a medal. My first for fell racing. (For finishing, not winning..... )

I only managed 97 mins, so I'm staying with the runners race for the Paras 10 due to injury, & losing the bergen. Hopefully I'll get the chance to do the P Company race next time, if they put the race on again.

Did the Blackshaw Head fell race a couple of weeks ago, 5.5 miles.
Only managed 104 mins with bergen. Another very muddy one, over the moors (Bogs...... ) above Todmorden.
Results & photos ( I'm the one with the bergen.... ) on...
www.todharriers.co.uk/blackshaw_head.htm
(They still haven't put my time on the results. )

[kieran turner]

I never realised it was at Vimmy. I re-wired the NAAFI there a couple of years back!

[Ria]

If anyone needs a pace setter or someone to run with on this event just give us a shout, it would be a slow pace setter Call it intermediate !

My pace setter is going to be the jack wagon, rumbling up my arse the whole way....... ......as long as it stays behind me.
I think if it over-takes you you are in trouble.

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!

[Harvey1980]

I entered this but got an ankle injury so had to pull out..

I think you should do it anyway, even with a sore ankle. And you should come over & introduce yourself to me.
Then I could kick you really hard in the other ankle, so then you'd have two sore ankles.
(In response to your post on MF )
I won't need my "brian" cell for booting you in the b*llocks either....
(Am I getting the idea of this so-called "banter" then??? )

Ps. My brain cell isn't called Brian, she's called Doris.

Sorry to dissappoint you love but i won't be there due to an injury. Judging by the times your doing i wouldn't bother turning up yourself. I could run the race 3 times backwards and still go faster than you. I'd stay at home tomorrow if i were you.

[kieran turner]

jeez talk about harsh, lighten up a bit mate. It's a shame you can't be there.

[Alfa]

Sorry to dissappoint you love but i won't be there due to an injury. Judging by the times your doing i wouldn't bother turning up yourself. I could run the race 3 times backwards and still go faster than you. I'd stay at home tomorrow if i were you.

Give it a rest mate, this isn't the type of site were we like people constantly arguing and bitching at each other.

If you don't like Ria then that's upto you but don't clog up this board with petty posts slagging her off as it doesn't really accomplish anything.

[jaydub]

Just got back from the event - managed a time of 1h41m, so am pretty pleased TBH! How'd other people do? That last "hill" was more like a vertical wall I thought The gradient map pretty much got it right ...

[CardSharpe]

It was great today, the atmosphere before the start was top notch, once started everyone was still really friendly - met loads of great people on the way round.

My time was 2 hrs 30ish(apparently) - need to wait for the results

At about mile 4 I started tagging along with a guy who had been going at about my pace, had a good laugh chatting in between running.

Some of the hills were alot worse than I'd expected! A couple of times I thought "oh thats a big hill" coming up to one, only to realise you had to go down this great dip before you even started, haha

The highlight was the lake - just after I'd linked up with this other guy we were chatting away and almost went the wrong way because everyone was going off in one direction, but the race marshal said "no no you guys go that way (pointing the other way), you've got to see the lake!" as if it was some big tourist destination From then on all we could say was "got to go see the lake!" "have you seen the lake?" etc etc

Loved every minute of it though, I was pushing pretty much all the way, I expect with a bit of training those 40 minutes will soon disappear

Great fun, challenging but having done it feels great - I was a little concerned I'd really struggle as I just havent had any hills to practice on previously, well I struggled, but still managed to finish, 30 mins ahead of what I'd really expected

Pictures to follow as/when!

[kieran turner]

Came in at 2:06 which was a tad dissappointing BUT them friggin hills weren't what I was expecting. Had an excellent day a went round with some lads from London and we even claimed a race mascot(we were the ones carrying the rabbit).

In a sick sort of way I really enjoyed it and it wasn't exactly what I was expecting but with some more training I really do believe I could do sub 1hr 50 min.

even got to meet Ria too, who though I was a hitman

[lewis]

Congratulations to the organisers on a good event. There was a nice atmosphere at the start. I also got two t-shirts at the end!

My time was about 1h13 (I didn't do the P Company challenge). The last hill was a beast, but there was someone at the top shouting encoragement, which helped.

Roll on next year!

[CardSharpe]

even got to meet Ria too, who though I was a hitman

haha Yea I spoke to her after the race and she said she was really worried for a start when you spoke to her

[CardSharpe]

my legs are a bit stiff, everyone thought i was mad, when i dropped the bergen off at the end put a pair of trainers on then went on lap 2

I was sure you were going to be overtaking me! what time did you come in on the second lap in the end?

Respect for doing it I asked a few of the lads in Para's T-shirts if they were doing it, but they said just the 10 miles was enough for them

EDIT: I noticed there were photographers on the course, do you know if or when the pictures will be up on the Paras10 website? or elsewhere?

[jaydub]

It was great today, the atmosphere before the start was top notch, once started everyone was still really friendly - met loads of great people on the way round.

Yep agreed - it was a great atmosphere both before and during the race.

I have to say that the pace of the bergan runners at the front when we started off was pretty formidable - I assume it was Sandy and co. at the front, I quickly lost sight of them. I found the best technique for keeping up pace was to look for someone near you in a maroon tee-shirt and stay on their arse! Plus, it helped with the occasional shout of "P-Company challenge runners, prepare to speed march!" from the Para guys

And when all is said and done, it's raised a load of cash for two very worthwhile charities.

/edited for spelling/