Race date: Wed 1 May 2019

This was the inaugural running of the Tigers Trail. But as anyone who has been fell running for more than 12 months will tell you, the route, distance, date and everything else is identical to the Tigers Todger race that has been rebranded due to…”time”.

Regardless of what you call it, this race – the second in the annual Totley AC series – is a lungbuster and quite a few Striders at the start professed to hating it. It’s only 5.4 miles long, but with a super fast opening mile from the start at the Tigers RUFC down the road to Whirlow there is no easing yourself into this one. From there you turn left and straight into a steady mile and half of climbing through the Limb Valley up to Sheephill Road. A brief respite crossing the stile and the road and you’re back climbing again, dodging mountain bikes on the path to the top of Lady Canning’s plantation. As you exit the woods there’s no time to rest as the pace picks up again as you plunge back down to Sheephill Road and the interminable steep descent of Long Line. Eventually you swing right for final sting through the fields back the rugby club.

Nearly half the race is on tarmac and the rest on proper trails and paths, so it attracts a few of the less hardcore fell runners as well as the usual suspects. This year it was also race 3 in the 2019 Striders Fell Race championship, ensuring a good turnout – 38 Striders in a total of 162 finishers.

The race was won by Steve Franklin (Totley AC) in 31:00. First lady, and fourth overall, was Hatti Archer (Hallamshire Harriers) in 33:13. Special mention to Nicola Rafferty, who finished first F50.

Striders results: