Race report by Jim Rangeley

 

Holme Moss Fell Race, 29km 1200m ascent. Category AL.

Since I started running fell races a few years ago I’d heard tell of Holme Moss as one at the tougher end of the spectrum. As you may know, I’m also a glutton for punishment so it had always been on the cards to run, but I hadn’t been able to make it work up until now.

Starting half a mile up the road from the registration point-cum-finish line at the windswept Cartworth Moor Cricket Club, looking down upon Holmfirth, I arrived pretty early and registered 6th (according to my bib number) after a full kit check of the usual FRA minimum carry. Whilst I waited I snacked ahead of the pretty late race start of 11:00 and caught up with Jess Lishman (who also happens to be my strength coach) and a few Dark Peakers.

The collective migration of the 130 or so runners with 2 striders amongst them Michael Raynor and myself, walked up the single track road to the point the tarmac gave way to a rocky track indicating the start line. A brief announcement from the Race Director, which included a warning of the “worst descent in Fell Running” (wahey!) that featured very early on in the race and we were off.

The route itself is just under 18 miles of bogs (yes, even with the recent very dry weather), steep climbs and a few river crossings. It runs out in a wavy line to Holme Moss mast over Westend Moss and down to Crowden by the Woodhead Pass up to Laddow Rocks over Black Hill and back along the wavy line to the end.

As races go it is one of the tougher non winter races I’ve run in, partly due to finding some of the wettest parts of the Pennines meaning that even sections of flat were a slog to navigate, but thankfully the skies were free of rain so they didn’t get worse on the way round. The other aspect is the climbs – 4 of which ended up being steep with more than small sections of scramble on them all. In particular the climb to Laddow Rocks, where the final section had rock steps taller than my hips, requiring real work to get over them.

After reaching Black Hill trig along the Pennine Way we veered off the stone slabs onto the winding trods that weave along the bottom of peat gullies. Before long we were back at Holme Moss tower heading back towards the aforementioned “worst descent in Fell Running”, but upwards. And crikey it was rough. Scrabbling around for grip in the dry dusty soil and heather, as I climbed cramp in my leg crept in, but as I’m a brave little soldier I managed to get moving with the help of a salt tab and the knowledge of the finish line.

The spread at the end was the best thing about this race, absolutely exemplary of a community fell race. I fell upon the sandwiches (chicken stuffing, cheese and onion, cheese and pickle) and cake (lemon drizzle, brownie) with the eagerness of someone who didn’t quite fuel themselves properly beforehand for an 18ish mile fell race.

It really was a bucket list race, with excellent marshalls and a splendid atmosphere, perfect for those who hate themselves just a little and love hills a lot.