Race Date: Saturday 4th October 2025

Report by Jim Rangeley

The Rowbotham Round Rotherham Run, organised by Rotherham Harriers, is a 50 mile race that circumnavigates the town along a series of fields, paths and roads. This year it was perfectly timed to coincide with Storm Amy, so the weather all day was blustery and full of intermittent heavy showers.

I arrived at the race HQ at Manvers Boat Club around 6:30 and parked up on a beach in front of a lake that used to be part of Britain’s Largest Colliery estate, before Maggie shut the place down. The car parking was already pretty full and I was one of the last cars to arrive. The event start time ranges from 4am to about 715 and allows for walkers to complete the route in under 20hrs.

So with a small amount of registration admin and very little fanfare I dibbed my tracker and left into the crepuscule. The sun was just starting to peek above a horizon not visible in the cloud.

I’m a staunch proponent of “Be Bold, Start Cold” so started with shorts, tee shirt, waterproof and a slight shiver to keep me warm. The wind was pretty brisk to begin with but the rain let up slightly as I made my way along the longest leg of the day to checkpoint 1 at Grange just under 10miles from the start.

This first section featured some sections of trail I’m semi acquainted with due to some of the KMR race series. Through Elsecar and Wentworth (Stan’s Toffee Run) then ontoward Keppels Column (Scholes Coppice) and then to Millmore Juniors (Kimmy Kanter, Santa’s Special) where the checkpoint is for today’s jaunt.

One of the things that makes a race like this is the volunteers. At all the aid stations the enthusiasm was great, the food offerings was generally pretty good but with so many mouths to feed there were things I fancied but not always available. But that’s my cross to bear not theirs. Unlike most other races of this kind of distance the Check Points all had proper facilities from sports clubs and village halls. All of which had loos and other private space should anyone need.

For me the first 6 hours or so went by pretty quickly. The coat came on and off a few times as the rain came down heavily and cleared and picked up again.

The biggest slog of the day for me was a long tarmac stint along section 2 and 3. Taking in the Sheffield Rotherham Canal towards Tinsley before running along the M1 and onwards into the site of the old Colliery, Orgreave (cheers Maggie, again). It’s now called Waverly Lakes an area flooded presumably to drown the memories of state violence inflicted on the Working Class. A brief stop at Treeton for a top up of water and a melon wedge before back on the road again. A few nature reserves and path under a major roadway we were into “0h Look another ex open cast mine”, Rother Valley country park. Sadly I hadn’t set off quite early enough to run the Park Run mid race so trudged my way up steadily past the lake up to Harthill and the next CP. It was at this point where runners who had started in the relay started to pass me.

The event itself is a strange one from a race perspective as it’s often unclear where you are in the field. As everyone sets off in such a large window of time it’s a bit vague. And I ended up feeling like I was running the full 50 miles solo, which is pretty ideal for me.

The final check point at Hooton Roberts had the best spread of the day, offering a range of hot and cold food, soup and sarnis, fruit and crisps, there was a fire to warm yourself by as well as a BBQ. Absolute Scenes.

I left just behind another Strider albeit from Saltaire Striders, Daniel who had been a volunteer at the Ring o Fire 2024 (when I ran) and had the “honour” of opening my beer at the finish line. We had a little chat on the climb towards Mexborough. But at this point I was feeling ok and felt running was still on the cards so endeavoured to run about 70% of what was coming. Walking the hills, admiring a tranquil spot on the River Don with an egret fishing and then a few road crossing being the only things that slowed me till the last few Kilometres.

The last section was just roundabout after roundabout and I was finding every excuse to plod, until a very fortuitous relay runner who passed me. As I endeavoured to keep pace, I ended up moving slightly quicker overtook him and ended up quite strongly.

Sausage butties, cheese and onion pastries and showers for those that wished, the finish line was buzzing. I arrived just in time for the Winners announcement with the race being won overall by Emily Cowper-Coles (Dark Peak) in 7:18:03 setting a new womens course record, and previous winner Kevin Hoult came second, (1st in the men’s race, Calder Valley Fell Runners) in 7:19:27.

Jim was the sole Strider among 205 solo runners who lined up for the Round Rotherham Run.

Striders Results