Race Date: Sunday 21st September 2025

The torrential rain stopped just in time for the Sheffield Way Relays, a race for teams of 10 running in pairs on 5 legs of the 78km circular route around the circumference of Sheffield (described appropriately by Victorian Ruskin as “a dirty picture in a golden frame”).  It was still cold and dark when five hardy souls set off at 6.30am from the canal basin in Attercliffe to do the ultra. The four men and one woman were surprisingly calm about their task and set off just a few minutes late into the gloom towards Tinsley viaduct.  A quick £1 cup of tea later at the aptly named ‘Tea and Toast’ in Darnall and it was the turn of the Women’s teams at 8am, mixed teams at 8.15am and open teams at 8.30am.  There was a surprise late arrival by a Dronfield Running Club who hadn’t registered, so had no numbers and no baton but ran anyway. Effectively, ‘runners who happened to be out doing exactly the same course at the same time’, they were probably the most enthusiastic team of the day.

There were 22 teams in total (including the unofficial Dronfield team), up from 17 just three years ago and showing how popular the event is with other clubs: 8 women’s teams, 5 mixed teams (rule: have to include men and women, two over 40 and two over 50), and 8 open teams.  Since it can take some teams 9+ hours to get around, the 5th leg had a mass start at 2pm for any 4th leg teams not yet arrived. The wet conditions underfoot making slow going perhaps, only three teams had arrived by two o’clock so 17 teams set off jostling politely for position, with a Hillsborough team wandering up ten minutes later unaware of the rule and setting off at a dash to catch up.

The first team home, back to the warm sunshine of the canal basin was the male Open team Totley Foxes in a time of 5 hrs 52 minutes. The next team, in just after 3pm, was the first women’s team, Totley Spinach, with a time of 7 hours 2 minutes. The first Strider’s team home was Steel City Strider’s Team 1 aka Scrambled Legs with a time of 7 hours 8 minutes, making them the first mixed team home and 5th overall. Striders’ 2nd Team aka The Schmerbers were the 3rd mixed team home (ranked 11 overall) with a time of 7 hours 56 minutes.

Special mentions:

Thanks to the Laura Mella and Laura Rangeley for pulling together two Striders teams, reccying the legs and for Laura Mella captaining both teams on the day.  The ultras put in a magnificent shift: the first home was Joe Harding (Hillsborough and Rivelin Running Club) with a time of 7 hours 48 minutes making him 9th overall.  New entrants to this event, Peak Fell and Trail Crew A came 3rd in 7 hours 2 minutes with a balanced Open team 50% male and female.  Kimberworth Striders came up with a good team name as usual: Ten Said Yes.  With such good weather and about three quarters in the ‘golden frame’ outside Sheffield, this enjoyable event was capped off by a classic beige buffet at Laycock’s, organised by Richard Dunk. This was devoured at pace.

Race Directors

Steve Haake

Ben Heller