Digested read: Round Sheffield Run came round again. Did that, got the medal, six out of six. Yay!
Undigested read:
It’s a long one, but then who wouldn’t want to linger at a location like this?
Runaround NOW!! Does anyone else remember that TV show. No, only me? Surely someone else is in my demographic. It was a children’s quiz show, and they all had to run from one end of the studio to another to choose the right answer for some random quiz question and then there was a shout out to ‘runaround NOW!’ from Mike Reid and everyone ran around changing their mind about their answer. Lots of running around basically, the clue is in the name of the show. Ring any bells? There was even a Runaround 1980 techno Christmas special in which an actual robot appeared as co-host. Life changing AI on our TV screens, once the set had a chance to warm up of course. You’ll be telling me next you don’t remember that, having to plan ahead and turn the TV on 15 minutes ahead of whatever programme it was. Oh. You don’t. Sigh. Did you really not even ever experience dispatching a household member to lean out of an upstairs window with a bent coat hanger, trying to improve reception on the aerial whilst you all shouted contradictory instructions at them? Oh. How times change. Trust me dear reader. The past was another country indeed…. we did things differently there.
Hmm, granted, the caged children do in fact seem somewhat dodgy with the benefit of hindsight – anyway, you are completely missing the point. The point is that come the summer solstice, near as dammit, cometh the hour, whilst the good people of Sweden are busy making their celebratory floral garlands – no really, they are – runners from near and far will be gathering in Endcliffe Park to commence the Round Sheffield Run, or … wait for it… the Sheffield Runaround! See what I did there? Because we all get to run-around Sheffield see? Hilarious, not a laboured anachronistic niche buildup at all, just joyful, seamless expanding on a theme.
I’ll get my coat….
Phew. That was hard work. It does rather spoil the overall affect if I have to explain it. You know what, to be honest, if you aren’t experiencing being doubled up with laughter to such a degree that you fear your knickers may never dry RIGHT NOW, best walk away. No honestly, that’s my humour at its peak, it doesn’t get any better. For the most part it will get considerably blander. You can just back away, and we’ll say no more about it. You’ve not over-invested in reading this account, you can still scroll through a few photos if you want, I shan’t take it personally. However, if you read on knowing what you know now, that’s contributory negligence, FACT. There isn’t a law firm in the country that will represent you whatever their ads may say to the contrary, so just don’t get drawn in.
Here’s a group sporting Swedish midsummer garlands by the way, just to prove a point. This post may not amuse you, but you could learn something, nothing useful, but could save you come the compulsory ‘fun’ work quiz at Christmas. Your choice.
Where was I? Oh yes, cometh the summer solstice, cometh the Round Sheffield Run. Not completely synchronised admittedly, which is an important detail, as it would have been a very long wait indeed if you hadn’t double checked the date for this year’s RSR and rocked up on the longest day. That would have been 10 days early, but you get my drift – and at least that way you’d have been first in the toilet queue.
I lurve the Round Sheffield Run, and have been lucky enough to drag my weary carcass run round it every year so far. It’s profile has skyrocketed since the year of its debut in 2014, when I’d venture it was just a few hundred from the local area rocking up to check it out. Now it’s into ballot entry popularity territory and drawing runners from much further afield as a destination event. Even so, in my humble opinion it’s remained true to it’s essence of being friendly, inclusive, showcasing the best of Sheffield running and having a festival feel with guaranteed sunshine or your money back* and it is also a flat one lap route, as in ‘Sheffield flat’ – the marshal at the end of Leg 1 was most conscientious and insistent on this point, alerting runners to the stretch of Sheffield flat just ahead as they approached Forge Dam. Hilarious for the locals, potentially devastating for the out-of-towners of course, but what’s a bit of collateral damage to them set against the in-joke for them in the know eh? Besides, all in good humour I’m sure! You know who you are high-vis hero, but in case of ambiguity, here’s the body-cam footage I took en route. Can also be seen keeping order at Sheffield Hallam parkrun, so has form on expert regulating of runners. Hurrah! :
Personally, I really like events that are single lap as well. It means once you set off you are basically committed aren’t you. You’ve got to make it back for tea at some point, so one foot in front of the other to make it so. If you prefer the meditative quality of multi-lap offerings, then other options might suit you better. There’s always the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3,100-mile race around a New York block. Yep, you read that right. Not my bag to be fair, but people do it… Some claim to have out of body experiences as they do. Frankly I’m not surprised at all, out of mind might be more apt though… At least you wouldn’t have to worry about navigation, though lord only knows how you keep count of laps. 5,649 of them you’d have to do. What would happen if you lost count and had to start again from 1? It would take a great deal of Zen calm to cope with that eventuality.
I’m not completely uncritical of the RSR though. Where would be the fun in that? I’m actually still quite peeved they’ve not taken on board my feedback at all about either increasing the number of unicorns cavorting about the wooded sections or having an archway of rainbows to get you through the finish – despite the latter suggestion clearly being way more reliable than the inflatable archway option (just saying), and probably more environmentally friendly too, now I come to think of it.
Incidentally, do you think holding up the inflatable finish arch comes under the ‘any other duties’ line on the job description for Event Director? There are worse unexpected tasks to be fair. Only the other week I was a supporting artist on a film being made in Sheffield which I shan’t name but which is set in Sheffield and features a drag artist. Between takes, one of the costume and make-up team was tasked with kneeling at the feet of the lead actor, who was overheating in his phenomenally impressive drag outfit – wig, heels, tights, the whole shebang – frantically flapping away with a paper fan to waft air up the drag artist’s dress in order to try to keep his nether regions suitably cooled. When you imagine getting your lucky break as a dresser or in the costume department of a feature film I’m guessing this isn’t quite the scenario you’d imagined in your fantasy of a day tending to the stars on set… definitely a key supporting role though, and certainly encompassed by the ‘any other duties’ line, which all we serfs know covers a multitude.
Anyway, undeterred by the silent treatment my quite brilliant suggestions have received to date (I really thought the compulsory fancy dress suggestion would have been enthusiastically embraced at least, it’s inexplicable to me that this hasn’t happened – yet) I’m hopeful that my offering for this year will hit the mark. Thing is, the after party is all well and good, but having recently discovered the joys of gardening, I feel the post run offering would be massively enhanced if they had a few plant stalls in between the coffee and pizza stalls. Maybe even a horticultural swap shop, now that would be lovely. Perfect end to a perfect day. Just imagine, medal round your neck, pizza in one hand perennials in the other. Bling and borders covered. Result. I feel sure pop up plant nurseries are a thing, and if they aren’t, well clearly they should be, and it wouldn’t be the first innovative thing the RSR has brought into being now would it?
Anyway, look you really need to stop distracting me, this account is all over the place. I want to get this post written up in time for next year’s run at least. Still, best get the basics out the way. For the uninitiated – apparently, there are still some of you out there who have yet to savour the delights of this splendid event and have still have no idea what I’m on about – the Round Sheffield Run website blah de blah explains the event thus:
The Round Sheffield Run is the original multi-stage trail running enduro.
An original, unique, creative and social concept that brings all the best bits of running together into one exciting event.
A superb running journey linking some of the top trails and parkland Sheffield has to offer.
It would be a tough task to find anywhere in the UK that showcases these kind of trails and scenery within its city limits.
11 Individually timed Stages each with their own challenge and character make up 20km of racing over the 24.5km route.
The unique format breaks the route down into stages. Each stage being raced, and competitors receiving both results for each stage as well as a combined overall result. Plenty of opportunity for friendly competition!
Between stages competitors have the opportunity to rest, relax, and regroup with friends (new and old) and refocus before the next stage begins. Competitors can walk or jog between stages. The novel concept creates a supportive and friendly social vibe.
The race format also opens up the course to a wide range of abilities. The support round the course is also something special.
To top it all off a festival atmosphere at the end with draft ales, tasty food, and great DJ to ensures that everyone can celebrate in style.
Run as an Individual, Pair or even a Team with some top prizes to be won! Including beer!
Fancy yourself as an Elite? This years Elite wave has 250 runners going for top honours! See the entry form for the qualifying criteria.
On the way round, you can eat your body weight in jelly babies or even stop for a latte or ice lolly if the mood takes you if the pics on Facebook are anything to go by, and afterwards join in the big party in the park.
Astonishingly, some participants choose to forgo the refreshment breaks en route, and actually run the whole thing crazily fast, like a proper race as opposed to a social run, but then again, there is some fine bling for the taking, and if you are sufficiently rapid to get yourself to the front of the queue for the beer tent, why wouldn’t you? Kudos to those who can. And, in deference to them as like that sort of thing and are speedy enough to do so, there is an ‘elite wave’ that departs first, so they don’t have to overtake slower runners on the trails as is inevitable if you are a fast runner in one of the following waves. They have to demonstrate a qualifying time somehow or other. Not quite sure how, but I think there’s a common sense rather than officious approach taken.
That’s not my trophy by the way, in case you were wondering, though it is my age category for the record, which is why the Runaround reference made sense to me, but I’ve moved on now, I’ll let that go… I just have to accept dear reader, that you may not even know how to use log books and a slide rule – possibly not even be familiar with colour factor, how you live independently I cannot begin to imagine.
So you will have probably sussed by now that I have a huge soft spot for the Round Sheffield Run, I’ve run completed it every year since it started in 2014 and it’s always a joy. Not even type two fun, but actually type one – in parts anyway – which given the distance and elevation (1981 ft) is no mean feat! I managed to enter and even get my preferred wave, the first one of the day! No, not the elite wave obvs, but the one immediately after, which because you start off early, gives you extra time to get around, and, in my case, disguises my slow progress. There was some shenanigans with the entry system this year, because of the increasing hype the event attracts. A veritable tsunami of wannabee Sheffield runarounders swamped the site as soon as the entries went live. This resulted in a crashed site and a hastily introduced semi-ballot system in which I got lucky but others didn’t. There was some flack directed to the organisers which I think unfair. It’s hard when an event becomes so popular that it is over-subscribed, to come up with a universally approved and fair entry system. However, in reality, as entries open so far in advance, there are always places that come up later on as injury or circumstance means others have to pull out. There is a waiting list that you can join, and you can always secure a ‘free’ place by volunteering to marshal at either the TenTenTen or the RSR in one year – or indeed, getting a friend to do that for you, and blagging their freebie. Oooh, nice pic on the volunteering info link – am nabbing that – see the views that will unfold before you if you partake of this running banquet through the green spaces of our great city. Yay, #lovesheffield 🙂 And it really is like that when you get there, there being Meersbrook park. Stunning views.
So you enter in, I don’t know, January or something insanely early like that, when you are sat on the sofa fondly imagining yourself having transformed your body into nothing but sinew and muscle by the time the event comes round ‘it’s ages away’ after all, and then you think no more about it. Until, suddenly it seems it is upon you, and that rigorous training routine you dreamt of, well, in my case at least, spoiler alert – it hadn’t come to pass. In my defence, I’ve had a particularly shite year, running, however badly, being way down on my list of priorities. I did consider withdrawing, but then again, it wouldn’t be the first time I’d rocked up to a run woefully unprepared, and I do have the advantage of knowing the route really well. Also, it is indeed true the event gets you round because of it’s supportive ethos. It is also true that it is better to rock up under trained but uninjured than over trained and carrying some sort of running related twinging, better runners than me by far have been caught out by less. This is unfair of course, but true. As with much of life. But let’s not got too far down that line today. Today is about positivity and all being well with the world, even if it isn’t at all really, and that’s just the running endorphins kicking in… we have to take what comfort where and when we can.
So I entered, and winter moved into spring, and spring into summer and suddenly the RSR Facebook page is commencing countdown, ooh look here are the t-shirts – here is a teaser of a run stage the week before.
Oops, this was becoming very real suddenly. Then, after weeks of rain, it became scorchio. Crappity, crap crap. Heat is my running nemesis (oh, and hills, and roads, oh and the actually being required to run bits as well, also humidity – that’s even worse possibly – but mostly heat.) I am not good in the heat, this does not bode well. Heat really stymied my London Marathon experience, and I really didn’t fancy doing the Round Sheffield Run under the glare of uninterrupted sunshine. It didn’t help I got sunburnt on the Friday by accident. I rocked up to Hallam parkrun on Saturday slathered in sunblock. Yes, I know proper athletes rest up the day before a big event, but I’ve only really got one gear at the moment, so might as well do parkrun the day before – particularly as I had to go into Frontrunner anyway to make an emergency electrolyte purchase, I’d be near Endcliffe park anyway. So at parkrun, a couple of things happened. First off, my thickly applied unblock sloughed off as I ran (cough), glooping in a sweaty pool of white stripes congealed in the deeply attractive folds of skin in my neck, giving me the appearance of a new born alien being recently ejected from my egg sac and still dripping afterbirth, or just been doused in ectoplasm or something. Just to be absolutely clear here, this is not a good look. Gloop pops up in many different guises, it’s hard to get the adjective that perfectly captures the texture, but you’ll get the general gist I’m sure. That’s an actual picture of me post parkrun on the right. Don’t use that look in the nivea sunblock ads now do they?
Some things, only a true friend will tell you, so special kudos to this fab friend, who pointed out this was not the best look, and promised to let me have a go with her non-glooping, but effective S20 the next day. Wonderwear ambassador, once again I have you to thank for sharing your wisdom!
Wiping the gloop off my turkey neck as best I could, I went on to Frontrunner in search of electrolytes. Skip was in charge, effortlessly ignoring me as I went in. I was thrown initially because they’d moved their display around, but then was informed in response to my enquiry that THERE WERE NO ELECTROLYTES! Well, not the tablets anyway. Oh my gawd, calamity. This just did not compute. I stared blinking at the alternative options but I know from bitter experience there is no point in using sports gels or drinks as they trigger my gag reflex more even than framing the tattooed skins of your loved ones for display in the lounge (other room choices are available) after they’ve died. And trust me, that’s saying something.
Anyway, I used electrolyte tablets for the first time at London in the hottest marathon on record, and I’ve relied on them ever since when the temperature soars. They really do seem to help, they avoid that ‘inquenchable thirst’ sensation, and post run headaches, or have for me anyway. The thought of doing a hot RSR without them was not the best. I was annoyed with myself too, because I’d used the last one in my hydration pack for the Hathersage Hurtle, which was ages ago, and I’ve been meaning to nip in and replace them ever since. Crap. Also, turns out, just blinking vacuously from time to time in between staring in disbelief at the space on the display stand where the electrolyte tablets are supposed to be, doesn’t make them magically appear. Who knew? I retreated. I needed a plan b. Plan b was maybe get some electrolyte sachets like the ones that are sold for tourists to re-hydrate after getting the runs in a different sense whilst on holiday. Problem with plan b, was that I couldn’t be bothered to find a proper chemist, and they didn’t have any at the mini Sainsburys I pass on the way home. Oh well… eek.
Day before angstiness was well under way. Things brightened up a bit when I dug out my hydration vest to get my kit ready. There are water stations on the way round, but I knew I’d probably need more. This route actually goes past shops during some of the recovery sections so in theory at least, you could nip into the co-op for a bottle of water en route if desperate, but best to go equipped I feel. Anyway, good news, my slatternly habits are such that I still had an almost full reservoir of water in my running vest, and what’s more, one in which I had previously dissolved electrolytes for the Hathersage Hurtle. Turned out, didn’t need as much fluid then as I thought. I had been meaning to empty that out and sterilise it all for ages, but on this occasion, result! I know it’s probably not the most hygienic thing in the world to keep the water thing filled and lying about for weeks on end, but my need for electrolytes outweighed any risk of near instant death by sepsis from being infected by my own germs. Hurrah! Anyway, clearly I’ve survived to tell the tale, so good to know, eh?
Just a matter of digging out my running top. Erm. Oh dear. This was a problem too. The thing is we have some new Smiley Paces kit. Now, hear me out, I love my smiley paces buddies, and the ethos of this super friendly club crammed with awesome Sheffield women, however, the kit is not my friend. The old kit was unforgiving to say the least, and so I was pretty excited when there was a prospect of ordering new kit, in a new design with a clean slate. I ordered, it duly came. Now granted, it looks epic on some, the new graphic design is fab, but the actual cut of the shirt. It’s a no from me. It only seems to suit a particular body shape which I do not share. It’s best suited to a coat hanger, but failing that an athletic frame. My frame is only athletic in the sense that a space hopper might be described as athletic, i.e. not really very athletic at all.
I ordered a size big enough to squeeze over my bust, but when it arrived it just swamped me everywhere else on account of being a mens’ fit. Well, they call it ‘unisex’ but clearly this is bollocks – and I use that term advisedly, because ‘unisex’ always means designed for men. I might as well run in a toupee teepee. This garment doesn’t just belong on a coat hanger, but on a coat hanger popped on a rail hundreds of feet in the air. Not being one to see the glass as always half-empty, I will say this. Up until the point of trying it on I had thought my self-esteem had already hit rock bottom, but it seems I must have been feeling positively cheery, since the devastating effect of seeing my reflection in the glass whilst wearing this item suggested that in fact I hadn’t, there was still a fair old distance to fall. I was beyond crushed, it made me never want to leave the house in daylight hours again, and no, I’m not posting a photo of me wearing it even for comedic effect. It’s too humiliating. It has been cast to the back of the wardrobe on the floor, never to see daylight again, unless I inadvertently ingest enough growth hormones through my diet to grow an extra three foot in height. This is unlikely, as I’m vegetarian, so generally avoid ingesting growth hormone in my food. The problem was, what to wear instead?
I dug out my original smiley vest, but this has endless variants of my name on it, as I personalised it for the London Marathon. That’s a good top tip actually, if you have your name on your shirt, you get more shout outs from the crowd and it helps keep you going. I don’t regret that, but such a highly personalised top seems a bit OTT to wear at a local run. It just would feel a bit egotistical to head out on the RSR with my name front and back, and a bit misplaced given the speed with which I’d be progressing round the course. Aaargh. It felt bad, but I honestly didn’t want to be seen in public wearing either garb, so instead reached for my parkrun volunteering tee. It’s the most forgiving of the running tops I own, and pleasingly, colour co-ordinates with my inov8 parkclaw trail shoes, which I love. That would have to be the way to go, it seems my loyalty to my running club has some limits. If only I were an international sporting icon – or indeed some other sort of celebrity, I could have my own kit custom made for my body shape and it would look and feel fab.u.lous. Here’s hoping that I come to inhabit such a parallel universe comes to pass before the next time I venture out in public for a running event. Not in time for this year’s RSR alas.
I felt sad not to have a Smiley Vest that I felt confident enough to wear in public, but hey ho, maybe it would be as well to go under the radar given my current fitness levels. Wouldn’t want to bring the name of the club into disrepute after all, not so much with the requirement to run fast, it’s an inclusive group, speed isn’t everything, it’s more that if you have ‘Smiley Paces’ emblazoned across your front, there is something of an obligation to smile throughout any event when out and about. Wearing a smile and wearing that new Smiley vest are mutually exclusive. You can’t force a smile when you are blinking back hot tears of humiliation because what’s been seen in the mirror cannot be unseen. Also, I’d be out and about for rather a long time potentially, that’s quite an endurance test for smiling throughout, even if the smile came easily to begin with … Maybe I could wear the top and distract people by, oh I don’t know carrying a giant carrot around with me for the duration? That makes other people smile apparently, thereby potentially removing the obligation for me to do so. It was a thought… Mind you, timings a bit tight for making one overnight, that papier mache would too long to dry, and I have no orange paint either, still, there’s always next year. It’s not Ken Livingston by the way, though possibly his doppelganger.
I wonder how they did the leaves. Do you think they are actual palm fronds, or made of plastic? Hard to tell. Will have to nip across to Melbourne and ask him in person sometime. He is known for carrying a carrot with him by the way, it’s his thing. Maybe like our John ‘the man with the pram’ Burkhill with the green wig or Tony tending the War Memorial in Endcliffe park. A known character, part of the landscape, with a particular USP. We have running icons in Sheffield too. Pirate Flag man anyone? All Sheffielders know who I mean! Spotted at the bottom of the Meersbrook Park hill by me today, but sure he will have popped up all over. Always worth keeping an eye out for him on Sheffield runs – not that he’s especially hard to spot to be fair, but just so you know to be on the alert. It’s like the notion of Sheffield flat – man brandishing his enormous jolly roger in the woods, no worries – it’s a Sheffield thing, you’ll work it all out in time!
Hydration ready? Tick. Kit ready? Tick. Legs ready? Well, as Mr Loaf says, two out of three ain’t bad.
And you know what was even better? Whilst I was getting myself ready, the kandoo team were getting the park ready. So exciting. This was the night before the morning after.
Looking good, quite a logistical operation. It’s a well oiled team that pull it all together, but even so, must be a relief for the organisers to get to this point. Yay!
So to bed, and slept appallingly and woke up stupidly early. Oh well. I was up and about by 5.00 I didn’t need to be, but was awake anyway, and didn’t want to risk dropping off again. Anyway, pre-race prep rituals won’t do themselves. Learning the trick of smothering your feet with Vaseline to avoid blisters was a game changer for me, but there is an art to the application so you avoid greasing your entire living space with oily hand and foot prints. Anti chafing precautions also necessary, and much pinning and repinning of my race number to ensure compatibility with my running vest. All takes time. I was in the 8.35 wave, and headed out to walk to Endcliffe about 7.00. It was a gorgeous day pending, and I felt surprisingly cheery heading on down. There was a bit of a breeze and sunshine pending, but that was OK, I had my hat, and my tomtom feebie sunglasses, plus the day had dawned, I was going, all good.
The park looked lovely as I approached, all dressed up for a party and swathed in early morning light. Plenty of route signs along the way too. It seemed to me that they’d gone to town with directional arrows this year, there seemed to be loads of them, also chalk markings on the road at critical junctions. Inevitably someone will miss a sign along the way, but hard to see how.
Queen Vic was overseeing everything as always. I wonder how many different runners, walkers, joggers and doggers she’s seen using this park over the years. Bit late to start counting now. It was quiet, but building. Volunteers were congregating, the bag drop and number and timer stations getting into gear. Exciting!
and here are some way better official pics capturing the behind the scenes vibe:
I dumped my bag in the bag drop, got my dibber, and began a scout of the grounds. I was struck by the sight of the ambulance bike, corralled behind crowd control safety barriers. I wasn’t sure if it was being secured in this way to protect it from us or we from it. I commented as much to a fellow runner who had also noticed it. ‘I’m not surprised it’s shut up, imagine all the great drugs in that lot!‘ Whilst this is potentially a good point well made, and it says much about my lack of imagination that this had never occurred to me, it just shows what a law-abiding lot we good folk of Sheffield are that no-one would dare desecrate the sanctity of such a boundary, oh no, that barrier would be unhurdled and whatever lay within the enclosure was safe as safe could be. Even though I bet there was at the very least some highly desirable compeed plasters and more than a token foil blanket there for the taking but for those formidable barriers!
I was extremely flattered to be greeted by name by first the event director and then the dibber distributor, ‘my they must only use super-recognisers to staff the laptops here, I had no idea so many of them lived in Sheffield‘ I thought to myself… before remembering that my number had my name on it. Oh well. The novelty didn’t wear thin though, loads of marshals throughout the day shouted support by name to every runner. Impressive! It’s nice, it makes you feel like you matter in that moment, however fleetingly, it also meant that in honesty I might as well have worn my old Smiley vest, but hey ho, too late now.
The marshals were being briefed and kitted out with the equipment for their various stations. Looked like everyone got a set of ski poles as a precautionary measure. Fair does, you do get pockets of micro-climate in Sheffield, Graves park especially is notorious for being in snow whilst everywhere else enjoys balmy climes and you never know what will face you as you emerge at the top of Ringinglow, it pays to be prepared.
Managed to make contact with one Marshal who is such a regular at this event she has her own nominated spot in Nether Edge. My how pleased I’d be to make it to her later on in the day. Also spotted a fellow Smiley – who was rocking the new look with confidence and panache, we paired up for precautionary pee (no queue there yet) and to pose. We were desperately trying to get snapped by the official photographer, being extra smiley and trying to look casually enthusiastic and photogenic, or at least photo-interesting. Epic fail, couldn’t get his attention at all. Had fun trying. I have form on this actually, decades ago, one long hot summer me and a next door neighbour decided to try to get in as many pictures in the local paper as we could by turning up at church fetes in huge hats or doing hilarious placards at local demonstrations. That was also an epic fail, not a single picture, not one, but we did also have fun trying then too. It’s a cheap and harmless hobby – as long as you don’t take things too far and put kittens up trees and dogs in lakes just so as you can rescue them, which is a version of Munchhausen’s I suppose and not to be recommended. Today, we made do with our own selfies. Aren’t we lovely?
and my wonderwear ambassador and Hallam parkrun buddy too. And it wasn’t even 8.00 a.m. The people are coming!
Traipsed over to get a squirt of S20 sunblock. I’d got my own on as well, but just wanted to allergy test for the other stuff, as people keep telling me its fab, but it’s expensive if I react to it. Then, coming back, the queues had suddenly started to appear. I was glad I’d picked up my number and dibber already. The queue was immense, and although it was moving relatively quickly, it was daunting to behold.
I say it was daunting, but it was also apparently invisible to some, well, maybe not ‘some’ maybe just one actually. Who came round the corner, breezed up to the first laptop operative she saw and was all dibbed up before she raised her gaze to see the queue of other runners snaking over the horizon and out of the park. Oops. Maybe her route to the park took her along Twentywell Lane and this sign entered her subconscious – it wasn’t deliberate, but it was nifty! Again, discretion prevents me outing anyone here, this is just a completely random shot of another friendly runner in the vicinity of the start at about that time. Just so long as we are clear. Any association arising in your mind as a consequence of the juxtaposition of the billboard signage and the female runner alongside apparently holding a newly acquired dibber is purely coincidental. Good.
Still a bit of time, so decided to go for second precautionary pee of the morning. Oh my. This is a gripe to be fair. The queue for the loos were beyond your worst imaginings. There are never enough loos for the RSR, and it is tricky I guess because you need loads all at once and then they aren’t much needed for most of the day once all the runners are on their way, but there weren’t enough. Good 20 minutes queuing and they got longer all the time, like some alien regenerating snake, the more you lob bits off as people did their bit and exited the queue, twice as much new length would be added at the end. Is that the Jason and the Argonauts film, the one with the skeletons that replicate the more you cut them up… hang on, just a google moment – nope it wasn’t that – though it is an epic fight scene, I’m thinking of the hydra, cut off one of its heads, and two grow back. Shudder. Ray Harryhausen was amazing though, wasn’t he just? Wow. The toilet queue was too, but not in a good way. Maybe more runners than usual turned up on the day, what the weather being great and the RSR becoming a destination run and all, but, more portaloos would be boon for next year. Might stop some of the alfresco seekers, for whom desperation trumped decency. And better signage for the urinal portaloos might have sped things up too…
The toilet queue was exactly like that. No wonder the wait was scary.
I could hear the build up to the start of the red wave – the elites, but they were underway by the time I was wending my way to the start funnel. This means I missed the panic stricken face of the photographer who nearly got trampled as the runners stampeded through, fortunately, this was captured by one of the (other?) official photographers, hurrah! Probably one of my favourite pictures from the entire day! Though, in fairness, I too always feel completely panicked at the start of any race. ‘What, we have to run now!?!’ I’m invariably astonished, then alarmed to be surrounded by so many runners and then finally swept up by it. By the way, lots of excellent photos have been made available on Facebook by the RSR team, they politely ask that you consider a donation to Weston Park Cancer Hospital in return for use of the images. https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/rsr19
Spotted a Graves Junior parkrun RD inhaling a banana just before off. Brave move, these elites eh, they live life on the edge!
So I scurried to join the pen for the orange start at 8.35. Announcements came over the speakers, and the shout went up to ‘Runaroouuuuuuuuuund NOW!’ or possibly a count down and then ‘go’, I can’t quite remember, and we all shuffled through to dib out in turn under the archway, and then we were spat through and launched and on our way!
No we hadn’t finished, it’s just that you come through the funnel at the end as well. This is a consequence of running round in a great big circle. You finish where you started from. Clever eh?
One slightly bizarre thing about the event being set off in waves, is that as you you set out, running purposefully up through the park, leisurely arrivees are strolling down to registration, so it feels a bit weird. Also, some people sprint off, whereas I take a while to get going, so the immediate first emotion for me is not so much a surge of adrenaline as shock and confusion. Also, because it’s on the parkrun route, it’s like you’ve cheated and skipped the bit at the start, all very surreal. It’s still uphill though, and a long way to go to get round the whole thing. However, not too far to the first crossing point and the first dapper dibbing marshal of the day at the road crossing. Not gonna lie, slightly disappointed not to see our ‘usual’ marshal in situ – another Hallam parkrun RD who has her designated spot at this event. Not the same without her there, but she had selfishly opted to go fly a helicopter or something instead. Honestly, the lengths eh? Never mind, the spot was ably filled with competence, flair and excellently authoritative traffic control skills. Can’t really argue with that. Thank you marshal!
Over the road, onwards and upwards. The field was thinning about, but other runners were coming up behind. The overtaking had started. On the plus side, I got to exchange cheery waves with familiar faces, some in a blur of speed as they passed, others pausing for brief sweaty hugs, all with big smiles. There is something about the RSR that is inherently joyful, right from the off, once you’ve got your precautionary pee out the way of course. Obviously it’s going to be stressful until you’ve got that bit of body maintenance sorted 🙂
This did sort of set the tone for the day to be fair. People I knew, or friends I hadn’t yet made, sprinting up behind me, shouting a greeting and then whizzing by, their ever shrinking silhouettes disappearing over the horizon ahead of me. Still, at least it gave me something to chase eh? Plus, you get a chit chat opportunity at each dib point. Some people pressed on through, others eeked out each wait for as long as possible, strategically incorporating recovery time into their race day strategy, which is both the point of how the event is set up, and entirely mysterious to me. The social anthropologists amongst you will notice the culturally significant green and gold bobble hat being sported by the high vis hero. However, for me, the real interest lies in the fine exemplar of team work. The Smiley Paces pair are saving precious seconds by having clearly demarked roles, whereby one does the donkey work of dibbing in and out and being responsible for custody of the timing lanyard, whilst the other nails looking triumphant and getting the glory. Ran like that the whole way round, no mean feat!
Loving your work Smilies, loving your work.
On you go, into the woods, over the next road crossing – ‘thank you marshal’ I have a theory you can spot the parkrunners amongst the throng as they have been conditioned into shouting thanks to anyone in a high vis that they run past even if it’s a worker checking the wiring for a BT phone cabinet.
After the next road crossing, more Smilies! We get everywhere, and these two in particular are a fab partnership, pathologically smiley, as is the smiley way! Oh and they’re off again, smilies disappearing into the distance ahead of me, also a smiley staple. Not running away from me as such, just giving me a lead!
and somewhere around this stage I think, another Smiley caught me unawares with some action shots – you have to push yourself to get results… thank goodness for the dark glasses, I’m sure no-one will recognise me.
and this was around the end of Stage 1, where I’d been promised a sweaty high-five which I duly claimed. Great to do a run where you see familiar faces on the way round. This was the marshal sharing his local knowledge by declaring that ‘flat section ahead – Sheffield flat’ as runners dibbed out and headed towards Forge Dam. The locals know, the blow ins will find out soon enough. …. it’s not like they are going to come back down the hill to query it later are they! Or are they?
Grand to see you my friend, thanks for the gardening tips at parkrun, and the backing for lobbying for the perennial plant stall, I’m quietly confident!
The forge dam cafe was just opening, and there was the opportunity to join another toilet queue if you’d missed out earlier. Now into the woods. More familiar people whooping on their way past:
My lack of training gave me a wobble, it’s a lot of uphill. I doubted myself. Then, soon I heard familiar chuntering coming up behind. Yay! My favourite twosome of the day. Storming it.
also, it was somewhere around here, I met a Chorlton runner walking back down – I was concerned that this meant one of us at least was going the wrong way – unless he was just doubling back to remonstrate with the marshal about the ‘Sheffield flat’ quip – turns out his knee was crook, so game over for him. It made me appreciate how lucky I was to be out there and injury free. I wasn’t ever going to fly round fleet of foot, but I was going to get round, I was confident of that, time to stop fretting about what I can’t achieve and be grateful for what I can. Poor guy, gutted for him. Mind you, one remarkable thing about the RSR, which I’m sure is to do with the option to take part in a more relaxed way, is how very few are DNFs. Less than 10 I’m sure. No idea about the DNS though. That may tell another story.
Onwards and upwards. Doing a rare bit of overtaking of those following the route somewhat over prepared for the run -much like me on the Dig Deep Ultra, where I took absolutely everything with me because I had no idea what to expect. Well, the breeze blocks might have come in handy if I needed to create some steps to stand on to get over a dry stone wall for example. Oh hang on, they were Duke of Edinburgh Award Schemers – did think the sleeping mat was possibly a bit OTT even if it did have definite appeal…
And so you emerge from the wood, into the glade with tables laden with jelly babies, bananas and bottles of water, and friendly chit chatting – like you’ve stumbled on some sort of impromptu runners social – which you basically have. There was plenty of water, and it felt leisurely, they’d put out a lot more sacks to keep the recycling together, but there was a lot of plastic waste. I wonder if this event will follow recent welcome trends of other running events and try to go plastic free next year. It ought to be possible, especially with the feed stations being in recovery stages and with the growing awareness of the problem with single use plastic. I reckon so.
Restored, there is a 15 minute or so walk past the alpaca place and to the top of limb valley. I always think this event must seem so peculiar to locals, as the road sections all tend to be recovery stages, and that means that in this ‘race’ no-one appears to be doing any actual running. Worst run ever in that respect! So called ‘runners’ strolling past chatting to one another and exchanging cheery waves with other participants ahead and behind.
Stage three. Limb valley section. Basically, fab views, firm terrain – corralled away from scary cattle thanks to last year’s crowdfunding initiative – and you get to ‘whoop‘ and ‘wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee‘ all the way down, going as fast as your little legs – or long legs where applicable – will carry you! Always time to take some pics along the way though, even if they are somewhat pitiful by comparison to the official pics, nevertheless, they capture moments in time and memories too. And you know what, I actually think this picture, which I took all by myself, is fab. If anyone knows this runner I’ve got a sequence of her in high resolution she can have if she gets in touch.
The official shots for this stage are fab – some possibly tipped over into not so much joyful but manic, however, that’s understandable in the circumstances. You can also compare and contrast effortless running style of super speedy smilies v my trundling efforts. Also, alarmingly, one Smiley has been caught on camera, not smiling and seemingly mid altercation with another runner, note to self – need to carry out an enquiry within my crochet club to check out what really happened there… More importantly, check out that Vegan jumper. Respect!
Oh hang on, they’ve just uploaded another album! It’s great that there are so many pics, but it does take a while to scroll through them all. Oh the excruciating tyrrany of trying to pick out just the best… Lots of late nights for RSR runners the week after the event, poring over photos and reliving it all after a long day at work. Anyways, picked out a few favourites below. Please note, the guy apparently playing ‘chief bunny’ which I thought was a game everyone was familiar with – much like the rizla on the head game – but it might have been a shared house thing back in the day. So I’ll leave that hanging. Also, kudos to the levitating man, that’s some height you got to there, and then I just really liked the happy runners having a blast in blue. Nice jump shot too. That’s another thought actually, really ought to incentivise the giant leaping, spot prize for best photo capturing such athleticism, to be shared between jumper and photographer obvs. Still think the vegan runner above is winning so far though…
Wait, another album, album 3 – hope you are making your just giving donations people – and more evidence. They have to be playing chief bunny, see the guy using both hands, he’s the chief and then those on either side should do one hand up each – the one nearest the chief bunny, and they are so doing it. I need to seek out a Marple Runner at the next possible opportunity to verity my suspicions, but it’s too much of a coincidence to be otherwise, surely?
Oh, and breaking news, vegan jumper isn’t winning any more, this guy is. For now…. he’s definitely taking the concept of a sugar rush to new heights, hard to be sure, but he has to have ODed on jelly babies. Thought he could handle it I daresay, and then this!
At some events they have a ‘photographer 100m ahead sign’. Well, only if they are 100m ahead, it can be changed to say 50m or ’round the corner’ or whatever, depending on context. That gives runners the opportunity to pretend to be running hard, or to get a run up into a leap, or wipe the snot and sweat off their faces and ensure they have their boobs on an upswing in readiness, or do something equally eye catching, hilarious and camera ready which is harder to achieve when caught unawares. I like that. Mind you, these are universally fab pictures from this event, thank you Mr Linacre, it’s astounding to take, literally thousands of shots, and them all to be this good. I sense a hive of activity on Facebook with people updating their profile picks with RSR run action portraits over the coming days… also a post run tradition. That and running club caption contests, of which there will be many, the suggestions for some of which it is fortunate will remain forever contained within a closed Facebook group!
Where was I? Where next? Oh yes – then into the woods down towards Whirlow, lovely section, and cool under the trees. The running conditions were perfect, a cool breeze and bright, but not hot, so lucky, especially after yesterdays scorchio and soul sapping parkrun. I gather that faster runners might have preferred harder ground, but my arthritic feet appreciated the soft forgiving terrain. Reet nice out in fact. Lovely.
and you emerge out the woods:
cross the road, and back into the woods. Ecclesall woods this time. It was ages before I worked out how this relates to the Ecclesall Woods Discovery Centre. I love Ecclesall Woods, but I seem to get very disorientated when I’m there. Totally get why Hansel and Gretel got lost in the woods that time. Trees are beautiful, but a wood in its entirety can swallow you up quite easily. In this section I got the most fleeting of glimpses of Smiley Selfie Queen, but she did pause for long enough for a fellow runner to get a shot of us together, just for the record, we occupied the same space at the same time. You get to look longingly across at the miniature train in operation just the other side of the stream, but no time to take advantage of that today alas. So this is where you emerge onto Abbeydale Road South, and stroll down past the railway station, trying not to think about the steps of doom which await you once you’ve traipsed up Twentywell Lane…
Twentywell Lane, did have a queue to get into the woods. I felt a bit for the marshal here, as this is point that requires a lot of proactive traffic management, and to be honest looked like one of the more stressful locations to be based at. He was doing a fab job though, directing runners and traffic to keep everything moving. Once we were over the road and into the wood, the steps awaited. Oh my life, they are killers, that climb, untimed or not, is brutal. I like this part of the route if I’m running on my own, but it is a tad stressful for the RSR. I try to give way to faster runners as much as I can, but there are one or two really narrow bits on this path and you can’t step aside without plummeting down a vertiginous slope so it’s a tad stressful. Having said that, runners were universally courteous, I think enough people now know the route to recognise it is what it is, and with the best will in the world, sometimes slower runners can’t give way and faster runners can’t over take. All smiles. Well, to each other, they may have been some unseemly cursing about the challenge of the actual terrain!
Phew, was glad when that section was over. You emerge onto a road and have to run on by Beauchief golf course. If you are called Sandra, you get your own signage to help you press on at this critical stage. Go Sandra indeed, you chose your supporters well! I don’t know if the idea is they will only have signs for Sandra, as this was a new development for this year, maybe other random names will appear, or maybe she has special dispensation to have her own signage. Will have to rock up next year and find out I suppose.
The end of stage 5 takes you onto Greenhill Avenue, and more uphill and you go through Chancet Wood. This stage I always forget about and get confused and think I’m already in Graves park, which you aren’t. If you are ever lost on a course, and inexplicably see me ahead of you – which is fairly unlikely – don’t follow me, I’ll be lost too.
I was flagging a bit by now, so it was a fabulous surprise to see a Smiley superstar in support mode at the start of the Graves park section. Hurrah! Obviously, any Smiley is a fine sight on any and every occasion, but for the record, best thing EVER to happen to me on a run was when she and a fellow Brutelles turned up on the Houndkirk Road to see me towards the end of the Dig Deep Ultra. It was brilliant, so chuffed they’d turned out for me. You know what, if you are a supporter rather than a runner on occasions, or indeed always, don’t under estimate the impact you have. You are awesome. Support en route can make or break an event. All adds to the party atmosphere. Now after that tribute, it’s unfortunate that I don’t have a suitably epic photo to share, but I do have an offering at least. Thank you Doctor Smiley! Plus, she not only had vegan sweets – which had run out when I got there – but took photos of other smilies, even those who’d apparently got dressed in the dark which would account for them accidentally put on the wrong running vest. AND, she saw a rather cute mouse whilst waiting, which I find worthy of note. Check out that half of the Smiley pair who is still managing to keep her arms aloft in triumph – she’s kept that up for over 15 km by this point I’d say – bearing in mind she was doing it throughout the recovery stages as well as the timed sections, that’s real dedication for you. I’d expect nothing less.
Oh and she did a mean selfie shot too, which ought really to be mandatory whenever two or more smilies meet. Evidence suggests it pretty much is already to be fair, if previous evidence is anything to go by:
Incidentally, it occurs to me, albeit rather belatedly, there is a really good breakdown of each section of the Round Sheffield Run course with nice concise descriptors and thumb nail maps on the event website so you could save yourself some time looking at that. They also did something clever with Strava, marking the recovery sections in blue, but I can’t work out have to steal that as it’s a webpage, so you’ll have to make do with my Strava map, which looks like this:
Makes more sense now I expect. That’s good. No of course I’m not uploading the version with my times on it! What kind of a fool do you take me for? (Rhetorical question, no need for answers on a postcard on this occasion).
Now I’ve found the section summary, I’ll refer to that for help with describing the Graves Park bit, er hem, the blah de blah says:
Stage 7 : 1.4km Graves Park
A gradual ascent through the mature woods of Graves park, this is another stage to take at a steady pace, up and over right across the park popping out at the main car entrance.
It only just occurs to me that the somewhat oblique reference to ‘another stage to take at a steady pace’ acknowledges that this is another bit with a long hard uphill trudge. I don’t really like this section of the park. Graves park is lovely, but this route misses out the nice bits like the Highland coos and Rose Garden cafe and sort of sneaks around a rather uncharacteristically dingy section. Nearly said dinghy section, but I’m thinking of the boating pool at Millhouses. Early runners in the elite wave, could in principle have seen junior parkrunners if not actually on their run, at the very least enjoying the post run partying. One RD I met walking back home at the end of the event, said he was just sprinting past the back of the cafe for 10ish and could easily have joined the team in the cafe to help process the results if he’d but thought to do so on the way round. I was probably still trying to cross Rustlings Road at that point. Honestly, the elite runners inhabit a parallel universe. I can’t imagine being that fast, even when I’ve taken advantage of deserted early morning airports to run full speed along travelators (doesn’t everyone), and even that makes me feel super human – these elite runners though, must be emitting sonic booms as they pass. Well, I presume those booms are from breaking the sound barrier not for the food choices made on breaking their overnight fasts.
Graves park then, bit of a ho hum section for me. A few people passing me asked if I was alright. I appreciate their concern, but do wonder what this says about my natural gait, as I was absolutely fine, just choosing to strategically power walk, but I must look perpetually broken. It reflects well on my fellow participants and the ethos of the event that people checked on me, but perhaps doesn’t reflect so well on my running style. Not quite moving with the grace of a gazelle traversing the open grasslands of the savanna…. or wherever it is they live. I’ve had worse. The day after the London marathon, a next door neighbour rushed across the road to ask if I was alright as she thought I must have been in a car accident or something I was moving so stiffly. Note to self, maybe other runners use rollers and recovery runs for a reason.
One good thing though, was as you come towards the end of the section, there was a couple of women doing excellent cheer leading. Dear reader these two were ON FIRE. Probably used more energy jumping up and down to motivate the participants to ‘just keep on running, it’s only 100 metres, don’t stop now’ then the actual runners did racing round. No honestly, even the elite wave runners would have burnt up a fraction of the calories. High five to you my favourite supporters of the day! Liz is very lucky to have you 🙂 hope you hadn’t exhausted your mine of enthusiasm by the time she came into view. Thank you for practising your cheering skills on the rest of us, you were awesome!
As you come out of the park, you can espy an ice cream van parked up on the right hand side, quite hard to resist as you are clocking out ahead of the 15 minute recovery stage.
The temptation was in fact impossible to resist for some, who very sensibly, took time out to swap change for lolly – these two also knew how to roll! Respect. I wonder if they had 99s. Not had one of those in ages. I boycotted them for a bit once I discovered that they aerate them with air outside vehicle i.e. exhaust fumes (probably an urban myth) and that Margaret Thatcher, in her former life as a chemist, was partially responsible for developing the technique which led to Mr Whippy as we know it . Probably also spurious, I might be able to eat them now…
The next bit is
Liason between 7-8
Following the main road on the tarmac path up around 500m to the New Inn Pub, turn left onto road here, following to the start of the next trail.
The walk itself is unremarkable, though when you recce the route, I always think it feels a lot longer than it actually is. The signage for the Round Sheffield Walk route is easy to miss here, though it was well signed for the RSR. It’s a social section, I chatted to a few runners, some regulars at the RSR, some first timers, the lolly ladybird and lolly bee pair, and a guy who’d hoped to run as a pair with his wife but she’d had to pull out with dodgy knee or something, so he was going solo. Real shame when that happens, but it’s good that pairs who lose a partner can transfer to singleton status in such circumstances.
Eventually, you turn the corner, and then ahead is the sight of the next feed station. Wow, this was busy. Excitingly, among the banana worriers was a familiar face from Graves junior parkrun. Hurrah. Oh, sorry, they were banana warriors, easy mistake. Whatever, some nifty knife action, those bananas didn’t stand a chance. Lots of people congregate here. I’m sure this run was busier than last year, as I’m a slow runner, so usually by the time I come to feed stations things have calmed down a bit as the majority of participants have been and gone, but this was absolutely heaving. Huge bags were to gather plastic bottles, though some had bizarrely chucked banana skins in amongst them which was hardly pro-social. It’s good that an attempt was being made to keep everything ripe for recycling, but it was a shock seeing such a mountain of single use plastic. It’s good we are all more aware of it. I can’t see that being allowed to happen again next year. I needed to supplement my supply though, so was as guilty as any in taking a bottle.
I lingered only briefly, then it’s back down the hill. This isn’t the most picturesque part of the route, but litter wise it was much better than last time I went down. It was so bad once with litter outside the school gates I actually wrote to the school about it in one of my more pompous moments. Never heard back. It’s a bit of break neck section, if you take it fast you gather momentum going down, and it’s hard to stop. I think it was no coincidence the bike paramedic was stationed in the undergrowth here, it was indeed a likely spot for rich pickings, though there were no discarded blood stained gauzes surrounding him when I passed, then again, he’d have put them in a proper biohazard waste bag probably, it’s not the done thing to leave blooded bandages lying around I imagine.
Oh hang on, the official description doesn’t mention the litter or the risk of injury or death if you take it too fast.
Stage 8 : 1.3km Lees Hall Golf Course
This is an exciting fast, flowing trail down between Lees Hall Golf course, down past the academy playing fields, opening up to some great urban views and then diving round to the left and back up towards Meersbrook
so where I experience fear, others experience ‘exciting’ I can see that actually. I’m not sure about the views on this route, they really kick in in Meersbrook park.
so the liaison stage here is along the road in a straight line for about 500m, (more up hilliness) past the row of shops (a co-op you could nip into if you felt the urge. I seriously contemplated picking up the bottle of wine I’d need for visitors later before my senses recovered sufficiently for me to realise that was a crazy idea, even if it would mean I wouldn’t have to go back out to the shops later. Then you join the main road and up to Meersbrook park entrance. Espying the amazing Bishop’s House as you approach.
This next section, section 9, is the best. Well, maybe second best, Limb Valley (stage 3) is more picturesque and for me more forgiving terrain, but I love this stage too. The views are extraordinary. It’s quite moving seeing the city unfold in front of you – it helped that the skies were clear today, but on any day the horizon is amazing. This park has a real community feel to it too, so it’s a well supported section, you’ll see friends probably, but failing that people generally out enjoying the day and offering cheers of encouragement too. It’s down hill – always a boon, and has fond memories of small park BIG RUN too. It’s just such a cool park, with a chilled vibe, I think it helps that, for me at least, psychologically I feel I’m nearly home now, that’s the bling in the bag near as dammit!
EVEN BETTER today at the entrance to the park were indeed buddies from small park BIG RUN, they were quite possibly still doing 1km loops of the park two weeks later – that’s dedication for you. Also, pirate flag man. So exciting. I could see him waving his flag from the top of the hill, but he started to go round the corner out of sight, I genuinely put on an extra sprint for fear the flag would be all furled up again and out of sight by the time I got to the bottom of the hill. That would be unimaginable, missing the flag, when it was actually in sight, so near and yet so far. Crisis averted dear reader. The photos record I made it! I also got whoops and hugs from my Smiley buddies, and the chance to see other smilies sprint on by as they had embraced more fully than me that this was actually within the timed section, so you shouldn’t really be stopping for a chat within it, though personally I don’t see the harm. Also, I took some photos, quite pleased with the one with the Valley Hill Runners and the view, it’s just like that, it really is.
Makes me so grateful that life has brought me to Sheffield, it really is the most extraordinary city to live in. I felt weirdly emotional looking at that view of the city skyline. It’s hard to say why, it’s not like I’m personally responsible for it or anything, and strictly speaking, I’m not even a ‘real’ Sheffielder, but I love this city I really do. Admittedly mainly because it’s so easy to get out of and into the peaks, but I’m sure you know what I mean. Bloody brilliant place
Out the park, a very vocal marshal was encouraging every runner by name, which was impressive, if only for his speed reading skills!
You emerge, and it’s a bit of zig zag up towards Nether Edge for the next section.
Liason between 9-10 Out the park across the A61 following the permanent signs, across to Abbeydale rd and Edinburgh Cycles, turn left onto Abbeydale Rd, and then turn right by the mirror shop for the start of the next stage. Marshalls will be in key positions for this slightly tricky liaison.
Apart from the novelty value of seeing your reflection in a mirror, this isn’t the best part of Sheffield, but you know what, it’s grown on me. Let’s celebrate B&M bargains and LiDL. Why not appreciate the mural and that community wildflower garden is now blooming, literally as well as figuratively. More chit chat if you fancy it
The best bit though, for me at least, was seeing my magical Hallam parkrun buddy in situ. Again, when I’d visualised myself doing this event, I knew once I got to this fabulous smile and slightly sweaty hug, I was nearly home. Best hug of the day. Also a selfie op!
Then the mirror moment:
and then the bit I always forget, because it feels to me like it should be a recovery stage, down those narrow Nether Edge streets to Brincliffe woods. I find it a killer, more hills, and the heat rising by now. I always end up walking it, with a slight garumphiness, because it’s hard, and I feel self-conscious and inadequate because I ought to be running but can’t or more accurately won’t.
Stage 10 : 2.2km Brincliffe Edge – The end is getting close, this urban stage takes you up the road on a gradual climb to Brincliffe edge, keep going up the road and the duck into the woods onto the trail, contouring round, then up and down into Chelsea park, popping out in quiet surburbia on the otherside. A few quiet wide streets to negotiate on the pavement before finishing just before Psalter lane
Fortuitously, I came across a former Smiley and distance walking aficionado, who was also doing some strategic walking at the point, so we marched on together. It was good to catch up, also I was able to pick her brains about using poles for walking/running, as she’s a fab advert for doing just that, although wasn’t using them today. She had them at the Hathersage Hurtle last year (2018), and was fair speeding round.
We stayed together until we emerged from Brincliffe Edge woods, then I waved her off as she skipped off through Chelsea park, the end in her sights. Brincliffe Edge is a weird short sharp bit. It’s nice and flat across the – you think – top of the ridge, and then just as you are settling in to that there’s a sharp right and more steep steps reveal themselves to take you up to Chelsea Park. I didn’t witness this myself, but saw on Facebook that someone was alongside a non-local at this point – ‘and RSR virgin’ was the phrase used, and that poor soul caught sight of yet another set of steep steps unfolding before them they just exclaimed ‘oh f$ck off!’ A sentiment other participants may well have shared!
Into the park, down the hill. This is really near my home patch, although I don’t tend to go into the park that often, because frankly there are more open spaces within reach, but it was nice to jog through, and pleasingly I met one of my neighbours out walking her dog. She was a little bemused as to what exactly I was doing, but then again, so was I. It possibly didn’t help that I was saying I was doing a trail run, but wasn’t noticeably doing a great deal of running. I let that go…
You come out of the park, and again it’s still the timed section. I feel it shouldn’t be, but anyway, that’s just voices in my head I expect. Talking of which, I suddenly thought I could hear my name being called from the far distance, but I wasn’t sure if I was imagining it, and didn’t want to do that awkward thing of turning round and waving only to realise it was a shout out for someone else entirely. It carried on. I stopped. I gazed about, and then look who sprinted into view:
Another Hallam parkrun buddy. Honestly, Sheffield parkrunners were like cockroaches on this run, they just popped up everywhere – only in a good way, obvs. It was really nice to see a friendly face, and we jogged along and chatted and ended up staying together til the finish.
Past the last of the out of park marshals:
Through the bright lights of Hunters Bar – trying not to notice the flood of runners who’d already finished and were strolling home adorned with the obligatory post-event metal wear!
And then back into the park for the final stage. Can we have a moment please to appreciate the marshals at this stage who were particularly hilarious with their motivational banter. Screaming at us to ‘run! It’s not far, it’s a sprint finish, go go go!’ All the marshals throughout were epic, each had their own unique style to bring to the event and all are heroes, but this was a fun note to finish on for sure. No-one was going to get away with nonchalantly strolling by this dibber point, it was do or die, and give it your all!
I therefore did dutifully run past, until I was safely out of view the other side of Queen Vic. Then I did a bit of a walk to behind the hedge, before bursting out with a sprint finish. Wasn’t going so fast that I missed waving at my Swiss Smiley friend – well met dear traveller, well met!
I thought we did a reasonable job with our sprint finish – and thanks to Smiley Selfie Queen for capturing the moment even if it is a bit of a shame you aren’t captured looking into the camera in the front bottom corner of the frame as is usual for a selfie shot. However, some really know how to tackle that finish or work the crowd. The event ‘instructions’ state:
Stage 11 : 0.4km Endcliffe Park Finish – A final flourish, starting at the park entrance up onto the park itself where you will join the marked course for the dash for the finish outside Endcliffe park cafe. You will be greeted by fellow competitors, adulation from the crowd and if you wish a cold beer!
and it’s at least partly true. You can indeed get adulation from the crowd, but it is best if you work it! Look and learn:
just the little formality of the medal – ooh, and another Graves junior buddy, one big love in, how nice, it was like a personalised medal award ceremony!
Final dib to get results, queue for crisps and banana and water
Thanks to Swiss Smiley for coming to say hello, sorry I was a bit post-run perplexed, was grand to see you! And that was that. RSR all done for another year.
Well, all done apart from the partying of course.
I couldn’t linger this time round, you know how it is, places to go, people to see. However, did get lucky meeting the Monday Mobsters. … won’t give a spoiler, but ooh, I’m soooooooooooooo excited about next weekend now. parkrun dreams really can come true! I’m not giving a spoiler, but I will give a clue, what’s the parkrun dream destination once you’ve already done your parkrun pilgrimage to Bushy parkrun people? I think we know…
So I said my farewells, and started the long trudge back up the hill to Nether Edge. Blimey. The return voyage was made easier once I bumped into the Graves junior RD for some company with him and his pal for the walk back. Don’t worry dear reader, I did remember to nip into the local supermarket for a bottle of wine – only I accidentally got a large bottle of gin instead, and some pasta. Perfecto!
That’s that then, for now. I daresay there will be some edits coming later, and I’ll probably keep finding even better photos, which is the challenge when you keep discovering new ones days or even weeks later.
Thanks once again kandoo team and everyone who took part in or supported another fab RSR experience. Those of us who are lucky enough to live in Sheffield are even more blessed to have this great event on my doorstep. If they’d only sort out the horticultural supplies issues for next year, it will remain perfect.
Incidentally, it would seem that for the most part, runners at this year’s RSR got lucky and got round. It’s been a good few weeks for off road runners. Did you know Damian Hall just set a new fastest known time for the Paddy Buckley Round, running over 61 miles – across some of Wales’ most remote mountain tops, climbing 47 peaks and ascending over 28,000ft in 17hrs 31mins. And the other week Sabrina Verjee won the 268-mile Montane Spine Race – the first female athlete to win the Spine race outright. That’s a 268-miles non-stop race along the Pennine Way which she completed in 82 hours, 19 minutes and seven seconds, leading from start to finish, about 6 hours ahead of the second finisher. Fab. Obvs.
But can’t help noticing that poor Sabrina’s medal doesn’t double as a bottle opener and has a trashy plastic sash, and as for Damian – well! No medal at all! Just glory, where is the fun in that. I think we Sheffield Runarounders had the best fun and best bling of all.
So thanks y’all who made it so, and special thanks to the energetic and engaged marshals throughout, and the photographers who shared pics from throughout the day. You can find these photo albums froms the 2019 event all on the Round Sheffield Run Facebook page. There are thooooooooooooooooooooooousands, ’twill take a while to scroll through those, but just think how much fun you’ll have reliving the day!
The team politely request that people consider making a donation to Weston Park Cancer Hospital in return for use of the images. https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/rsr19 Uploaded in high res for you to use.
- Photographers included: Craig Linacre Imagesport mostly from the people’s champion of stages. Stage 3. https://www.facebook.com/imagesportphoto/
- Dom Worrall
- Jez at Futtfuttfutt Photography www.futtfuttfuttphotography.com
and on intrepid runner, Daniel Harris put together this Round Sheffield Run 2019 Timewarp Youtube video, which allows you to complete the whole route in 5 minutes or so. You could have saved yourself a lot of time if only I’d listed this link right at the start. Ooops.
Cheers all who took and shared pictures, accounts and videos. Sharing the love 🙂 MInd you, it’s a Herculean labour keeping track of them all, never mind slaying the hydra, the epic shots just keep on coming…
Same time next year then, ballot and fate permitting?
Start planning your perennial beds now in eager anticipation. I know I will. That plant stall idea is a shoo in.
🙂
*oh hang on, that bit isn’t true actually, but you’ll feel sunshine in your hearts on the day because it’s one big running love-in
For all my Round Sheffield Run related posts, click this link and scroll down for older entries. Or don’t.
Running Scared 