Digested read: back to the Longshaw Trust 10k (Trust10). Misty start, sunny finish. Very nice to be back.
Undigested read:
Everybody loves Longshaw. Well they should do. Just look at it, it’s spectacular, whatever the season.
We all need to reboot our systems now and again don’t we? Don’t we? Please don’t let on it really is just me? Oh you were kidding, it isn’t just me who gets a bit ground down now and again and needs to be reminded to look up and out and breath in the air. That’s good, otherwise you’ll have no idea what I’m banging on about and that will make for a very confusing mismatch in our conversation, and nobody wants that.
So, Sunday morning. Now normally Sunday is junior parkrun day, and I do really love junior parkrun, supercharged fun however you look at it, especially at my local Graves junior parkrun where you get to run through the animal farm and by the lake and everything.
However, fun as it is, I realised last year that I’d got out of the habit of going to the Longshaw Trust 10k. This is ridiculous, because I blooming love the Trust10, it’s always super friendly and welcoming and mostly ‘proper’ off road. I mean not completely hard-core, but enough to get your feet muddy and feel alive and a very long way from the grind of running on pavements or tarmac.
Anyway, longshaw story short, I’ve decided to try to prioritise the Longshaw 10k a bit more this year, after all I can still do junior parkrun the other three weeks of the month (the Longshaw 10k takes place on the fourth Sunday of each month- check website just in case, but that’s worked so far, snow and ice permitting). This morning, it being the fourth Sunday of the month, Longshaw it would be.
The website says succinctly:
Enjoy a 10k run in the special surroundings of the Longshaw Estate. Free, informal and for everyone
adding
Join us on the fourth Sunday of the month for our free 10k run. Registration is on the day 8.15 in the café, and the run starts at 9 am. A number will be issued to you at your first run.
The route is two laps, and takes in some wide paths and some more technical off-road sections on grass, rocks and sometimes muddy ground. It is suitable for runners of all abilities.
Timing will be via paper and stopwatches, so if your time is important to you please use your own system.
so that’s all you really need to know, you could just finish here, I wont know, I haven’t a clue if anyone ever reads my posts or not, so no offence taken. Also, you might have a life to lead, places to go, people to see, whatever. I don’t do concise though, so I’m not prepared to leave this account at that, read on at your own risk. Maybe have a precautionary pee first, and pour yourself a mug of tea or glass of wine in readiness. You’ll need something with which to fortify yourself if you intend to stick with me for the long run. Not that Longshaw is especially long by everyone’s standards, but I’ll make it feel long for you. It’s a 10k route, but two 5k laps, so if you are unsure you could always do one loop and then bail finish at that point. You’ll be at the front of the cafe queue and have seen the route. But you won’t get a time and you won’t know the fun you’ve missed out on by doing so. Your call though, nobody will judge you. Really they wont. In a good way, nobody cares what you do, as long as you are having a good time and stay safe. Think parkrun, it’s that sort of ethos. Good natured, celebrating what you do, and although there are definitely speedy runners pegging round at the front, there is nothing to stop you taking a more sedate romp round at the rear – as did I today.
Despite everything, I did feel a little disloyal to be heading Longshaw way instead of to Graves. Also, it was freezing when I woke. Really misty, and was that even a bit of ice on the car? Possibly. It was like that at Graves parkrun yesterday, so misty you could hardly see your hand in front of your face on arrival, but then it did clear enough later on the second lap for an en route selfie with highland coo. Such selfies ought to be mandatory anyway at Graves parkrun, what’s the point of a parkrun going to all that effort of supplying highland coos if nobody bothers to do so, but it was made easier yesterday by dint of me being busy and important as tail walker for the day, no pressure to rush on by. Oh and also having a smart phone carrying selfie wannabee to accompany me, result. Hurrah! Fab walk and talk yesterday. I thank you. 🙂
Where was I? You’ve distracted me. Oh yeah, not at Graves, but heading to Longshaw. It was misty enough that I contemplated putting on my headlights, and cold enough that I considered wearing one of my deeply unflattering beanies. I thought the better of it, though on reflection, my pink Trust10 bobble hat would have been OK, it’s more forgiving than my cow bob and TpoT offerings. Too late, didn’t take one, wondered if I might regret it, blooming cold.
I won’t lie, I’ve not been feeling the running lurve lately. My mojo has not so much temporarily departed as actually abandoned me leaving no forwarding address and only memories and dreams of what might have been. Despite this, I do sort of miss what we had, and it is slowly dawning on me, that astonishingly, the only way to get back my running form is to actually go out and do some running. Harsh, but true. Perhaps today would be the day.
I arrived crazily early at Longshaw, got my self parked up in ‘my’ parking spot. Yes, I do have a favourite parking spot at Longshaw, doesn’t everyone? It was £3.50 for non National Trust members for up to four hours – was hoping that I wouldn’t take that long to get around, even allowing time for a fairly substantial cheese scone afterwards. You can park for free along the road outside the Fox House, but I suppose I feel paying for parking is a way of supporting the otherwise free event. Also, less far to retreat back to the car on days when it is so cold your legs won’t work. That might just be me though. You are probably so hard-core you’ll be incorporating the Longshaw Trust10 into your long run and jog out, run the 10k and run home again. Go you! Not me though, that wasn’t my plan, though I do have a bit of a fantasy that I might do that one day. Maybe when the weather is a bit warmer so I don’t have to worry about getting cold in between running legs.
The air was still, the car park already beginning to fill up, and the views, as always, just breathtaking. Of course my photos don’t do it justice, why would they? You’ll have to go check it out for yourself.
Keenie volunteers had already put the little pink flags up to mark the way. I had my first precautionary pee of the morning. The bolt on the toilet door wasn’t working, but that didn’t matter as the queue for the loo is always so extensive, someone will look out for you. The gents of course just breezed past us, waving as they went to make free with their own more ample facilities. Structural injustice strikes again. I read a whole article about exactly this issue of why there are never enough female toilets (as in toilets for use by women, not for bathroom sanitation ware that identifies as female – I’m pretty sure most would be non-binary anyway), but now I can’t find it. Bet you are gutted. Worry not, I’ll add it in later if I do. Hang on, you’re OK, I’ve found it, great article on the deadly truth about a world built for men You’re welcome. Found this one on the American Potty Parity movement too, who knew? Having said that, compared to other running events, the provision at Longshaw is pretty darned good. Warm registration area, toilets- not just toilets, but ample toilet paper and hot running water too. Thrown in an informal bag drop, parking, and post run coffee and carb options and that covers everything really.
Headed in to the cafe area to register, my camera can’t cope with interior shots, but you’ll get the gist. First timers have to complete a registration form, returners, wearing their own reused numbers have a quicker process.
It’s all very self-explanatory and pretty slick, though the volume of participants these days does make for some good-natured queuing. That’s OK though, it’s a chance to catch up with everyone you’ve ever met in the running community of Sheffield. This event brings loads out of the woodwork. I went on my own, but bumped into many familiar faces. Grand.
The high vis heroes were discussing tactics, being efficient and heading off to their posts, some of which are a fair old hike away from the cafe area:
Here they are en masse at the end. What a fine and photogenic lot they are. Hurrah for them. That’s not even all of them. It takes a lot of effort to keep the event running smoothly. (Pun intended, I’m super quick-witted like that – less quick on my feet unfortunately. Oh well, we can’t all be good at anything everything).
Runners arrived and milled and chilled, some did some voluntary extra running, by way of warm up. Respect. Others did some voluntary extra running by way of sustainable transport options. Also respect:
The sun was beginning to peak through, and I started to see familiar faces from woodrun and even a few other break away-ers from Graves junior. It was like big reunion!
It was definitely still misty, but the day seemed full of promise. An air of eager anticipation started to build. It seemed busy to me, but then again, apart from the Christmas Tinsel Trust 10 I’ve hardly been to Longshaw Trust10 of late. I decided NOT to wear my coat, which is quite a big deal for me, as normally I have to have it forcibly wrestled away from me pre run. Now though, the air was still, and the runes seemed good. It was one of those days where you really get why ancient peoples worshipped the sun, it seemed miraculous how it began to appear and burned through the fog to reveal a glorious landscape of wonder and promise. In a bit though, not straight away.
After a bit, there was a sort of collective move towards the start, as if drawn by a silent beacon, like in Close Encounters, only a lot jollier and with more visible Lycra. Honestly, I don’t know if Lycra was even a thing when the film Close Encounters came out in 1977, the Wikipedia entry inexplicably completely fails to mention it. This is the problem with becoming over reliant on search engines on the interweb, the entirety of human knowledge becomes reduced to dust.
The Devil’s Tower is pretty much indistinguishable from Carl Wark in my view, and you can only differentiate the assembling of runners from the assembly of the alien seekers by the presence of tarmac beneath the feet of the non runners. Spooky isn’t it?
Once we were all assembled, more or less, bit of fraternising went on, I noticed the runderwear ambassador ingratiating herself to the tail walkers. Well, she was trying to communicate something important anyway. Also a few ill-advised selfies were taken alongside other reunions. You know, it occurs to me, maybe it isn’t the hats that make me spectacularly unphotogenic, maybe I actually look like this hatted or otherwise. Horrible thought. Oh well, this selfie is significant because the two of us have been Facebook stalking each others for some months but until this weekend never met, now two-day on the trot, yesterday Graves, today Longshaw. We’re properly best friends now! Clearly Smiley Selfie Queen has more experience in these matters, or maybe a more forgiving filter. I’ll never know… I was slightly disappointed to see she was no longer wearing her sash from yesterday, when she celebrated her 100th parkrun with cakeage+, bunnage+ and a sash proclaiming her achievement. Oh well. At least I saw her on the day.
there was the run briefing.
Take care, be sensible, usual information about following marshals directions, but today was special, because today was also a day to sing Happy Birthday en masse in honour of stalwart volunteer Frances, soon to be eighty. I think it’s fair to say that on the whole attendees are better at running than singing, but the rendition that followed this announcement was full of affection and enthusiasm. Go Frances! Excellent hat sporting as well as time keeping. We, who are about to run, salute you!
It’s been a week of awesome octogenarians here in Sheffield. Tony Foulds did good too did he not, getting his fly-by and all. Maybe that’s when life begins, at eighty, I can but hope… I’m post 54 and still don’t feel like I’ve made it off the starting block…
This is what runners look like whilst singing and waving in the start ‘funnel’ there are helpful signs to suggest where to place yourself to avoid congestion once underway by the way. Also attentive looking runners during the run briefing.
So then, pre run socialising and communal singing satisfactorily completed, we were awf, with that Longshaw staple the wolf whistle to get us underway! You had to be there, but trust me, it’s true and it was audible and off everybody went. It was somewhat quirky, like lighting a cigarette to start off the Barkley Marathons, but with more attention to Health and Safety.
And off we went. It was fairly steady start from where I was at the back. I daresay the front runners do speed off, but the mass of the back were happy to be more relaxed as we departed. It’s a narrow path and a bit of a dog leg, and you are just warming up so no great haste. Not on my part anyway. The promise of good weather had brought along a fair few spectators to cheer us off, and no doubt then nip into the cafe for reviving coffee for a bit before the faster runners were back at the end of their first lap.
There was a bit of a bottle neck through the first gate, and then onto the compressed mud track where you run perilously close to a ditch, or more accurately a ha ha, presumably called this because that is the noise your so-called friends would make if you were to tumble into it due to either ice or a lapse in concentration. Wikipedia doesn’t say.
There are many pleasing sights on the way round, but a fine marshal with psychedelic leggings and winning smile is always going to be a hit. What’s more, on this route, you get to see all the lovely marshals twice if you do the whole 10k. Now there’s an incentive to keep on running round! Isn’t she lovely. (Rhetorical question, of course she is!) Plus, I can personally vouch for her outstanding directional pointing, clapping and generally supportive whooping. She’s always had a talent for this, starting way back at the finish line in the early days of parkrun, but totally perfected and finessed here at Longshaw. Thank you marshal. Top Tip, best to shout out your thanks on loop one, as by the time lap two comes round you may well be a) breathless and b) somewhat less enthusiastic about the whole thing, it all depends.
Off we went, runners streaming ahead and round the lake, or is it a pond? Not sure what the difference is, but it was all very scenic. You could tell the first timers who ground to a halt at the slightest hint of mud, not having yet learned the fun is in the plunging through it. I heard one fellow runner explain to his running mate he would have done, but was getting a lift back and didn’t want to get mud in the car! Can’t be a proper running buddy if they object to mud surely, but each to their own.
Usually, the entire field has run out of my field of vision quite early on, but today I seemed to stay at least in sight of people for the whole of the first lap. Others were also being distracted by the scenery, it was lovely, and getting lovelier by the minute as the sun burst through. Handily placed marshals held open gates and pointed the way towards Narnia, and we followed the paths with delighted eager anticipation
Through the trees, skipping through more open spaces, mud dodging or not, as the mood took us, thanking marshals, queuing at the kissing gate – good for a regroup, catch up and reconnaissance with other runners.
Then into the proper woody bit, which is all tree roots and hobbit country. It was surprisingly dry, and perfect for running today, it can be muddy and slippery, but today was fab, you need to pick your way a bit, but I enjoy this section, though you are a bit restricted to single file. I tell myself this is why I made no attempt to overtake other runners, instead preferring to pause for photo ops en route. Ahead of me, my parkrun buddy and Runderwear ambassador had befriended another runner, she does that a lot… takes other runners under her wing, it’s a good quality, and also a super power, it’s pretty much impossible to resist her advances – only this parkrun 50 tee wearing runner had just got swept up in the event and was doing her own run. She wasn’t persuaded to join the fun this time round, well, no number I suppose, unless she blagged the number 50 – but I’m hoping next month she’ll be back. She’d have fitted right in! I am proud of my moody atmospheric shots. The sky is moody not the runners. Well they may have been moody, I couldn’t tell from my scenic shot seeking detour standing in the bog.
You emerge from the woodland section, through a gate, scramble over some rocks and you get spat out onto the ‘proper’ trail moorland section. Sometimes when it’s wet this is really squidgy, but today it was easy running, apart from the little matter of being expected to run uphill. I ran a bit, but pretty soon ended up power walking. They have ‘improved’ the route to minimise erosion, so there is now a clear path and even a little bridge so you no longer get to have to launch yourself into flight over the little stream.
A cheery marshal directs you and offers encouragement as you look upwards to the first serious climb of the morning, up, up skyward, into the blinding light of the morning sun. You can just make out the marshal standing astride the style in the wall at the top of the ascent, back-lit, like a super hero making an entrance. Good work there, today Longshaw marshal, tomorrow deus ex machina at a theatrical happening of your choice!
This marshal, as others, has commandeered this as his regular spot. He is always friendly, and up for a chat, though it has to be said I do feel he has a somewhat unfair advantage in this respect as he hasn’t just had to drag his weary carcass up a steep hill. He is supportive though, and promised to see about putting in some sort of stairlift contraption or escalator in time for the second lap. Top tip, don’t get your hopes up, it’s like at the Sheffield Half marathon when well-meaning spectators tell you at the Norfolk Arms ‘it’s all downhill from here!’ They are all well-intentioned, but they lie. It’s inadvertent, but good to know.
He quipped at my Runderwear buddy just ahead ‘not last today then?’ in cheery tones. She most definitely was not. My job I thought silently, and so in time it proved to be.
So after the style and the wall and the chat, you have a long straight bit on a compacted service path. Through a gate, and on a bit more, and then, just when your homing instinct is screaming at you to go straight on as ‘cafe ahead’ cheery marshals send you off to the right and up the second hill of the day. This I find really hard, I don’t know why it feels quite as tough as it does, but it plays mind games. I ended up walking and feeling pathetic for doing so. Others ahead were walking too. Blimey I need to up my game.
Towards the top of this hill, you emerge alongside one of the other car parks, a marshal directs you – the route used to go through the carpark, but this route is better. About this point the front runners started to come through, lapping me. They make it look effortless. Very impressive, they might be great athletes, but this is a good natured event, most shouted some sort of acknowledgement or encouragement as they passed. I was a bit disappointed that unlike at the Tinsel Ten, none of the front runners were wearing a turkey on their heads. Not one. There was also a distinct lack of fancy dress. Maybe they didn’t get the memo… The pictures don’t capture the steepness of the climb, or maybe it really is all in my head. The run is in fact flat, the earth is flat* and I have found a sports bra that is both comfy and supportive, and can also still fit into my interview suit. All things are now possible.
Over the hill, literally and metaphorically, and you are out on the exposed ridge and a flat track back to the start/ finish. It was a lovely spot today, but I have seen marshals nearly frozen to the spot in less clement weather. The marshal is ready to stop cars running you down – always a boon, and I think furnished with a first aid kit too, or maybe a very large packed lunch, I didn’t pause to check. I’m sure I saw a big back pack somewhere. It’s not in the photos, maybe I was hallucinating, or maybe some other marshal had that responsibility. I’ll try to remember to look out for it properly next time. On this stretch, you have to remember to take in the views. They are spectacular. I got overtaken a lot, but there are also walkers coming the other way. The first lap is nearly complete though, so that’s a boost. I have this weird thing that once I’m half way through an event, irrespective of distance, I believe I will complete it because I’ve only got to do the same again. This isn’t quite logical, but positive thinking probably goes a long way so I don’t want to challenge myself on this point for fear of my self-belief coming crashing down. It is hovering quite precariously as it is.
There is a narrow marshal-assisted gate at the end which you pass through into the comparative darkness of the woodland area again. I once saw a runner crash spectacularly into the stone gate post here, because there is a bit of an optical illusion going on. There was a lot of blood, and staggering about, that’s probably why it’s marshalled now.
Once you are safely through, it’s a downhill sprint to the finish, unless you are on your first lap, in which case you cruise on through. Inexplicably, no-one has ever confused me for a finisher at the end of my first lap, even though I’m still behind a good number of others who’ve completed their two. Oh well, at least I get my monies worth for time out on the course!
So I charged through the finish and round again for lap two. I spotted the RD and one of her noble side-kicks and called out to them to take a photograph. Confusingly, they thought I wanted them to take one of me! How bizarre, I have a lifetime’s supply of deeply unflattering photos of myself running, no, what I was after was one of them. After all, runners are ten a penny at events like these, but the volunteer and organising team, well, they are priceless. It’s a shame I didn’t get a better picture, but it is the thought that counts, and I was trying to think I promise!
Round again,through the gate into the woods again, this time I felt like I was the only runner left on the course. There was one other just ahead, but it had definitely emptied out. A family out walking graciously moved aside to let me pass ‘as I was racing’ which was gracious of them as I’m not sure I really was worthy of such a descriptor, back to smiley marshal still in situ, doing a double wave just for me.
I usually enjoy a steady solitary second lap more than the first at Longshaw, because it can be quite meditative. Today though, I heard frantic stomping of feet and breathless runners coming up behind me, it was like being hunted down! I thought maybe it was people who’d already finished doing a final cool down lap or something, but it turned out to be the two tail runners. They’d been with some other runner who’d stopped after one lap, and were now on a mission to catch me up at the back. They were friendly and supportive, and darted about picking up flags and trying to engage in conversation a bit, but unfortunately, as my regular reader will know I really can’t talk and run so wasn’t as much fun at the back as if they’d had the pleasure of the company of the Runderwear ambassador who’d been cavorting with them like long-lost friends reunited earlier. However, today she was on fast forward the whole way round, the tail runners didn’t even have her in sight. So sorry lovely tail walkers, I just can’t cope with running with other people, it is my strange way. I did my best to romp on ahead, but couldn’t quite catch and overtake the penultimate runner, however now and again I put enough space between me and the tail to get some photos of their awesome twosome tail teamwork in action. Enjoy! Oh, and she’s wearing a backpack under her hi-vis, no need to stare.
Back into the woods, and oh, it was this marshal with the pack lunch/ first aid kit. Phew, glad that mystery is solved… also nice moss, shapely trees, no time to stop, scared of being chased down, still, my polar watch was thrilled, I exceeded my exercise goals for today apparently. That’s smugness inducing I must concede.
back onto the open hillside
past the deus ex machina at the summit – he was offering lifts back in his truck to anyone wishing to bail at this point, but no not I!
Flat bit, puff puff, up the blooming hill, more puffing, flat and fast bit, through the gate, into the woods, down the hill, people at the finish, parkrun buddies and smiley friends shouting me in, I even managed a little burst of speed to the finish flag, though that might also have been because I tripped a bit going down hill and then couldn’t stop myself with all my substantial weight behind that bit of inadvertent forward momentum!
All done. Phew. Drank a full litre of water once I’d been reunited with my bag, which I’d just left in the cafe, you do so at your own risk, but it feels safe to me. My rucksack is pretty distinctive, people know it’s mine. That’s not to say it means they would stop someone else from taking it, but I’d expect them to mention it later when it was gone ‘oh, I saw someone with your backpack disappearing earlier, wondered who it was‘. Very reassuring. FYI, I left my backpack in Jonty’s cafe a couple of weeks ago. When I went to pick it up they asked me to describe it, ‘it’s black and turquoise‘ I said. ‘Oh dear,’ they said ‘we do have one, but it is black and aquamarine, so cannot possibly be yours!’ I thought that was funny. I was reunited, panic not.
Joined the very extensive queue in the Longshaw tea rooms. I’ve never seen it so long, normally, because I’m slow, by the time I’ve finished, everyone else has recarbed up and yomped off home. Maybe the warm weather brought more people out, or perhaps there was another event. It didn’t really matter. When I got to the front of the queue, I asked for an extra shot in my latte, but the server queried this as it already has two shots in it. I think it’s good. They obviously have and enforce an ‘enjoy caffeine responsibly’ policy, and I just didn’t look like I’d be able to handle it.
Sat outside in the sun for a post run debrief. Very nice it was too.
and then cheese scone (that was sooooooooooooooooooooo nice) consumed and coffee quaffed, it was time to go home. What a fine morning had been had by all though.
Thank you lovely Longshaw people and fellow Trust10 participants for making it so. Hope to be more regular in my visits in the year ahead.
🙂
By the way, if you are a fan of Longshaw and want to support them a bit more, there’s currently a big push for support for their Peak District Appeal, Woods for the Future A £20 donation doesn’t quite get you a dormouse named after you, but it could pay for a nest for a whole family, so that’s even better right?
Also, just to be clear, a few footnotes for your edification and improvement:
+cakeage and bunnage refer to the practise of bringing large quantities of cake/ buns/ muffins etc to parkrun related celebrations or running related gatherings more generally. Bunnage refers to any quantity greater than one bun, and cakeage to any quantity greater than one person can reasonably be expected to consume unaided. Communal baking basically, and a very fine thing it is too. Helped this one to a pb the following day, there’s a lot to be said for carbing up, clearly.
*FYI the earth is not flat. Definitely not. You’re welcome
So there you go, today’s Trust10 Longshaw 10k, Trust 10, call it what you will, done and dusted. Nice wasn’t it?
For all my Trust 10k posts, click here. Or don’t, it’s not compulsory. You’ll have to scroll down for older entries
For all my parkrun related posts click here. Or then again, don’t. It’s up to you. You’ll still need to scroll down for older entries though.
Happy trail running ’til next time. Hope the sun shines on you wherever you are.
Running Scared 