Tour of Tameside 2003

Bob Blair - Malcolm Cox - Wilson McKnight - Dave Warnaby

What we hoped to do Come back alive and well Complete the Tour, or at least 4 races in Chirpy's case Drink as many pints as we ran miles

Sunday morning

Hyde Trail Run - 11 mile Described as "a multi terrain race with road, track and a little towpath. An undulating course, designed by Stockport Harriers, with three major climbs, with the first at the start. A hard race ahead!" The three climbs felt like Ben Nevis, Snowdon and Scafell Pike with the first one climbing quite steeply for 2 miles. The description also forgets to mention a fourth climb that comes just when you think you're finished. This course proves what b's course designers are.

Monday evening

"All on road, with a 1 mile lap then a large 6 mile lap, with a testing climb at 5 ½ miles and another as you approach the finish."

He must have been asleep when his car drove between miles 1 and 3 where the course grinds up something resembling Durham Road from the Barnes to the Board Inn.

Tuesday evening

"The start is on tarmac and proceeds on roads for over 1 ½ miles including a very steep climb then over Swinesaw dam. You then run on a track which is a little uneven, then a long climb to Hobson trig point. From here you descend the usual route but a much more gradual descent, on tracks, to the finish."

Great if you know the "usual" route otherwise you're not expecting a six inch wide track on peat and rocks with chest deep heather. Not a place to pass anyone, unless your name is Maynard, so ended up doing a conga with 20 others behind the old "b" in front who needed to walk because he wasn't on tarmac.

Wednesday - REST

Thursday evening

Longdendale ½ Marathon "A multi terrain course but all on hard ground and slightly undulating, with a initial climb up to the village of Roysten Vasey, then off road running alongside Vale House and Rhodeswood reservoirs then crossing the B6105and joining the Longdendale trail, along to the turning point ¾ mile before the Woodhead tunnel, before returning along the stretch of trail and back to the finish." This is the best race of the Tour. Despite being absolutely knackered there isn't much climbing in it and the scenery is very good. The run from the turning point to the finish is about 6 miles, very slightly downhill, on an old railway line converted to a cycleway. The locals do seem to have difficulty with mile markers as our time varied between 4 minute and 13 minute miles.

"A flat race on grass, requiring spikes or fell shoes, covering 3 laps of 2 miles each."

Sorry, this was the best race of the Tour - it was short. Locals say that their normal 6 mile XC on this course is 4 laps. So much for my 6 minute mileing.

Saturday afternoon

"This being the flattest stage of the tour, although starting on road for 1 ½ miles before entering the towpaths of the Huddersfield canal then coming off the canal at Whitelands Road then via ASDA Ashton under the underpass before rejoining the canal Portland Basin then along the Peak Forrest Canal towards Hyde."

One minor detail forgotten, probably because it might have given us some hope, is that the first mile is quite steeply down hill. No surprises after that although passing people on most of the towpaths would have involved a swim.

Results? We all came back, with varying degrees of exhaustion, but no new injuries. Chirpy managed to complete five of the six races, a triumph (for Ibuprofen and beer). We failed on the drinking target but only just. Will we go back next year? - No chance!!!!!

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