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| Rain man , Iain Twaddle sets out as the torrent rattles off the road at the start of his Chevy epic with Philip Sanderson sheltering in 2 nd place . Frosty, in red, edges his way towards the front of the pack . |
The toughest race on the north east calendar was run on American Independence Day in a day of contrasting fortunes.
The Chevy has been a graveyard race for some of our legendary fellers. John Baty sustained self inflicted psychological damage from the 2012 race after his crass assumption that as the Chevy's home was Northumberland National Park meant it must be a parkrun . At 5k he had still not reached control 1 at Commonburn House - but he'd set a nightmarish pace with the serious hills to come. A year later , Chris Rowe's high hopes crashed with a pulled hamstring somewhere between Cheviot and Hedgehope - but he just about managed to stagger to the finish (some feat that with about 12 miles left to go). Earlier than that , legend has it that the Poly Club Captain (while in the top 5) failed to turn left at Brands Corner (CP 5) and funnelled over into the wrong valley. Rumours swirled that the Club Capt had been gallantly chasing down an errant female , lost like a lamb, to redirect her back on the correct course. Modesty prevented the Capt mentioning that detail in later years - though some cynics suggested that was because it would put him in a bad light that a lady was ahead of him at the time. The race has dogged others with mis navigations, and slumps resulting in DNF.
One runner who has consistently managed to keep mind, body and sense of direction together is Iain Twaddle - the winner from 2008 and regular top 3 finisher whenever he'd raced it . One of the north's (so the country's) top fellrunners. He headlines for the Club in many other kinds of races that we don't trouble this BLOG with !
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| Then came the sun beating relentlessly as I cross through Causey Burn. |
The 2015 race commenced in a flash flood with torrential rains sweeping the eastern Cheviots and a warning from the organisers of expected electric storms .It meant that this wasn't a day for umbrellas. With their usual diligence the organisers had made their plans to clear the hillsides should lightning strike. Not a good prospect for any new runners considering the list of other hazards of saturated bogs, awful visibility , wet , heat stroke when the clouds finally broke and the continuous changes of terrain - as well as other competitors in various states of exhaustion and anxiety.
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| A short breather for Rachel Carr as she files towards the very last ascent of the day. A fine debut in harsh conditions - and a rather natty cap. |
We did have a few Chevy virgins in our tally including Rachel Carr (one of 2 Raquels in our team ! ) , Chris Oliphant and John Brettell . The contingent included a scattering of the Windy Gyle brigade with Lt. Col. Michael Caine and Rachel Inman ( the 2nd Raquel) also Mark Smith ( not much to report as yet - but he may be from somewhere south ). Frosty (now a Wooler local ) had also staged his umpteenth comeback from his sledging accident of years ago to feature again.
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| A supporting role (not the lead) is played today by Michael Caine - our 3rd placed runner home . But at least he beat his sister. |
The race got underway in the torrent as Iain and Phil Sanderson immediately broke away from the field at the gun as the rest slogged uphill towards Wooler Common behind them. This is not a good place to burn up energy unless you're sure you know what's in store. So it was a chance to catch up with a bit of banter with Rez Prathalignan and Paul Carroll (formerly of Claremont) . A few pleasantries were exchanged with the Rachels attractively attired in their bright waterproofs - before the race started in earnest off road and on the Common.
Rain was bearing down for the first 90 minutes and soon waterproofs were doing you no favours with condensation - and soon they have to come off. Reportedly , Michael Kane had opted for a bright yellow rain jacket - but there was insufficient evidence on this occasion to convict him for being the worst dressed Poly runner.
The race had already become a 2 man race with Iain and Phil ahead as the field stretched out towards Broadstruther , and then wove in and out the bogs at Cheviot Knee. I chipped in and out of conversations with a Phil Green contingent and a Kevin Ayre squad of SS Harriers ( Kevin accurately predicting a strong showing from the SSHAC females). The race then fragments a little as you mark the climb into cloud onto Cheviot.
The race at the front was a fierce affair. Phil was just about hanging onto Iain up towards Cheviot - but Iain was stretched things on the run down to the Langlee Burn . Then it was back into cloud for Hedghope. Perfect cover for an attack. As Iain summited , the marshals informed him the lead runner had passed through about 2 minutes earlier. Not a good omen for the rocky descent off Hedgehope where the lines remained obscured in the mist and with no moving target at all to aim at. The run towards the Langlee and Long Crags proved ever more evasive for Iain as the quarry had cleared the control point and eluded visual detection. It took real mental resilience to regather strength in these conditions. Navigation by sight became impossible - direction was by compass , contour or failing that instinct (not a good option). At one point Iain reckoned he was heading off course on the due east cut towards Brands Corner. The pressure was building . There was no scope for any errors as Phil has a string of successes in north east fell races and was a tough competitor. Then as Iain descended through the cloud towards Brands he saw his prey for the first time in getting on for an hour - Phil Sanderson was climbing off towards the Harthope Valley . Iain descended like a hawk - he wasn't going to lose sight now.
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| A fine piece of landscape photography in Causey Canyon is enhanced by our glorious team colours borne by Chris Oliphant |
Back in the Cheviot fog , the peloton was managing as best possible with various runners tumbling down off Cheviot , voices sounding in the ether and occasional flashes of rain jacket colour. Michael Caine remained sheltered from attack and he wasn't giving his position away with any Cockney voiced anecdotes. The climb up Hedghope was salutary as time was lost ; using instinct rather than bearing . At one point a compass check revealed we were heading the wrong way back round Combe Fell ! That was only re corrected as the fence line was struck - some 400 metres off track. Summiting the marshals crouched down in the weather tent were relieved to announce over 2 way radios that , 'They were coming through again'. The run towards the crags was in squelch but for the first time the mist was lifting making sight along the valley definite. Descending like a pigeon towards Brands Corner , Frosty was spotted taking on water before the 90 degree turn to the north. No hind nor hare though of Michael Kane in his luminous clothing.
With quarry in sight , Iain was now able to track Phil along the ankle wrenching rocks along Causey Burn. Rounding on to Hell's Path , he was then on Phil's shoulder before breaking clear on the ascent. It was now down to the fastest runner over the last 3 miles or so. The ground smoothed to grass and then tarmac for the downhill dash to the finish. Iain now had the edge and broke open a gap of about 3 minutes in the final few miles as he closed in on Wooler Youth Hostel - ensuring he did not miss the final navigation track home . A very worthy and popular winner ( having been a member at Wooler Running Club , the hosts) . For Phil it was a huge disappointment having finished second now on 3 occasions.
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| New Polyfeller , Mark Smith with eyes down as he gains some early credibility for his new Club as our 2nd man home. |
Any runners arriving after 4 hours - were in for a furnace run. The clouds parted and the sun beat bright and hard sapping any energy that was left.
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| Battle weary . Even Frosty is suffering as he takes on fluids pacing his way to the finish. |
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| Cool running as Iain now needs slicks on the same road home as in photo 1 as he hurtles downhill towards the finish. He had covered the 32 km plus in a shade over 3 hours... |
Picnics and cakes , parents , trophies collected by happy athletes all gathered on the green in front of the hostel. It was a truly glorious afternoon . A perfect setting for one of the Poly's top athletes to again clutch the trophy from the north east's hardest race.
Here is the roll of honour for our competitors. They can all take huge credit for the physical and mental endurance needed to survive the ordeal :
1 . Iain Twaddle 3 02 26
20. Mark Smith 3 56 05
35. Michael Kane 4 11 57
40. Martin Frost 4 16 51
47. Barry Young 4 19 29
92. Chris Oliphant 4 42 09
120. Rachel Carr 5 06 02
135. Rachel Inman 5 20 43
144. Ian Holland 5 36 10
167 . John Brettell 6 51 55
Photos thanks to Northumberland Gazette for a couple and Paul Buxton for the others ( a fine web site for local photographs).
This is the report from the Chevy web site. http://woolerrunningclub.co.uk/Chevy%20Chase%20report%202015.html
This from the pen of Phil Green :http://thehottrod.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/chevy-chase-weekender.html
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