REET GOOD RUMBLE
ROYAL RUMBLE
As an all be it non-active member of English Hill Runners, it was time I turned up and supported one of their races at least. History reveals that in two years of this Royal Rumble race, turnout has not been spectacular in terms of numbers so I was a little apprehensive that this Bank Holiday evening affair could end up with a thin, stretched out field in which I could be pocketed somewhere on my own for most of the course. That couldn't have been further from the truth. Rolling up at Tockholes, I spotted an array of potential competitors and it soon became clear there was a race on the cards tonight. Ribble Valley's Stephen Hall was always going to be a bridge too far, but could I get nearer Mark Walsh and Paul Brindle than a month or two ago? Could I finally get one over the strong veteran of fifty-five-plus that is Neil Holding this Summer? How would I fair against my old Chorley pal Dominic Raby now that I've got my ass in gear recently? What's Dan Balshaw doing here? The only non-fell running Barlick Fell Runner posed a dark horse threat in a very rare race outing for his off-road shoes. Then there's one or two younger lads that I didn't recognise strutting around looking dangerous. Game on!
I was pleased as punch for organiser-in-chief Richard Taylor to see what was around seventy runners congregate at the start, almost double the total of previous years and it turned out to be a race that indeed warrants better numbers with a tough but fast course out of Roddlesworth woods and on to the tracks of Darwen Moor. I felt really easy on the kilometre long climb out of Roddlesworth and had pushed up to a nose-bleeding second place with only Stephen Hall having got away from me at this point. Then the rumble really started after crossing the road on to the open moorland with a late sun beating down strong. Edging up towards the Cartridge Hill skyline, I'm pushed back to third as one of those younger lads I didn't recognise slips by in a Red Rose vest. Then it's another red vest, but this time of Horwich and Mark Walsh. I'd got this far, so decided I was going to hurt myself here pretty early on by latching on to Mark's shadow on this ascent, come what may. I paid for it a little as both he and the Red Roser got away from me as we then undulated onwards. What I wasn't expecting though was to catch them both up on the next descent of note and then even feel held up by them through a strictly single file section of heather-hidden gully. In any case I used this as an opportunity to get my wind back and suddenly I was feeling quite confident as I tucked in behind these two on the short climb and traverse to the brow of one of my least favourite descents. The main track from Darwen Tower towards Sunnyhurst is hard and road-like and asking for an injury should I show it disrespect, but briefly I sniffed second spot again before Mark decided to let himself go more than I could down there. At the u-turn for the final mile long climb along Darwen Hill's west face, it's almost impossible not to notice who's behind or at least what colour of vest they are wearing and I accidentally met eyes with fellow Blackburn Harrier Paul Brindle for a fleeting split second. Mark Walsh clearly had plenty left and ever so gradually made a few more yards on me. Then as the track steepens nearer the hill plateau, suffering came my way and that Red Rose runner Dan Hughes showed his uphill strengths again to come back, knocking me back to fourth before Paul then tip-toed past and all three had made seemingly too much on me before we drop down again and towards the half mile run in to the finish. Once more though, descending got me back in it without even stretching myself and at the foot of Aggie's Staircase I was back on terms and in with a shout. However, those three had a surge from there and I didn't, so all I could do was work as hard as I could to stay as close as I could. An excellent jostle for places ensued just ahead as Hughes nudged up to second again from Walsh, before Paul Brindle impressively powered past the pair of them. Stephen Hall may have had it all his own way at the front by over a minute, but a reet good rumble was had for the other podium places. Nevertheless, another fifth will do just fine for me. I won't be beating myself up too hard for fizzling out at the business end of things, it was just a great feeling to be there and in the mix at least.

Monday 28th August 2017
ROYAL RUMBLE   Tockholes, East Lancs.
1st Man - Stephen Hall (Ribble Valley) 34:59
1st Lady - Joanne Nelson (Blackburn Harriers) 41:00
My Stats - 36:42   5/70

There's always one. I had finished roughly between five and ten minutes earlier when some runner was banging on to Richard Taylor about having felt cheated when following the zig-zagged vehicle track rather than splintering off on to the more direct route to the brow of Cartridge Hill. It was in fact flagged, and even in the unlikely event of the flags being removed by idiots (highly unlikely given the fairly remote geography of said place in question) surely there were enough runners ahead by then to spot the general consensus of course line that had been taken by others. If not consulting the course map or route description provided wasn't ignorant enough for anybody in doubt, either he hadn't been looking ahead early enough or simply wasn't looking ahead at all and just followed the way of the main track religiously. I enjoyed listening to the wise words of vast experience from Neil Holding who shouted him down, basically telling him it's fell racing and to get a grip! It's frustrating when you go wrong in a race, but the last place to go having a whinge is in the face of the organiser and particularly when you've just finished and all your emotions are getting the better of you. It will be water off a duck's back to Richard, but all the same, his time and effort invested to put a good race on... it's just not on.