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PREVIOUS RACE RESULTS
Full results of recent races courtesy of John Schofield of UKResults:

Thank you to all those who entered the Last Ramsbottom Off Road Duathlon and to our sponsors.
Final words on the 5 years of the race
Results available courtesy of John Schofield of UKResults 2006
Pictures of the event now HERE


Ramsbottom Off Road Duathlon Results
 2002 2003 2004 2005

Helwith Bridge Duathlon Results
2005 2006

Coed Y Brenin Off Road Duathlon Results
2006

'The Sweatshop Holcombe Hill Triple Challenge' 2005 combining all three races of RADSAC Sports festival.

Charity Ultra Triathlon at Ramsbottom Baths, 2005. 'Here'

West Pennine Bridleway Challenge,2004
Well done to all those who took part. A Few pictures available HERE of the group we biked in and much respect to Liz who rode singlespeed (no gears)for half of the 47 miles due extensive damage to her bike

Sleepless in the Saddle 2003

I made it a goal for 2003 to compete in a 24 hour Mountain Biking endurance race and discovered no-one mad enough to join me to form a team. So my step into solo riding was forced upon me , i.e. racing the whole 24 hours myself. Having decided on ‘Shimano’ Sleepless in the Saddle on 9/10th August, I set about riding as much as possible, both on and off road. After one crash too many, I bought a new hardtail bike, a Scott YZ-1,my bike aluminum frame which goes like the clappers! I was set up now and with the help of my mate Steve Rimmer from Podium Sport /SIS drinks and energy bars, I was raring to go. I was that eager that in my haste to hot-foot it to Trentham Gardens I forgot race tyres and the sealing cap for my Camelbak, making it useless to use.
The weather was perfect, if a little too hot but that did not dampen my">at the monument enthusiasm as on the Friday I met up with Lawrence from The Edinburgh Mountain Bike Club to do a recce of the 8 mile circuit,
which the main conclusions were:

It was too hot
I needed better tyres
I had to buy a new Camelbak as one drinks bottle was not enough!!
It was a good idea to avoid the foot deep puddle of mud near the end of the lap. (This was the deeper of two puddles on the circuit and I hit it!!)
Wearing black was a bad idea.
To do ten laps would be the target (80 miles)
Having bought some continentals and a new Camelback, it was a matter of spending Friday evening waiting for my helper, Eugene, to arrive from London and cleaning the mud off the bike from the above mentioned puddle. He finally my mate Eugene arrived late and after too many beers I slept.

Saturday

10a.m.: Was out and about checking the bike and getting some breakfast
2p.m.: Le Mans style start with a 1Km run which was walked by a number of solo entries including me. (No point in working up a sweat,my amazing fast start! too early, remember it is hot) Out on the first lap only to have a pinch puncture after a mile, along with 7 other frustrated riders. Must remember to blow up the tyres a bit more! Now I was officially last
Le Mans Style Start 3.30p.m.: Having consumed 1.5 litres of Go energy drink I stopped to change the bust tyre and refill the Camelbak, with the help of Eugene.
4.45p.m.: After the third lap, took a chunk out of my shin, scraped right arm and the heat was too much so I chilled till the evening
9 p.m.: Blasted a 48 minute lap. In my vigor, I radioed to Eugene that another lap was in order and carried on. Big mistake, I should have stopped to put on the lights. Fell off in the dark twice and twisted my back, broke the sunglassesphoto and nearly snapped my foot off. In agony I finished lap 5 and had a beer, thinking, that’s it! No more! Had a beer and painkillers.

Sunday


Midnight: The beer helped me have a kip and rest the back. On with the lights and the first night lap commences at 1a.m. Have now lost feeling in my left hand.
4.30a.m.: Disaster on the 2nd night lap. Two punctures in the first 4 miles saw my lights fail half way round. Spent the rest of the lap falling off, walking and tailgating other riders. Boy, was I glad to see the start/finish again!
6.45 a.m.: Back had either given up complaining or I’ve severed a few nerves. Either way, 8 laps down and shattered. The team competition was heating up now and riders started whizzing past, offering grunts of encouragement. I’d lost count of how many times the top solo rider had passed me. My bike looked like a horse that’s rolled in the dust! Eugene showed up with breakfast which was well received.
12.30 p.m.: Woo-hoo! Completed 10th lap with time to spare, despite the back pain back with a vengeance. It doesn’t help that we now have torrential rain clogging up the dust into mud. It made for more interesting riding and sharpened your senses.
2.15 p.m.: Okay, I couldn’t be bothered with the waterproof and the bike looked like a swamp thing, but finished with 11 laps completed. Very painful back and tired. A couple of well deserved beers and Eugene headed back to London and those who stayed Sunday night sit round and recount tails of hardship and glory. Funnily enough, everyone wants an early night!

So, did one more lap than anticipated but I could have done more. I Came 51st out of 67 solo riders.photo It took 5 hours to clean the bike. I have a nice scar on my right forearm; I was sore for five days and feeling returned to my left hand after a week.

Will I do it again? YOU BETCHA!

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Witton Weavers 14mile Off-Road Race 2003

When John Scofield first told me about his plans to host an off-road half marathon across the Moors around Darwin, I made the hasty decision to marshal instead of competing, offering to stand up on the moors if need be, miles away from civilisation. So that is where I was when the Witton Weaver 14 mile race took place on 12th October 2003 with 147 competitors braving the elements to tackle what Darwin Moors could throw at them.

With a delayed start to ensure marshals were scattered correctly across the moors, Paul Muller took an early lead of 3 minutes by the time he reached myself marshalling at the 3 mile point. As the main field started reaching the 3 mile point it became obvious to bystanders just what a hard task it would be to complete the race. The top female, Hilde Krynen followed eight minutes behind, almost making the hill look easy

As the last of the runners were passing me, Paul had just finished the four and a half mile loop which came back to where we were, passing those who were just starting it! He pounded past, still 3 minutes clear of the next two. As a veteran fell runner, there was suprise in his voice that it was only seven and a half miles and not nine! As the rest of the field passed, the expressions varied on their faces when the realisation that they were only just over half way became apparant. Many merely nodded and set off towards Darwin Tower, keeping up the pace, others started trudging through the mud just getting through the mile to be able to see the Tower. Hilde remained first female, though others had started moving the ranks of runners.

Once at the tower, it was a fairly downhill course back to the finish at the resevoirs in Abbey Village. Maintaing his lead, Paul brushed off the opposition and won in 1:32:08 with Hilde steaming in at 1:59:26, both times a lot of competitors would find hard to beat in future years.. His victory was all the better to him as he had worn road racing shoes instead of fell shoes, thus slipping all over the place and losing traction on the muddy sections. (1st prize was a pair of fell shoes!)

       Visit the gallery for my piccies of the event

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