Proposed
Race Date: Wednesday 6th May: Run on 5th, 6th or7th.
Race still available- don't leave it too long
If you live near enough, just run the course and report you've done it . Don't break 'lockdown' rules
If you're not near enough, find a course as similar as you can, run it and report that
Must be 10k
Must have a long uphill
If possible, match the terrain
Course Descriptions and Race Dates
click map to get a bigger one
See below for course detail (developing)
Basically:
From the start [S]
Undulating 2.5k to abbey [RA]
Flattish 2.5k path into, round abbey, through wood and field bottom
Big uphill, first field then long road [H] to [CW]
Undulating track and fields to Hooton Levitt [HL]
Down to church [C] and fields to finish
Sections
1 Rough meadow
2 Narrow path under rail line very rugged path through wood
3 Road downhill and left turn into Abbey grounds, round abbey on grass
4 Medium rough wide level path through woods
5 Along field bottom , right fork up field 5-6% to side of rail line, along side of line
6 Long up hill (1.6k) in two stages to ‘Carr Windmill’ (7% at start, 4% overall)
7 Undulating trail thoruh grass, wood, fields
8 Short downhill road then undulating woodland, steps down to church, fields to finish
Race History
from Barbara Lowndes
Race origin was that MRC lost a member, Les Truman, about 20 years ago. He was out for a Sunday training run with the club and tragically was taken ill and died suddenly. Not many years later the club lost another member, Malc Smith.
We therefore decided to dedicate a new race to those members we have lost. The list has since sadly increased by one or two members and the race is dedicated to them all. The route has not changed since its inception - it starts at Maltby crags, behind St Bartholomew’s church in Maltby. It goes through lovely woodland and around Roche Abbey, founded in 1147 by monks of the Cistercian Order. The route continues past two kissing gates, dedicated to past members (the brass plaques and the stiles were donated by the club and we polish them up for race day), through the wood and alongside a brook.
The wild garlic and bluebells are much in abundance in late spring when the race is usually run. The route turns uphill across a field, difficuly in traversing which can vary considerably depending on which crop the farmer has planted. There is then a stretch of road before picking up further well marked trails, across stiles and fields, back through the woods and past St Barts church to the finish.
The race itself has always been challenging, not least because of the constantly varying terrain and the undulating profile, but it is a good way of checking your form early on in the race season. Total distance about 6 1/2 miles.
In line with MRC’s well known philanthropy, race entry fees are minimal (£5 for affiliated runners), the buffet plentiful, the prizes quaffable wine and, best of all, the race generates a substantial donation to the British Heart Foundation.”