Tough Team Multi Terrain Race

Race Report By Arran Whitehouse:

Friday 22nd June saw a large number of Buckley Runners descend on Tattenhall in Cheshire for the annual Tattenhall Runners ‘Tough Team’ Multi Terrain Race. A total of 10 Buckley teams each with 3 members were in attendance with the aim being to complete the challenging 9 mile course together and in the best time and team position achievable.

The race started alongside the cricket pavillion on the driveway up to Tattenhall Recreation Club. From the start the race route takes runners along country lanes towards Burwardsley for an undulating 3 miles. A steady climb for 2.5 miles then sees a sharp left turn past The Pheasant Inn where a nice half mile down-hill gives teams the chance to ‘recharge’ their legs before entering rooted woodland trails. Another mile or so into the hilly woods and teams were greeted by the infamous railway or ‘Stairway to Hell’ as it is affectionately known, a short but extremely steep and straight path that tests runners leg strength (and lungs!!). Runners are meet (and helped up in some cases) at the top by Tattenhall’s very own Grim Reaper who signals the direction of the next stage of the race. A short woodland stretch then takes teams out onto gravel paths and across country fields, tackling numerous stiles en-route for a couple of miles. The majority of this being down-hill. Runners then exit the trail and back onto the country lanes where a 3 mile repeat of the early section takes teams back towards Tattenhall. A left turn into the Recreation Club grounds, a half mile lap of the playing fields and a last ditch sprint finish sees the teams enter the finishing funnel with the last team member’s time being the one to count.

Onto the results…

First Buckley Team across the finish line were ‘Mylesies Moshers’ consisting of Chris Myles, Jez Brown and Phil Pumford who were 2nd overall missing out on the top spot by just over a minute in a time of 60.24. The next team for Buckley in the Male Category were ‘Blue Steel’ consisting of Stu Jones, Daniel Hughes and Ally Macpherson in 82.13.

The Lady’s Category saw Buckleys ‘Blue Birds’ Lisa Macpherson, Ann Broughton and Evelyn Aindow finish 6th in the category followed by ‘Brave Blues’ Ceri Bairstow, Sue Formstone and Alex Hunt in 10th position.

Three Buckley Male Vet teams took part with ‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly’ Captained by Cally and accompanied by Simon Roberts and Eddie Davies finishing in 2nd place in the category. Steve Bellis, Kevin Challinor and Gary Blackwell’s ‘No Name 2’ were 4th in the category. ‘Team Timmy’s Trio’ consisting of Tim Hargreaves, Eric Campbell and Mike Jones were 9th in category after the latter took a fall in the early stages of the race.

Two teams in the mixed category saw ‘Wootie and The Blue Fish’, Dave Wooten, Arran Whitehouse and Jen Adams finish 5th in the category followed by ‘Two Men and Lady’ captained by James Huggins in 10th place.

Only the one team in the mixed vets category this year with Paul Davis, Andy McIntosh and Nicole Van Den Wittenboer of ‘The Blue Wales’ coming 4th in the category.

A full list of results can be downloaded here

A well earned beer and refreshments after the race were not to be scoffed at as the teams unwound outside of the cricket club. A massive thanks to Tattenhall Runners for hosting a great, well organised and attended race. A brilliant race in the club calendar that was enjoyed by all! (maybe not me so much ha ha!)