I may have mentioned that I really enjoyed the Summer Series last year and that is why I entered it again but the main reason is, due to Covid I missed Shutlingsloe and had heard it was a challenging race but with some amazing views so here I was entered and ready to see what the fuss was about.

First up, a big thank you to Robin for offering to drive, no range anxiety this week and I had the opportunity to enjoy the amazing views as we took a very scenic route via Leek, Meerbrook and Wincle…..when the road narrowed to the width of the car we were a little concerned that perhaps we should have stayed on the main roads but we got there and parked up in plenty of time.

The pre race chat with fellow bats, Nikki, Annie, Mark H, Churters, Andy and the Buckleys as well as the other usual race preparations. -When I mentioned I hadn’t done it before and understood there was a bit of climbing Nikki and Annie just laughed … .they did it last year – and came back so how hard could it be?

(One tip for all of you clambering to enter it next year – take bug spray – the little blighters are everywhere in the forest which is where we register and gather before the start.)

Okay, enough talk, let’s race…..7.15pm, sun still shining and hot, we make our way to the start, which is up a little incline on a limestone shale path that is dry and dusty…okay, we start on an incline, I knew there was climb early on but don’t we have a bit of flat to get into our rhythm? That would be a resounding no!

To put it simply mile 1 is a climb, slightly gentler in some places but steeper in others but nonetheless a non stop, unforgiving climb, imagine Washdale but on a gravelly path (but don’t let this put you off..). There were limited areas of shade as you made your way up through the forest but it was definitely warm and in my head I had heard it got steep at some point so I tried to be sensible……looking back (hindsight is always great) if I had known what was to come I would have kept pushing up that first hill instead of having a couple of moments where I walked, I thought I was saving something for a supposedly steep climb.

After the first mile and a bit you go through a little stile and it flattens out, nice grassy path, a little bit technical but the sort of trail I enjoy – at this point we could see the peak of Shutlingsloe and I stupidly assumed ‘do we just run round the peak and then back down the path, is that the hill done……oh no…we just run round to the back of the peak and are faced by a line of ‘runners’ walking up a narrow rocky path to the summit – I must find a picture to show you.

At this point you have no option but to walk, hence the hindsight if I had ran harder for that first mile I could have been 10-20 places further up the queue….now I don’t know how far it up this path but it’s a scramble and you are picking your way over rocks, through little channels and it feels rude to push past people so you have to go the pace of the person in front of you…this makes it basically a race of two halves. 

You reach the top, not particularly out of breath but the calves feel a bit tight and I guess this is where the views are spectacular but not sooner than you reach the top you start to decline.

There is a more sensible path/step type route down the steep hill but the three people in front of me went straight down the grassy bank, I followed thinking this was the route. Halfway down I decided they were being a little bit daft and so I made my way over to the proper path – at this point I almost went over but with a bit of scrambling I corrected myself and found my footing.

Back on relatively stable ground we had a little bit of flat/incline before we made our way to the top of the limestone shale path and basically had a mile and a half of downhill fun. 

A couple of times I reminded myself I had to go to work in the morning and two broken wrists might limit my techniques somewhat but you have to go for it a little bit – it does seem to be a long decline but I managed to catch 3 or 4 people and make up some of that time I lost whilst walking. I was also pretty sure Robin wasn’t going to catch me on the downhill but just to make sure I kept pushing all the way to the finish that was back in the wooded area with all the midges.

Robin wasn’t too far behind but had managed to go over on his ankle, fortunately, I have seen on Strava he has managed to get out for a run or three so it must have recovered okay.

Myself and Robin went back up the path to cheer on the rest of the runners and after they had all come in we gathered at the finish line for a group photo. 

Mark Churton only just managed to sneak into the photo as he had been back to his car and had come back a little bit rattled … .something to do with his keys?!? Next time you see him ask him to tell you ‘The Tale of the Petrol Cap!’ (It involved Robin, myself and Mark having a slightly entertaining trip back but no spoilers from me 😉

With respect to Shutlingsloe – interesting, difficult, fun? Could do better! Do I want to do it again? All things that have crossed my mind since last Thursday – at this stage I don’t really know what to say – The Summer Series as a whole has everything and some of the races I prefer but let’s wait till after Ilam and Biddulph (I can’t do Rudyard) and maybe just maybe I sign up again next year.

Thanks for reading

Paul