Round Sheffield Run - 27 June
Report by Andy Purll
This weekend saw the 7th running of the Round Sheffield run, a 20 km race that is split into 11 stages, ranging from 400 m to 3 km. To add to this novel concept there are also “transitions” between each stage, which are timed, so you only have a “set” period of time to recover and go again, meaning a total distance of about 15 miles.
In essence it is a very long interval session, with runners setting off every 15 minutes in waves, and a combined total of over 2000 runners across the two days.
Sheffield is also famously built on seven hills, and it’s fair to say, that my legs told me we had run up every hill, and was no surprise to see a total elevation of nearly 2,000 ft for the whole race. Some stages are completely uphill, some are entirely downhill (stages 3 and 8 are like downhill slalom skiing and much fun!) while others are a bit of both.
Splendidly organised and medals, the size of which i have never seen before, make the effort truly worth it.
Jamie Baker was in absolutely terrific form (must be all that open group training?) and completed in 1hr 15 minutes, coming 39th overall out of the 2000+ runners, great running Jamie!
Anne Cheeseman breezed round in less than 2 hrs in 1 hr 57 mins, with Donna Mitchell and myself finishing not too far behind in 2:18 and 2:24.
It’s different, it’s a great test, it’s worth a go next year!