Windgather Fell Race

Founded 1897 – reformed 1945 – affiliated to England Athletics (registration number 2658261), Cheshire County Athletics Association and Northern Athletics

Andrew Heywood Memorial Windgather

: Created on Tuesday, 07 July 2015 16:36; Last Updated on Tuesday, 22 September 2020 06:58; Written by Julian Brown

2020 - No race this year I'm afraid, sorry: but we're hoping to be back in 2021.

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For 2019 - Thanks once again for coming out and supporting our race.

We had 114 entries and everyone finished. Whilst a bit wet and windy at times, conditions for the most part weren't too bad: probably not ideal for fast times though.

Thanks to all at Buxton Rotary for the marshalling and support of the race, and to the Inner Wheel for the post race food and drinks.

Thanks also to Hazel and Dave our sweepers, to Jo for the assistance with course marking, and also to Accelerate for their generous support of the race and the spot prizes.

Results are on the link below.

http://www.macclesfield-harriers.co.uk/images/desktopwindgather 2019 burbage buxton - sun-13-oct-2019.xls

Jake Fearn from local club Buxton AC used both his local knowledge and speed to win by about 4 minutes from Macc's Billy Hicks, with David Robinette a bit further back in 3rd. Colin Brierley was the MV40 winner, Ed Gamble took the MV50 prize, Pennine's Paul Rowland was first MV60 and Barry Blyth the MV70 winner.

The Ladies race was won with a storming run by Dark Peak's Megan Wilson, in 6th place overall (and narrowly missing out on 4th overall!) from Macc's Alannah Birtwistle, with Rachael Munday our 3rd placed runner and first LV40. We gave the LV40 prize to Kathleen O'Donnell, LV50 to Wirksworth's Elaine Stone and LV60 Gail Tombs from Calder Valley. I thought I'd check whether the Ladies race record was broken: but the record is 1:40:24: had someone ran that time today they'd have won the race outright !

Dark Peak won the Ladies team, and Macc Harriers won the men's team prize.

Lost property consists of a yellow Congleton Buff and what looks like a heart rate monitor strap: if the owner would like to get in touch then we'll reunite you.

We should have raised in excess of £1000 in total for good causes: we''ll let you know exactly how much and what it'll be spent on soon.

So thanks for your support: and a final request, please feed back to julianbrown10 at hotmail.co uk any suggestions for improvements we could make. We'd like to increase the number of entries a bit, we could easily cope with more, so any thoughts on the race date, route, or any other aspect would be most welcome.

A few updates for this year's race: PLEASE READ !!!!!

Firstly PLEASE NOTE the info below re car parking and park accordingly: a recent event caused inconvenience and upset to the locals which is not acceptable.

It's pretty wet in the Goyt Valley at the moment, many of the paths are more boggy than usual, you will need Fell Shoes or something similar. The descent after Shining Tor to Stake Clough is particularly bad, please take care.

The wooden boardwalks and at least 2 wooden bridges are very slippery if wet, think Bambi on ice and please take care.

The Goyt Valley road is closed to vehicles due to landslips. This means we can't have a drinks station in the valley, so we'll have a limited quantity of water available at Pym Chair Car Park. Please fill up there: we'd STRONGLY recommend you take a bottle or other container with you round the course. There is of course water in the River Goyt, help yourself to as much as you like when you cross....

The above also means we've changed the route ever so slightly to pass through Pym Chair Car Park, (the coldest windiest car park in the world), this bit's well marked and avoids the bog of doom on the cut through, and adds all of about 50 yards to your route.

The changes are shown on the map, link below, we'll have some copies available at the start. Note the route is fixed: you must follow the route marked on the map and on the ground.

http://macclesfield-harriers.co.uk/images/windgather2019racemap.pdf

Full kit as per the FRA regulations is required, (any runner turning up with just a blue duffle coat, red hat and a couple of marmalade sandwiches will be sent off to get more kit: this would not even be bearly adequate.)

Waterproof whole body cover (with taped seams and integrated attached hood), hat and gloves, map of the route, compass, whistle and emergency food. Additionally a bit of first aid kit wold be a sensible precaution, and we'd strongly recommend a water bottle or similar: there is water at two points on route.

In spite of all these dire warnings the race should be good: We're hoping that some folks will actually make it to the start and back to the finish, and we'll have a warm welcome awaiting you and some food and drink, and prizes: Accelerate are generously supporting the event again for which we're very grateful.

Hope to see you Sunday !!

The 2019 race will take place on Sun 13th Oct 2019 at 11:00.

Note we don't have the use of either the finish field (too muddy) or the school car park this year.

Please car share as much as possible.

Parking will be either :-

Pay and Display at the Swimming Pool car park, (red circle) which is adjacent to the A53 St John's Road towards the town centre and about a 15 min walk to the race venue
or other pay and display car parks in Buxton
or, on street parking on the South side of the A53 on the highlighted area on the map below. If you choose this option please park prettily, quietly, and try not to inconvenience residents: otherwise we may not be able to put the race on again.

Please don't try to park on Bishop's Lane or anywhere else on the North of the A53: there is no space close to the venue (the end of Bishop's Lane closest to the A53) that does not obstruct residents.

Looking forward to seeing you all on the day, Some fine Buxton weather has been arranged, but don't forget, we don't have all that spring water for nothing !

( for the 2018 race )_______________________________________________________________________

Thanks everyone once again for supporting us. Shame about the weather: a few hours earlier or later would have been fine !

In particular thanks to the marshals (most of whom are not fellrunners and were giving up their Sunday mornings to stand about in the rain checking that all was well...) the sweepers, Accelerate for their help and donation of spot prizes, and all at Buxton Rotary.

We raised in the region of £1000 for Rotary charities, so huge thanks for your support.

(for 2017)______________________________________________________________________________________________

We had 129 starters and 129 finishers, (well done !) not all of whom took the best lines... (It's supposed to be a 'tour of the Goyt Valley', but you can overdo things...). Macc H's Simon Harding took a morning off from family duties and a narrow victory from Staffs Moorlands' Jack Ross, who was certainly suffering with a heavy cold !

No such problems for Alice Daniel, who was comfortably clear (despite following a few locals who should have known better off course....) of Amy Grace and Leah Williams.

The race has raised a substantial sum for good causes, Buxton Rotary will let me know in the next few days how much and where it's going, so once again, many thanks for supporting us on a wet and windy day. Cheers Julian and all at Macc H and Buxton Rotary

Results here http://www.macclesfield-harriers.co.uk/images/windgather2018.xls

and here a few pics of you all looking a bit bedraggled but (mostly) very cheery !, many thanks to Will Meredith for these ! https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipM5mNSV4RKwBoQHDC_C_rAP36avSopZreLwkzndpk5Zl05tGv91z1svkVlKsClWhA?key=WjM5Rlg4blNRVlROOHIzTkpoM0d5V0hFcFdqTFlR

http://www.mh.k313.com/mh/fell/windgather%202016%20fell%20race%20map.pdf

Note also that we have use of Buxton Community School car park again this year: there is no parking at the race venue and the traffic wardens in Buxton are very enthusiastic, even on a Sunday morning. PLEASE arrive early, park at the school (College Rd, Buxton SK17 9EA) and walk up Green Lane, it's about 800 yds. Feel free to bring your post-race kit (and tea/soup/cake money....) to the hall. Thanks for your help.

Entry is on the day only. http://fellrunner.org.uk/races.php?id=5747

Note also that full kit as per the FRA regulations is required, any runner turning up with just a blue duffle coat, red hat and a couple of marmalade sandwiches will be sent off to get more kit: this would not even be bearly adequate.

waterproof whole body cover (with taped seams and integrated attached hood), hat and gloves,

map of the route, compass, whistle and emergency food.

http://fellrunner.org.uk/documents/2018/FRA%20Requirements%20for%20Runners%202018%2021-09-2017.pdf

We hope as many of you as possible will attend: especially as it'll be a great warm up for you for the FRA relays the following week: and all proceeds from the event go to Buxton Rotary for distribution to good causes local and further afield. Last year we managed £1250, it'd be great to beat that. See you Sunday !

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(for 2017)

Just to let you know the 2017 race after expenses raised just over £ 1250 for charity. About half of this will be donated by Buxton Rotary to Buxton Mountain Rescue and the other half will be donated to other good causes in the Buxton and High Peak area.

Thanks once again to everyone !!

Those of you who've not been abroad for the last few months will know it's rained. A lot. Especially in Buxton.

This means two things.

1. The finish field for the race is too wet for parking. All runners must park at Buxton Community School, College Rd, Buxton SK17 9EA, where free parking will be provided for you: marshals / signs will direct you there on the day. It's about a 600 yd walk/run from the parking area to race registration: hence runners should arrive slightly earlier to allow for this. Please bring to the start hall everything you need to race (including your kit) and your post race stuff: we can store bags in the hall.

Please do not park anywhere else: this is to avoid inconveniencing local residents (whose goodwill we rely on) and hence putting the future running of the race at risk. Additionally, please car share as much as you can. Thanks for your understanding.

2. The course is VERY WET underfoot. We'd strongly advise wearing fell shoes: although a lot of the route is trails, many sections are likely to be very muddy and slippery.

A map is below: free copies will be available at the start (but it'd make life easier if you printed your own from the link below..). The route is PARTIALLY marked (thanks to Gill, Jo, and Barry!) with bright red arrows and red/white tape (unless someone's taken them down) but don't rely solely on these: the onus is on you to navigate the course, which is a defined route and not point to point !

http://www.mh.k313.com/mh/fell/windgather%202016%20fell%20race%20map.pdf

You WILL have to carry full kit: waterproof coat, trousers, hat/buff, gloves, map, compass, whistle, emergency food (Mars Bar), and we WILL check. Water is provided at 2 locations, but please take any food you need for the race in addition to your emergency food.

http://fellrunner.org.uk/races.php?id=5090

Any questions please ask : Looking forward to seeing you all on Sunday morning: have a good run.

Cheers Julian and Buxton Rotary.

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Race details here.... Entry is on the day only.

The race and route will be the same, but (based on a few 'comments' from our sweepers....), will NOT be as extensively marked as last year: although it's generally not a hard route to follow, you WILL need to navigate.

You WILL ALSO NEED to take full kit with you as defined below and in the FRA rules for competition - PLEASE comply, as we will check. It's not only for safety, (the weather could do anything!) it's only fair on your fellow runners, and I don't want to disqualify anyone.

Thanks in advance, see you on the day, Julian Brown, Macc Harriers, and Buxton Rotary.

We're sorry that it's the same weekend as the FRA relays !

More details here http://fellrunner.org.uk/races.php?id=5090

.... and a trip down memory lane... the results since the race started are here... thanks to Trev, Barry, Chris and Mark for these !

http://www.mh.k313.com/mh/fell/WindgatherFellRaceResults.xlsx

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(For 2016) An update from Buxton Rotary, (who provided pretty well everything for the race !)

'I am pleased to report that we had a surplus of £1360.00 this year.

This has enabled us to agree to split this as:-

Two thirds divided between :-

sending 3 Derbyshire Schoolchildren to a week-end's Rotary Youth Leadership training course at White Hall, a local Outdoor Centre,

and supporting the Peaks and Dales Voluntary Community Services whose continued existence is threatened by severe budget cuts.

One third split between :-

an Aquabox for International Disaster Relief,

and Save The Children Fund.

We enjoy helping to ensure that the race is a success, and are very grateful that the surplus can go to Charities which we support.'

So, thanks once again to all the runners for supporting the race: see you next year!

Another small update: I'm told we have 3 items of lost property...

- Water bottle, Nike, found half full of bacardi and coke

- Green trousers, quite long, bit stylish for me and not really my colour

- Fiat Punto, 2006, 70000 miles, black (well it is now), 2 careful owners, but not very well parked: last seen up to its axles on the finish field.

Contact me as below if any of these are yours - but we can't promise anything.

Thanks everyone for coming along this year on a day that promised torrential rain and turned out just about perfect.

We had 154 entries, a bit up on last year: and some great running.

Unfortunately four runners retired from the race: for those who were injured, best wishes for a speedy recovery, especially to Paul Brunt from Shelton who took a nasty fall and did his knee no good at all. He in turn would like to thank all who helped him, especially Cathy Ayton and Paul from our marshalling team. Get well soon Paul.

Many thanks to everyone who helped the race take place, especially all those at Buxton Rotary for their help on the course, and at the start / finish with registration and post race refreshments, and Accelerate for all their efforts and the spot prizes..

Also I've been told to thank the sweepers (not that I wouldn't anyway!) or else I won't get any tea, so ta to Jo, Alison, Geoff and Trev for helping out.

And congratulations, and thanks to Alan Sherliker, number 60, who chose to run the race on his 60th birthday !!

Results are on the below link: let me know here if there are any errors to sort out: sorry for the delay !!

spreadsheet

pdf

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*** A couple of updates... ***

There is some work going on at the outflow of the top (Errwood) reservior, (at the point where you make a sharp left turn to pass below the dam wall) with some large metal fences that will hurt if you run into them, but it's a straightforward job to go round them !

Also, there is a tree down in the wood alongside Fernilee reservoir, but again it's a fairly easy job to go through it or round it (to the left): and this should not delay you too much.

An updated map is below: free copies will be available at the start (when you view it there's an, erm, obvious error with it: if you can't spot it then this may not be the race for you). Route will be PARTIALLY marked with bright red arrows (unless someone's taken them down) but don't rely solely on these: you will have to navigate !

http://www.mh.k313.com/mh/fell/windgather%202016%20fell%20race%20map.pdf

Please read the bit below about kit, which you WILL have to carry, and we WILL ckeck: the weather's looking a bit 'mixed' so you may well have it on.

Looking forward to seeing you all on Sunday morning: have a good run.

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Race details here.... Entry is on the day only.

Thanks in advance, see you on the day, Julian Brown, Macc Harriers, and Buxton Rotary.

*** From 2015 ***

We had nearly 150 entries, quite a few more that I was expecting, and a good day for a run in the Goyt with mild and sunny conditions. Stuart Bond won the men's race, and Olivia Walwyn was first lady.

Also many thanks to everyone who made the race possible, marshals, sweepers (who found no litter on the course, thanks for that !!) those at race HQ on tea and cake duties, Debbie and Stuart from Accelerate http://www.accelerateuk.com/ and anyone else I've forgotten.

With the entry fees and takings at the tea and food stall we must have raised getting on for £2000 for Buxton Rotary to spend on good causes, so THANKS ALL FOR RUNNING.

Results are here http://www.macclesfield-harriers.co.uk/images/wgfr2015.pdf

http://www.macclesfield-harriers.co.uk/images/wgfr2015.xls

Some photos of you taken by one of our marshals here .... https://www.dropbox.com/sh/we6dwhes7perbw3/AAC3oOjsXp289tZ4QXgRnWsEa?oref=e&n=358573382

and taken by Debbie from Accelerate here..

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10156216748985492.1073741953.10529

And I'm told there are a few photos of you all on something called Facebook, whatever that is, see the FRA forum for details (and thanks to Will Meredith and his dog !)

We'll have a race next year, but it will be a week later (16/11/16) 'cos the Long Distance Walkers have already booked the hall for their event (also good!!) for the week before.

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I've added some race details, a map marked up with some navigational info, and as a reminder the FRA requirements.

Please contact me - http://macclesfield-harriers.co.uk/index.php/contact-us-mainmenu-3/club-officials/10-julian-brown if you've any queries.

http://macclesfield-harriers.co.uk/images/windgather%20race%20details.pdf

http://macclesfield-harriers.co.uk/images/windgather%20race%20map.pdf

http://fellrunner.org.uk/documents/FRA%20Requirements%20for%20Runners%202015-16%20V12%2010-09-2015.pdf

The Windgather race will be returning in 2015 !

Race details .....