Race Report
Dear Competitors
Another year has gone and another High Peak 40 Challenge with it. This last year was a learning experience for me and at times not an easy one but I had to remember that word which is written large all over the event – “challenge.” I hope that I rose to the challenge reasonably well.
I was taken to task a few weeks ago because the booklet giving the race details and the instructions for competitors stated that this year was the eighteenth challenge when it was actually the nineteenth. My apologies for that to you and to Otter Controls Ltd who instigated the whole thing. I can only blame my spell-check – it doesn’t have a built in calendar.
This year was the third organised in conjunction with the Trail Running Association and thanks must go to John Foden for his help and support. I would hope that this cooperation continues.
In this my first year as organiser I was very grateful to see so many of the volunteers from previous years coming forward to help. That said there were gaps and I was just as grateful for the new volunteers who stepped in, some at the last minute. This event would not happen without the volunteers, whether they be checkpoint marshals, the catering team, communications and control, drivers or sweepers. Signing the route takes a lot of time and effort mostly by one person, Julie Scirvan who receives a mess (for want of a better word) of signs and returns them prior to the event neatly bundled for each checkpoint. What I didn’t know until this year was that she even has her own volunteers to put out some of the signs – thanks to her and her volunteers.
I must mention my predecessor, Jim Collis. I am very grateful for the help given before the event and on the day. Without his help and that of Jane Lisser things would have been very difficult.
There is one last “thank you” and that simply is to all of you for taking part.
Next year’s event will probably be on Saturday 16th September and when all the details are finalised (hopefully in the next few weeks) your entry forms will be posted to you.
As far as the route is concerned the feed back I have received indicates no majority for either change or no change. I intend therefore to leave alone and respect the original course designers’ wish that the event should be a “challenge” – that word again.
Returning to the subject of signs and the thorny problem that signs cannot be relied on 100% because some members of the public think it funny to move or remove them. Can I have feedback please on whether or not you want signs. You can contact me at www.highpeak40.co.uk or enclose your comments in due course with your entry form.
Finally thanks again to everyone and I look forward to seeing you all next year.
Bill Allan
September 2005
Results Files
High Peak 40 – 2005 – Results and Checkpoint Timings