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Smithalls Serpent 5 - 30th May
The Smithills Serpent is a 3 lap, off-road, trail race run mainly through the Horrocks Wood area north of Smithills Coaching House. Last year 2009 Serpent was the 1st running of this race and had 120 race finishers. This year 2010 saw 87 runners finish.I think quite a few runners decided to stay away from this run as it’s a very challenging race.
I was joined for this race by 11 other Swintoners . Unfortunately Lauren & Rebecca were the only women able to turn out for the women’s team due to various reasons from illness to recovering from marathons.
Lauren, Rebecca, Mike & myself decided to do a warm up on the course and soon found that it was still made up from shredded car tyre rubber, some of which had been scattered to the side of the track only to reveal quick sand down the centre. This made for a bouncy foot strike which seemed to drain all the energy out of your legs within 10 metres. We didn’t go too far to save our energy for the main event so we ran back (walked) to join up with the other runners at the start.
I set off at quite a slow pace remembering how I felt last year. The first part of the run took us through a gate which had a bottle neck of runners at it last year but no such problem this time. We then turned right onto that *$%&****!£$% rubber & sand track and headed down. But not for long because as we took a left, the bottom of the Serpent revealed itself.
As we looked up all we could see was its body twisting all ways to some dots at the top (race leaders).
My slow pace got even slower at this point and my breathing(panting) got louder. Rebecca, Steve, Paul & Mike were all close at this point but Lauren was the only other Swinton runner I could see. But it didn’t take long before Lauren was out of sight as her famed hill prowess showed itself.
I reached the top with the local Mountain Rescue team eyeing me over as a possible faller.
It was then a steep down section until we reached the rubber trail for our second lap. At this stage things were pretty spread out apart from the odd casualty walking the other way. Half way up this snake’s tail I sensed a runner behind me . I moved to the side and watched as a Horwich runner (the leader) streamed past me and disappeared into what was now a very strong blustery head wind, which made my breathing almost impossible at times.
Near the top I passed a stricken A&T runner ( well and truly bitten by the Serpent)
Down I went again trying to get some speed while still conserving myself for the final lap. Horwich number two runner flew past me in a clear 2nd place.
Lap 3 then and I managed to pass a women runner who had been stopping and starting for the last mile, another A&T runner as well as a tall unattached runner. We all ended up having a tussle up the last hill section; I managed to get in front until near the top when unattached runner went past me. I could hear the breathing of the female runner behind me but I was saved by the steep down section where I decided to let my legs go and she took a more reserved approach. Finally I was in sight of the finish only for a group of three finished runners coming the other way using the route as a cool down and chat area. Still I made it over the line and was presented with my trophy (a blue Burnden water bottle).Last year I blamed my time on the fact I was recovering from illness. This year fit and well again I manage to be 1 min slower!!!. It’s a hell of a run but I will be back next year to do battle with the Smithills Serpent. Many thanks to Clare who cheered us all on and made me run faster until I was out of sight.
Carl Price also ran but I could not find his name on the results sheet.
Adam
I was joined for this race by 11 other Swintoners . Unfortunately Lauren & Rebecca were the only women able to turn out for the women’s team due to various reasons from illness to recovering from marathons.
Lauren, Rebecca, Mike & myself decided to do a warm up on the course and soon found that it was still made up from shredded car tyre rubber, some of which had been scattered to the side of the track only to reveal quick sand down the centre. This made for a bouncy foot strike which seemed to drain all the energy out of your legs within 10 metres. We didn’t go too far to save our energy for the main event so we ran back (walked) to join up with the other runners at the start.
I set off at quite a slow pace remembering how I felt last year. The first part of the run took us through a gate which had a bottle neck of runners at it last year but no such problem this time. We then turned right onto that *$%&****!£$% rubber & sand track and headed down. But not for long because as we took a left, the bottom of the Serpent revealed itself.
As we looked up all we could see was its body twisting all ways to some dots at the top (race leaders).
My slow pace got even slower at this point and my breathing(panting) got louder. Rebecca, Steve, Paul & Mike were all close at this point but Lauren was the only other Swinton runner I could see. But it didn’t take long before Lauren was out of sight as her famed hill prowess showed itself.
I reached the top with the local Mountain Rescue team eyeing me over as a possible faller.
It was then a steep down section until we reached the rubber trail for our second lap. At this stage things were pretty spread out apart from the odd casualty walking the other way. Half way up this snake’s tail I sensed a runner behind me . I moved to the side and watched as a Horwich runner (the leader) streamed past me and disappeared into what was now a very strong blustery head wind, which made my breathing almost impossible at times.
Near the top I passed a stricken A&T runner ( well and truly bitten by the Serpent)
Down I went again trying to get some speed while still conserving myself for the final lap. Horwich number two runner flew past me in a clear 2nd place.
Lap 3 then and I managed to pass a women runner who had been stopping and starting for the last mile, another A&T runner as well as a tall unattached runner. We all ended up having a tussle up the last hill section; I managed to get in front until near the top when unattached runner went past me. I could hear the breathing of the female runner behind me but I was saved by the steep down section where I decided to let my legs go and she took a more reserved approach. Finally I was in sight of the finish only for a group of three finished runners coming the other way using the route as a cool down and chat area. Still I made it over the line and was presented with my trophy (a blue Burnden water bottle).Last year I blamed my time on the fact I was recovering from illness. This year fit and well again I manage to be 1 min slower!!!. It’s a hell of a run but I will be back next year to do battle with the Smithills Serpent. Many thanks to Clare who cheered us all on and made me run faster until I was out of sight.
Carl Price also ran but I could not find his name on the results sheet.
Adam
| Pos | Name | Cat | Pos | Club | Time |
| 16 | Mark Birchall | Swinton Running Club | 33:21:00 | ||
| 24 | Darren Russell | Swinton Running Club | 35:14:00 | ||
| 28 | Paul Rutherford | V45 | 8 | Swinton Running Club | 35:47:00 |
| 33 | Chris Lomax | V40 | 7 | Swinton Running Club | 36:12:00 |
| 39 | Richard Waring | V40 | 8 | Swinton Running Club | 37:13:00 |
| 44 | Jason Cunningham | Swinton Running Club | 38:06:00 | ||
| 49 | Lauren Marsden | L35 | 3 | Swinton Running Club | 39:04:00 |
| 71 | John Pickup | V45 | 13 | Swinton Running Club | 43:59:00 |
| 75 | Rebecca Mills | L | 16 | Swinton Running Club | 45:42:00 |
| 78 | Steve Hart | V50 | 11 | Swinton Running Club | 46:52:00 |
| 82 | Michael Horton | Swinton Running Club | 49:21:00 | ||
| 83 | Paul VanCalster | V45 | 16 | Swinton Running Club | 49:26:00 |
Well done all on a tough race
