1986 was my first foray at the Hobble,
with fellow Clayton runner,
(actually all my partners have been fellow Clayton
members, so maybe it’s time I had a partner from Wesham), and work
colleague Colin Laycock. Colin
was an enthusiastic if somewhat slower runner (who was also a very good cyclist)
so, hopefully, it would be an easy entry to the world of the Hobble, (if 33 miles on the fells could
ever be described as easy for a dedicated road runner). This was over the
original course which was then 33 miles, taking in the dreaded Black Hambledon, a bog ridden hell-hole
just ready to devour any unsuspecting road runners. You would see runners
spread out all over the place trying to avoid the black holes but there was no
escape, it was knee deep in places, then through Hardcastle Crags and Walshaw
before returning to
1987 saw me partner Graham Whitchurch, a very quick road runner, with the
expectation of a much faster time, although I had also entered the Clitheroe 10 the following day!!! Graham bonked after Black Hambledon and we finished in 5:20:50. I was very fresh at the end and decided I
would run at Clitheroe. My training
diary is as follows:
Went really well, started slowly then
picked it up, 28:03 at 5 miles, 2nd
5 miles in 27:43 for a 55:46 finish.
Oh how I wish I could run that time now!
1988 was with John Roche. John
is, like myself, a dedicated roadie but he gave me a
torrid time. I clearly remember my face had gone totally numb climbing from Horse Bridge and my legs were little
better. We both struggled a bit towards the end but John was in better shape than me and we finished in a time of 5:24:20.
1990 and along came Ken Lewis, a very
good friend and a really dogged little runner who’s enthusiasm was infectious. He
always gave his all. Ken bonked at
the Crags but still pushed on in his
usual do or die style and we finished in 4:31:00.
1991 and it was the turn of Ray Lees. Now
here was my chance to run a fast time if ever there was one. Ray’s nickname to the rest of us, (not
sure if he knew it, but he does now), was the S.A.S. Man, due to him
being as hard as nails. Nothing ever fazed him; he is the only runner I have
met who never ever drinks anything during a race!!! No matter how long it is. My
diary reveals I struggled from Heptonstall
but Ray was very strong. We finished
1st Clayton pair and 5th overall with a time of 4:09:00. When we went for a shower and Ray stripped off to find his back was
like raw liver!!! This was due to his bum bag rubbing. He never
mentioned it at all during the race and duly went into the hot shower without so much as a wince. I would have been crying like a baby. Like
I said, he is one hell of a tough lad and one of my all time Clayton hero’s.
1993 saw a slightly different course, going via
Hurstwood and missing out Walshaw. Ray Lees was again
alongside as we finished in 4.13.46
and were both running strongly at the end, although Ray looked much the fresher.
(I don’t suppose I will ever know if he was ever remotely tired or not as he
never ever complained about anything)
1997 was my next race at the now newly named Wuthering
Hike, although it was still from the old venue. I had missed several years
due to a spinal fusion in 1994
but was raring to get back to it, especially as I had turned vet. Steve
Taylor, also a vet,
was the next in line. Steve was
a very committed club man and always put his best into everything he did. We
ran quite well together, although I had a very bad time towards the end. I was
walking when a team of vets came past. This was like a red rag to a bull! One
mouthful of a Bounty bar and I was
transformed into a different person as I punished myself all the way to the end
to finish 1st Vet, which,
due to the new course, was also a new Vets
record time of 4:52:00.
1998 saw the return of the S.A.S. man Ray Lees as we smashed the Vets record we set the previous year to record 4:31:00 and 2nd
place overall. Ray was still as cool
and composed as ever.
1999 and along came the mighty Roger Brewster.
Now here was a runner with a pedigree!!! 29 minute 10K, 48 minute
10 mile, 64 minute half marathon;
- this guy has done it all!!! I was very nervous at what a caning I was about
to receive. It all went well up to Stairs
Lane when I was fading badly and we were caught by a Vet’s team and, horror
of horrors, a ladies team!!! To which Roger
duly announced, “I have never been beaten by a lady and I’m not about to start now, get your effing
finger out!!!” Luckily I had my other head in my bum bag and
duly screwed my Peperami, (‘It’s
a bit of an animal!’), head on, (I keep several different ones in my
bum bag just in case!!) and we fought them both off to finish 4th overall and 1st Vets in a time of 4:40:00. And ‘yes’ we also beat the
ladies!!
2000 saw a new starting place at the Bunkhouses
and the current course and distance of 31 miles. The partner was the same, Roger
Brewster, who had previously warned me not to run the
2002 and it was Roger Brewster again. This
year I took his advice and refrained from racing too much beforehand and
finished quite strongly to record 4.20.50
for 2nd overall and 1st
Vets.
2003 Roger Brewster was again in the co-pilots seat
as we were the first team home and obviously also 1st Vets in 4.21.29.
I was elated to say the least but somewhat disappointed to learn that Roger wanted to ‘retire at the top’
and I was again on the lookout for a new partner for the following year.
2004 saw the debut of young pretender Philip
Atherton, an up and coming young gun I first met several years ago and had
been training with on a regular basis. Phil
has become a good friend and has bags of talent and the aptitude to go a long
way, but work commitments made it difficult for him to fulfil his potential,
but, at 24 years old, (half my age) he would do me fine. We had a very
good run together and ran a very pleasing 4.09.29
to finish 3rd team but
obviously as Phil was only 24 so we didn’t count for the vets.
2005 and Philip Atherton was again
in the hot seat as we had a storming run to lead the whole field from
gun to tape, therefore winning the team
and also beating all the individual
runners to boot, in a time of 4.13.54.
“Maybe I should take a leaf out of
2006 and Phil Atherton was again keen to
see if we could repeat last years performance even though I was now just short
of my 50th and getting a
little long in the tooth for battling it out over 31 miles!!, especially on the
fells, but we still managed 4:18:31
for 1st team, although
there were four individuals in front of us.
2007 As Phil
was injured this was the year of my latest and to date last? Partner Martin
Terry, a fellow vet and dedicated fell runner who is still improving
all the time after coming into the sport much later after playing football
for many years, I seemed to be full of running over the first half. Martin came into his own over the last
10 miles and pushed me to the limit as he relentlessly pursued the team in
front. We finished in 4:5:38 for 2nd team and 1st vets but with some
individual runners in front. To date this is my latest foray over the
For the record the Partner count now
stands at nine and I have run the Hobble/Wuthering
Hike a total of 16 times. Who
knows where it will end up? Maybe this will be my last, maybe I’ll still be at
it in 20 years time. All I know is I have enjoyed each and every one of them
and thank all of my partners wholeheartedly for their contributions over the
years.
I would like to take the opportunity to say
a great big thank you to Judith my long suffering wife, for all her
support and help over the many years of the Hobble. It would be much harder without the encouragement and
drinks, etc, she provides. Judith
has completed the Hobble once, many
years, ago so she is aware of just what it takes and is always there to
commiserate or congratulate as necessary.
Written by: Graham
A Cunliffe
Submitted: 24th
November 2008
Edited by: Brenda J
Earnshaw WRR Editor