The Great Bakewell Pudding Race 26 June 2011

This year’s Great Bakewell Pudding Race took place on Sunday 26 June, kicking off Bakewell Carnival week, with excellent weather once again. 

The turn out was good, but still lower than our target of 250 in total for the two runs.  There were 115 participants in the senior fell run, many of them club runners, but with lots of local non-club runners who fancied a challenge.  The Senior Fell Run is 10.4 km (approximately 6.25 m) and follows paths up through the woods to Ballcross, to the top of Coombs Road, down to the river and then through the showground and back into the Recreation Ground.  The Junior/Fun run had 59 entrants, ranging in age from 4 to 54, with many family entries.  Beating Mum or dad was the challenge of the day! This run is 4.2km (approx 2.5 miles) and follows part of the Monsal Trail before coming back along the river to the Recreation Ground. As with last year we cooled runners down by coming off the showground road and across the River Wye at the “big bend”!  Most runners see this as a welcome addition to the route – we have now made it a permanent part of the course, depending on weather and river conditions. 

Once again, the hot weather may have made it a tough run, but the conditions under foot were good and the long stretches in the woods gave some relief from the sun. 

The Senior Run was won by Andrew Thake of Dark Peak Fell Runners in a time of 38.32, just ahead of last year’s time and a record for the new course, which is now slightly shorter with the river crossing – Andrew was also well ahead at the “top of the hill” and beat Julian Lings of Sheffield and Joel Stevens of Wirksworth into 2^nd and 3^rd.   The first woman was Diane Lee of Matlock AC, in a time of 48.08, beating Kate Morris and Alison Higgins into 2^nd and 3^rd.   

Alex Sendall from Bakewell won the junior category for the second consecutive year and came in first overall in a good time of 19.31, ahead of Oliver Harrop and Tamsin Boam in the Junior category, with Jessica Grindey 3rd in this category. Lucas Parker and Jacob Buckley came 2nd and 3rd in the Junior category and 5^th and 6^th overall.  The results are now on the web site. 

All entrants received an excellent Bakewell Pudding from the Original Bakewell Pudding Shop. A very big “Thank you” to the shop, which is now the new sponsor of the race. We are also very grateful to the local businessman who sponsored the trophies, but wishes to remain anonymous.  Thanks also go to Up and Running and Oldfield Design for their sponsorship.

The organisers, John Scott and Joe Oldfield, would like to thank all those helpers who make it work on the day – without you it wouldn’t happen.  A particular mention to the ladies on the desks, plus all the many marshals and helpers, many from Bakewell Mannerians Rugby Club.  As always, the race commentary and awards were given by the incomparable and entertaining Norman Taylor.  A final thanks to Bakewell Carnival Committee for their assistance and St John Ambulance for attending – fortunately they had a quiet day despite the heat.