Christmas Cracker 2015

'O dear’ is the only way of politely describing Ade Middleton’s verbal reaction when he discovered he had forgotten his XC trainers.  A tough choice had to be made 4 season heavy mountain walking boots or race slick worn out road trainers, ‘slicks it is, let’s do it’ he says as the chuckling bunch of Andy Windle, Mark Nixon, Steve Fowler, Jack and Steve Leafe look on.  The Christmas Cracker is a charity race to raise money for the Mountain Rescue based around The Roaches near Leak.  It’s a multi terrain race across fields, tracks, road and of course the exposed ridge of The Roaches.  Many clubs enter and there is a great atmosphere with many wearing fancy dress for the event.
‘Where’s the start?’ says Andy. ‘You’re stood on it!’ says the race starter looking at Andys’ very fetching pink gloves. We line up alongside a Christmas Pudding, a cat, Death, various elves, multiple incarnations of Santa and runners from many different clubs at the start just outside Tittesworth Reservoir visitor centre.  No long speech’s just a thank you to the marshals and Mountain Rescue followed by an applause and we are off.
Jack gets a great start and is off powering over the grass as the rest of us do our best to reach the compact track at the end of it without being pegged too far behind. We soon hit the first of 2 fields separated by a single railway sleeper crossing.  Ade looks like Bambi on ice struggling for grip across the boggy fields, but manages to stay on his feet.  Meanwhile Steve and Mark are exchanging places with Elvis and a cavewoman as they approach the farm with the very strong smelling cow barn.  It certainly wakes you up as we hit the tarmac heading towards the Roaches.  Steve L spies Ade in front, surges past banana man and passes Ade as they reach the Tea Rooms.  Unfortunately no time to stop for a cuppa as we push upward and can see the lead runners heading across the foot slopes off the Roaches with Jack in the midst of them.
Jack pushes himself up the ‘climb to make you cry’ and leaves his followers behind, his recent form proving no race is too tough for the young Leafe.  Legs aching and lung capacity at its maximum he reaches the top and he’s on the ridge and off without a glance back.  The rest of us take the gentlemanly approach hands on knees, breathing deeply we make our way up.  ‘Nice day isn’t? How’s your race going? Very enjoyable day’ is the general conversation to the other runners as we try not to look like we are about to collapse or cry, but one by one we get there.
Andy was having a great race not far behind the leading pack, drove himself onwards, he made light work of the wet terrain on top, but was slightly put out when a fully clad Santa passed him and disappeared into the distance.  Steve F was making steady progress, breathing back in time, pace increasing, ‘Running form looking good Steve’ he says to himself as a runner in an inflatable sumo costume passes him.  Mark was a couple of mins in front as he picked his way across the granite rock strewn ridge with ease.  Steve L was about 50m ahead of Ade as they approached the trig point at the end of the ridge.  He must have been having lessons from Andy Orme the way he was delicately tippy toeing his way over the rocks as he hit the descent.  Ade took his chance, cast caution to the wind and hurled himself down the descent, passed Steve L and a few other on the way down.  For this Steve L graciously accepted Andy O’s Sugar Plumb Fairy tiara award for the 2015 Christmas Cracker.
The 2.5mile road section was next followed by the final sprint to the finish.  Jack Leafe hit the finishing straight hard and crossed the line 4^th in an unbelievable 0:56:59, first in for the club.  Then came the Christmas pudding hatted wearing Andy Windle to finish 25^th in 1:03:38, Steve Leafe caught Ade in the last mile to finish 45^th in 1:08:41, well done Steve.  Ade was just behind in 50^th place in a time of 1:08:59 faster than last year by 90secs that now leaves him with a shoe dilemma for the rest of his life.  Mark Nixon finished 120^th in a respectable 1:22:45 with Steve Fowler not far behind in a well deserved 123^rd in 1:23:13.  Thanks to all that came, raced and supported and especially to Staffordshire Moorlands AC and the Mountain Rescue for putting the event on.  Hope to see you again in 2016!