The background/Race Prep
The Stort30 was the first race we ever set up here at Challenge Running and is still our most popular one. Pre Covid we regularly got 250-300 starters each year. Post Covid we are still waiting for those numbers to bounce back and hopefully they will when the big City Marathons like London move back to spring dates rather than October dates from next year.
It’s beautiful riverside route along the scenic River Stort from Bishop’s Stortford to Rye House on the River Lea. 15 miles out and 15 back. For being an urban industrial canalised navigation route dating back to 1769 it is amazingly quiet and green these days and has amazing artwork along the route. Artwork we use for the medals.
This year was the 11th running on the event and we had 108 entries signed up online and we opened up on the day entries for the first time post Covid. Only 4 would sign up on the day and 81 turned up to race giving a total of 85 starters. We had 1 DNF through injury and one through missing the cutoff at the finish. This is pretty normal as it’s a very accessible event with a generous 7 hour cutoff for a flat 30 mile race. If you can run/walk a Marathon in 6 hours you should be able to complete this in sub 7 hours.
The medals on this event are pretty special and we have the original one based on the stone sculpture on the route
The new medal we introduced this year is again a copy of a stone sculpture along the route.
At Challenge Running we believe that the medal should relate to the event in design and size should relate to the challenge compared to our other medals. This is 70x120x3mm.
I had been out on the bike checking the course 6 days before the event and it was muddy in places but still quite runnable, there is 4-5 miles each way can be very muddy towpath on grass
The rest of the paths, particularly on the second half on the way out are very fast well graded towpath, good for speed and less traffic on them, The whole route is not too busy with walkers and a few fishermen but on the whole not busy at all.
The start is at the Hockerill Sports and Social club in Bishop’s Stortford and we were there from 5am setting up the venue and getting it ready for the arrival of the runners from 7am. Runners park at a nearby train station and walk to the club which takes 10-15 minutes. It’s a great venue with an indoor hall, bar and changing and showers. Perfect for a race like this.
We looked to have a strong male and female field, maybe not as deep or fast as previous years but still a competitive field that should produce some good performances. It was great to see many newcomers and old faces. Some have run the race 5 ties or more.
We had a great team of volunteers as usual, previous runners of this race and many of my others came out to stand about all day helping us set up and man checkpoints.
At the finish they help with timing and issuing of T-Shirts and medals. Special mention must go to Flyers Southend who are great supporters and supplied around half of the volunteers. If your club wants to come and get involved just let us know and we will give out free places in return for volunteers to man a checkpoint of help at the start/finish.
At 6am we set off Keith and Davo who were going to mark the course, help at the turnaround point and then collect all the markings in while sweeping back. This means we collect all our signs and tape immediately as the runners pass on the way back and we get no complaints from local people about leaving litter or markings out after the course.
The Race
The race started ban on 9am in some very light rain, for the men’s race it was obvious who the top 3 or 4 guys would be. In the ladies it was not so obvious but there were again a few who had the potential to make it a faster race.
The course was reported to be very sticky with mud in the earlier stage from around mile 1-6 and then on the way back from 23-29 with various other sticky bits of off camber towpath. Thankfully the rain held off after about 11am and it dried slightly. The temperature was not cold though with it hovering at around 16 degrees C so very mild for October. There is no compulsory kit to be carried as there is good access along the course and regular checkpoints at 5 mile intervals with plenty of food and drink. We pride ourselves on good food choices from the front to the back runners. sweet and savoury food with fruit and veggie/vegan options and those with GF needs. Nobody goes hungry.
1st back to the finish was Dan Summers in 3:27:28 which is averaging 6:28 per mile!
2nd was Matt Jordan in 3:25:17 averaging 7:11 per mile.
3rd was Stephen Kirsh in 3:50:45 averaging 7:41 per mile. Not bad for a first Ultra!
1st Female was Sue McMaster in 4:33:00 averaging 9:06 minutes per mile.
2nd was Nicky Haynes in 4:38:54 averaging 9:18 per mile
3rd was Ellie Atkins in 4:46:05 averaging 9:32 per mile and also her first ultra I believe.
All winners get a wooden trophy and 1st male and female get a HM65r headtorch from Fenix Lighting
If you take the time to visit their shop and use the code CHALLENGE15 you will get 15% off any purchases.
Now we won’t all be in the first 3 so at this race which is where we see the largest participation and over 38% females. We also give out age group prizes in 5 year groups from 35 for both sexes. So Open, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70 and we give out Gold, Silver and Bronze medals on top of the race medal.
If there are less than 3 in your category we give out just Gold, less than 5 and we give Gold and Silver and 5 or more and we give out Gold, Silver and Bronze. This means regardless of age or experience you are also racing your peers.
It was great seeing peoples faces who are just glad they finished grinning after I gave them an age group award, that’s the fun bit of being a race director and why I choose to give out every medal.
Everyone bar one person made it back on time withing the cutoff, the last person was unfortunately 10 minutes over and gets a DNF despite it being the fastest time he has run for this sort of distance. That is the not so fun bit of being a race director, timing people out. He took it well and hopefully he will come back with a little more training and experience behind him and finish and I can give him that medal.
The clubhouse had warm showers, free hot and cold drinks and snacks so people could hang around for friends before going home and we even had the bar open for those wanting a drink.
All in all a good day.
Thankyou’s
Canal and River Trust for permissions on the Stort.
Lea Valley Park for the permissions on the river Lea.
Hockerill Sports and Social club for use of the venue
Fenix Lighting for the Headtorches and sponsorship over the year.
My fantastic team of Volunteers
Timing and Start/Finish – Maxine, Phillip, Leah, Graham, Unknown lady who’s name I have forgotten who helped in the kitchen!
CP1 – Anna, Katy, Rebecca
CP2 – Helena, Linda, Kerry, Darren
CP3 – Dan, Ann, James
Markers/Sweepers/CP3 – Keith and Davo
Without this team the race would not have happened.
Entries are already open for next year, usual discounts for early entry and no price increase from last year. If you enter before December you will save £15 compared to entering after July next year,.
Next years race is on October 29th 2023.
Enter here https://www.challenge-running.co.uk/races/stort30/