Let’s start with the Pie’n’Peas run
This race saw a tremendous participation from DVRC – there was approx. 35 of us turned up at the start line! I also thought the Pie (‘n’Peas) were remarkably appetizing compared to previous years (although nowhere near the quality of the Pitman’s Pies on offer at the Consett Relays – which reminds me – apologies once again to Charlotte & Alex for dragging ‘our’ team’s times down due to my slowness!). I was also extremely proud to see that we were the last Running Club to leave The Adam & Eve Pub after enjoying post race refreshments & rehydration!

Date of Race: Wed 02/07/25
Beat previous best time by: ~2 mins, 20s or so

The Chevy

Surprisingly, our 1^st recce took place with relatively few incidents & therefore for a 2^nd recce we were confident & had a tentative plan to do 15 miles of the total 20 mile course. However some bright spark then had the idea that if we were going to do 15 miles, we may as well do the full 20 mile course.

Unfortunately, it then transpired that we planned this recce on what appeared to be the hottest day of the year – but no worry – we all had brought ‘sufficient’ additional fluids. So we set off at approx. 9am from Wooler on a gorgeous, warm morning with a plan – that due to taking our time, eating sandwiches en route, taking plenty of photos, etc – we may be out for approx 7 hours .

By the time we got to the top of Cheviot…… we’d been out maybe 4 hours in the scorching sun, with zero shade on the entire route & were starting to feel a trifle nervous regarding getting back without severe sun burn / sunstroke. Down the side of Cheviot we avoided the snakes that were trying to hide from the oppressive sun & we then tried to refuel whilst climbing Hedgehope.

Halfway up Hedgehope, Sue was trying to eat her sandwiches when I heard her start to cough & splutter & when I turned around to look she was spitting her food everywhere whilst laughing uncontrollably – she’d noticed that it had taken us 57 mins to do the last mile! Perhaps our target of 7 hours out’n’back was a tad optimistic?

Down Hedgehope & up / through the craggs & we had to use the last of our (previously) ‘sufficient’ (?) fluids. Down to Carey Burn & we had to decide whether to try to continue to Wooler with zero fluids (unlikely to be successful) or take our chance with dysentery (or worse – if that’s possible!) & fill our flasks with water out of the burn. We chose the latter – & to date as far as I’m aware we’re all in perfect(-ish) health – so no worries there! A slow slog back to Wooler & when we got back to the car the temperature of the car which was parked in the shade was still at 27°C & we’d been out for a total of 9 hours. Thankfully however we had all returned safely & we then purchased what felt like Wooler Co-Op’s entire stock of cold drinks – a treat for us all paid by Ted.

So onto the race itself with a healthy contingent from DVRC – & even though I’d done The Chevy ‘Race’ a couple of times before (albeit v slowly) & had done several recces in the past – the trials & tribulations of the 2^nd recce described above really lowered my confidence & I had an expectation to be timed out by CP1 or maybe CP2 at best. However this didn’t happen, although my confidence did take a further knock during the slow, steep, slog up Cheviot when a young lad on a mountain bike (non electric version) breezed past me & then stopped further up for a picnic. However I soldiered on, managed to beat the cut-off timings at all remaining CP’s & successfully made it back to Wooler. Was lovely to see Paul Stephenson just after Hedgehope who had entered the ‘walking’ version of the race – although it depressed me severely to see that his ‘walking’ speed was faster than my ‘running’!

P.S. No lambs were inconvenienced (this year) in the running of these recce’s / races.

Well – it wouldn’t be a discussion about The Chevy without this photo would it (IYKYK)?

Date of Race: Sat 05/07/25

Beat previous best time by: ~10 mins 

Lakeland 50
I did a couple of recce’s for this race – the normal one from Pooley Bridge & up Fusedale utilizing (as usual) the facilities of Natasha’s Mam’s static caravan / lodge & the next one on probably the 2^nd hottest day of the year (can you see a theme developing here?).

The plan was (as usual) head over to Coniston and get the trusty Bus 505 from Coniston to Ambleside (after our now Annual ‘DVRC pretending to get run over by the bus’ Photo) & then ‘run’ back to Coniston.

Plan was that 5 of us would head over to Coniston in the car to meet Danielle at Coniston (who’d camped overnight in The Lakes) & we would then meet Fran at Ambleside (who’d travelled over to The Lakes separately). Leaving early in the morning from Rowlands Gill we’d arranged plenty of time for the journey on a Friday morning & therefore imagine our surprise when it took us approx. 30 mins to get through Swalwell Roundabout! Time was already against us! The rest of the journey was a complete blur whilst our chauffeur for the day (ie moi) tried to hide his stress & pressure whilst putting his foot down to ensure that we arrived in time to meet the bus in Coniston (& Danielle….. & then Fran). We made it with approx. 3 mins to spare before we had to hot-foot it onto the bus – so we just had to buy the quickest possible car park ticket & hope we hadn’t received a parking ticket on our return. Once on the bus we could relax – we now just had to meet Fran at Ambleside & then the small matter of running 15 miles & approx. 4,000 ft elevation back to Coniston – in ~30°C temperatures!  

As usual the scenery in the Lakes was absolutely stunning – we could see for miles due to the excellent weather & (I think for the first time) could see Morecambe Bay in the far distance as we headed back down from the fells into Coniston village. Due to the high temperatures (which I assume explains Alan’s choice of French Foreign Legion Headgear) there were a few hiccups along the way due to several of us over heating but nothing life threatening – & we were able to take full advantage of the honesty fridge just before Tilberthwaite by clearing out (but note – paying for!) the stocks of cold drinks & ice lollies! The refreshing cider in The Crown Inn back in Coniston was almost worth the journey from Ambleside that we had just ‘enjoyed’! I was overjoyed to realise that my car wasn’t clamped due to overstaying our car park ticket – although the rest didn’t seem as bothered / interested as me.

Onto race weekend itself & I think approx. a dozen of us from DVRC headed over. After waving off the DVRC LL100 contingent at 6pm Friday, those of us that were doing the 50 version prepared ourselves for our start on Sat morning. My hydration strategy / plan was to top up with water my hydration pack at each CP & then adding SiS Electrolyte powder also at each CP to keep me going. However this plan went a bit oblong approx. 400m after the start when my hydration pack developed a leak resulting in SiS electrolyte dilute mix pouring down my bum & legs. My fellow race competitors helpfully pointed this out but once I’d heard ‘you’ve got a leak mate’ for the 93^rd time it started to get a bit tedious. So I was left with approx. 49.5 miles to go with only a solid cup to be used at CP’s for pasta, soup, etc & a small 250ml flexible flask that could be used for my fluids. I was a bit concerned – but at each CP I managed to gorge on water / juice & filled up the small flask with flat cola to keep me going until the next CP – & this seemed to work relatively successfully. Weather in the main was ideal (from what I can remember) & it was an absolute bonus at most CP’s seeing fellow DVRC Competitors (naturally they were leaving as I was arriving!) giving each other a cheery wave & a small comment of motivation.

By the time I arrived in Ambleside it had just gotten dark & it was lovely to see a lady we run with on a Tuesday night had interrupted her family holiday in Windermere to come along & cheer me through the town – thanks Nicola! For the last few miles I latched onto a group of strangers & we all started an A-Z quiz to keep us going: music, movies, etc that sort of thing. We ended up with questions about Countries Capital Cities, starting with Australia, moving onto Brazil, etc. When we got to K I volunteered that Almaty was the capital of Kazakhstan – upon which it transpired that no-one had heard of Kazakhstan never mind Almaty & they obviously thought I was some sort of smart ar5e so they stopped talking to me. (& apparently it isn’t any more – according to Google it’s now a City called Astana so that goes to show how much I know). Undeterred by my new friends non-communication I successfully arrived in Coniston having completed 50 miles of running – but obviously also a lot of walking too!

Date of Race: 26-27/07/25
Beat previous best time by: ~50 mins or so

Watergate Park 5k
The major advantages of this race are:
A) It’s on our doorstep; &
B) It’s only about 14 quid for a buffet & a t-shirt
…. so as a consequence once again there was a good turn out from DVRC (upwards of 20 or so contestants plus a couple of support crew taking photo’s, etc. Once again, like usual, it was like herding cats getting everyone to the pre-determined location for the pre-race photo. A 3^rd advantage of this race is that we see someone we run with on a Tuesday being the Tail Runner. His first task is trying (& failing) to keep up with the kids race where we see him crossing the finish line a distant last following the kids home, looking absolutely paggered. It’s absolutely hilarious to see – & he’s then given approx. 5 mins recovery time before he has to set off again following the adults around the course. As you would expect Tail Running the adults race is significantly slower than the kids. Background is that we think he volunteered for this task approx. 15 years ago & as usual with these things once you’ve volunteered for something you then own the task for life – so well done Chris for continuing this annual tradition that’s what I say! From my perspective nothing particular to report on the race except that I think I may have ran my fastest 5k time ever!

Date of Race: 21/08/25
Beat previous best time by: 1 min 11s

Other highlights

Other highlights over the Summer obviously included DVRC 10^th Birthday celebrations of course on 21/06/25 which consisted of a family fun run in the morning before the much more serious business of buffet + drinks in the evening. Thanks & well done to those that were involved for organizing!

So we now move onto Autumn & a new Season of Running. I’m planning for my first PB of the Season at Jedburgh Relays – mainly because I’ve not done this race before & therefore by default (providing the 4 of us finish!) there’ll be a PB on offer. That is how it works isn’t it?

Thanks to all those that have supported me during Wed night training sessions, Social Runs, Recces & during the various races – it’s been fun & your support is much appreciated.
Enjoy Autumn everyone & good luck with your running!!!

(*) PB’s from a very low base obviously!!!