HALLAM CHASE (Sheffield)
THE RACE
The “Hallam Chase” is a Handicap Fell race open to runners from South Yorkshire that has been going since 1862, and is well organised by Hallamshire Harriers.
The course is only 3¼ mls long but has a total climb of 800ft, and is an out and back run, starting at the top of the hill at one side of the valley, down into the valley, up to the top of the other side, and then returning.
The surfaces you run on are, road, grass fields with stiles, tracks and a steep rocky path call Den Bank. The field before Den Bank on the return leg produces some interesting running (walking) styles which can be seen on “YouTube Hallam Chase 2007”
MY RACE
As I live in Nottingham, I ran this race as a Special Guest by the permission of 
Hallamshire Harriers, as it was the 90th anniversary of my father (who was a member of Hallamshire Harriers) winning this race in 1926, and for this I thank Steve Moran and Carol Varns.
I gave the organisers details of my recent races and was given a start time of 50secs. The last man started at 16m 40s!!!!
There were 63 runners this years and I started 5th and took it easy down the hill to Den Bank, overtaking 3 but being overtaken by 2 runners (who finished 1st & 2nd).
The fields and stiles to the stream in the valley went well, as did the start of the climb up the other side, as I moved into 3rd place!!!
The rest of the climb up the hill was good and I turned only about 150yds behind the leading two.
Returning to the valley was interesting, for as I ran down the field, runners were coming up, which presented difficult situations at stiles, small gaps and stone steps!!!
After the stream, I switched into Crawler gear, and started the climb up the fields. Unfortunately the field before Den Bank proved too much and I started to walk (see YouTube).
At the bottom of Den bank I was still 3rd, but a look over my shoulder showed a line of runners close behind. Den Bank was hard, and on the only flat piece of the course (50yds) I could not get my legs to run again and was overtaken by3 runners, but I got them going and ran up final part of the hill into the sports field, but was overtaken by more runners. The legs were still working, but 2 more 
runners went past me on the final run in and I finally finished in 20th place.
On actual running time I was 57th out of 63, but as the only one over 70yrs I collected the prize for the Oldest Runner (2 bottles of Beer).
It was a very special and emotional occasion for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it especially as I was allowed to run in a Hallamshire Harriers vest.
