DARK PEAK NEWS Winter 2013 Dark Peak storm the FRA’s Stuart Walker thrashes himself to a new 15 Trigs record ...and Ashley Kay scores a historic Pertex double Dark Peak News Winter 2013 page 2 Dark Peak News Winter 2013 page 3 In this edition» The bit at the front WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS Personal responsibility: a cautionary tale …and just for good measure, we took third place too est. 1976 in the men’s FRA Relays. Never been done before, I’m writing this a bit podgy and unfit after a lay-off. I was getting back into my stride after the www.dpfr.org.uk and will it ever be done again? inevitable Freshers’ Flu, (ninety people + one badly ventilated lecture theatre + germs from Captain’s Report, page 18; Will Boothman, page 27 four continents), when I strode out a bit too much in the wrong shoes and went flying. I hit President: Eric Mitchell THE 15 TRIGS RECORD COMES HOME a pointy rock that had a tree branch across the top just for good measure. The result: a badly ...to the club hut. Literally. It’s where Stuart Walker battered thigh that refused to run any further and gave way unpredictably even at a slow walk. finished and collapsed after shaving a slice off Simon Chairman Secretary Bourne’s sub 10 hours to follow in Andy Harmer’s Thankfully this happened on a Warts run reasonably close to Tha Sportsmen. I alerted fellow Tom Westgate Rob Moore runners, and let them know I intended to limp back. Even so - and with every bit of my gear on 95 Stumperlowe Hall Rd 2 Kerwen Close footsteps as a Dark Peak record holder. And on the Sheffield Dore last stretch, he was cheered on by … himself! – I was seriously cold and uncomfortable by the time I reached the club hut. S10 3QT Sheffield Page 24 This was at fairly low altitude, close to home, on a windy but dry night with temperatures 0114 263 0632 S17 3DF nowhere near freezing. It set me to wondering what would have happened if I’d done this in [email protected] 07766 520741 ERIC AT NINETY [email protected] A pictorial salute to our Life President Eric Mitchell, a more isolated and exposed place, maybe running alone in a night race? I wasn’t carrying thanks to the family archives plundered by Eric’s a microfleece or bivvy bag that could have given me vital extra protection. Nor did I have a daughter Jan. Treasurer Membership Page 10 phone that I could have used to summon help or to pinpoint my exact location. Points of detail, Tim Hawley Ann Watmore but perhaps very significant ones in an emergency. We devoted a lot of space in the last edition Jasmine Cottage 26 Robertson Drive BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY of Dark Peak News to such safety issues. Since then, the coroner has pronounced on the tragic Main Road Sheffield After the Belfield inquest verdict, we’ve been trying to Dungworth S6 5DY work out how the club stays safe, but without diluting death of Brian Belfield, (see the next page and the chairman’s report on page seven). The Sheffield 0114 233 8383 S6 6HF [email protected] our free-spirited approach. The club committee has debate continues, but I think Tom is absolutely right to keep emphasising how much rests on 0114 285 1633 come up with a set of “action points” for discussion. the principle of personal responsibility. On that point, I’ve given myself a quiet ticking off. [email protected] News, page 4; From the Chairman, page 7 Clothing and Eqpt Men’s Captain LAID LOW BY LYME DISEASE Another year of great achievements Richard Hakes Rob Little One minute Steve Martin was storming it in ultra races 454A Loxley Road 70 Burgoyne Road and long distance cycling events; the next he was flat On a more positive note, it’s again been my privilege to edit a Dark Peak News that contains Loxley Sheffield on his back and lifeless in a hospital bed. He warns so much to celebrate. TWO men’s teams in the top three of the prestigious FRA Relays. Will Sheffield S6 3QB you could follow if you don’t make sure you’re aware that ever be done again? Congratulations to everyone who took part, and especially to Will S6 6RS 07791 283861 of how Lyme disease can strike. 0114 233 9912 [email protected] Boothman who ran out of his skin to pull the alleged B team back to that third place on the [email protected] Page 12 last leg. You can read his stirring account on page 27 The women’s teams had a great year too, DON’T PISS IN YOUR GOGGLES bagging the V40 trophy in the English Championships and finishing runners-up in the Open Women’s Captain Website It’ll turn them yellow. Or at least it did in the strange, event. The racing year has contained so many sterling performances that it would be invidious Helen Elmore John Dalton warped mind of Tim Hawley, whose creativity and to name individuals here. Away from direct competition, Stuart Walker thrashed himself to a 117, Millhouses Lane, 1, Cannon Fields persistent multiple entries have finally steered him to Sheffield, Hathersage victory in the Dark Peak News caption competition. phenomenal new record for the 15 Trigs that means Dark Peak once again holds the fastest S7 2HD Derbyshire Page 8 time. Think you’d like to emulate him? Read his account on page 24 and think again. He 0114 237 6609 S32 1AG was so driven towards the end that he was shouting at himself at full volume. One year; two [email protected] 01433 659523 THANKS… Skylines. Well, sort of. It was certainly twice the work for Ian Fitzpatrick who made it happen. [email protected] To everybody who has contributed to this edition of Dark Peak News, particularly to those of you What a club. And what vision from those who created it in the early years. Key amongst them Dark Peak News who succumbed to the editor’s last-minute nagging was our Life President, Eric Mitchell who recently turned 90 but is still a kid at heart. Thanks David Holmes and bullying at times when there were so many Eric. 615, Loxley Road, other things going on in your lives. Hope everybody Loxley, appreciates the effort you’ve all put in. And, as ever, Sheffield, an ultra BIG thanks to Tim Mackey, who’s worked Dave S6 6RR tirelessly behind the scenes to pull it all together and 0114 234 4186 [email protected] make it look so good. Thanks again Tim! Dark Peak News Winter 2013 page 4 Dark Peak News Winter 2013 page 5 “These ideas will evolve and change over time,” said Tom. “It isn’t intended as a definitive answer, and we certainly don’t feel we hold all the cards. So far we have had precious few News serious incidents on Dark Peak runs but recent events within fell running and closer to home suggest that we need to be prepared individually and as a club in some shape. We need established members to think through what personal responsibility means - responsibility to Safety: the debate continues themselves and to their fellow runners. I don’t worry about all this, so long as we can agree As you will no doubt have read in The Fellrunner, the coroner has now pronounced on the things whilst also keeping things light – that is the bit I cannot sort in my head.” death of Brian Belfield in the Buttermere Sailbeck race. His narrative verdict recounted how Success for our inaugural mountain skills course Brian drifted off route, became cold and lost, injured himself in slips while trying to descend, and then died within minutes of falling into freezing water. The coroner attached no blame to The recent discussions about safety and club liability prompted Carl Betts to suggest running the FRA or to the race organisers, but he did write to the FRA raising concerns about aspects of a hill/mountain skills course exclusively for club members. This was well received at the agm competitor control systems and communication. The FRA has since published changes to its kit and Carl – an experienced mountain guide and leader – subsequently ran the first event at the and safety requirements. These can be read on page seven of the Autumn 2013 Fellrunner, or Pure Outdoor training centre at Stoney Middleton in the autumn “My idea of the day was to on the FRA website. have a fun, informative day where everybody in the group would participate and offer their The Dark Peak committee met shortly after publication of the verdict to consider the club’s own experiences to discussions,” said Carl. The day began by considering the importance of response. We recognised that in many respects that response is already formulated: we have route planning, both in summer and winter, with a whistlestop tour of avalanche awareness changed the club’s corporate structure to minimise liability, and we have placed great emphasis and risk management. It then took in a brief navigation session, before the team went to on personal responsibility, as outlined in the last edition of Dark Peak News. But we also felt Grindleford Bridge where they got wet while considering how to safely cross rivers and there was no room for complacency, and that we should continue to think carefully about the brooks.