Just a small group of Striders braved Ossy Oiks fell race, our 11 league race of the year. With a suggested safety equipment list including map, compass and whistle plus photos of a brutal downhill doing the rounds before the race it’s safe to say we didn’t quite know what to expect.
For once there were no nerves about finishing times, just nerves about finishing at all. The pre-race safety instructions told us we should expect to slide and bump into rocks and trees. Turns out these instructions were pretty accurate!
Ossy Oiks has a fell running classification of AS, meaning a short race with some very steep climbs and descents. It’s a very friendly small race where the more experienced runners were happy to share their knowledge and experience with us beforehand. Those tips came in very handy during the race.
Once the friendly banter over league points with the disappointment that other Striders had turned up and registration were out the way we pick up an extra route map, just in case, and headed to the start. Even the warm up jog to the start was hard including a 100m sprint across a busy road and an uphill slog. A sign of things to come.
We started in Ingleby Cross and headed straight up a 3km climb along a forest track. Every now and again groups of people would dart off into the forest to tackle the very steep and overgrown climb directly up. Did they know something we didn’t? Or were they just crazy? The number of people who later said they had got lost doing so probably means the latter. Turning onto the Cleveland Way we kept climbing – would the hill ever stop? Luckily eventually it did and we were following the Cleveland Way along the ridge. As we ran past the TV mast I glance over to the tick forest on the left knowing this would later be the start of the very steep descent on our way to the finish. Wow that looked overgrown couldn’t even see a way through…. Never mind would worry about that later.
Continuing along the ridge we were soon out on top of the moors with some amazing views. The clear night meant, when daring enough to look up, we could see for miles. This was a fast stretch of the race, slightly downhill over smooth rocks. Whoever has that leg in the Cleveland Way relay is in for a treat. We quickly joined the single track road leading towards Sheep Wash, but the tarmac didn’t last for long. There was no time to stop for an ice-cream or paddle with the few people having a relaxed evening walk, who for some reason were looking very confused. We soon headed over the bridge at Sheep Wash and straight up the steep rocky bridleway towards the forest and Cod Beck reservoir. At this point the ground became very boggy with no path, but not to worry we were soon going to wash our trainers and legs. This time there was no bridge and it was straight through the shin deep stream – yes I know for most people that will probably mean knee deep. Caroline had tried looking for some stepping stones until David pushed her in. Crossing the car park we started our final climb and it was a though one straight over the moors. We re-joined the Cleveland Way we had been on earlier looking out for the TV mast and that decent…
An expert tip from earlier told us to ignore the paths are turn right straight after the TV mast. So here it was the downhill, and what a downhill. Very steep and very overgrown. There was a really narrow, overgrown muddy track, probably created by other runners to follow. Any prior worries about going down quickly disappeared. Weeeeee this was fun. We were whizzing down, possibly more out of necessity than choice. Grabbing any trees, branches or plants possible to stay on our feet, it was certainly exhilarating. Remembering Andy H’s tip from earlier, lean back and bend your knees; we were sliding, running, jumping our way down. Every now and again unknowingly grabbing onto something prickly – ouch! Sound effects from the people in front gave early warning of extra tricking points coming up. There was no other option except be brave and go for it, but the instructions were right, we did slide and bump into trees and rocks. Add a few very muddy and boggy areas in made it extra fun. Immerging from the bottom covered in mud, cuts, scratches, what seemed like half a tree and a bit of blood we had made it. Back on the forest track the last few hundred metres were a flying finish down into Ingleby Cross.
Ossy Oiks is a great yet tough little race, with no bling or extravagance, just running for the pure fun and enjoyment of it.
Everyone’s league points we’re defiantly hard earned with this one.
Well done Striders. Same time next year?