Cannock Trigs and Trigger Race Reports 2024
The Cannock Chase Trigs race always caught my eye in the FRA race handbook, as the first long race post Christmas . I have biked the trails at Cannock Chase before, but never ventured further, so was very pleased to run it this year. There were 5 Harriers who made the short journey south for the 34th edition. Mark, Craig, Julian, Jo and myself.
After registration at the cricket ground its a short run to the start, across the common, and up through the trees to the top of the knoll; and the starting line.
The race starts fast, dropping down off the knoll, and then follows a mixture of wide gravel paths and bridleways, singletrack through the woods and tarmac. The route follows an undulating course which aims to visit Rifle Range Trig, the turn around point of Castle Ring (an iron age fort and the highest point of Cannock Chase), and return via the Glacial Boulder Trig. Route choice is up to you.
A quick look at the heat map prior to the race had led to me breaking out in a cold sweat. It looked a nightmare! paths everywhere and all well trodden it seemed. But the reality is, like most races, there’s a well known runner line, that most people follow, many of whom know where they are going. I was fortunate that I was going at the same pace as a local guy, so didn’t have to navigate until late on in the race, but kudos goes to Mark, with the pressure of being out in the front pack but also trying out his own lines.
Great performances from all, in what was a quick race, and runners were rewarded with soup and cake back at the cricket club for their efforts.
As Julian said at the finish, ‘it’s good marathon training that’
The Trigger (Marsden to Edale) Race 2024
I wouldn’t describe running the Trigger as good marathon training. No, running the Trigger is better described as being ‘nourishment for the soul’. It is a fantastic linear race, through some of the best running terrain the Peak has to offer.
I love everything about this race, so was really pleased to be able to run it again this year with Allen. The only snag with a linear race is logistics, so we were immensely grateful to John and Nancy (Bunyan) for the very early lift to the start and pick up from the finish.
There is a real buzz at the Marsden Cricket Club during registration, and it was good to get there early as its a small space and very busy. Soon enough though, we gather outside the club house for the grand depart. Each year you roll the dice with the weather and fortunately this year it was perfect running weather – cold and crisp enough to freeze some of the slop, but no wind to make us suffer.
The race starts innocently enough. It’s a quick start, fighting for position on a short bottle neck section of grassy single trek dropping down to the dam. The dam wall offers a good view point of the leaders tearing away up the good vehicle track. This is then followed all the way up the valley to the road, followed by the icy flags that lead to the very welcome sight of the Black Sail trig and the first check point. It’s a tough section, very runnable but always going up, and the sort of start that can/will make you pay the price later.
Coming off of Black Sail trig marks the start of the first fell section, dropping down though the bracken and soft ground to the infamous Trigger river crossing. There is a good trod now, a testament I think to how heat maps are really changing the game. I made up good time on this section, and managed to catch back onto the group I had been dropped from; so was pleased with that. The river is low today so no dramas had getting across. The run out following the river is hard going, and really wet under foot, so was pleased to see the trees marking the road and checkpoint number 2.
The race line changes depending on permissions in place. This year meant it was due east along the Torside reservoir to meet the Pennine way. It’s a great, mostly flat path through the trees, but the legs are starting to feel tired now. My eyes look over longing at the steep climb up onto Bleaklow and a chance for a change of pace.
As I reach the top of the steep climb, the first of the Spine elite run past. Its a great moment to share the trail with some of the best runners in the world and shout words of encouragement to each other as we pass. I got a bit distracted by this and the next time I look up there are no other runners anywhere- clearly a better line to be had somewhere. I continue on the Pennine way to the John Track Well crossroads, but then take a direct line from here, heading off into the squelchy, boggy wilderness of peat and heather hoping to find the upper shelf stones.
I needed a bit of luck as the cloud had descended so keeping to the bearing over rough ground was tough. Fortunately lady luck was smiling as I reached the only intersecting track at the exact point a trod to the shelf stones now exits; and not only that 3 walkers had just appeared on the trod who assured me I was going in the right direction. With some relief I started to make good time and was just thinking that I had cracked it, when I managed to loose the path and head in totally the wrong direction. Realising the clue is in the title ‘higher shelf stones’ and I was heading down hill, I abruptly turned tail and ran back up the main path I had emerged on, to the trig proper and what seemed like half of mountain rescue all hidden in the clag.
The route this year demanded a due east course taken through one of the famous Bleaklow aircraft wrecks, to then join the main path heading to the A57 road crossing. Lots of people around today, so it was a bit of a slalom running around them all.
Reaching the A57 feels like you are almost finished but actually it marks the final third of the race. Kinder is more familiar to me than all the other sections, but also offers tricky challenges for navigation, and the steepest climb. With the company of another runner I head along the flags leading away from the A57 which are icy, but the path is clear. The question is how far you follow the flags before committing to a line across the heather. We end up taking, what was in hindsight the direct line, but at the time seemed a poor choice as we entered an area of peak groughs which slowed progress. Committed though we continued down into the valley and the final hurdle, a steep ascent up onto the Kinder Plateau.
Fortunately I had put in a reccy here previously and knew the devils trident rock formation that marked the way to Sandy Heys Trig, and with now superb visibility the line was obvious even though it was an absolute slog to the top. After Sandy Heys we crossed the Kinder plateau via the Kinder gates on the non-path most famous for the most mountain rescue call outs in the Peak. A fine ending though to a fine route. I’ve run this path many times but never managed the same way twice so was pleased on this occasion, to keep mostly on the trod.
Reaching the well worn path of the Edale skyline meant the end really was almost in sight. As we skirted the bottom of Gindslow Knoll though, a group of three over take and the race was now on for the finish line. After gambling on a different trod to everyone else, I exit the last gate with about 30m over the chasing pack, grit my teeth and give it everything I have left to the finish.
I catch up with Allen enjoying his second helping of a hearty soup with croutons and cheese. A fine effort by Allen on his debut, with a great time, on an un-reccied course. I was very pleased as well, taking an hour off my previous time. A fantastic race.