Sometimes referred to as the Rat Race and a firm favourite on Dan Jenkins’ radar. Despite already completing a parkrun and ‘Up The Odda’ on Saturday he was back for more hills wiS!! This popular event , it’s noted, often attracts repeat participation. You might not run your half marathon PB, on Josh who also compled the 5k yesterday taking n the fun run and finishing in second place! As they say, once bitten by the ‘Rat Race’ many keep coming back for more, and who can blame them, with an iconic road route involving over 1,500ft of ascent but which rewards runners with stunning views across five counties. The first Eyam Half Marathon was held in 1993 and became a firm favourite on the road racing calendar before road subsidence meant an enforced three-year absence, add on a couple more years for Covid 19 and the race successfully returned in October 2021. The ‘Rat Race’ returned to it’s regular May date in 2022. Eyam’s main claim to fame is the story of how the village chose to go into isolation so as to prevent infection spreading after bubonic plague was discovered there in 1665! The race is organised by a group of volunteers in Eyam, and the half marathon and other fund-raising events have so far raised more than £150,000 for local cancer charities and village organisations. Starting and finishing in the historic Plague Village of Eyam, particpants climb over 400 feet in the first two miles before the course levels off over the next three miles as they pass through the hamlets of Bretton and Abney.
It is then an 800ft descent over 4.5 miles towards Hathersage before a leg and lung sapping 800ft climb over two miles before the last section of the race culminating in the final 400ft descent back into Eyam. Dan celebrated a brilliant run by having a cold beer in the warm sunshine after finishing 5th in his age category and posting a time of 1:32:35. Fantastic running Dan, well done!
