Welcome to the Hallam Chase
The 144th running - 2024:
Well done to everyone who raced. It had rained so the route was greasy, but we were extremely lucky and had a dry, fresh, sunny evening. Times were a little slower, but everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.
Harriet Wingfield ran in the Hallamshire colours to come home first collecting both the Ladies and the Hallamshire trophy. She was quickly followed by Rob Hale of Steel City Striders, who collect the Men's trophy.
Ben Carter won the prize for youngest runner (Hallamshire), with Derek Brailsford (Hallamshire) collecting the 1st runner to Stannington prize for the second year running, as well as being the eldest runner.
The novice trophy has an odd history. It goes to the first runner who has placed in the top three male or female runners, nor has ever won a trophy before. This year the honour went to Richard Baybutt of CGCC.
The trophies will be engraved next month and should be on the winner's shelves for the rest of the year.
If you fancy taking part you just need to be a member of a SYCAA club. Most are not expensive and are a welcoming bunch. Entries open in April 2025 for the next event, which is Tuesday, May 27th at 7:30 pm
Special thanks go to Toni Santisteban who came across from Spain just to take part in the race. He even joined Hallamshire Harrier to run in their colours.
Each year we are supported by Taylor Emmet Solicitors- we thank them for their longterm encouragement and financial generosity.
This year we also received extremely useful giveaways from Ultimate Directions and The Outside Store in Hathersage. Let's say they went down a storm with the runners as spot prizes.
The combined results for 2024 can be found here
The Ladies' Race results are here
The Men's Race Results are here
Some great photos taken at the bottom of Den Bank by Margaret Lewis
2023:
(rewritten by Chat GPT- well we like to move with the times)
First and foremost, a huge thank you to everyone who participated in the 2023 event. We sincerely appreciate your enthusiasm and dedication. Apologies for the delay in sharing the results; a bit of fatigue slowed us down, but we're thrilled to finally unveil the outcome.
Check Out the 2003 Results Here:
Men's Results | Ladies Results | Combined results
We've also got some fantastic photos captured by Richard Newby and Margaret Lewis, offering a glimpse into the exhilarating action at Den Bank.
The weather was perfect, the terrain was solid, and the energy was electrifying. Kudos to John Spencer for his exceptional handicapping skills, ensuring a thrilling race with all runners back in just over 7 minutes! Special congratulations to Matt Francis (Totley) for clinching the Men's trophy and Eleanor Bull (Steel City Striders) for seizing the Ladies trophy.
None of this would be possible without the generous support of our sponsors, Taylor Emmet Solicitors and the Outside shop in Hathersage. Their contributions are invaluable, and we urge you to show them your support.
We're also thrilled to celebrate the achievements of our novice runners, including Conner Smith (Totley) who claimed the Novice Trophy. From the youngest competitor, Sam Evans (Totley), to the seasoned veteran, Derek Brailsford (Hallamshire), each participant brought something special to the race.
A big shoutout to Paul Middlemas of Steel City Striders for claiming the title of fastest runner overall. And let's not forget the fantastic support from Steep City Striders and the Hillsborough and Rivelin Running Club, who helped make the event a resounding success.
Mark your calendars for future Hallam Chase events:
- 2024: Tuesday, May 28th at 7:30 pm
- 2025: Tuesday, May 27th at 7:30 pm
- 2026: Tuesday, May 26th at 7:30 pm
We're excited to announce a slight time adjustment for upcoming races, ensuring more daylight towards the end of the event. A heartfelt thank you to everyone involved, including volunteers, sponsors, and supporters. Your dedication is truly appreciated.
Explore Past Results and Highlights:
2022 Results | Photos and Articles
A Bit of History:
The Hallam Chase holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously run Fell Race in the world, dating back to 1862. There have been a couple of short breaks only due World Wars, and a couple of cancelled years due to infections, but the event has carried on otherwise year after year. Steeped in Sheffield's rich running heritage, this event is a true testament to our community's spirit and resilience. There are other old races but they are flatter or have had breaks in their historic record https://www.arrs.run/LongRunC.htm
Held annually on the Tuesday following the second May Bank Holiday, the race is exclusive to members of South Yorkshire running clubs. While the route has evolved over time, the current 3.25-mile course promises a challenging mix of terrain, with breathtaking climbs and descents.
Handicapped to level the playing field, the Hallam Chase offers a thrilling competition where every participant has a shot at victory. With meticulous planning and the dedication of our marshals, we strive to create an unforgettable experience for all involved.
Thank you for being a part of the Hallam Chase family. We look forward to seeing you at our next event!
Welcome to the Hallam Chase
Thank you for taking part last night. I am sorry I have been slow publishing the results, but my fatigue has got the better of me so it was a slow start today.
Results can be combined results found here
Men's Results | Ladies Results
Here are some great photos taken by Richard Newby on Den Bank
Photos from the bottom of Den Bank, taken by Margaret Lewis
Well, the weather was good, and the running under foot was solid. John Spencer did a great job with the handicapping, and all runners were back in just over 7 minutes! Well done to Matt Francis (Totley) for being first back and winning the Men's trophy, with Eleanor Bull (Steel City Striders) taking the Ladies trophy.
Our two sponsors, Taylor Emmet solicitors and the Outside shop in Hathersage provided our prizes. Without their help, events like this could not run, so both businesses deserve your support and our gratitude.
The Novice Trophy is for the first unplaced runner who hasn't won a trophy before, and this year goes to a youngster, Conner Smith (Totley).
Our youngest runner was Sam Evans (Totley) at 21, who also won the David Bones trophy. At the other end of the age spectrum was our eldest runner, 78-year-old Derek Brailsford (Hallamshire), who was the 1st to reach Stannington, so wins the Lewin Cup cup.
The first Hallamshire vest to return was Nicola Squires, who claimed the trophy for the second year and was also the fastest lady on the night.
Our fastest runner overall was Paul Middlemas of Steel City Striders. Thanks must go to the solid support from Steep City Striders and the Hillsborough and Rivelin Running Club, whose combined effort helped boost the number of runners on the night.
So you can plan your diary, the dates for future Hallam Chase are:
2024: Tuesday May 28th at 7.30pm.
2025: Tuesday May 27th at 7.30pm.
2026: Tuesday May 26th at 7.30pm.
Those with a keen key will notice we are planning to bring the event forward by 30 minutes so there is more daylight towards the end of the event, and during tidying up, yes, believe it or not- once you have all gone home, there is still lots of work to be done. Thanks, in particular, should go to my wife, Chaanah; Steve Moran from Hallamshire, who has helped for many years; John Spencer for handicapping and helping on the night; Richard Storer and the Cricket Club for allowing us to use the site. This event would not work without the army of volunteers, mainly from the Hallamshire Endurance group or close friends and family. Thank you all.
The results for 2022 can be found below:
The combined 2022 results are here.
Mens Race 2022 results | Ladies Race 2022 Results
For 2022 photos, news articles and the Look North video click here
A little background information:
The oldest continuously run Fell Race in the world with a rich history, going back to 1862. Put on on behalf of Hallamshire Harriers, it has a wealth of Sheffield running heritage. A few years have been missed due the two world wars, Foot and Mouth Disease and more recently COVID so we think it has now been run 148 times (as 2022) - please correct us if this is wrong.
The event is held at 8pm on the Tuesday evening following the second May Bank Holiday every year. As a closed race, it is only open to members of South Yorkshire running clubs. This means the entry list is typically low, with 50-80 runners each year.
The route has changed a little over time and started as a 10mile loop. It has been the current route for many years - a 3.25 mile out and back from The Hallam Cricket Ground to the entrance to Stannington Church. You are either descending or climbing, with almost no flat running. Under foot it is mainly on grass field paths or tracks, with some sections on roads to connect the route.
Here is a map of the route
Here is a close up of the route at the bottom of the valley as it crosses the Rivelin Valley
The run crosses lots of roads, so this, combined with the rough terrain, limits the entrants to adults (18+yo).
To make the challenge more interesting, the event is handicapped with the slowest runner off first at 8pm and the fastest runner off last, some 15-20 minutes later. The idea is that all runners finish together. For many years our handicapper, John Spencer, has honed his talents to try and place runners in the correct start order, based on their recent performance in other recent races such as the Trunce, the South Yorkshire Road League, Park Runs and local fell race times. It is an impossible job to do perfectly, so there is always the odd runners how performs better or worse than expected but this means the winner is almost always new and it could be anyone! The competetion to get your name on a trophy is palpable. Many a potential winner has been pipped to the line, inside the final 100m, as more and more runners re-enter the Cricket Ground together.
The event would not be possible without a mini army of 40+ marshals! We have to thank each and every person who volunteers - many have competed in the race themselves in the past and are old friends - part to the Hallam Chase family