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Race Report - The Cordwell Colossus

Report by Collette Gains

Date: 13th August 2022


I'm not much of a writer so apologies in advance, however I fancied doing a report of this one to hopefully encourage a few more bees next year!



I knew very little about this race, having mainly signed up because my marathon plan called for a 20 miler this weekend and this was 20 miles, better doing it as a race than slogging it out on your own!


Now, anyone who saw my face/knees/elbow/shoulder on Sunday will know it was quite an eventful one for me. Around 6 miles in, my amazingly grippy trail shoes, clung on to the tarmac at a road crossing a little too well and over I went......face first! after a few minutes on the ground taking stock and mopping up some blood, I decided I was in one piece with no missing teeth or broken bones and would carry on, at least until the next checkpoint. At this point I was in 2nd place behind the one and only Michael Kenyon (who was but a spec in the distance) but 2 chaps (after checking I was okay) managed to get past me knocking me to 4th. As it turned out, I carried on the whole way, clawing my way back to 3rd overall and first lady! 


The route is around 90% trail with road crossings here and there, and an eye watering amount of elevation. It took in a lot of bits of other routes I knew such as the Dronfield Way and the Spire ultra but its only thanks to the app 'Komoot' that I didn't get completely lost!  Despite the injuries, it's a spectacular route (starting and finishing at a pub too) The marshalls were amazing at all the checkpoints with loads of water, flat coke and squash along with a fab selection of treats from fresh fruit to mars bars and everything in between! Hopefully next year we won't have the blistering heat of Saturday!


The race was new this year and put on by First Light Active (who do the Spire Ultra) and had only 30 participants so lets help boost those numbers next year given that it is on our doorstep (starting point is Leg 1 of the Dronfield Way) 


The race was won by our very own Michael Kenyon with myself coming in First Lady.







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