Eyam Half Marathon Report:
On Sunday 19th May two MAC Runners Daniel Haworth and me Sally Owen ran the Hilly Eyam Half Marathon on a perfect sunny warm day at the plague village of Derbyshire. 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 Covid19 and the race successfully returned in October 2021. The ‘Rat Race’ returned to its regular May date in 2022. It’s 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.
The route is an iconic road half marathon in the beautiful Peak District involving over 1,500ft of ascent but which rewards runners with stunning views across five counties.
Starting and finishing in the historic Plague Village of Eyam, the route climbs out of the village up onto the moor of Sir William Hill and loops out on lovely traffic free country roads passing Derbyshire highest pub ‘ The Barrel Inn’ at over 1200ft above sea level and through the tiny hamlets of Bretton and Abney then descending down to the Plough Inn on the outskirts of Hathersage before a leg and lung sapping 800ft climb over two miles back towards Sir William Hill before the last mile of the race culminating in the final 400ft descent back into Eyam village for the finish.
Half Marathon Results:
1st Male Winner– William Strangeway – 01:14:59 Lincoln Wellington Athletic Club
1st Female Winner – Sian Evans – 01:28:34 – Steel City Striders RC
3rd Dan Haworth – 01:20:37 – Matlock AC
304th Sally Owen – 02:20:57 – Matlock AC
There were 377 Finishers all together. Well organised, friendly local Half Marathon and highly recommend.
