On the 25th of September 2010, 19 runners gathered around the Cross in Helmsley Market Square, to listen to a last minute briefing and motivational speech from Hardmoors race director Jon Steele, before moving past the iconic ruins of Helmsley castle to the official start of the Cleveland Way and also the start of the Hardmoors110. At 1900 hours National Trails Officer Malcolm Hodgson after a few words of encouragement officially started the race and all 19 runners embarked on a 110 mile journey through Moorland, hills and clifftops which would take the majority of runners through 2 nights of continuous running to complete the race in under the 36 hour cut off time.
36 runners had registered to compete in the Hardmoors110 but during the fortnight before the race 17 runners had dropped out through injury and other problems
Within a short time of setting off, daylight was exchanged for darkness and runners arrived after 8 miles at the first checkpoint at Sutton Bank. With local lads Neil Ridsdale and Martin Dietrich (2008 Hardmoors110 winner and Cleveland Way fastest completion record holder) arriving in just under 1hr 4mins.
Osmotherley checkpoint was next on call, again Martin and Neil led the way arriving there at 22.24 after only 3hrs 16mins. In 3rd place Dave Karnis (Hull) arrived 30 minutes later leaving the majority of runners to come through at around midnight.
After leaving Osmotherley the route becomes much tougher with steep climbs and slippery descents. The next checkpoint was marshalled by 2 ex Marines in a small tent high up on the Wainstones. Followed by a long sweep out into the remote moorlands to reach Blowarth Crossing and the next checkpoint marshalled by Murdo Mcewan (2008 3rd place winner and 1st senior) who travelled all the way from Edinburgh to man this remote checkpoint in his Bivvy Bag and a St Andrews flying high. Again both Neil and Martin at this point running together came through first in 6hrs 17mins. After a nasty fall on one of the many slippery descents, Dave Karnis had fallen (no pun intended) to 7th place and Stuart Crispin (London) and Matt Beardshall (Chesterfield) came in, in joint 3rd place, 45minutes behind Martin and Neil. The last runners coming through after 9 hours of running.
After leaving Blowarth Crossing, competitors passed through the sleepy village of Kildale and climbed up to the Captain Cooks monument and a surprise checkpoint in the form of Julien (last year competitor) Julien had travelled all the way up from London to man this checkpoint and would be returning back to London the next day before flying to a conference in Japan on the Sunday, talk about different contrasts!! After yet again after two more descents and climbs all competitors had the out and back to Roseberry Topping to contend with and the smiling face of Jez Bragg (Top International Ultrarunner, holder of the West Highland Way fastest completion record and Commonwealth 100k champion) sat in his tent perched on the cold windy summit of Roseberry. After Roseberry Topping the route took the runners through Guisborough Woods leaving the North York Moors behind and heading out towards the coast, across to Slapewath, Skelton and the checkpoint at Saltburn with 3 runners pulling out from the race along the way.
Neil and Martin reached Saltburn both in joint first place in 10hrs 26 minutes (Saltburn is 55 miles from the start) 1 hour later Matt and Stuart arrived in joint 3rd place and the last runner arrived about 5 hours later at 10.34. Next it was Runswick Bay with one competitor deciding to call it a day, followed by the crowded streets of Whitby and onto the 99 steps leading the way up to the Abbey and also the next checkpoint. By this time all runners would be experiencing beautiful warm weather with clear and fantastic views both over towards the sea and inland. Neil Risdale came up the steps at 09.30, 32 minutes ahead of Martin Dietrich who now was in second place. Passing through Whitby in 3rd place was Stuart Crispin with Matt Beardshall a minute behind him in 4th place.
At Ravenscar checkpoint the marshals where having a great day, sunbathing and taking in the views over towards Robin Hoods Bay, being awoken from their slumber by a superfast and fresh as a daisy Neil Ridsdale 50 minutes ahead of 2nd place runner Martin Dietrich, with Dave Kamis back in 3rd place closely followed by Stuart Crispin and Matt Beardshall in joint 4 place (2 minutes behind Dave) with the last runner coming into Ravenscar 9 hrs 35 mins later than Neil but showing a huge amount of grit and determination persevering through badly blistered feet with another 20 miles to go and another night without sleep.
Scarborough’s Checkpoint was based on the seafront opposite the Castle and runners arriving in daylight hours had to fight there way through huge crowds of holidaymakers enjoying the fantastic weather, to both arrive and leave the Scarborough checkpoint. The last checkpoint of the race was a tent based towards the end of Filey Brigg manned for over 14 hours!! Each runner had to run the out and back as yet another sting in the races tail so close to the finish.
The end of the Hardmoors Race is based at the ‘Evron Centre’ in the centre of Filey, a maze of back streets to confuse the runners brains lead the way to rest and recuperation, so close but so far!
In first place Neil Ridsdale completed the race with an outstanding race time of 21.03 hours 3 plus hours quicker then the fastest time in 2008 (New Cleveland way record)
In second place Martin Dietrich finished in a superfast 23.00 hours
And in third place Dave Kamis finished the race 10 hours quicker then his previous time in 2008 to finish in the impressive time of 24.23 hours
1st Senior (over 55) was John Vernon in 33.19 hours
14 out of the original 19 finished the full 110 mile route and the last runner finished in 35.44 hours.