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Andy Staveley is our trail expert in the north, giving his knowledge of the local area around Rivington Pike to make sure we have the best trail route for the annual Rivington Half Marathon! He's been to Switzerland among many races this year and been putting his Salomon kit through its paces!
Andy will be at the Rivington Half once again on the 2nd October.
Name: ANDY STAVELEY
Hometown: RIVINGTON
WHERE DO YOU TRAIN NORMALLY?
I’m fortunate to live at the foot of Rivington Pike, so most of my training is done on the West Pennine Moors around Rivington and Anglezarke. I’m biased, but I think this area boasts some of the finest running in the country.
ROAD OR TRAIL OR A MIX OF BOTH?
Mostly trail, but I race on the road as well as on the fells. I prefer off-road, but Winter evenings force me on the roads abit more and I’m sure that the mixture is good.
FAVOURITE RUNNING ROUTE?
So many! Many times when I do a new race, it immediately gets added to my list of favourites – I wouldn’t like to have to compile my “desert island discs” of running!
I love the route from Rivington Pike over Great Hill to White Coppice and back through the ‘Lancashire Lake District’. Outside the UK, you simply can’t beat the Swiss Alps.
WHAT WAS YOUR EXPECTED TIME FOR THE MARATHON?
I can scrape under 3 hours on the road and my best time in the Swiss Alpine Marathon is 4:11, but the K78 was a voyage into the complete unknown for me. My only ambition was to complete it within the time limit, but I thought I would be pleased with anything under 10 hours. I was astonished and delighted to see 8:26 on the clock when I arrived in the stadium at Davos.
WHAT KIT DID YOU USE?
The Speedcross 2 is my trusted and favourite trail shoe, but on the hard Alpine tracks I decided to try the S-LAB2 XT wings which were brilliant and absolutely perfect for the mixed terrain of the K78. Other than that, it was club kit and bumbag with a handful of mint-cake and cashew nuts!
HOW DID YOU GET ON WITH IT?
The S-LAB XT wings were really comfortable throughout and helped me come through the event completely unscathed and with no aches or pains – I think the Speedcross are still the best for UK conditions, but following the K78 experience my S-LAB2 XT wings and me are now best mates!
HOW DID YOU HAVE TO PREPARE FOR THIS RACE CONSIDERING THE ALTITUDE?
We arrived in Switzerland the week before the race and were staying at altitude. We did some gentle but high walks through the week and I also did the Seelauf race as abit of a sharpener midweek.
WHAT WAS THE BEST PART OF THE RACE?
The high section between Keschhutte and Scalettapass. Having completed a thirteen mile climb from Filisur to Keschhutte, the terrain becomes abit rougher which suits me and the run along the Panorama Trail was fantastic looking down at the K42 runners way below in the valley and knowing they had a big climb to get back up where we were! At this stage we were about 35 miles in and I began to realise that things were going well and that I was still OK.
WHAT’S NEXT?
As soon as I get back, I’m supporting a couple of legs of a Bob Graham attempt and then it’s the usual mixture of club races and fell races with the Cross Country season not too far off. We’re doing the Venice Marathon in October which promises to be a unique experience. I’m also looking forward to the Rivington Trail half marathon which passes my back gate.
Hometown: RIVINGTON
WHERE DO YOU TRAIN NORMALLY?
I’m fortunate to live at the foot of Rivington Pike, so most of my training is done on the West Pennine Moors around Rivington and Anglezarke. I’m biased, but I think this area boasts some of the finest running in the country.
ROAD OR TRAIL OR A MIX OF BOTH?
Mostly trail, but I race on the road as well as on the fells. I prefer off-road, but Winter evenings force me on the roads abit more and I’m sure that the mixture is good.
FAVOURITE RUNNING ROUTE?
So many! Many times when I do a new race, it immediately gets added to my list of favourites – I wouldn’t like to have to compile my “desert island discs” of running!
I love the route from Rivington Pike over Great Hill to White Coppice and back through the ‘Lancashire Lake District’. Outside the UK, you simply can’t beat the Swiss Alps.
WHAT WAS YOUR EXPECTED TIME FOR THE MARATHON?
I can scrape under 3 hours on the road and my best time in the Swiss Alpine Marathon is 4:11, but the K78 was a voyage into the complete unknown for me. My only ambition was to complete it within the time limit, but I thought I would be pleased with anything under 10 hours. I was astonished and delighted to see 8:26 on the clock when I arrived in the stadium at Davos.
WHAT KIT DID YOU USE?
The Speedcross 2 is my trusted and favourite trail shoe, but on the hard Alpine tracks I decided to try the S-LAB2 XT wings which were brilliant and absolutely perfect for the mixed terrain of the K78. Other than that, it was club kit and bumbag with a handful of mint-cake and cashew nuts!
HOW DID YOU GET ON WITH IT?
The S-LAB XT wings were really comfortable throughout and helped me come through the event completely unscathed and with no aches or pains – I think the Speedcross are still the best for UK conditions, but following the K78 experience my S-LAB2 XT wings and me are now best mates!
HOW DID YOU HAVE TO PREPARE FOR THIS RACE CONSIDERING THE ALTITUDE?
We arrived in Switzerland the week before the race and were staying at altitude. We did some gentle but high walks through the week and I also did the Seelauf race as abit of a sharpener midweek.
WHAT WAS THE BEST PART OF THE RACE?
The high section between Keschhutte and Scalettapass. Having completed a thirteen mile climb from Filisur to Keschhutte, the terrain becomes abit rougher which suits me and the run along the Panorama Trail was fantastic looking down at the K42 runners way below in the valley and knowing they had a big climb to get back up where we were! At this stage we were about 35 miles in and I began to realise that things were going well and that I was still OK.
WHAT’S NEXT?
As soon as I get back, I’m supporting a couple of legs of a Bob Graham attempt and then it’s the usual mixture of club races and fell races with the Cross Country season not too far off. We’re doing the Venice Marathon in October which promises to be a unique experience. I’m also looking forward to the Rivington Trail half marathon which passes my back gate.