Peak Divide Classic ‘24 Report

This is an ode to the Peak Divide’s F’s. A PDF if you will.

Faces. Food. Flags. Finish Line(s) ft. Foccacia. Friends & Family. Ultra-fun-running. Frivolities.

The brief for the Peak Divide Second Edition remained as simple, and whimsical, as the original recce back in the spring of 2022.

‘Do you think we could run to Sheffield this weekend?’

Back then it was a small crew of ultra-curious bikepackers wondering whether they were capable of a 76km two-footed adventure rather than a two-wheeled one.

Fast forward to 20-21 April and there were 207 ultra-curious faces ready to slow-foot it across the Peak District.

Those faces were as varied as the mild:wild route that the Peak Divide champions.

Parent/child pairings. Husbands + wives. Ultra-Curious + long run regulars. Dogs + owners.

‘First, we eat. Then we do everything else.’

MK Fisher unfortunately never made it to Gnocchi Gap.

Or Gee Cross Tesco Express.

In fact, it’s not super clear whether she could have shuffled the 20 odd kilometres along Manchester’s canals to make it to PD’s Day One refuelling spots.

But, it’s safe to say she’d have approved of Stef (eating well = one of the ‘arts of life’) Amato’s insistence that running doesn’t need to be fuelled by jelly babies and gels.

Olive Oil and pasta is a shuffler’s best friend. Especially a shuffler who is about to take on the one of the less Kinder parts of the PD route.

After conquering Kinder Low the convoy of 200 enjoyed the highs of Mt Malibu.

‘It comes from paradise and tastes like heaven’ may be a slight upsell.

But what better way to steel yourself for the downhill into Divide Camp the Day One Finish Line Foccacia than a tote of the number one white rum-based coconut spirit in the world?

With 41 boggy kilometres in the legs, friends were starting to feel like family and vice versa.

The Peak Divide is a journey not a race.

But for the record, the first person across the Finish Line at Newfold was… a dog.

Dog-ish tired Day Two legs are definitely one of PD’s biggest challenges.

To journey further than you thought possible, and to truly embrace PD’s ultra-curious vibes, getting going again on day two is a necessarily evil. Luckily, Oatly Overnight Oats + pain au chocolat eased the pain and helped fuel the legs for the 3km “neutralised shuffle” up and out of Divide Camp and onwards to Sheff.

Midway through day two, ultra-fun running was in full flow.

Sheffield started to show itself.

And 200 shufflers relished a downhill into the Steel City and a sit down at Perch, complete with a PD Purple Digital Violet commemorative necklace and a minute or two to finesse your appearance for a Finish Line photo.