Hardmoors Race Series
"Bringing you the best trail running experience in the UK since 2008."
The 'Hardmoors race series' is one of the original trail running event companies in the north of England. Created by ultra runners Jon and Shirley Steele in 2008, it has grown from a single ultra race on the Cleveland Way (Hardmoors 110), into one of the most iconic, community-driven trail running series in the World.
Its history is very much a story of grassroots passion and stubborn northern grit which lead the way in the rise of long distance trail running across the world. Centred around 'The Cleveland Way', with its mixture of open moorland, coastline and brutal hills, the Cleveland Way became the backbone of the series. Today, Hardmoors has cemented itself as a 'proving ground' for ultra runners - a place where people test themselves against the weather, terrain and sleep deprivation.
Hardmoors 55 - Beast from the East Edition
On the 17th March 2018, the Hardmoors 55 - 'Beast from the East' ultra race became one of most infamous races in Hardmoors history. As the race commenced on a quiet wintery morning in the North Yorkshire village of Helmsley, a Siberian weather system headed inland and across the path of the race. The 'Cleveland Way' route was quickly immersed in a blanket of deep snow. With its brutal snowstorms, gale-forced winds and arctic temperatures as low as -14 degrees, the 'Beast from the East' storm pushed the runners to their limits. Many runners reported ice forming on their faces, clothing and running packs as they struggled to stay upright in the gale force winds and deepening snow. Drinks bottles froze and navigation became difficult in the worsening conditions with 'way signs' blanked in the frozen snow.
Despite the weather, 166 runners completed the event. Derwent Valley Trail Runners had a strong contingent of members participating in the event that day including Andrew Dick, Paul Feeley, Ian Hutchinson, Stephen Gibson, Jamie Steel, Brian Cutmore and Susan Chambers.
Today Hardmoors host a number of events for trail runners of all abilities ranging from the 5km 'Rabbitt Run' up to the 'Hardmoors 200 (miles)'.
