Peak District, Saturday, October 19, 2019
Having watched Graeme in, we were off, up a short muddy slope through the woods and out into open moorland. A slow run soon turned into a steady hands-on-knees walk as the slope steepened through bracken and heather. The next hour or so was hard work. Muddy tussocky narrow paths, the occasional bog and stream … Continue reading British Fell Relay Championships (Leg 2)
Cat: there’s no way this one’s getting into the FRA calendar Reviewing my running in 2018 in November was, on the whole, a satisfactory experience: decent weekly mileage? Check, with only a few slack weeks due to injury or work. Getting some worthwhile XC and cat A/B fell races in? Check, with a handful I’d … Continue reading Country to Capital Ultra
Grasmere, Saturday, October 20, 2018
Leg 1; Mark Warner, solo, 5 miles, 2400 ft I love running and I love mountains but for some reason, I rarely combine the two, so when Paul Evans put a call out for an Elvet Striders team for the ‘British Fell and Hill Relay Championships‘ in the Lakes, it seemed like an opportunity to … Continue reading British Fell Relay Championships 2018
Cartworth Moor, nr Holmfirth, Sunday, July 22, 2018
AL / 17.7miles / 4134 ft
I’d not planned to race Holme Moss, having trained with an eye on Wasdale, the week before. However, having being unable to get transport over to the Lakes and ‘chomping at the bit’ for a chance to race again, I scanned the FRA calendar for anything marked ‘AL’ that could feasibly be reached by public … Continue reading Holme Moss Fell Race
Sometimes, words are not necessary, and numbers will suffice. The pertinent numbers here are, as above, 14 and 6000. That is, 6000 ft of ascent and descent in 14 miles or, to be precise, 483 ft of ascent for every mile run. For perspective, to be category ‘A,’ a fell race must have 250ft ascent … Continue reading Sedbergh Hills 2018
Many of you, having been harangued by me over the last few months, will know that this race is special to me. It is also special to the Club, as evidenced by the fact that they pay entry fees for as many teams as we can muster. I can’t answer for the Club, but for … Continue reading Calderdale Way Relay 2018
Stair Village Hall, Keswick, Saturday, April 21, 2018
11.5 miles, 3600 foot of ascent
This is not just a report about a race. This is a love story. With a race central to it. I’d first heard of the Anniversary Waltz when, around 14 years ago, a striking photo of a runner approaching the summit of, I think, Robinson, the lush green of the Newlands valley in the background, … Continue reading The Last Anniversary Waltz Fell Race 2018
Plan for 2018, after the running horrors of Jan 16-Oct 17: train hard, do XC and hit the ground running with the long races of Marsden-Edale, Wadsworth and the Skyline, with a view to longer stuff later. Reality: pick up an Achilles injury after Christmas, miss Capt Cook, run/limp a stinker at Herrington XC when injured (worst … Continue reading Edale Skyline 2018
Barley Village, SW Pennines, Saturday, November 18, 2017
16.8 miles
‘I’ve not yet done the full course, so back next year it is.’ So said I, two years ago, after the Tour was shortened due to inclement weather (for a fell race, this takes a lot), shortly before developing an unhealthy relationship with work for the next year, with far too many hours spent behind … Continue reading Tour of Pendle Fell Race 2017 4830′, AL
It’s been a while since I’ve felt compelled to spend a Sunday evening sat at a laptop, trying to recall what took place the day before. Probably around two years or so – [ actually just last year! ^DN] the website seems to show nothing from me since November 2015 [<cough!> Paul Evans ^DN]. However, … Continue reading Long Tour of Bradwell 2017