25 October 2014 – 4 miles / 1558 ft
A great little fell race & everything a fell race should be. Low key event, beautifully & simply organised. Parking in a farmer’s field then registering & starting in another, and setting off straight up a rather daunting looking grassy bank.
It had been deemed the Yorkshire Championship Fell race so there was as strong turn out from both Calder Valley Fell Runners & Wharfedale Harriers. It was also round 13 of the inaugural P & B Fell Championship, so a good few P & B were present too.
It’s a straight out & back to the trig point and but it feels much further than the 2 miles on the way up. Then all of a sudden you are approaching the summit and the front runners come streaming back past you, appearing out of the mist from all directions.
The descent is quite simply the most fun you can have in shorts & a vest. A headlong dive from the summit, trying to stay on your feet through the grasping knee deep bogs, followed by a death defying lunge down a sharp rocky bank, before an absolute storming finish down through rolling green fields. Legs a blur, eyeballs popping!
At the sharp end it was a clean sweep for CVFR for individual & team medals, and Victoria Wilkinson managed to knock 8 seconds from her own course record.
A stormer of a run from Joe Baxter – Photo by Debi Nicholson
Charlie with his eyes fixed firmly on Neil’s heels… Photo by Woodentops
First back for P & B, in only his 3rd fell race, was Joe Baxter, in an impressive 7th position. This was also his first solo run for P & B and surely more great things are to follow.
Myself, Neil Armitage & Martin Hurst, next to arrive, all with 30 seconds of each other. Followed by the racing machines that are Mike Rees & Caroline Harding.
Postrace was a quick wash down in the handily placed finish field stream, before a hot roast beef sandwich & a pint of Black Sheep best bitter in the local hostelry. Fell running nirvana…..!
Martin always pins his number on in the dark – Photo by Woodentops
Mike showing good form over the top – Photo by Woodentops
Caroline climbing strong – Photo by Woodentops
Joe Baxter 7th 33:29. Charlie McIntosh 17th 35:45. Neil Armitage 21st 36:14. Martin Hurst 26th 36:22. Michael Rees 116th 47:20. Caroline Harding 131st 49:07. Full results available here.
NB – don’t forget the remaining rounds in the P & B Championship. Would be great to see you all there.
- 15th November 2014 – Full Tour of Pendle – 16.8 miles/4833 ft
- 14th December 2014 – Mytholmroyd – 7 miles/1348 ft
- 21st December 2014 – Stoop – 5 miles/ 820 ft