Bamford Fell Race

Summer Series, Race 10

Sunday May 25^th.

 This was a country fete at which we, the fell runners, were a supporting act to the main players, the sheepdogs. I think there were differing perspectives on the course itself, in that it shuffled the normal finishing order, the course characteristics favouring some and disadvantaging others.

 The weather was as it has been throughout, cool for May with no sunshine but it was dry, with little wind and at around 12^o good conditions for running. Tony said that last year there had been deep mud, but this year the ground was bone hard.

 The race starts gently uphill on the road for half-a-mile, then turning up a track it is level for the next mile. There were around 180 runners, with adequate room for over-taking and positioning yourself for what was to come.  You turn left and go uphill, that is probably an understatement, it’s not quite ropes and crampons but certainly, in my section of the race, no thought of running. There are about 300m where people do run but, otherwise, for a mile there was a crocodile of walking runners making their way to the trig point. Thereafter, you start back via a parallel route, which soon broadens-out, allowing the chargers to pass the mincers. After 4 miles you hit the bottom of the hill and repeat the initial flat to the finish.

 The Rob Downs driving time/running time coefficient made him an unexpected participant but he had been orphaned by his family and was first home in 11^th.

Just behind was Tom, 12^th. followed by Jim 18^th. ,Robert 29^th and Graham 30^th.

 Ian, it was his sort of course, was first in League 2, seconds ahead of Steve, then came Tim and Andy. Paul is in sparkling form, but it was not a race that played to his strengths.

 Tony continues to get stronger pushing Sally, who also excels on the fells, into second in League 3. Huma, who has re-found her form/confidence, was just in front of Geoff. I edged ahead of Nicky on the descent but she took both John and I in the final flat half mile. Chris gave his hamstring a work-out, he was limping after the race and Patrick struggled.

 Jon is too good for the rest of us in League 4 off-road, though perhaps Gavin can provide a challenge as he continues to get fitter. I had hopes of beating Gail for the first time this year but she went away once we got off the fell. The race was tough on Clare and Carolyn, they were unable to take advantage of their uphill ability, stuck in the walking crocodile up the narrow ascent. Once we got to the top the path widened and they were prey to the downhill chargers. Sally had a heavy fall on the descent, lost places and came home blooded.  Sharon chose an interesting race to return from two months injured, her foot was stinging after the race.

 Sarah, who prefers this to the boring stuff on the road, took her first League 5 60-points of the year from Jan, who had a horrendous quantity of ketchup on her burger, and Belinda.

Plenty of pictures on the web, here, and here.

Ian