Sticking With Tradition

Over the last few weeks with my training going ok I decided to take part in a few fell races. The first being at Killington Sports nr Kirkby Lonsdale. This is a traditional sports held on a Thursday night in a beautiful part of South Cumbria and is possibly the oldest sports running. The course is short but tough, starting from the sports field it rises gently through the first few fields then onto a steep grass track which brings you out to just below a television transmitter, from here it drops down through a few gates to the bottom of the last hill you climb, after turning the top you return the same way you came back to the sports field. The winner of the race was Danny Parkinson from Kendal in a time of 10 min 51 seconds, with Tom Addison from Helm Hill Runners a close 2nd. As for myself I managed to finish 16th in 14 mins 21 second so was pleased with my run considering I've still not 100% recovered from my injury.

Lowgill Sports 

The next race was on Saturday night at Lowgill Sports near Bentham, this too is a traditional sports which has been held as long as Killington. Lowgill  has had some great names over the years that have won the senior fell race with the likes of Mike Hawkins, Steve Carr, and most notably Fred Reeves from Coniston who won the race no fewer than 11 times. Over the years I can remember some great running at Lowgill with some sizeable fields of runners in both junior & senior races, Juniors regular attracting 30 plus & the seniors 60+. How times have changed though, this year the Senior fell race of approx 4.5 miles could only attract 7 runners which is a great shame for such a great sports a challenging fell race that sets off  from the top of the hill on the sports field and drops down through the fields to a bridge which you cross then climb up the steep hill on the other side of the valley. Once you reach the top of the hill you climb over a fence then make your way across a field to another stile in a fence which you take and make your way across the moor to White Moss trig point were you turn and head south. After approx 800 meters you come to a road which you cross then climb a gate and run through 2 fields that brings you to the top of a wood where you make your way back down to the bottom of the valley and cross the bridge again and make your way back upto the sports field to the finish. This has got to be one of the hardest finishes to a fell race for miles around and over the years there has been many a race won and lost on this part of the course. Winner of the fell race was Paul Lambert from Ingleton, I do not have 2nd place finishers name, 3rd Steve Carr from Kendal, with myself 4th. For anyone reading this why not come along to Lowgill Sports next year and support a trully great traditional sports.   

View from the top of the wood with sports field in the background

   

Back On Track

Over the last few weeks it has been a combination of rest, massage, ice then the gentle introduction of easy training to get things back on track from my recent calf injury. Training has mainly been cycling and easy running followed by plenty of flexibility exercises and fingers crossed this seems to be working. Since the injury i have bought a pair of Skins calf compression socks and a new pair of Soloman Speed Cross running shoes to try and prevent the injury reoccurring with the socks giving my calf some support and the shoes giving me some cushioning. With things going ok i was able to help pace Martin Spooner on leg 5 of his Bob Graham on Sunday, i was initially down to pace legs 2&3 but felt that i could not risk letting Martin down so opted out of the back to back legs. It was an early start on Sunday which saw me setting of from home at 5.15 am and travelling up to Wasdale to help out on leg 3&4 change over by taking two of the leg 3 pacers back to Dunmail Raise. When Martin arrived at Wasdale he was finding things tough with his knee giving him some problems but a good rest, painkillers, ice, and bacon butties he was soon ready to start leg 4 of the challenge. On this part of the route Martin seemed to turn things around and began to feel a lot stronger so when we met up with him again at the end of leg 4 at Honister he was in a lot better shape and state of mind being 11 minutes up for the leg. After a 5 minute break at Honister he was off on his final leg of the BG challenge taking in Dale Head, Hindscarth & Robinson and was soon down onto the road at Little Town, a quick stop to change into road running shoes for the final run in to Keswick along the road saw Martin pick up the pace so much that when he arrived at the bottom of the main street he was able to even put in a sprint finish to Moot Hall and clock a time of 22hrs 41minutes for the Bob Graham Round. This was a absolutely fantastic effort by Martin who in the last few weeks before his BG attempt had picked up a few injuries and at one point was thinking of delaying his attempt. Martin was also raising money for the North West Air Ambulance. http://www.justgiving.com/Martin-Spooner