Archive for the Fell Running Category
Stretton Skyline - Sun 13th Sept
16/09/2009 by Ivan.
Report compiled from the bulletin board, mainly by Vanessa
A car load with Matthew, Dick, Colin and Andy Blackmore drove up on Sunday, and the Ashtons also went up to Church Stretton for the Stretton Skyline fell race. 19 miles and 4,450ft of ascent up and down the Long Mynd area. It’s organised by Telford AC.
The results from Telford AC website:
Matthew 9th 2.58.55
Gerry 48th 3.37.40
Andy 53rd 3.40.00
Colin 80th 4.10.20
Dick 81st 4.10.20
93 starters and 85 finishers.
Matthew won the vet 40 prize 
Gerry also did a PB by 24 mins.
Colin managed a PB by 39 minutes.
Matthew assures me that everyone enjoyed it! (Well, he did, anyway)
”A good, but tough race which has one of the best descents of any race I have ever done (from the Long Mynd into Little Stretton), the only drawback being that you still have four hills and about 15 miles of running to do at that point.” Matthew
Gerry’s report can be found on his blog:
http://gerrya.wordpress.com/2009/09/13/stretton-skyline-fell-race/
Machen Mountain 10k - 31st Aug ‘09
03/09/2009 by Ivan.
Machen Mania - by Niki
“And you go over the top here.” bellowed the Army commander to his squaddies, pointing with a long stick at a cairn on the blown up map at the Army Headquarters, sorry Machen Cricket Club. I tried to peer through the bored looking squaddies at the map, and caught a worrying glimpse of lots of brown lines either side of the cairn. I guess because the race had 10k in its title, I assumed it wouldn’t be tough – ignoring the word Mountain. I didn’t really need to look at the map, as Gill, Dick and Lou – all veterans of the Machen Mountain 10k, just pointed at a gargantuan lump behind me.
“So talk me through the course” I demanded trying to psyche myself into race mode – having spent the preceding part of the bank holiday wafting around, with a heavily negative output to input ratio – i.e. getting heavily acquainted with the sofa and the contents of the fridge. I was feeling as fired up as a nonagenarian on beta blockers.
“You run round this field, then through the town, up a steep hill on the road, then up more of a hill off-road, then through some styles, then contour through the forest for a bit, then up a bit more, then steeply up, before tackling the hill that leads you up a steep incline to the top. Then you run downhill a lot.”
Me: “So, it’s like, up and down then”
Gill: “Yeah”
Me: “So, a fell race then basically”
Gill: “No, well yes, but no, but yes, but”
Random runner from another club: “How does it compare with your Tintern Trot”
Gill: “Oh, about the same”
Me, after random runs off looking relieved: “But, Gill, the Tintern Trot doesn’t have 1000 ft of ascent does it?”
Gill: “Detail, detail…”
Dick, James, Lou, Gill, Andy Stott, Rob Brown, Ian and Becca all arrived about 3 hours early in order to ensure getting a place as they were all too disorganised to enter in advance. The disconcerting aspect of arriving that early to a race is the need to visit the toilet once every 5 minutes until the start – just in case one should be carrying half an ounce more than necessary round the course. This is fine unless the one functioning Ladies toilet happens to lock you in every time you visit and you need to be rescued each time. Andy’s Godmother was fortunate enough to be discovered trapped in this less than salubrious environment by Gill and was freed before the start. I believe she is currently doing well in therapy.
And so to the start. Ian’s American girlfriend Becca, just over for the weekend and the Machen Mountain 10k, was taking no chances with the British weather and wore a warm pair of gloves the whole way round. As it was I believe the first race she had entered in Britain, Ian kindly ran round with her all the way – men take note on Ian’s lessons in gallant behaviour. Very impressive and will win you lots of favours – but you need to put away your pride and any notions of a PB. Becca reported enjoying it enormously. This is laudable – however, Ian after she’s done a couple more races, you do need to explain to her that enjoyment is absolutely not the point. Anyway, she did very well, and good effort coming all that way for a 10k.
Lou went off like a rocket and I tried to keep up with her for about the first 30 seconds before I realised I would be revisiting my bank holiday excess quite rapidly if I tried to stay with her. The race was very much as described by Gill. After a mile or two, we came across a style and two very officious looking marshalls told us not to race the styles – but to form an orderly queue. Lou, a student of AC’s off-road courses was having none of this queuing nonsense, and nonchalantly trotted past about 5 blokes to volt over the gate adjacent to the style. I admired her attitude, but felt far too British to follow suit, so I stayed mute, and took my place behind about 10 runners all being infuriatingly slow and ponderous. Approximately 15 minutes later, I crossed the style, and by this time, felt so pumped up with aggression and rage that I managed to actually run up most of the rest of the hill to the cairn.
On crossing another style close to the top, a woman was just ahead of me. We did the British thing of “no, you go first”, “no, you, please” “no, no really, you first”. I subsequently found out she was the first Female Vet 40 who won a trophy and a tenner and beat me by 38 seconds. If I’d have known that at the time, I would have rugby-tackled her to the ground, found a couple of burly Army marshals, made them sit on her for 39 seconds, and run like hell to the finish.
The downhill was great – fast, and with lots of interest – down a steep hillside, followed by down through the forest, followed by fast, downhill on the road. You get the picture – a lot of down. The horrid bit for me was the last lap of the field at the end – by then, mentally you felt like it should be all over – and it just felt like an unpleasant slog when your legs were completely trashed by the descent. Still, I was elated to finish, and (almost retrospectively) really enjoyed the whole event. It’s a really fantastic little race – it’s local, low-key, inexpensive, we all received a lovely t-shirt, and the course and scenery were inspiring.
Gill won first Female Vet 50 prize, and Dick won first Male Vet 60 prize. Well done them!!! Also, I won’t hold it against Sharon Woods for being first FV40 – but next time, I’m not waiting at no style!
Harriers Results were as follows:
47.30 Mark Harvey
51.55 Andy Stott
53.17 James Blore
53.20 Matt Creed
56.27 Niki
59.05 Dick
59.33 Gill
59.54 Lou
68.05 Rob Brown
71.26 Ian and Becca
The End.
Gill Gets Greedy for Gottles of Geer!
19/07/2009 by Dick.
Not content with winning her age group bottles of beer at Pen y Fan on Saturday, Stottie returned to the Beacons today and this time won two bottles of wine (she thinks she won just the one prize and asked me to collect it when she left early to fulfill a social engagement, but she also won a bottle for being a member of the winning team. I’m hoping she doesn’t read this as I’m hoping to guzzle one of the bottles to comfort me for a rubbish run).
I haven’t seen the results nor spoken to Mr Stott, nor Mr & Mrs Ashton so I can’t comment on their performance, but I shared a car with Matthew L who reckoned he had a good run, being 8th at the summit and finishing a creditable 13th.
I do know that Colin P wasn’t content with a mere 10 miles and decided to add another 4 to make it worthwhile, by improving upon the organiser’s set route and including a premature recce of the Brecon Beacons race course!
Dick’s Dashing Double (by Stottie)
18/07/2009 by Dick.
Just three club members stood at the line up for the Pen y Fan Fell Race this year. The turnout was quite good though, some runners coming from as far away as Cambridge, making a weekend of the two events (Fan y Big tomorrow). Although billed as a ‘short’ fell race – only 3.5 miles and 1930 feet climb - the mountain certainly looked bigger and further viewed from the start. Old timers gave advice about the grassy and slippery descent down into the bog, commenting that the route was ‘up to you’- worrying if you hadn’t done it before. Substantial ravines nestled menacingly at the bottom, filled with streams engorged by the storm a couple of days earlier.
Dick, in his new superman style, sped off, Andy in front and Gill padded behind, trying to hang on to Dick’s shirt tails. The ascent up to Corn Du was littered with walkers who obediently moved to one side as we huffed and puffed up to the top. The views would have been fantastic, had we cared enough to look….but we were too busy trying to make the summit of Pen y Fan.
The descent wasn’t quite as treacherous as people made out but a few runners found their legs gave way under the strain and it was possible to pick a few of them off. Nice run into the finish – all over in about 50 mins! Andy trotted in first, followed by Dick, then Gill.
At prize giving Dick won M60, Gill W50 and then, much to Dick’s amazement, a second team prize was given – Andy, Dick and another MDC runner. Prizes were from the local Brecon Brewery. Dick commented in the car that he only sipped beer and might not finish the FOUR bottles he had. So if you’re feeling thirsty – you know where he lives. They also won £10 Cotswold clothing vouchers.
The event, hosted by Mynydd Du was well organised, inexpensive to enter and prizes sponsored by the brewery and Cotswold Camping. Nearly every runner was able to nab a bottle of beer. Local Mary’s bakery provided free rolls and delicious flapjack. We felt we had got our money’s worth. If anybody is up for it, there is a £400 reward for any man who can break the current record of 30 mins, yet only £100 for the female record of 38 mins. Huh!
Fell Series - how it’s looking so far in July
08/07/2009 by Ivan.
Gerry & Sue, have put together the results so far as the standings are currently looking for July - following the Charmouth Race……..
Fell Series - July So Far
Don’t forget to try and fit a fell race in this month and make sure you let Gerry or Sue know.
Chepstow women can’t get enough
02/07/2009 by Ivan.
Report by Andy Stott
Yes they did it again, Chepstow women - Liz Francis (3rd Lady) and Gill Stott (1st SLV) came away with prizes from the Coity Mountain Fell Race on Sunday in sweltering heat less than 24 hrs after running in (and in Liz’s case winning) the Cotswold Way Relay. Andy Stott also put in a good effort finishing well up the field despite tired legs. The winners were Matthew Collins (Cardiff) and Angela Jones (Brecon). Around 50 faithful runners made the annual pilgrimage to the Whistle Inn, with the race now extended to 5 miles and starting in the Country Park as part of the local fete. A very friendly race.
Fell Series - after race 3
28/06/2009 by Ivan.
You have seen the write up in Club Champs section of the bulletin board ( http://chepstowharriers.org.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=528 ) as well as the other blog posting regarding the course record of the event.
Results following the 3rd race can be found at http://www.chepstowharriers.org.uk/events.htm
So no need to add more about therace itself, apart to say it was a good introduction to fell running – the steep up and down without a mountain in sight! The turnout has increased the numbers in the Fell Series – let’s hope some of these are converts and will come to more fell races. With the scoring system you are fighting against everybody, no matter their age or sex. Note that in July you can do any medium race classified as a fell race. If in doubt contact Sue Ashton and once you have done it then let Sue or Gerry know your time and those of the top 5 runners. The obvious ones are Guto Nyth Bran, Fan y Big, Waun Fach, Charmouth and the Kymin Dash (a mainly tarmac fell race!).”
Update on the Fell Series
08/06/2009 by Ivan.
Two races down but still four to go .
After consultation and advice from keen club members the revised schedule is as below.
June Beacon Batch 23/06 (short) Also a club championship
July Any medium fell race listed on the FRA or WFRA website (this covers Charmouth, the three welsh fell races and a few other in England and Scotland)
August Holiday
September Black Mountains 26/09 (long)
October Sugar Loaf 31/09 (short)
Still time for everybody to do 4races.
Sue
Paddy Buckley Round - Sat 30th
02/06/2009 by Ivan.
Whilst we were all lazing around enjoying the sunshine contemplating a nice little road run in the rack raid and wondering how hot it was going to be one of our club members had other things to be doing………
Tom Gibbs writes…..
On Saturday 30th May I had a crack at the Paddy Buckley Round, for those who don’t know it’s a ultra fell running route around Snowdonia, taking in 47 peaks and involving over 60 miles and 29000 feet of ascent. It’s the North Wales version of the Bob Graham Round. I had drawn up a schedule to have a go at the record of 18 hrs 10 minutes.
I started off at 4.20am from Capel Curig and it was shorts and short sleeve weather from the start, one of my big concerns was keeping out of the sun and hydrated. It was a stunning day, not a cloud in the sky, but not the best for fast attempts on long runs !
By 8am the weather was already hot and I knew that a fast time would be tricky. By 9:30 I was on my 2nd leg and due to some confusion and puncture ended up having to do most of the leg by myself with no food.
By Llanberis I was 2/3rds of the way round, up on the record and bang on my schedule with (only) the Glyders and Carneddau to go. Here the weather caught up with me and I struggled in the heat going up the near 3000ft climb onto Elidir Fawr. Bit by bit the record disappeared from my sights and I refocussed on finishing.
So it was that I descended in the dark off the last top to record 18 hrs 55 minutes, the 3rd fastest Paddy Buckley of all-time, with the knowledge that on a cooler day it would of been a lot closer.
Now I am just looking forward to being able to walk again !
Tom
Well done Tom - great attempt - next time with easier weather maybe 
CH Fell series - Race 2, Sarn Helen
20/05/2009 by Ivan.
Report by Gerry.
Results of the Chepstow Harriers Fell League following this the second race can be found on the website at http://www.chepstowharriers.org.uk/events.htm
There weren’t many Harriers at this event but it was well worth the trip. The organisers managed to get a break in the showers for the duration of the race.
The purists could complain that this wasn’t a true fell race, but it was a fair test of character, superbly signed and marshalled in nice countryside. There was a good deal of road running, but no problems with traffic.
The results show Gill just sneaking ahead of Sue in the championship – she had a good run chasing Andy and Andy all the way to the finish. Gill won her category once the officials worked out she wasn’t an M50! Strange that the only mistakes they appeared to have made were Gill & Sue.
I was well pleased with my time. Although slow it was by far my longest run of the year and I seem to have survived it without injury – evening managing a steady 5 mile plod round the track on Tuesday. I’m also pleased that I am ahead of James by 0.03 points! Come on mate – you’ll have to do the next one!
Next race is Beacon Batch, a Tuesday evening race - it’s also a club champs race - Tues 23rd June. Let’s see if we can get a good turnout.
Further report on the blog at
http://blog.chepstowharriers.org.uk/2009/05/17/stottie-stars-at-sarn-helen/
