Gravy Pud 5 - Running doesn't get tougher than this

The Fell Running Briefs team were lucky enough to be in London this week, and you'll never guess who we bumped into....No you'll never guess so here's a picture.

Yes we ran into none other than Monica and Greg from BBC Masterchef! We were having our evening jog along the embankment and there they were, jogging in front of us. We jogged behind them for a while (we had to slow the pace down a touch so not to overtake) and here's what we heard......

Greg - "Well Monica, have you got your tickets to Tintwistle yet?" 

Monica - "Yes - not that I'd show them to my boss" 

Greg - "It's alright M, it's all above board you know - Andi Jones is a very reputable person, he came an impressive tenth in the London marathon last year - which means he beat Gordon Ramsey" 

Monica "Oh - I see....well as long as these runners can cook at the highest level - I don't want to be seeing ten of the same pudding"

Cue intro music
"Only an elite group of running chefs hold two gold sticker stars for running and cooking. Andi Jones is one of them and he, along with Monica Galetti and Greg Wallace, is on the hunt for the next culinary superstar at the Gravy Pud 5 Fell Race and Cake Competition this Sunday."

Andi Jones running in London, his best marathon time is 2:15:20 

The Race

• 5 miles (1000ft)
• Start 11am - entries from 10am
• Sunday 4 December
• The Bulls Head, Old Road, Tintwistle, nr Glossop, Derbyshire
• £5 - money to charity - this year to the Seashell Trust - who work with able bodied and disabled children to help them participate in sports
• More info at www.nblg.co.uk

Course Records

• Men - Gareth Raven – 33:59 – 2008
• Ladies - Christine Howard – 41:08 – 2006

The Winners

• Last year it was won by Gareth Raven of Sale Harriers with Andi's wife Donna 6th overall (because of heavy snow the route was changed)
• Gareth Raven also won in 2009 (ahead of Dark Peak Light's John Rocke and Sheffield Orienteer Kris Jones)
• Gareth Raven also won in 2008 (ahead of Dark Peak Light's John Rocke and Robert Little)

2008 - John Rocke in Dark Peak brown and Gareth Raven in Sale green - pic by Bryan Mills

Cooking doesn't get tougher than this
Andi loves cakes and needs to run so he can support his cake eating hobby without growing out of his clothes. He runs so much that he has become rather good at it and has represented England and Great Britain loads of times. He won the International Snowdon Race four times in a row between 2006 and 2009 and again in 2011 by 6 seconds over Scotland's Murray Strain. Andi has run the London marathon in 2:15:20 (2009) and came tenth last year and second placed Brit (2010) in 2:16:38 (although I think I can eat a marathon a fair bit quicker than two hours).

FRB sources have revealed that Andi's first fell race was the trial for the World Mountain Running Trophy at Whinlatter near Keswick in 2003, Andi won the trial race and went on to finish 4th in Alaska at the World Mountain Running Race! You'll find a reference to this in Richard Asquith's cult fell running book 'Feet in the Clouds' (on page 235).

Andi and his northern gravy loving friends decided to introduce a baking element into the Gravy Pudding Race in 2005 and it's going from strength to strength.

"It doesn't matter how fast you can run, all welcome to run this race. Get a few of your club over and try your hand at the cake competition."

"Free entry if you bring a cake!!! Just bring your cake to the registration desk and you will get a free entry in return." - Although Andi may want to barter with you if you turn up with a fairy cake!

Another Bryan Mills picture - the cake entries

There's a rumour that Michel Roux Junior may be at the top of Lees Hill with an culinary invention test for the runners.