Weasdale Horseshoe 2012 - English Championships

It was a great fell race preceded by and finished with a very tough cross county race.

The Start

Dark Peak's Rob takes the race out of the field

Fellrunners having to RUN to keep up

The Middle

But when the cross country race finished and the fell race started, Mercia's Simon Bailey broke away and started to build a big gap. "Simon Bailey ran away and left us 'cos we we weren't good enough to keep up!" said one of the top five finishers.

The End

The mud bath is ready

Our team sports photographer is in position

Now she's ready

And here come the runners, well just one runner, as we thought, first is Simon Bailey, alone without any pressure.

Winner Simon Bailey  - photo by Lisa Holmes

Morgan Donnelley, Tom Addison and Darren Kay getting ready to fight for second place -  photo by Lisa Holmes.

Results

1 - Simon Bailey Open Mercia 00:55:09
2 - Tom Addison U23 Helm Hill 00:56:03
3 - Morgan Donnelly Open Borrowdale 00:56:08
4 - Darren Kay V40 Pudsey & Bramley 00:56:18
5 - Rob Hope Open Pudsey & Bramley 00:57:01
6 - Lloyd Taggart V40 Dark Peak Fell Runners 00:57:25
7 - Mark Addison Open Helm Hill 00:57:33
8 - Robert Little Open Dark Peak Fell Runners 00:58:26
9 - Rob Baker Open Dark Peak Fell Runners 00:58:45
10 - Rhys Findlay-Robinson Open Dark Peak Fell Runners 00:59:12
11- Chris Birchall Open Leeds City AC 00:59:22
12 - Jason Williams Open Calder Valley 00:59:36
13 - Martin Mikkelsen-Barron Open Borrowdale 00:59:48
14 - Ben Bardsley V40 Borrowdale 00:59:55
15 - Mark Roberts V50 Borrowdale 01:00:16
16 - Shaun Godsman Open Calder Valley 01:00:23
17 - Tim Ellis Open Calder Valley 01:00:27
18 - Karl Gray V40 Calder Valley 01:00:36
19 - Tim Werrett V40 Mercia 01:00:43
20 - Ted Mason Open Wharfedale Harriers 01:00:47

Full Results

Men

Ladies

Video of Men's race by Will Neill 

Photos of the ladies race by Holmfirth Harriers

Borrowdale - Ricky strikes Gold but Birthday Boy takes Silver

Ricky Lightfoot (facing photographer) and Lloyd Taggart (back to photographer) with race record holder Billy Bland  (in cycling kit) and race sponsor Miles Jessop (in check shirt)
 photo by Paul Dobson

1 261 Ricky Lightfoot Ellenborough Athletic Club M 2.49.20
2 397 Lloyd Taggart Dark Peak Fell Runners M40 2.51.11
3 116 Simon Bailey Mercia Fell Runners M 2.52.57
4 46 Ben Abdelnoor Ambleside Athletic Club M 2.54.55
5 111 Carl Bell Howgill Harriers M 2.55.08
6 41 Morgan Donnelly Borrowdale Fell Runners M 2.58.40
7 205 Rob Jebb Bingley Harriers M 2.59.00
8 475 Oliver  Johnson Dark Peak Fell Runners M 3.00.27
9 102 Rhys  Findlay-Robinson Dark Peak Fell Runners M 3.03.15
10 124 Rob Baker Dark Peak Fell Runners M 3.09.48
11 75 Paul Cornforth Borrowdale Fell Runners M45 3.10.23
12 167 Martin Mikkelsen-Barron Borrowdale Fell Runners M 3.10.32
13 99 Kim Collison Eden Runners M 3.11.17
14 276 Karl Gray Calder Valley Fell Runners M40 3.12.54
15 114 Tom Brunt Holmfirth Harriers M 3.13.32
16 26 Tim Ellis Calder Valley Fell Runners M 3.14.35
17 278 Neil Northrop Dark Peak Fell Runners M 3.15.26
18 18 Andrew Fallas Carnethy Hill Running Club M 3.16.34
19 233 Matthew John  Otley Athletic Club M 3.16.41
20 224 Dave Milliken Horwich RMI Harriers M45 3.17.54

link to results

Report on the race by winner Ricky Lightfoot on Mud Sweat and Tears.

Round 4 English Championships - Borrowdale

The boulder strewn route to Scafell Pike pic from  http://www.thelakedistrictmountains.org/

"It's fierce in my dreams, It sees in my guts, 

It fills me with dread,
So consumed, it swims in my eyes by the bed
I pour myself over it, room spinning
And I wake up and I still have to run on Saturday....."

Amy Winehouse must have been thinking about the Borrowdale when she wrote that......But maybe there are a few other runners out there who feel like our little fellrunning journalist tasked with doing the race, just to bring you the news this Saturday?

But those at the top of the tables (and entered in the race) will no doubt be like the Team GB Beach Volleyball pair - Raring to Go!

High Fives down at Horse Guards Parade - pic by Metro

The Race

At 16miles and 6500ft, the record was set in 1982 by local man (and greatest fell runner ever) Billy Bland in 2:34:38. 

It starts off with a feisty run along a farm track with runners jostling for position, as if it matters. 

The first climb arrives (it's just after where Billy will be giving you a "Go on lad!") at Bessy Boot, followed by a flat and runnable stretch across to Esk Hause. 

Next is a boulder strewn steady climb to Scafell Pike, down a scree chute and keeping the momentum going, down the corridor route to Sty Head. 

Then a charge up Great Gable, which clever men will know exactly the best route off, then some fast running over to Honister. 

Feeling the length of the race a bit now, it's just one more climb up Dale Head, to find the best way down to the quarries, on legs that are getting too tired to run down hill strongly now, and last task, find the finish field.

Ben Abdelnoor winner of Borrowdale last year - pic by Andy Holden Borrowdale 2011

This year Borrowdale is a Long Counter in the English Championships which means the caliber of the front runners and therefore the racing, will be better than usual (and Borrowdale always attracts a high standard anyway). Let's have a look at the situation in the English Championships before the race.

English Championships - How they stand after Round 3

1 Ben Abdelnoor Ambleside - 144
2 Lloyd Taggart Dark Peak Fell Runners - 141
3 Graham Pearce Pudsey & Bramley AC - 118
4 Kim Collison Eden Runners - 117
5 Karl Gray Calder Valley Fell Runners - 114
6 Carl Bell Howgill Harriers - 108
7 Tom Addison Helm Hill Runners - 106
8 Morgan Donnelly Borrowdale Fell Runners (no long counter yet) 98
9 Simon Bailey Mercia Fell Runners (no medium counter yet) - 96
10 Ben Bardsley Borrowdale Fell Runners  (no short counter yet)- 91
11 Rob Baker Dark Peak Fell Runners  (no long counter yet) - 90
12= Rob Jebb Bingley Harriers & AC - (no short counter yet) - 89
12= Martin Mikkelsen-Barron Borrowdale Fell Runners - 89
14 Rhys Findlay-Robinson Dark Peak Fell Runners - (no short counter yet) - 81
15 Mark Addison Helm Hill Runners  (no long counter yet)  80
16 Mark Roberts Borrowdale Fell Runners - 76
17 Rob Hope Pudsey & Bramley AC  (no long counter yet)  74
18= Darren Kay Pudsey & Bramley AC . (no long counter yet)  73
18= Tom Brunt Holmfirth Harriers AC - 73
20 Gavin Bland Borrowdale Fell Runners - 72

Ladies standings are here and you can find out all the standings here.

Who's running on Saturday?

Here's the entry list (thanks Livi) and it's great to see Ben Abdelnoor right at the top (being an A). He'll be wanting to defend his win no doubt, remember he won the Great Lakes Race too.

So if you are running, we hope you are feeling fit, fresh and ready to inspire others. If you're like our journalist and feeling a little uncertain about it all, how about a bit of motivational high five-ing or mini hugs at every check point between runners, just like our Team GB Volleyball players.

A mini hug - photo from google images

Or if the possibility of 'high fives' won't get you round, perhaps this picture will.............

 Home of the post race reward - picture from http://www.lakedistrictwalkingexperience.co.uk

The Lake District Walking Experience perhaps puts it into perspective for us -

"The Borrowdale Fell race finishes at the Riverside Bar in the Scafell Hotel, in the bar there is a roll of honour board on the wall alongside a map of the route which leaves you tired just having looked at it!"

See you on Saturday, and for those of you we don't see, we'll let you know the results as soon as we can. Race starts at 11am Saturday morning.

Arrochar Alps results

Arrochar Alps Results (Prov) -

1. Ben Bardsley 3:07:19
2. Joe Symonds 3:08:00
3. Rob Jebb 3:10:33
4. Martin M Barron 3:16:55
5. Lloyd Taggart 3:17:00
6. Findlay Wild  3:19:37
7. Oli Johnson 3:20:17
8. Earl Karl Gray 3:21:27
9. Morgz Donnelley 3:21:29
10. Richie Roberts 3:21:46
11. Pete Vale 3:21:51
12. Rhys F Robinson 3:22:09
13. Dan Gay 3:25:16
14. Mark Roberts 1V50! 3:25:22
15. Gav Mulholland 3:25:33
16. Paul Faulkner 3:26:06
17. Steve Cale 3:26:59
18. Stewart Whitlie 3:27:32
19. Andrew Fallas 3:28:07
20. John Hunt 3:28:46
21. King Kong Corny the forth 3:29:04
22. Sam Watson Watdog 3:31:44

From this it would appear Joe Symonds cannot be beaten to the British title (he has enjoyed two wins and a second) and the cudos of breaking a Billy Bland record (3:07:39) for Ben Bardsley makes for a great day's fell racing.

Ladies
1. Jasmin Paris
2. Helen Fines
3. Lauren Jeska

Thanks to @sngwinter for fighting through the midges and taking a picture of the results, from where these are taken.

Home and Away

Brax from Home and Away looking for Beinn Narnain

No, we're not going to bring you a synopsis of next week's episodes from Summer Bay, (where Brax is due to get knocked out and dumped in the bush), instead we are going to take a quick glance forward to a weekend of Fell Running Championship action for 'Home' and Mountain Running news from 'Away'.


Home - Arrochar Alps
Round 3 of the Fell Running British Championship takes the runners to Scotland, for the 'long' counter, the potently titled 'Arrochar Alps'. The race is 15.5miles and a very tough 8000ft.

A picture taken on a recce by Sarah Ridgway in January

This rather ominous description by Scottish Hill Racing well, says it all.

"The race was created in 1987 by Andy Dytch and Bobby Shields. In 1988 it was used as a Scottish Championship race - where Alan Farningham (who had already won the championship) climbed The Cobbler at the end by mistake, instead of Beinn Narnain.
In 1989 it was used as a British Championship race in very bad weather. The terrain is steep, wild and rough with complex navigation in places.
The race was run in 1990, 1991 and finally 1992 - won by Colin Valentine on a shortened course due to bad weather - before being abandoned for 15 years. The race was resurrected in 2007 by Westerlands Cross Country Club."

Map by Scottish Hill Racing

The record is a Billy Bland 3:07 set in the first year it was run (1987). Joe Symonds leads the championship having won the first race at Coledale (English Lake District) and the second at Slieve Bearnagh (Mourne Mountains Northern Ireland) and according to twitter he's been round the route and learnt some handy shortcuts.
But will he be able to find these short cuts on the day if the mist is down and his guide isn't with him? The English runners perfected their navigation and teamworking skills at the Great Lakes Race a few weeks ago, which could pay off on Saturday. 
Whichever way it goes, it will be interesting to see how close the winner gets to Mr Bland's record.

Here's the entry list. The race starts at 11am on Saturday 7 July.
To those of you who are going - we wish you all good luck. For those of us staying at home - we hope they'll be some newshounds on the course bringing us words and pictures from the race which we'll relay to you as soon as we can.

Away - Turkey
It's the European Mountain Running Championships in the challenging dry and dusty mountain terrain of Denizli - Pamukkale, Turkey. Apparently the course passes through the remains of the ancient Greco-Roman and Byzantine city of Hierapolis.

The ancient city of Hierapolis - Will they have to run the steps? Emma's good in stadiums

But sightseeing probably won't be on the Team GB minds, which features a few trusty fellrunners.

Ladies

Mary Wilkinson, Emma Clayton, Sarah O’Neil, Katie Walshaw

Men 

Steve Vernon, Robbie Simpson, Orlando Edwards, Chris Smith

The race is also on Saturday 7 July, at an early 8am for the ladies and 9:15 for the men. You can find out more here. Good luck teams!

Great Lakes Run 2012

Karl Gray at Esk Hause

Results - link to full results on Ambleside website.

1 - Ben Abdelnoor Ambleside AC M 2:48:45

2 - Kim Collison Eden Runners M 2:49:11 

3 - Lloyd Taggart Dark Peak MV40 2:49:37 

4 - Ben Bardsley Borrowdale MV40 2:50:11 

5 - Rhys Findlay-Robinson Dark Peak M 2:53:03 

6 - Gavin Bland Borrowdale MV40 3:02:26 

7 - Simon Bailey Mercia Fell Runners M 3:04:03 

8 - Graham Pearce Pudsey and Bramley M 3:04:18 

9 - Stephen Pyke Staffordshire Moorlands MV45 3:04:27 

10 - Rob Jebb Bingley M 3:04:45 

11 - Tim Ellis Calder Valley M 3:05:12 

12 - Darren Holloway Pennine Fell Runners MV40 3:05:41 

13 - Mark Roberts Borrowdale MV50 3:05:57 

14 - Dave Wilby Ilkley Harriers M 3:06:53 

15 - Ian Nixon Pudsey and Bramley M 3:09:04 

16 - Paul Cornforth Borrowdale MV45 3:10:34 

17 - Mike Johnson Bowland Fell Runners MV50 3:10:55 

18 - Matt Reedy Ambleside AC M 3:11:15 

19 - Pete Vale Mercia Fell Runners M 3:12:23 

20 - Martin Mikkelsen Barron Borrowdale M 3:12:32 

21 - Carl Bell Howgill Harriers M 3:13:09 

22 - Karl Gray Calder Valley MV40 3:14:17 

23 - James Logue Calder Valley MV40 3:14:26 

24 - Tom Brunt Holmfirth M 3:14:52 

25 - Chris Hope Borrowdale M 3:15:56 

26 - Simon Booth Borrowdale MV40 3:15:57 

27 - Steve Birkenshaw Borrowdale MV40 3:20:39 

28 - Tom Addison Helm Hill MU23 3:21:42 

29 - Andrew Schofield Borrowdale MV40 3:22:01 

30 - Richard McGrath Ellenborough AC M 3:24:07 

31 - Sam Watson Wharfedale M 3:24:29 

32 - Matthew Hulley Dark Peak M 3:25:05 

33 - Nicholas Barber Pennine Fell Runners M 3:27:36 

34 - Hugh O'Donnell Ambleside AC M 3:27:54 

35 - Paul Aitken Helm Hill M 3:28:05 

36 - Gavin Mulholland Calder Valley MV40 3:28:13 

37 - Richard Talbot Ambleside AC M 3:28:16 

38 - Paul Barnes Borrowdale MV40 3:28:21 

39 - Chris Reade Bowland Fell Runners MV45 3:28:34 

40 - Lauren Jeska Todmorden Harriers L 3:28:38 

41 - David White Helm Hill MV40 3:28:55 

42 - John Hunt Dark Peak MV40 3:29:38 

43 - Nicholas Charlesworth Wharfedale MV45 3:29:43 

44 - Dave Sykes Dark Peak M 3:30:18 

45 - William Neill Mercia Fell Runners MU23 3:30:46 

46 - Holly Page Calder Valley LU23 3:31:04 

47 - Ben Mounsey Calder Valley M 3:32:47

48 - Jon Morgan Dark Peak MV40 3:33:01 

49 - Todd Oates Ambleside AC M 3:33:41 

50 - Nick Ray Ellenborough AC M 3:34:35
Ladies
1. Lauren Jeska
2. Holly Page
3. Sally Newman

Strange results you think...? Yes well the route was very tricky in the conditions, many got lost and couldn't correct their mistakes for some time, gullys to ascend that were waterfalls, rivers in spate to cross etc etc.

Apparently it was more like team building event from an episode of 'The Office' than a championship fell race......

Find out how it was at Esk Hause 50 mins in. Sports cameramen beware, this is BAFTA material.

An Invitation to A 'Great' Day Out

King Kong Corny, Rob Jebb and MMB on Scafell Pike

It's the Great Lakes Run on Saturday 16 June, that's the first long counter in the 2012 Fellrunning English Championships. It's only 13 miles, but as its 7000ft of ascent weaves its way through the Lake District's rough central fells, most of those 13 miles are rather 'challenging', at least, and completely 'unrunnable' for some. 
But today, and for a limited few days only, you have been invited to come on an armchair recce with some of Saturday's main contenders!
The Race
Let's ask organisers Ambleside to tell us about the race.......

"The race starts in Langdale at Stool End Farm, after an eyeballs-out ascent of The Band to Bowfell, the route makes a high-level summit-hopping circuit of Upper Eskdale, including Esk Pike, Great End, Scafell Pike and Scafell. There follows a crossing of what feels like Middle Earth, forging a path from Slight Side to Pike o' Blisco – fast running over the trackless reaches south of Great Moss. On a clear day it’s magic, but if the clags in then the map will definitely need to be out. The final descent from Blisco is notably steep if you choose to take it head-on."

So that's BOWFELL, ESK PIKE, GREAT END, SCAFELL PIKE, FOOT OF GULLY TO FOXES TARN, FLAGGED SECTION AVOIDING FOXES TARN, SCAFELL, SLIGHT SIDE and PIKE OF BLISCO. So reports of recces taking 8 hours are hardly surprising and yet the records are 2:37:41 (Simon Booth - 2009) and 3:30:36 (Kate Bailey - 2009).

An invitation to come on a recce

But for just a few days only, Fell Running Briefs is inviting you on a recce with, none other than, our British Silver Medalist Ski Mountaineer Ben Bardsley!

Here's Ben, don't be afraid, you can trust him, that's a Codade Horshoe buff he's got on his head, so he must be ok! Ben's meeting up with some friends today and they (like Ben) are top quality fell runners. 

Joining us on the recce are Borrowdale Fellrunners Captain Paul (King King Corny) Cornforth, this year's Grisedale Grind and Glaramara winner Martin Mikkelsen Barron (MMB) and the Jebi Master himself (and last year's English Championship runner up) Rob Jebb. I just hope we can keep up.......

Here we go up 'The Band'

Ben - "Are you ok back there?"

FRB - "I'll catch you up lads, wait at the top"

Now we've reached Bow Fell and we are looking over to Esk Pike

FRB - "Looks a bit rocky to me lads"

Ben - "Just a bit! But just watch Corny and MMB float over it"

Now we're at Esk Pike and looking over to Great End

FRB - "I think I can see a bit of grass I can run on for about two metres"

Corny - "Fill yer boots"

Heading off Great End towards Scafell Pike

OK we're heading off Scafell Pike now!

Ben - "There are some patches of grass here"

FRB - "Just finding them is the problem!"

Heading towards Slight Side

Ben - "Come on! It's good running!"
FRB - "It may be, but my legs have stopped working"

Looking back to Slight Side

FRB - "Surely you've transported us to the Alps Ben, that's beautiful!"
Ben - "Let's hope it's like this on race day"

Coming off Pike O' Blisco

Ben - "Simon Booth knows a good line off here if you can keep up with him"
FRB - "Is it nearly over Ben? I'm ruined, my legs are trashed"
Ben - "Honestly keep going FRB, I've got a treat for you at the end"
FRB - "Ugh, OK"

Back at Stool End

FRB - "Oh super, a bath with Corny, MMB and Rob Jebb - What a treat"

We hope you've enjoyed our recce today, don't forget to thank Ben for inviting us if you see him and good luck in the race! We'll hope to bring you news of the winners, shortly after the race as we know there isn't a lot of phone cover down Langdale.
Entry List
Here's the entry list.