Preston Harriers Fell Section :- fellblog

The fell running section of Preston Harriers. Some of our fell runners also do cross country and road running, but fell running is our main activity. Our junior fell runners are in a keen fell running section, you can read about them in juniorfellblog below. Preston Harriers running club was established in 1881. Mick McLoughlin our chairman of fellblog recently did the Bob Graham Round. Fell Runners are not as much bothered about PB's as they are about 3B's ( a local brewery).

Preston Harriers Fell Section :- fellblog        

Austwick

Austwick Fell Race  Mon 29 May

We have done this race for 2 years now. It is a really friendly atmosphere and a great way to spend my birthday. The whole day is a street market and Cuckoo festival (a bit like the Scarecrows at Wray). There are stalls selling allsorts including some fantastic spit-roast pork. The Thwaites brewery horses parade and there is a jazz band and very good juggler.

Matt lines up at the start

There are junior races first. 

They're off

The U 12’s dash through the main street, up the hill 

Matt approaches the finish

and then try to fight their way back through all the on lookers. 

The U 14’s go up the fell to the first adult check point. All this is organised by the fell running vicar. All junior finishers get something – usually sweets and winners / top places get certificates.

The adult race starts fast through the village and up a steep hill before turning onto the fell. It then wends its way up through the famous Norber erratics (big lumps of rock dropped their by ice sheets) and onto the higher fell. Most of this is really runable on short grass with just the odd bit of dodgy limestone. The finish returns along a big track and down a steep road back into the village. The last few 100 m are uphill but there are always plenty of spectators to cheer you on. Last year we lay on the village green in front of the pub and soaked up the sun. We were not quite so lucky this year, it was showery.

If you intend going – go early. You park on the road leading to the village and they close the roads in the village itself.

Karen Nash

Austwick 2005

2005 Fell Championship Results    (back in time)

juniorfellblog

Lots of fell runners break away from their original running clubs, mainly because they have no interest in track & field, fell running being their main interest. The fell running section of our club decided to have their own website, probably for the same reason. Now a V70, George Arnold is our oldest active fell runner. There are a few more of us close behind! One of our top female road runners, whilst marshalling recently at Chipping Show Fell Race commented on just how friendly fell runners are.