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
Helm
Hill Relay............... Two Reports. 1 Alan Appleby. 2 Chris Nash.
Sunday
24th September 2006
We had two teams entered in the relays
this year which also incorporate the FRA English Junior Relay Championships, one
boys and one mixed.
The boys team of Chris and Matthew Nash and Stephen Bennett had a last
minute disaster when Stephen pulled out feeling unwell ( and he hadn’t even
seen Winder).
Undaunted although disappointed Chris and Matt ran and Matt not only ran
his own U14 leg but turned round and ran the U16 leg as well. He didn’t want
to be outdone by one of the Helm Hill lads who he’d spoken to before the race
(their team was in the same boat only having two team members) and he had said
he was doing both legs.
Those two lads did 4 miles and almost 2000ft of climbing (five times up
and down Blackpool Tower) and they were playing football afterwards as well.
That’s STAMINA.
Colin Harrison asked his mum, “What do you feed him on?”
Fortunately Chris and Matt will still be eligible to run as U12 and U14
next year and Andrew will complete the team as U16.
The mixed team comprised Callum Rowett U12, Nicola Jackson U14, and
Andrew Harrison U16. Nicola and Andrew are both quite experienced whereas it was
Callum’s first fell race. He kept looking up at the hill, I think he was just
watching his dad get into position for taking photo’s.
Callum & Chris Post Race Munching Mars Bars
The U10’s have a race before the main event and although it involves a
good hill their race doesn't go onto the fell proper, they stay on grass.
It was a smaller field than last year and at noon they set off. A short
stretch of field then across the road and the climb started. At the second field
it gets steeper, at the top a leap across a stream and after a short run across
a field it’s through a gateway and onto the fell proper. The presence of sheep
was very evident at the gate.
You get a brief glimpse of the youngsters as they climb to the knoll to
begin the steep descent back to the gate.
Callum had a good first fell race and he wants to try it again next year.
I asked him if he found it tough going, “Not really, it wasn’t too bad”,
then he was off with Chris with their mars bars and drinks.
Chris had breezed in at the finish, he found this a change from having to
find controls as well as running.
Matt and Nicola, both experienced, had good runs and Matt set off again
while Nicola was happy to hand over to Andrew.
Matt finished still looking ok whereas Andrew was feeling the hill but
the effort was worth it as the mixed team came away with second place in both
the FRA race and the Helm Hill event. A silver medal and vouchers worth eight
pounds, well done.
There was a seniors race while the juniors presentation was going on and
Karen and me had entered. I was hoping to take the short way down by following
Karen however she was too far ahead but I followed two other runners who went
the right way but hell it was steep. Near the bottom of the steep descent the
young ones take my legs were that shattered I went forwards on my knees and I
had to turn round on all fours and pull myself up holding on to some bracken. I
eventually got down after being passed by four or five other runners to find
that Karen had taken the route I came down last year, I wished I’d gone that
way as well.
Mick if you read this remember it on the OMM, no steep
descents! Alan
My
Brother
Generally
we like each other although we don’t always get on. Today we would be running
together in a fell relay team. Matthew had done this before and had told me all
about it. He must have had good
faith in me because he came back from an orienteering squad weekend early so
that he could run. He walked me round the course and told me how to see the best
line. We walked round with Andrew who was going to run with Nicola and Callum as
a mixed team.
Then we
got back to the start to meet Alan and the bomb-shell was dropped. Our U16
runner had not turned up. He hadn’t even phoned Alan who only found out with
an hour or so to go. No chance to get a replacement. We were disappointed and
furious. Then once we had called him all sorts of names we calmed down. (mum has
made me change some of the words in this bit!) One of Matthew’s friends was
also without an U16 runner (he had dislocated his shoulder) and they came up
with a plan. We’ll show them! Tom and Matthew decided they were determined
that their teams would count and would finish the relay. They were going to run
the U14 leg and then go straight through the change-over area and out on the U16
course. Wow! Some of the adults were not at all certain this was a good plan but
there was no dissuading them.
Today
my brother earned my respect. I was tired when I finished the U12 leg. I could
not have thought about turning round and running back up through the fields and
high up onto the moor. He didn’t just do it but kept going at a reasonable
pace and finished fast. He is now officially HARD.
Results:
Chris and Matt 9th team, 7th boys team
Callum, Nicola, Andrew 12th team, 2nd Mixed team
Christopher
Nash
P.S.
the boys even had energy to play football afterwards while the adult race was
one and Chris walked back up the fields to cheer me in. I think Matthew ran
further than we did. Mum.
juniorfellblog
