Brough Law Fell Race 9 March 2025 - Round 2 Poly Fell Champs

 

This looks too easy for Helen L although it may just be relief that the kit won't require 3 washes after today's race.

We were back in Northumberland for Round 2. The fog on Tyneside was thicker than Vaughan's famous ham and pea soup so much so that some had difficulty finding their way out of Monkseaton . Not a good omen  for navigating  the Cheviots .

David Lambert on his way out after clearing Brough Law and getting a clear lead in the Champs.

However 5 miles from venue the fog cleared . It was going to be a gin clear  day on the hills . So that's 2 out of 2 so far  with warm / bright conditions . It is no coincidence that harbinger of awful weather , Jon Heaney has missed both races. Let's hope he stays away a bit longer for  winter sunshine in Magaluf or somewhere else beginning with 'M' while the series continues .  

Pre race astrology  this time came in from Rachel Inman ( with  Rachel's Helpful Hints). After  consulting the tea leaves residue in her Dennis the Menace Mug she reached the conclusion that they spelt the letter D  for dry underfoot . D could just as easily have been Drizzle or Dull or Dirty but never mind .  But to be fair (even though it's hard in her case)  , the course wasn't entirely waterlogged this time though she was stretching it to say there were 'some wet spots'. There were quite a lot of those merging into bogs  including  the wetland area for frog mating which was again sectioned off by organisers to avoid size 10 s ruining their fun. Frogs don't live in  dry places .

Jack Taylor Burns is first to reach Checkpoint Vaughan on his way to a top 10 finish overall and clearly photbombing Vaughan's attempt to get a shot of a Polaris all terrain vehicle .

Another fine turn out was orchestrated by Helen H. I think maybe a record for B Law - as we had 8 runners . Newcomers this time were Rose Moira , Paul Bain and our current  xc co captain Jack Taylor Burns .

In addition we had 2 Poly cameramen ! Dave Johnson manned the top of Brough Law despite suffering vertigo and a nose bleed from having gone above sea level for the first time in a decade . The Cheviots are a dangerous place with adders and some tetchy livestock but DJ managed to come off worst in a tussle with a gorse bush (vegan and organic)  that he'd been upended in. Vaughan meantime had taken a scenic walk around the course armed with a heavy 50 litre ruck sack (which we'd incorrectly assumed  contained team refreshments instead of his pasty and sticky bun wrapped up in an edition of  Fly Fishing Weekly ) plus  his Box Brownie rubbing up against his backside as he limped his way round. 

Additionally we got some black and white photos from Martin Ellis - check :https://martinjaellis.com  . Martin attends quite a few shows where he exhibits his work and sells among other things calendars (useful to mark up all the Fell Champs Races plus Jack's xc schedule ).

Helen R looks moderately surprised to see a friendly face behind the camera

and probably even more surprised that the cameraman  managed to keep his trademark  shadow out of the shot.

The course had not changed much , or so we thought  . Jane Briggs optimistically assured us there were only 2 main hills - I counted 5 . The first hill hits  as you come out the blocks where there were only 2 options to the summit until Helen H found a 3rd one coursing a sheep trod and dragging a selection of Helens (and others ) with her. Expectations were high that this could end in a dead end on a different  hill and in another county. Surprisingly it didn't . The debates continues over whether the route was a gain or loss - which must mean it was not too bad.

There's no disguising Helen H - not even with sunglasses (standard kit these days for our fell race champs). On her way to 5th female racer.

From the summit of Brough Law - lined with ferocious anti DJ broom bushes - the Cheviots opened right up. I don't think I've ever been able to see the entirety of the ridges and hills . As you steadily went round  , you could watch the race leaders (or maybe in my case mid runners ) out in the distance a mile or so ahead on the skyline. 

For our team , it was Jack and Helen H who took up the cudgels of leading out our squads out and back . Hodgsons Hero , Rich Hanley - MIA for a couple of years was tailing Jack with relative newcomer Dave Lambert. This time it was a trio of Helens who held top 3 for the ladies but not in alphabetical order . Rose kept us  in eye sight . 

We had all reached Vaughan's shifting control  at roughly half way as the ex Club Capt skirted round Iron Age fort at Wether Hill. 

In the old days when he was selector in chief for those sought after relays spots ( 1st leg was the gold star ) ladies in particular would make an effort to get noticed with a touch of make up , a coquettish flick back of hair and some energetic warm up routines . But it's changed times and no effort is spared now  . The modern way to get noticed by selectors is  more intellectually based  approach such as exhibiting knowledge of trans Pacific flights out of Toronto to get Huw Parry's attention or admitting you enjoyed some 'gig' given by a  an  inexecrable musically challenged boy band with bad body odour  from the late 70s for Roger Mosedale's . Anyway enough of tarmac trotting and back to real racing.

Tandem running with Helen L and Paul Bain (confronting a new reality that Priory Hills lampposts needs a gradient and distance extension to be of any use here). 

Back to the running and  the marshal at Wether Hill   reckoned that it was necessary to skirt round his yellow bag placed inside the Iron Age fort   . Previous editions had seen us bearing away before the summit  onto a quad bike track for Cochrane Pike and not bothering the settlement .  An extra 3 metres of climb and 50 m of distance on the slog !  This couldn't happen on a park run though it would be tempting to see the reaction if it was tried. Abuse, mental trauma   and tears isn't the fell run way so we just sucked it up and got on with it.

Cochrane Pike, the next 'summit'  , which in the past was never marshalled with the result that a good few runners ( or a few good runners)  ran on towards Chesters and a sizeable detour - had a regular previous winner in John Butters standing guard. John was probably selected because he'd never detoured on any of his wins. Or maybe he  won because anyone in front had gone the wrong way ? I need to ask.

I lost sight of Paul Bain as he dipped on the run north  into the major re entrant on the route  and only picked up sight again as he took an orienteering line towards Ewe Hill  before the final descent. 

Rose Moira on her 1st fell race - carefully avoiding the extensive mud road that Rachel Inman claimed didn't exist

It is a fast run into the finish and they insist that you dip feet in a final wet stream before crossing. But that's probably just there to give your shoes a wash. They think of everything on a fell race.

With gratitude to Jane Briggs (NFR) and her group of assistants  They had 89 runners and raised about £ 450 for mountain rescue.

Also thanks to the farmer - without whose support  the event would not happen . In this case Ross Wilson . From time to time you can buy his excellent beef and lamb at Turnbull's butchers in Alnwick .

Saltwell Harriers managed an even bigger turnout than NSP . There were many NFR runners and several from Glen's Cheviot Trail Runners.  

The overall winner was Chris Larkin ( NFR ) in a time of 35.23 . The youthful Karen Robertson (NFR )  was female winner in 47 .15 . Jane offered a selection of Easter eggs to 'first timers' but Paul B refused to throw his hat into the ring on account of some anti chocolate campaign . More investigation needed there.

Results here :https://www.broughlaw.co.uk/2025-results?fbclid=IwY2xjawJBGYdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHbaBHgsWbKBD9CkFZjVmfEcAKy8cDjvTfeTqKucApvKOdPCVFO9z0U8w-A_aem_qRs7k2cee6NKrDk9WLVK8g

Rich Hanley heads for home having dropped a couple of the ramblers on the run in.

While it may have been necessary for maps , compasses , GPS and Muck's Starlink to clear Tynemouth this morning - the visuals in the Cheviots made this all redundant . No one took a wrong turn . No one got lost although there was concerns whether DJ would find his way down.

Meantime Helen L faces more serious competition from an NFR runner.

Things have shifted around a bit in  the men's rankings after Michael Kane's catastrophic slump. 

It's been suggested that  Vaughan's no 1 supporter efforts deserve a few points to get him off the bottom. He did 'do the course' even if he started 30 mins before the rest of us. Maybe he deserves a token point ? But we reckon that would create an unfortunate precedent in the world of sport if permitted taking the obvious examples of Man Utd getting points for turning up an hour into the game  . So unfortunately Vaughan must leave pointless against the greater evil of awarding teams that make no effort for just being there .

Let's hope Jack isn't saving himself for laps 2 and 3.

The ladies stays much the same except for an extra Helen in the league . In fact top 3 are all Helens . It's like Sheffield United , Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield Harriers  all in the top 3 of the Perfume League . ( Hope I got the order right there Richard H ?).

Tables below: 

Championship Table after round 1 Ladies 

1. HH                                             100 points

2. Helen Lilley                               97    ..

3. Helen Ruth                                 49

4. Rachel Inman                             48    ..

5. Joanne Adamson                        47    ..

6. Rose King                                  47  ..

7. Rachel Heathcote                       46   ..

---------------------------------------------------

R  Sarah Johnson                              0   ..

Men's Championship

1.  David Lambert                            97 points

2.  BY                                               95    ..

3.  Michael Kane                             50    ..

3.  Jack Taylor Burns                       50   ..

5.  Richard Hanley                           49    ..

6.  Paul Bain                                      47  ..

---------------------------------------------------

R  Captain V Hemy                          0 points

R = Relegation zone.

Next race is Coledale Horseshoe in the Lakes. Pre entry required for this ; but the cost won't break the bank.

High Cup Nick Fell Race 22 Feb 2025 - Round 1 Poly fell champs 2025

Victory tastes good. Michael Kane takes his first ever win in the Poly fell champs - finishing in about 1 hr 35m. There's still a long way to go in the champs series until we know whether or not Mike will make the Oscars evening 

The new 2025 season  began again at HCN with  a Spring day  down in Dufton for race 1 of the Poly Champs. Timed perfectly as a  day earlier or later it would not have been Spring. 

A decent turn out of 8 runners comprising 3 newbies ( Jo Adamson  , David Lambert and Rachel Heathcote ), a few yoyo in / out  runners and Team Helen as the hard boiled regulars.  

Helen once again was our first female back in around 1 h 39 mins to open her account with a smile while topping out at around 680m asl. Tracked by a Northern Fellrunner.

Pre race advice from organiser Morgan Donnelly sounded  encouraging .It was the driest he'd ever known in the Nic Valley. A few of us took this at face value. But  hadn't read the small print (where Morgan had  added recent rain had not soaked in and referred to a homeward bound hill being 'interesting' - interesting being one  of the trickiest words in the English language  ) . Alternatively anyone with a  geography O level would have known that Cumbria is England's wettest county .  For some who treated   Geography  as a recovery lesson after double physics and a chance to do some  map colouring -it didn't register either. ( Hopefully Arthur Tiger Pringle won't see this - he detests hills anyway but likes Geography )  . 

Even when it is dry in Cumbria , it is still a good idea to carry a  life jacket  as back up. Dryness is relative . A boozer that tells you he's on day 2 of dry January remains a boozer because he's drunk himself daft on each of the preceding 365 days . Cumbria is still wet when dry.

So it was 'interesting ' to find   that :

a. the 3 mile trek up Nic Valley was not dry (at least not in the east of Pennine  definition  of the word ) ;

b. most of it was either laced with sticky deepish black mud or slicked tracks   that Capt V would call super skitey  .  

c. the few areas - maybe around 20 % - that weren't  mud ,  were under water.  

d. It was interesting. 

There aren't enough words to cover varieties of mud. Sarah Johnson's chirpy  xc bulletins about mud are a world away from  Nic Valley mud . She'd need to get a new re calibrated mudometer to get Nic Valley on the scale .While, Northumberland xc mud is unlikely to  register with Morgan  as anything but a bit of dew  .  Maybe someone needs to work on a colour code system as with those annoying storms the BBC keep threatening us with  - but with colour ranges from fawn to black to give a better risk assessment. But even then I guess what the BBC call a life threatening storm is regarded by locals in the western isles as a light breeze so may not help after all.

It remains to be seen if HCN will prove to be the main mud fest in the 2025 champs. Certainly in the past , the now defunct Kielder Borderer race (credited by NFR as the world's worst fell race ) could have run HCN close on that score.

Those that unwisely did not  fit mudclaws  found they had entered  a free style  skating competition up the Nic valley. If they were lucky they stayed upright. Rachel H may also have some comments to make on all this.

Mike and David  led our attack from the gun  as they reached the Nick first. Followed then by Team Helen while I was spooked  with the  miracle short cut Rachel Inman  had taken to parachute in front of me somewhere . Joanne and Rachel H bobbed around as best possible oblivious as to what the course would throw at them .

Still the conditions in the valley temperature wise were pleasant . That was to change after the scramble to the summit up a block and boulder rise taking out most of the 1500 foot or so of ascent and  requiring all 4 limbs  to get to the top. Nearing the ridge there was a shot of turbulence sucking air out of the lungs and then cold really hit. Quite a few went for cagoules facing the issue then of getting arms into jacket arm holes and mainly failing. 

It is a glide home over the next 5 miles to Dufton using quite a bit of the Pennine Way  but we were throttled by a head / cross   wind over the first mile and a half back before we got shelter. 

A sharp right  brings you across real xc territory reaching the valley bottom with yet another large stream to cross and a welcome from a boisterous  choir of half a dozen local youngsters cheering us on and relishing the idea  that there is an adult sport combining their favourite lifestyle features water , mud , dirty legs and ruined clothes . The only sport to come close is the Club Capt's duck races ( no animals injured in the sport etc) .

Mike accelerated away from David on the way home and covered the ground around a minute quicker . He may have raced on  fast out of confusion than anything else  . The race field was flooded with 30 runners from Northern Fell Runners Club a relatively new club based in  , northern fells. Their shirts were remarkably similar to our own red shirts creating a debate as to how they'd hit on these colours. For sure sport teams like to be associated with success which is why most teams have either blue or red shirts  . It makes it all the more surprising that  Tyne Bridge most recently overlooked the chance of red and blue stripes  and opted to get  black n white shirts cleared (a largely unsuccessful combination of sports colours )  .  Mike saw red ahead with  a flood of potential other Poly runners he hadn't picked up at the start threatening his first ever win in the champs after decades of trying  . As he picked one off another appeared like in a shooting range . Finally as he crossed the line he realised he'd been chasing shadows as he collected his  first 50 points haul in the champs  . David ran in shortly after.

Meanwhile Helen H was the  first Helen  back  and first of the non geography O level specialists. The rest of us shared Mike's confusion applauding every  Northern Fellrunners  as they came into view across the village green in the hope it was the rest of the team - only to be largely disappointed .

All spruced up and ready to go - the full team . Only Rachel and I opting for the double buff look ; pioneered by Mark Smith and Dave Johnson. Unfortunately we don't have a post race / pre washing machine  photo to compare the carnage. 

Then to the post race soups which were a confusing choice of vegetarian and vegan . I'd assumed they were both the same . Apparently not  and it seems  that  the vegans had decided to victimise another ingredient (this time vegetable)  - with possibly  brocolli being the  lead contender.  This was topped off with  a roll (of bread as some had done enough rolling on the course )  and a cake selection - only later out done by Jo's chocolate, date and nuts combination described as healthy - recipe awaited. 

Worth stating the event was well supported by other neighbouring clubs Northumberland FR , Gateshead and Tyne Bridge  . Special mention goes though  to Trevor Wakenshaw - now plying his trade with Blyth RC. Trevor was one of the founding fathers of the fell section before moving on. There is a general misconception that role fell to  Dave Johnson - but he is too old to be the father and is regarded as the founding  grand father . Still DJ's efforts deserve recognition at some point with perhaps a bronze life size  statue ( Greek athletic pose being the most dignified  )  sited  at the clubhouse door . Failing that a blue plaque. We'll get some influencers on to the trustees for that.

So after round 1 , the tables are as below . Last year's shock winner in the men's - the ex Club Capt is already in the relegation zone . He was the unfancied  Leicester City no hope  winner of 2024 fell champs .   Leicester  a few years back   escaped   the attention of the Big Boys and won the Premiership  Football League title  acquiring a fame that had eluded the city   in the previous 1000 years where they had only achieved 3 notable  things :   burying an English king in a car park , the invention of non elasticated socks and (most importantly)  the birth place of S & G Group coach , Graham Hall - representing the 'G' injury prone side of SnG.  It won't escape Capt V that Leicester City  got relegated the season after winning . He needs to watch out.

 In the ladies  Helen H picks up where she left off in 2024 ( and 3 ?) as our best consistent fell runner over the last few years and again pursued by Helen L our 2nd most consistent runner etc etc  . Can she/they  be stopped ? Meantime , mud chick , Sarah J  must seriously  consider a reschedule of  her foot spa days so they don't clash with the championship dates or also face the drop.

Championship Table after round 1 Ladies 

1. HH                                             50 points

2. Helen Lilley                               49    ..

3. Rachel Inman                             48    ..

4. Joanne Adamson                        47    ..

5. Rachel Heathcote                        46   ..

---------------------------------------------------

R  Sarah Johnson                              0   ..

Men's Championship

1. Michael Kane                             50 points

2. David Lambert                           49    ..

3.  BY                                             48    ..

---------------------------------------------------

R  Captain V Hemy                          0 points

R = Relegation zone.

Hannah Russell of Helm Hill Runners took victory in the Female Category with a finish-line time of 1 hour, 12min and 28 seconds.

In the Men's race Hugh Chatfield of Tring won in 1 hour, 2minutes and 56 seconds.

A big thank you goes to Morgan Donnelly and his squadrons of marshals and helpers on the course as well as the Dufton Village Hall. High Cup Nick is a truly spectacular feature - and is the only place in England that looks like Greenland . So with hope that Special K doesn't flog it to the Donald J - then we'll all be back there next year and better prepared .

Thanks to Fellside Photography for the photos.

Full race results should appear here soon as well as any more photos I can retrieve.

Next race will be at Brough Law .

Running up that Hill . The song  acquired renewed fame for Kent Warbler , Kate Bush recently . Meantime the pop intelligentsia  published volumes of  academic  interpretations about the deep  meaning of the song's words  in relation to a perceived psycho analysis of Kate's personal life. But maybe  it was just a song about running up a hill after all. All 450 or so runners can identify with that . 

Wooler Vertical - New Year's Day 2025

Pre race - former Club Capt , Vaughan Hemy pulls on his legendary red shirt which must have many stories to tell.  Many of which he'd probably prefer to forget.

Despite taking an early blow to the head.....

....no damage is done.

Eyes down and bearing the Orkney cross.

Hopefully those Xmas pink luminescent socks will help mountain rescue if V gets lost on the descent home.

Indecent descent at decent haste as photographer saves blushes.

Home and dry and relaxing at the Wooler centre  . Now to plan  the first  bacon roll  of New Year  -picked up at Ingram cafe en route home through a snow bound valley. But it is always worth it.

And with a big thank you to the photographer , Clorroe Cam , for excellent pictures taken from a very exposed location near the summit in conditions which must have made professional photography difficult. Things are always  much clearer in black and white 

  Report Today's race as Glen McWilliams with impeccable timing waited for the sun to take cover , the temperature to get down to 1 degree and rain to drum off the windows before dropping the start flag on this race. (Glen promptly ran for cover ....inside the Wooler Centre - making it clear that the finish line was indoors .  And probably the only fell race with an indoor finish).

 Departing into a  battery of rain for the next 4 miles driven in on the North wind ,with  water sluicing down the farm tracks and a sticky skitey jog up and over the hill  . The joys of a January race. With all these advantages, Alex Brown of Morpeth managed to break the course record by 2 mins (and like everyone else)   he probably  did not break sweat .Ellie Fellows winning the ladies race. .  It was a cagoule day for almost all runners  . One exception being  previous Chey winner , Bruce Crombie , who opted for a Glasgow Rangers football shirt to provide enough weather resistance .  Bruce (now of Cheviot Trail Runners )was 5th overall   . Last year he had V on his tail as Vaughan probably short sightedly  mistook Bruce's AFC shirt for one of our own and 'had to chase him down. This time he was spared the distraction.

The other 40 of us (including V and I)  eventually splashed our way back to enjoy the soup from Sharon McWilliams ( vegan option) , bread (non sourdough) and chocolate mints . Apart from that not much happened today except to say I took up a needle and thread to make after race repairs to my race shorts' elastic that failed with potentially serious consequences on the descent . No one admitted to finishing with dry underwear today. I wait to see whether the same repairs can be done on V's misfiring knee.

Other notables today were ex Poly runners Michelle Thompson running in Team Kenya colours for J & H AC and Dave Gilmore ( NEVAC) as well as a smattering of NFR runners . 

With huge thanks to Glen and the team for putting this event on - on a day when many events got cancelled for 'inclement weather ' .  Also to the marshals who had to stand out while we all chugged past. Graham Hare of Northern Fell runners  (one of the marshals ) also somehow got a video at his post.

Check out their websites as they now have a big video library of all kinds of Cheviot based races.  : 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jn_tqF1BgFE

 

Mark Smith's Bob Graham Rounds - Summer 2007 and Winter 2009

Quick out the blocks in 2016 - New Year's Day on Capt. Cook's Fell Race with Mark Smith.

This is Mark Smith - one of the more recent to join our Polyfellers - with quite a history in fell running. Mark recently came to work in the north east having previously run for Tattenhall Runners down in Cheshire (which is near Wales). He has added hugely to the section's pool of knowledge on fell races as he's competed in many events over the years especially over on the west . The north east fell scene has provided him with some new races to cut his teeth on. More particularly over in summer 2007 and winter 2009 , Mark took on the Bob Graham Challenge - which is reckoned to be the severest test (at least in England) for a fell race /ultra. It involves a run starting at Keswick and then taking a circuit of 42 Lakeland summits over 66 miles and all to be finished off within 24 hours.
See here for further details :http://www.bobgrahamclub.org.uk/
It is believed that  only Chris Little from NSP has ever managed the feat and all told only about 1700 runners have ever achieved it. The BGR was also covered in 'Feet in the Clouds' by Richard Askwith  .

Danny Richardson is delighted to have reached Scotland and in classic fellrunner style has pinned his number to his shorts.

While there's quite a lot of interest in the Chevy and the Allendale Challenge , ultra events like the BGR are a stage further. Earlier in July 2015 Poly's Danny Richardson came 6th in the first  St. Cuthbert's Way challenge - an ultra  100 km run from Holy Island to Melrose which took a superb route across the northern edge of the Cheviots . But to our knowledge there were no other similar ultra/off road achievements in 2015.
In any case, here are Mark's detailed blog reports on his BGR trials. They were great expeditions..


Winter 2009 :

 http://winterbobgraham.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/in-bleak-midwinter-story-of-round-1819.html?m=1


Summer 2007 :

http://marksbgr.blogspot.co.uk/2007/07/marks-bgr-29th30th-june-2007.html?m=1

Saltwell International Fell Race 7 July 2015 - Lord Lucan finally located

Missing - possible reward offered for recovery . This is John Baty who has not been seen for several years on the fells. Responsible for murdering several fell races before his  disappearance in suspicious circumstances . He may have  changed  appearance since this photo  and may have put on weight due to parkrunning  . Not tagged or chipped but is registered with NSP. May be dangerous if approached from behind during a race  .If found please return to the Poly fell section .

This was the 'missing notice' posted by the fell section over the last 2 years at various venues that John had been known to frequent   including at sports events (such as fell races and Cheltenham ) and comedy clubs ( such as St James' Park ) .
For our new members  Baty remained nothing more than a legend as one of the famous fell knights at the Poly fell section round table .Unlike most legends  the truth with John was  even more bizarre .
There had been no confirmed sightings of this Sir Galahad of the fells  ....until,that is this July , at the region's only  International fell race organised by the incident prone , Saltwell Harriers

Saltwell had  pulled off the region's most unlikely  marketing coup by convincing a party of Australian tourists that the Saltwell fell race was  the third greatest local tourist attraction  after Hadrian's Wall  and  the Blairs' unused  constituency home at Trimdon . The Australians sudden  arrival prompted Saltwell to hastily rename their event as the   'first International Saltwell Fell Race' . It was also a  celebration of Saltwell's undoubted  illustrious and strong  historical connections with the penal colony. The Poly's connections with Australia are  more limited with the doubtless exception of Neil Dick - who behaves and dresses pretty much as you'd expect an  Australian  to do and acts like  Crocodile Dundee on the streets of Monkseaton . Sadly,  his birth certificate lets him down as he's apparently more  Cockney than Aussie.
Baty's arrival was timely. He was so dated that the  last time he ran  a tin of  snuff was considered  essential kit while  it was also good form to lob boulders downhill at your rivals to impede their progress.. He also now saw  that the fell section had progressed to the 1980s by  admitting females. It's probably stretching things a bit to say  they had been admitted - it's more accurate to say that they rolled up unannounced , uninvited , totally ignorant of any protocol and just  assumed with a disarming smile and a flick of their locks that was the qualification criteria  . As an equal opportunity organisation, the fell  section committee hadn't actually ever  banned them. However it  just  considered they'd be uninterested in our fell events as unlike any of the 10 k road races  , access to shopping facilities en route at any fell race was rather limited .
Hot on the heels of the Chevy , we were  able to muster a good retinue of runners for the race - in fact the best total ever for this (third in numbers behind NFR and  the hosts ! ) with 8  . Traditionally we were lucky to scrape together 2 or 3 for this  race (regulars Chris Rowe and Barry Young). So a fine turnout from the reds.
As usual Saltwell  managed the event  with a small number of efficient marshals. No more than a  brief but  lucid explanation of the route  was necessary  from Keith Wood and was based on his assumption that fellrunners were a good deal brighter than roadrunners (which is of course scientifically proven) .  During the course of his resume,  the word 'water ' was mentioned no fewer than 4 times ( water actually occupied most of Keith's speech)  leaving some to conclude they should have packed some flotation devices with the kit. That lucky dip section involved  ditching in  the Stanhope Burn and 'punching' your race number all of which was to be 'supervised' by some of the more gleeful  Saltwellians  .
From the start, it's a sharp ascent to the mast summit and it's still not clear which is the best way   . An early joint lead was taken by Andy Blackett (DFR) and Ben Rowley (Tynedale) who then vied for the laurels from start to finish. The field split up into  a few streams as runners tried to figure out the best lines.  After  running across the brow there's a fast 2 k descent to the river   . The usually silky smooth Jon Stephens of Low Fell was  having  a torrid time submerged for what seemed like minutes  as he battled with the system of orienteering punching. That could of course have been a Low Fell ploy to allow the other team members to put in some distance on the hounds - but surely Jon would never stoop to that . Once on his way Jon  led our particular  section through the valley for the final 800 m of sharp climb to the summit finish.
 Andy Blackett finally got clear to the line over the last 30 metres on the sharp hill climb to the flag. John was able to witness some of the goings on at the front end from his placing as our first runner back and first V50 - beating the ever gracious Joe Blackett (unrelated to Andy) of Dark Peak for that spot . Unusually he surrendered a few places on the final ascent . He couldn't catch Elswick's Lee Bennett who was supreme vet for the night. Fast improved Chris Rowe is now one of the front running V40s at these events these days and ran a fine place  . Our xc specialist Chris Waite finds this type of terrain a little more challenging but was good enough to close as our final counter here. The hosts took the overall team prize.
Saltwell are most generous (if boisterous ) hosts . Every Saltwell event involves large amounts of  alcohol at some point during proceedings -and  sometimes at several stages. Saltwell remain oblivious (probably due to either  intoxication or a lack of a subscription to  the Guardian)  to all that new government research stuff on 'lifestyle changes' that says that alcohol and bacon sandwiches adversely affect athletic performance.  Last year's venue post race at the Moorcock pub up on the moor  had now been abandoned as the roof had caved in - not clear if that  was related to last year's post race celebrations or some other act of God . So this year  we all decamped to a pub at  Castleside.
 Keith Wood was  in fine fettle as the mc - dispensing alcohol extensively  among the runners - and so making the Australians feel quite at home. This was also the north east master's fell championship event -so  the awards continued apace. Of our team everyone walked off with alcohol stuffed down their jackets , pockets and other places and/or  awards - all that is except  is for poor old Chris Oliphant who had even run the Chevy days before as a warm up race for the International .He got nothing but was extremely happy to witness all the booty that the rest of us took away.
It was a sure sign of the times for John Baty that he's so little known in serious fell circles these days that he was announced at the prize giving as John Batty ( as if somehow related to Nora Batty from Last of the Summer Wine )  . However unlike the long gone  Last of the Summer Wine (after 25 series and lots of letters from Dave Johnson imploring the BBC to let him play the role of Foggy Dewhirst)  , Baty had finally staged a comeback. Let's hope he can now make a few more series of the Poly fell championship and a bit more of an impact before he's really too old - and only good enough to chase elderly argumentative  ladies in laddered tights and scarves around Hebden Bridge.
Thanks go to Saltwell for the race , prizes etc and a good entertaining  midsummer evening well spent.
This is our roll of honour :
9.   John Baty  46 m 20 s
15. Chris Rowe 48 m 15 s
49. Chris Waite 53 m 04 s
60. Barry Young 56 m 01 s
63. Katherine Davis 56 m 44 s
84. David Johnson 62 m 42 s
94. Chris Oliphant 64 m 26 s
102. Ian Richardson 67 m 09 s

The blog will be updated once we can recover from the hangover and recall who won which prize in the vets championship. Sorry no photos apparently available.

59th Chevy Chase , 4 th July 2015 - Double for Twaddle

Rain man , Iain Twaddle sets out as the torrent  rattles off the road at the start of his Chevy epic with Philip Sanderson sheltering in 2 nd place  . Frosty,  in red, edges his way towards the front of the pack .

The toughest race on the north east calendar was run on American Independence Day in a day of contrasting fortunes.
The Chevy has been  a graveyard race for some of our legendary fellers. John Baty sustained  self inflicted psychological damage from the 2012 race after his crass assumption that as the Chevy's home was Northumberland National Park meant it must be a parkrun  . At 5k he had still not reached control 1 at Commonburn House - but he'd set a nightmarish pace with the serious hills to come. A year later , Chris Rowe's high hopes crashed with a pulled hamstring somewhere between Cheviot and Hedgehope - but he just about managed to stagger to the finish (some feat that with about 12 miles left to go). Earlier than  that , legend has it that  the Poly Club Captain (while  in the top 5) failed to turn left at  Brands Corner (CP 5)  and funnelled over into the wrong valley. Rumours swirled that the Club Capt had been gallantly chasing down an errant female   , lost  like a  lamb,   to  redirect her back on the correct course.  Modesty prevented the Capt mentioning that  detail in later years - though some cynics suggested that was because it would put him in a bad light  that a lady was ahead of him at the time. The race has dogged others with mis navigations, and slumps resulting in DNF.
 One runner who  has consistently managed to keep mind, body and sense of direction together is Iain Twaddle - the winner from 2008 and regular top 3 finisher whenever he'd raced it . One of the north's (so the country's) top fellrunners. He headlines for the Club in many other kinds of races that we don't trouble this BLOG with !

Then came the sun beating relentlessly as I cross through Causey Burn.

The 2015 race commenced in a flash flood with torrential rains sweeping the eastern Cheviots and a warning from the organisers of expected electric storms .It meant that this wasn't a day for umbrellas. With their usual diligence the organisers had  made their plans to clear the hillsides should lightning strike. Not a good prospect for any new runners considering the list of other hazards of saturated bogs, awful visibility , wet , heat stroke when the clouds finally  broke  and the continuous changes of terrain - as well as other competitors in various states of exhaustion and anxiety.

A short breather for Rachel Carr as she files towards the very last ascent of the day. A fine debut in harsh conditions - and a rather natty cap.

We did have a few Chevy virgins in our tally including Rachel Carr (one of 2 Raquels in our team ! ) , Chris Oliphant and John Brettell . The contingent included a scattering of the Windy Gyle brigade with Lt. Col. Michael Caine and Rachel Inman ( the 2nd Raquel) also Mark Smith ( not much to report as yet - but he may be from somewhere south ). Frosty (now a Wooler local ) had also staged his umpteenth comeback from his sledging accident of years ago to feature again.

A supporting role (not the lead)  is played today by Michael Caine - our 3rd placed runner home . But at least he beat his sister.

The race got underway in the torrent as Iain and Phil Sanderson immediately broke away from the field at the gun as the rest slogged  uphill towards Wooler Common behind them. This is not a good place to burn up energy unless you're sure you know what's in store. So it was a chance to catch up with a bit of banter with Rez Prathalignan and Paul Carroll (formerly of Claremont) . A few pleasantries were exchanged with the Rachels  attractively attired in their bright waterproofs - before the race started in earnest off road and on the Common.
 Rain was bearing down for the first 90 minutes and  soon  waterproofs were doing you no favours with condensation  - and soon they have to come off. Reportedly , Michael Kane had opted for a bright yellow rain jacket - but there was insufficient evidence on this occasion to convict him for being the worst dressed Poly runner.
The race had already become a 2 man race with Iain and Phil ahead as the field stretched out towards Broadstruther  , and then wove in and out the bogs at Cheviot Knee. I chipped in and out of conversations with a Phil Green contingent and a Kevin Ayre squad of SS Harriers ( Kevin accurately predicting a strong showing from the SSHAC females). The race then fragments a little as you mark the climb into cloud onto Cheviot.
The race at the front was a fierce affair. Phil was just about hanging onto Iain up towards Cheviot - but Iain was stretched things on the run down to the Langlee Burn . Then it was back into cloud for Hedghope. Perfect cover for an attack. As Iain summited , the marshals informed him the lead runner had passed through about 2 minutes earlier. Not a good omen for the rocky descent off Hedgehope where the lines remained obscured in the mist and with no moving target at all to aim at. The run towards the Langlee and Long Crags proved ever more evasive for Iain as the quarry had cleared the control point and eluded visual detection. It took real mental resilience to regather strength in these conditions. Navigation by sight became impossible - direction was by compass , contour or failing that instinct (not a good option). At one point Iain reckoned he was heading off course on the due east cut towards Brands Corner. The pressure was building . There was no scope for any errors as Phil has a string of successes in north east fell races and was a tough competitor. Then as Iain descended through the cloud towards Brands he saw his prey for the first time in getting on for an hour - Phil Sanderson was climbing off towards the Harthope Valley . Iain descended like a hawk  - he wasn't going to lose sight now.

A fine piece of landscape photography in Causey Canyon is enhanced by our glorious team colours borne by Chris Oliphant 

Back in the Cheviot fog , the peloton was managing as best possible with various runners tumbling down off Cheviot , voices sounding in the ether and occasional flashes of rain jacket colour. Michael Caine remained sheltered from attack and he wasn't giving his position away with any Cockney voiced anecdotes. The climb up Hedghope was salutary as time was lost ; using instinct rather than bearing . At one point a compass check revealed we were heading the wrong way back round Combe Fell ! That was only re corrected as the fence line was struck - some 400 metres off track. Summiting the marshals crouched down in the weather tent were relieved to announce over 2 way radios that , 'They were coming through again'. The run towards the crags was in squelch but for the first time the mist was lifting making sight along the valley definite. Descending like a pigeon towards Brands Corner , Frosty was spotted taking on water before the 90 degree turn to the north. No hind nor hare though of Michael Kane in his luminous clothing.
With quarry in sight , Iain was now able to track Phil along the ankle wrenching rocks along Causey Burn. Rounding on to Hell's Path , he was then on Phil's shoulder before breaking clear on the ascent. It was now down to the fastest runner over the last 3 miles or so. The ground smoothed to grass and then tarmac for the downhill dash to the finish. Iain now had the edge and broke open a gap of about 3 minutes in the final few miles as he closed in on Wooler Youth Hostel - ensuring he did not miss the final navigation track home . A very worthy and popular winner (  having been a member at Wooler Running Club , the hosts) . For Phil it was a huge  disappointment having finished second now on 3 occasions.

New Polyfeller , Mark Smith with eyes down as he gains some early credibility for his new Club as our 2nd man home.

Back in the scrum, Frosty had teamed up with Alan Wallace of NFR as he climbed out of Brands . I narrowed the gap to about 30 metres on the ridde . There then followed the wriggly , marshy  descent  and  Frosty's titanium ankles he eased open the gap down to the Harthope  Burn where Mrs Frosty was on hand to offer refreshments for any Poly runners - even those chasing her husband . Hitting Causey Burn , Frosty was  in view for only about a mile as he lurched over the boulders  and then was lost as he right turned for the climb up Hell's Path . A final finish saw him about 3 minutes clear - despite a late rally and a sharp short cut through the youth hostel grounds as I managed to run across Michael Caine's egg and parsley sandwiches  . The Eagle had Landed several minutes ahead of Frosty.
Any runners arriving after 4 hours -  were in for a furnace run. The clouds parted and the sun beat bright and hard sapping any energy that was left.

Battle weary . Even Frosty is suffering as he takes on fluids pacing his way to the finish.

Mark Smith was our second runner back  . Michael Kane third and Frosty fourth. Behind me , came Chris Oliphant (fresh as he'd started) ; tracked back the first of the 2 Rachels - Carr followed by Inman (apparently splitting after a duo run to the Harthope Valley bridge). Then Ian Holland - who surprised us all as he'd threatened to do the walk ( on which we had Jane Gerono and Christine). Chris was readying the Poly search parties when John Brettell surfaced - and we were all home. Sadly , we were 1 short of a full female team. Our top 3 men : Iain , Mark and Mike were outgunned by NFR - but overall we had the 2 nd team (though no prize for that). Paul Doxford of South Shields picked up the Spirit of the Chevy prize for having completed this year's event having been airlifted off Hedghope 2 years ago after a broken ankle.

Cool running as Iain now needs slicks on the same road home as in photo 1  as he hurtles downhill towards the finish. He had covered the 32 km plus in a shade over 3 hours...

Picnics and cakes , parents , trophies collected by happy athletes all  gathered on the green in front of the hostel. It was a truly glorious afternoon . A perfect setting  for one of the Poly's top  athletes to again clutch the  trophy from the north east's hardest race.
Here is the roll of honour for  our competitors. They can all take huge credit for the physical and mental endurance needed to survive the ordeal   :
1 . Iain Twaddle 3 02 26
20. Mark Smith 3 56 05
35. Michael Kane 4 11 57
40. Martin Frost 4 16 51
47. Barry Young 4 19 29
92. Chris Oliphant 4 42 09
120. Rachel Carr 5 06 02
135. Rachel Inman 5 20 43
144. Ian Holland 5 36 10
167 . John Brettell 6 51 55

Photos thanks to Northumberland Gazette for a couple and Paul Buxton for the others ( a fine web site for local photographs).

This is the report from the Chevy web site. http://woolerrunningclub.co.uk/Chevy%20Chase%20report%202015.html
Results here : http://results.sportident.co.uk/home/event.html?eventid=4bb011ae-e058-4cc5-8838-c75275b56baf
This from the pen of Phil Green :http://thehottrod.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/chevy-chase-weekender.html

Windy Gyle Fell Race 22 June 2015 - A Bridge Too Far

Deja vu (at least if you're a French speaking Belgian ) as for the second year running , William Robson picks up the U 23 prize for this race. ( Photo taken  by Andy Russell in 2014 .....no cameramen this year).

Two Hundred  years   after the British had again rescued Europe from disaster  at Waterloo  , 1000 Belgian paratroopers  in commemoration of liberation   had drifted from the Northumberland skies and  into Otterburn Camp a week before the WG Fell Race  . It was one of the biggest parachute drops on UK soil in recent memory. They landed unopposed .
The Belgians  had  a week to decamp and trudge east across the badlands to reach the Border ridge and into our fellrunner territory for mid summer.
By Sunday morning  , the Belgians had streamed into 8 man sections  scattered across the hill flanks and up onto the ridges . They were weighed down with fridge sized radios , 50 kg Bergens and armed to the teeth with rifles and heavy machine guns . They were ready for a fight and had established an OP on the high point at Windy Gyle a site renowned for mayhem and murder  with our reivers .
By contrast ,our fellrunners were the Light Brigade as they set off for the RV at Windy Gyle lightly clothed  and only armed with a keen sense of direction , guile and  a steely determination.
A fell race is  guerilla style warfare with hit and run in open country while  a road run is the formation fighting of Waterloo . It's hard, scruffy ,  with no quarter given and none asked and no  surrender . For a fell runner , the race is a mental battle with the terrain and weather constantly  eking out each and  every advantage through lines , gulleys and trods   ;  for  a roadrunner  race advantage  is about calculating time and distance usually between  bus shelters to make sure you keep dry  .
The first the Belgians saw of our assault was Phil Sanderson and Lee Bennett from the reds at Elswick Harriers breaking through the rain squalls and cloud like Spitfires and  out and onto the OP at Windy Gyle . They were then followed  by  wave after wave  of attackers from myriad clubs ( some admittedly in unpatriotic colours of purple and green ). Our own reds were well represented - a strong contingent of  9 (second to  NFR)  .
Led out by junior officer William Robson we took the fight to all comers in the way - Belgian or Brit. Chris Rowe ,  with his submarine commander beard again took on the assassin role and dangerously tracked Will out and across the high country.

Running home down the Street - a very empty place .

Off Windy Gyle we were beating west  into the wind and rain (it was barely above freezing)  pressing on towards the Street. As the fellrunners moved onwards columns of Belgians were retreating east towards Windy Gyle and away from the volleys of SS 20 artillery pieces  booming just over the hill tops at Otterburn . Belgians had  out foxed or out run  the guns of the Royal Artillery  and were well out of range by now.
Fearlessly ,  the fellrunners  rode on  towards the direction of the gun  fire - this was madness (sacre bleu) for the Belgians.
Just up ahead  , Lt Col Michael Kane was busy weaving in and out the bog filled re entrants on the ridge like a weasel. Covering our rears, were  some more new faces with Sgt Lisa Henderson - well kitted out for a day in the mountains and Pte John Brettell in appropriate dress with a  Tory blue rain jacket .
 Some of the females proved  a bit slow on Border Ridge . They proved rather impressionable at the sight of uniforms and their brown smeared hands and faces at the finish  testified to their succumbing to the offer of chocolate from the Belgians. (The Americans would have plied them with nylons which could have been worse ; they'd get no more than some stiff upper lip from our boys ).
The race descended hard and fast with the gallop back down to the Coquet valley - which saw the assassin (7th) cut past Will (8th) on the flat run in. I faltered over the line in 34 th but it proved a Bridge Too Far for Michael Kane in 36 th   (and not a lot of people know that ) . We could count back our  Polyrunners as they advanced over the line in pairs - with Lisa and Katherine Davis (46.47) , then the  war horses of Majors  Chris Oliphant (50) and Ian Richardson (54) (ret'd) , Rachel Inman at 56 ( a new face but the assured and angelic looks belie an experienced hillperson) , and then George Adamson (one of our finest and most experienced hill runners of all ) and finally John  Brettell (61).
Phil Sanderson was the eventual overall victor over Lee.
This was Keith Cooper's last organisation of this fine race. Next year  Phil Green will take the cudgels. At least that is the plan , if Phil is still around to do it. As the race prize giving  broke up , Phil Green was being frog marched off at the head of 2 columns of Belgian soldiers - with some opportunists calling on the Belgians to shoot him . Will he escape in time like Tintin ? Tune in for the next instalment. For the Belgians , they arrived too late in the valley  to make the finishing  list as various sections crossed  some 30 mins after our last runner. They need to get some lightweight kit next time they take on the fellrunners but  they leave  with some tall stories to tell in every bar   from Bruges to Brussels of their unexpected confrontation  with the fellrunners in one of Northumberland's emptiest quarters.
Phil's blog here with results :http://thehottrod.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/windy-gyle-fell-race.html

Michael Kane as Lt -Col Vandeleur (a Belgian sounding name ) of the Irish Guards Armoured Division in a 'Bridge too Far ' is well kitted out in his buff as he gets some advice from the posh Edward Fox .