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