High Fells of Hedgehope,Ingram,Northumberland 14.01.2018
Great well organised event up in possibly my favourite childhood place to visit Ingram Valley in Northumberland. Many a great weekend day with picnics with the family, a bit of football, homemade boat racing down the river and perhaps where my love for hill running was subconsciously born running up the fells with my brother who was good going up and I was good going down hill.
High fell events put on this event as part of there high fell trail series but the terrain meant this was a winter fell race in freezing conditions !
The race organiser Barry had sorted an entry which was great after the recent good news of my boy Kais all clear from cancer which at 17 was hard for everyone concerned. I knew quite a few faces and off I went for my warm up the start of the Ingram trail half which I won 2 years ago and given the fact I didn't really prepare apart from one 5 am fell run a week before I kind of accepted victory wouldn't be mine especially after spotting young Briggs of NFR whom I was chatting to at the start.
I started steadily and was comfortable just behing Briggs with 2 or 3 just behind including the eventual race winner Paul Brunger of Derwent Valley trail runners who then went past me eventually joining Briggs and I was in 3rd place.I kept at it climbing well for me knowing its not my strong point given the complete lack of hills where I live and knowing that the descending in the 2nd half suited me.As we hit the approach to the Crags I was running quite well but my laces being undone was annoying as the bogs were coming up soon ....
The boggy steepness of Hedgehope awaited us and I attacked it with gusto. The technical part through the rocks was great fun but the temperature was freezing. To be honest I expected the first 2 lads to come passed me on the out and back course sooner but it wasn't too big a gap...game on!. I did however stop to do both laces which proved tricky with hands that were cold. I really went for the descents and flew down getting 2 segment records on strava and was really delighted with the support of runners coming the other way.
I felt so happy running and loving the route which is all its about ultimately and felt good hunting down people ahead. Passing back through the crags onto the gradual downhill path that young Briggs was slowing but I couldn't see the other lad who apparently after passing Briggs had shot off.I had a little bit of a wobble after 10 miles feeling weak but I ploughed on back towards Ingram and through the 3 immediate river crossings at the end before finishing 2nd place.
This is a great event and would definitely recommend people giving this a go.
After this bloody knee settles down Glentress training starts!
High fell events put on this event as part of there high fell trail series but the terrain meant this was a winter fell race in freezing conditions !
The race organiser Barry had sorted an entry which was great after the recent good news of my boy Kais all clear from cancer which at 17 was hard for everyone concerned. I knew quite a few faces and off I went for my warm up the start of the Ingram trail half which I won 2 years ago and given the fact I didn't really prepare apart from one 5 am fell run a week before I kind of accepted victory wouldn't be mine especially after spotting young Briggs of NFR whom I was chatting to at the start.
I started steadily and was comfortable just behing Briggs with 2 or 3 just behind including the eventual race winner Paul Brunger of Derwent Valley trail runners who then went past me eventually joining Briggs and I was in 3rd place.I kept at it climbing well for me knowing its not my strong point given the complete lack of hills where I live and knowing that the descending in the 2nd half suited me.As we hit the approach to the Crags I was running quite well but my laces being undone was annoying as the bogs were coming up soon ....
The boggy steepness of Hedgehope awaited us and I attacked it with gusto. The technical part through the rocks was great fun but the temperature was freezing. To be honest I expected the first 2 lads to come passed me on the out and back course sooner but it wasn't too big a gap...game on!. I did however stop to do both laces which proved tricky with hands that were cold. I really went for the descents and flew down getting 2 segment records on strava and was really delighted with the support of runners coming the other way.
I felt so happy running and loving the route which is all its about ultimately and felt good hunting down people ahead. Passing back through the crags onto the gradual downhill path that young Briggs was slowing but I couldn't see the other lad who apparently after passing Briggs had shot off.I had a little bit of a wobble after 10 miles feeling weak but I ploughed on back towards Ingram and through the 3 immediate river crossings at the end before finishing 2nd place.
After this bloody knee settles down Glentress training starts!
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