Friday 31st December 2004 - Auld Lang Syne

This last fell race of the year always attracts a huge field and this year the congestion at the start was as bad as ever with 434 taking part. The route was altered because of work to the footpaths and this improved the course by avoiding the deepest of the mud on the climb. I set off from the quarry as fast as I could to get in front of the crowds and this ploy worked well enough for me to hold off Nigel Barnes for about the first four miles. There was nothing I could do to stop him coming past at that point though and he finished the race strongly as first Dasher in 107th place, with me 40 seconds behind in 122nd. Vince Brookes in 176th, Paul Lawrence in 258th and Jim Taylor in 331st all had a decent run whilst Jamie Dowdall had to run half the race with only one shoe. The infamous black Walshies claimed another victim as the sole of one of Jamie's parted company completely, even though the shoes had seemed to be in perfect condition at the outset. He still managed to beat nearly 100 people though, including Harold Ryan, who ran in with Jamie, to make sure he got safely to the finish. They were 353 and 354 respectively.

Saturday 30th November 2004 - Dunnerdale Fell Race

If you enjoy running through real Lakeland scenery but don't fancy the prospect of doing one of the classic big runs, you couldn't do better than to have a go at this race. The route takes you over some of the smaller summits in the South Lakes and on a nice day, presents some very pleasant views towards the bigger hills to the North and North West and Duddon Sands to the South. Not this year though. All you could see were the few runners in front and a lot of wet rock, grass and fading bracken. There is a lot of climb packed into the five miles but it doesn't come all at once so after the initial effort to get up The Knott you can settle into your stride and keep running for most of the rest, as long as you can stay on your feet. There were three Dashers this year - I managed a time of just under 50 minutes, Harold Ryan, enjoying his return to the fells sneaked in under the hour and Dave Shorrock followed about a minute later, having battled with Harold for much of the race in shoes which could most kindly be described as inappropriate. The new Walshies will be out for the next race no doubt.

Saturday 16th October 2004 - FRA Relay

When the Dashers started to think about entering this race for the first time in a few years, we realised that out of the first dozen or so names we came up with as possible team members, about two thirds of them were vets. Naturally then, we entered a men's veterans team, leaving us a bit short of runners to enter the open class.

The first leg was a relatively short one from the start field in the shadow of Kinder reservoir, up to Kinder Downfall and back again in a lovely circular route. Super Vet Don Ashton took this on and finished in 69th position, a little under the hour. Paul Thompson ran leg 1 for Clayton, finishing 7th, 13 minutes ahead of Don. Derek Ashcroft and Nigel Barnes ran the longer second leg in 1 hour 27 minutes, gaining 11 places and handing over in 58th place.

The navigation leg fell to me and late substitute, Harold Ryan. The only remaining founder member of the club, Harold has not done a lot of fell running recently. In fact I don't think he has been off the roads and footpaths for five years, so the straight line routes between checkpoints proved to be a bit of a challenge. We lost several places early on as we climbed through long grass, first to Mermaid's Pool, then on to the summit plateau of Kinder Scout. Perhaps it was unkind of me to then make a beeline for 1km across the peat towards the rock feature on the other side of the hill but I had to make sure he got his new Walshies properly soiled. On the descent along a rough path we then regained some of the places we had lost, finishing our leg with a sprint finish in 63rd, in 1 hour 43 minutes. Inexplicably, we had only lost 5 places - I'd like to think that some of the others got lost, or at least made worse route choices but no doubt Harold will tell you about his amazing descending speed.

Dave Naughton was subjected to the indignity of a mass start on leg 4, which was the reverse of leg 1. Sorry about that Dave - we did try. He went about 3 minutes faster than Don and dragged us back up to 59th out of 89 teams finishing the event overall.

The weather was lovely, the event centre was perfect and the organisation was flawless. It was a pleasure to take part and well worth the short trip to Hayfield. Next time perhaps we can get an open team in as well as the vets as it is always a great club day out.

Saturday 21st August - Darwen Gala Fell Race

How nice to be able to run in a race you are supposed to be organising because the marshals and other officials have the whole thing sorted. Check the report  and results on the other page here. I came 10th so I might even get my name in the Fellrunner magazine. I write the report myself so I bloody well should do!

The senior and junior results are here for 2004. The senior event had slightly fewer entries than last year but I hope that the event was enjoyed by the 45 who did take part. The weather dried up nicely for the race and we had warm sunshine for the first time in the Dashers' race series this summer. It looked so nice in fact, that I couldn't resist putting in a last minute entry myself to actually try out the route in competition for the first time, on my fourth year of organising the event. 

The winner was a local runner, Paul Thompson of Clayton-le-Moors Harriers, winning with plenty to spare, but outside the course record. Sally Newman, winning the ladies race and finishing 8th overall, trimmed 23 seconds of the previous best by Vanessa Peacock. Congratulations also go to Anthony Hayes of Darwen Dashers. Anthony was first under 18 in the senior race and gets a nice big trophy and a big box of sweets for his efforts.

Paul opens up his lead on the first climb to the tower

All the juniors in the smaller race ended up doing the same route, thanks to a slight mix up on the marshalling front. Sorry to the juniors over the age of 10 - you were meant to be doing a longer run, with more uphill, which I'm sure you would have enjoyed very much indeed. We will do our best to put you through a bit more pain if you come back next year, unless you will be 15 by then, in which case you can do the senior race. The junior results are shown with all the age groups together, and winners of the individual categories are shown at the bottom of the page. 

 The sponsor for 2004 was BS Stainless - for an insight into the fascinating world of steel, click here. We are grateful, for the free T-shirt for all runners at the finish.

11th and 18th August - Pilgrims Cross and Golf Ball Fell Races

I missed out on these two championship races because I was away doing the  Oregon Bicycle Ride with Mick Heath instead. Dull in comparison I know but sometimes its good to knacker yourself out in a different way and the swim in Crater Lake was a bit good. Amazing how breathless you can get walking a mile up from the shore when you are at 7500". Meanwhile, in Rossendale, I am told that there was another close contest for first Dasher at Pilgrim's Cross, with a three way battle between Gary Taylor, Nigel Barnes and Derek Ashcroft. Bet you can't guess who won in the end. 

I am kicking myself for letting the jetlag put me off entering the Golf Ball Fell Race the day after I got back because Gary didn't make it that day and Nigel Barnes tells me that he lost two minutes by going the wrong way. He still managed to take first Dasher with maximum championship points but an opportunity for Mark, Derek or myself has gone begging.

Wednesday 4th August - Whittle Pike

This is a great local race, with so much climb and descent crammed into a short distance that you could think you were in Scotland. There was a good turnout of Dashers, with guess who - Gary Taylor finishing first amongst us. Only 22 seconds from Nigel Barnes again but up there in front just the same. If Gary doesn't win this championship now then there's no justice in the world.

Saturday 24th July 2004 - Turnslack Fell Race

Another Fell Championship Race and once again maximum points for Gary Taylor, who was strong enough to take advantage of a moment of hesitation from Mark France. Mark arrived at the entrance to the finish field just ahead after the two had been neck and neck for the last mile of descent but, unaware that the actual finish was another 80 yards away, Mark allowed Gary to push through to victory. They were 14th and 15th overall and former Dasher Neil Holding also finished in the top 20. It was my turn to take a nosedive and fall flat out in the mud after about four miles and that really capped off a weary performance from me, again as third Dasher. The drive up from Cornwall that morning had not really put me in the right frame of mind and a Burger King at Stafford Services on the way isn't the ideal fuel either. Don Ashton came in shortly after me, followed by Dave Shorrock, Colin Fitzjohn and Jim Taylor.

Since Jamie is renowned for his floundering around in the mud, perhaps he and I could get a Dashers team together for this year's Bog Snorkelling Championships. Does anyone have any flippers I can borrow?

Thursday 15th July 2004 - Bull Hill Fell Race

The wet conditions underfoot didn't stop Richard Thomas knocking 30 seconds off his winning time from last year to finish nearly two minutes in front of the second placed runner. First Dasher Nigel Barnes improved by the same amount on last year to finish in 11th place overall, with Mark France, making his first appearance in this year's Dashers Fell Championship, just over a minute behind in 13th. This is a runner's fell race rather than one for those who favour scrambling and there was nothing in the route to knock the in form Nigel out of his stride; after the first big climb, there was nothing Mark could do to draw him back in. I was well back in 18th place, with Don Ashton next, holding off a finish line challenge from Jamie Dowdall. Dave Shorrock was next Dasher and Colin Fitzjohn completed the group, finishing only his second fell race in 65th place. Watch out Dave, he's after you - and Jamie, you'll be next.

Sunday 4th July 2004 - Skiddaw Fell Race

I always like to save a bit of energy for the end of a race, just so I can run in to the finish looking and feeling that I have done something I am actually capable of. That just doesn't seem possible at Skiddaw after that leg numbing and foot blistering descent. It was all I could do to keep running on the bridge over the bypass on the way back, which accounts for about 10' of the 2700' climb. This was race seven of the Dashers Fell Championship but only two of us made it all the way to Keswick for the start. Derek Ashcroft and I played a game of cat and mouse for the first twenty minutes of the climb but I managed to pull away slightly before we reached the summit and hold my lead on the descent to get maximum points for the first time this year. We both finished about one third of the way down the field. The weather conditions were odd, with warm sunshine at the bottom and cold wind and rain at the top. Most runners braved it in shorts and vest though, carrying the full windproof kit in a bumbag. The views from the top of Skiddaw are great too - pity there wasn't much time to look at it during the race.

Saturday 3rd July 2004 - Tockholes Gala

Another successful Dashers' event. No dramas, only 90 runners having a good day and dozens of Dashers doing a great job. 

The day started with strong winds and heavy showers and a good soaking when we went out to flag the course. I had to lash the Dashers' plastic gazebo to a fence to stop it blowing away before the race and the club members on duty at registration did a sterling job keeping the paperwork in order. There were 90 runners, which was great considering the blustery conditions which seem to have characterised this race series in 2004. No surprise that, because of the wind, the race record set in 2003 was not beaten by winner Paul Guinan. No surprise either that the first lady was Vanessa Peacock. This is the course with a bit of everything and although it isn't a really high level fell race, it must have felt like it in places this year.

First Lady (again) Vanessa Peacock approaching the top of Aggie's Staircase on the Tockholes Gala Race.

The 3B's beer on draught in the marquee was first class and the timekeepers were well tucked in by the time the first runners had appeared at the finish. The bottles of Tackler's Tipple handed out to each of the runners were also excellent, though not at its best swigged from the bottle within seconds of it being thrust into your grasp, Simon Smith, after an excellent 6th place finish as first Dasher. Its bottle conditioned man - let it settle, keep it chilled and pour carefully into a glass. This was the first ever consignment of bottled beer out of the brewery, which is only a couple of miles from the Gala Field. They don't have a website yet so I'm afraid I can't give them a link but if anyone wants contact details then please get in touch with me. They do an excellent brewery "tour" which makes for a great club night out. Perhaps the free beer will become a permanent feature at this race instead of a T-shirt - mail me with your preference. julian[delete]@dashers.org.uk

This is what the officials do when you are out on the run, left to right, standing, Eric Wilson - Results, Mick Heath - Timekeeper, seated, Sue Duckworth - writing things on a clipboard, Julian Donnelly - fetching more beer.