June’s Dasher of the Month is the awesome Paula, our bog-trotting superstar and one of the most cheerful and enthusiastic people you could ever wish to meet. Btw, zoom in on Paula’s face (bottom left pic) – Could this be the greatest action shot in the history of sport?
June 2026 Paula Hollings
1. Do you have a nickname?
My family call me Pod.
2. What is your favourite piece of running kit/equipment?
After running with essentially a coat-shaped piece of tissue paper for a few years, I love my new OMM Kamleika coat – it’s waterproof, stretchy & breathable.
3: What’s your favourite race?
I’m still relatively new to the world of fell racing. I enjoyed Mearley Clough last year (and the free pasta afterwards). I really enjoy Peak Raid events – they are a scatter-rally navigation format over 2/3/4 hours. The organisers do an amazing job of putting on 7 completely new courses every year in the Peak District. They’re great fun and there’s free food afterwards.
4: Any PBs that you’re proud of?
I don’t have Strava and I very rarely wear a watch so I’m not very good at recording PBs! I think that record-keeping would take a bit of the freedom and joy out of fell running for me.
5: What has been your worst running injury?
Not too many injuries (touch wood), just occasional calf cramp and Achilles tendonitis. An alarming number of toenails went black and fell off after The Tour of Pendle. Lovely stuff.
6: Improving Dasher to keep an eye on
I’m genuinely in awe of everyone! Can I use this as a plea to get more women fell running?
7: Where is the most exotic place you have run?
My furthest away run was probably a jog in Hangzhou, China. It was so humid, I could barely see through the sweat in my eyes. There were many stares from locals of this tall, white, slime-monster flailing around.
8: Highlight of your running ‘career’ so far
Maybe the exceptional chip butties after the Orchan Rocks fell race.
9: Any hobbies we don’t know about?
I do love bike-packing in unfamiliar places & all the brilliant encounters and ludicrous situations that those adventures always bring.
10: Interesting fact about yourself
Hefty (my husband) and I have hand-built an extension onto our end-terrace house in Darwen out of straw bales. On a separate note, yes I do wash my hair.
11: Most interesting job(s) past or present
I used to survey for protected species which involved going to some unusual places at all sorts of times, day and night: prisons, mansions, military bases, abandoned mills. I love my current job, which involves a good amount of wandering around the uplands of the UK surveying plants and habitats.
12: Dasher you admire and why?
Everyone who is planning on doing, or has done, bonkers challenges like Spine Races, Bob Grahams, Joss Naylors & Everest challenges up Pendle.
13: Any future running ambitions?
Fell running with the Dashers is the first time I’ve managed to keep up a regular hobby for more than a couple of months without allowing work to re-overtake all my evenings. I’d like the keep that up!
14: Which song on your playlist makes you run faster & further?
No running with tunes for me – I might miss out on the call of a cuckoo or a lovely grasshopper warbler in the rushes! But a good one could be Sinnerman by Nina Simone?
15: Which person past or present would you most like to run with?
I wish I’d run with my dad more – there’s no way of writing that without it sounding like he’s dead. He’s not – he just knackered his knees from too much fell running before I got into it, and now he’s a cyclist.
16: Best thing about Darwen Dashers.
The club nights – we never have a planned route and end up on paths I never knew existed. Nothing is taken too seriously & everyone waits for everyone else with no drama. Good pint afterwards too. Gareth does a great job of selecting Fell Championship races every year.
17: Any running, or other superstitions?
It’s always going to be a great day if you get the crumbs at the end of a packet of cereal on your breakfast.
18: Your perfect, indulgent, post run meal
Maybe a nice, stodgy, veggie pasta bake. If it is an option, can I get it made by a Michelin Star chef? Ooh actually, The Real Thai Pie Company in Darwen do a super tasty Green Thai Vegetable Curry Pie – recommended after a long run!
19: One piece of advice for a new runner
Life is pretty variable so I’d say don’t worry about holding yourself to past performances or comparing yourself with others if it doesn’t do you any good. Just enjoy being out & appreciate the hills and wildlife that we have in the West Pennines.
20: Sum yourself up in 5 words
Disorganised, messy, forgetful, but optimistic.
