SportsShoes Blog

Just got back from a spin round the Withins Fell race organised by fell race legend Dave ‘Woodentop’ Woodhead.

Before the senior race there was some fast and furious junior races which are brilliant to watch – the looks of determination during the race and the smiles and laughetr afterwards as they munch through their goody bags is just fantastic.

It’s a long time since I’ve done this race and as there are so many run over the same area I’m always a bit unsure about which route I’m taking when I set off. As I’m never going to win it’s not a problem as there’s always plenty of folk to follow.

I really wanted to do the race but having been struck down with the dreaded lurgy this week I probably shouldn’t have done. However the lure of the cadbury’s curly wurly won me over and got me to the start line.

The start is fast and furious and the majority of the first mile is flat / downhill but after that the race climbs steadily right to the top of the moor and on to the skyline. From here it’s a mud plug across bogs and heather to the Withins ruin (of Bronte – Wuthering Heights fame) before a mad dash back down to Bronte Bridge. A steep pull back up Bronte Falls sees most of the climbing complete and from here it relatively flat back to the finish.

After making reasonable ground on the true fell sections I threw away all my hard work on the 2 mile run back to the finish as my reduced capacity lungs failed to provide enough oxygenated blood to my muscles.

Anyway, enough of the excuses, I dragged my sorry soul over the line to finish in thirty odth place in just over 50 minutes.

It’s a cracking course and a brilliantly organised race and I just wished I’d felt better so I could have raced it properly.

On a higher note, the race saw me unleash my brand new walshies and I must admit to having forgotten just how good they are on a true fell course. The grip on mud is simply superb and they’re still the only shoe out there that will offer any sort of grip on wet rock. They will never win any prizes from teh fashionistas but sweep the floor when it comes to function over form. If Walsh could inject a bit of clever design in to the uppers and leave the sole unit as it is they could find themselves back on top when it comes to fell shoes in no time at all. Until they do they’ll keep losing out to Inov 8.

The FRA fell relays are hosted by a different club each year and in 2011 it was the turn of my club Bingley Harriers to stage the prestigious event.

We found out 2 years ago that we’d been selected to stage the race and since that time my clubmate Dave Weatherhead has worked tirelessly to pull together what proved to be one of the best days of fell racing the UK has ever witnessed.

He’s not revealed his secret but somehow he even managed to fix the weather and perfect blue skies and warm sunshine bathed the start and finish field from first light until darness fell.

Almost 200 teams of 6 runners from all around the British Isles competed for the coveted title of British Fell Relay Champions and after 4 legs of gruelling ups and downs Dark Peak took the men’s title and the mighty Bingley Harriers lifted the womens trophy.

I played a small part in proceedings running with Bingley’s president Martin Peace in the navigation leg for Bingley over 40s (AKA old giffers) team.

After a promising opening leg, the pair before us on the second leg had a difficult time with one of them really struggling to get to grips with the course. This effectively took all the pressure of Martin and I but we still headed out to make some amends and pick back as many places as we could. In the end we ran 23rd fastest on our leg and made up 41 places on the way which we were quite pleased with.

The story of the day was our ladies team who ran strongly over the first three legs and handed over to Mary Wilkinson our anchor leg in 3rd place. Mary was eight minutes behind as she hit the hill on a course that was only 5 miles long. Everyone (except Mary) thought the race was run and at best we might sneak 2nd, but after a simply stunning run Mary appeared in the finish field as 1st lady and brought the trophy back to Bingley!

A few too many celebratory drinks in Kettlewell afterwards led to a rather groggy feeling in my head as I awoke on Sunday morning to the sound of heavy rain on the event marquee roof. Those of us that had camped trudged back home via the little chef in Skipton with fantastic memories of a truly brilliant event.

I’ve had quite a busy time recently trying to get back to fitness after my post Bob Graham Round rest but I’ve been hampered a little by a slight foot injury that I acquired running in the Bradley Fell race back in early September.

I then ran in the Settle Loop race which is an 8 mile trail race around the hills and trails around the back of Settle and over towards Malham tarn.

Two weeks ago I ran 12 x 400 meters on the new track at University Academy Keighley which was my first ever experience of track running and I must admit to actually enjoying it. At Bingley Harriers we’ve devised a training plan that sees us hit the track once every three weeks and I’m interested to see if it delivers the benefits that everyone suggests it will.

Last weekend we made our way to a windy, rainy and cloudy Lake District to run in the Ian Hodgson Mountain relay. As Bingley set out to win the mixed team prize this year (4 ladies and 4 men in a team) I found myself relegated to the A team. The managers’ team selection paid off and Bingley won the mixed team prize by just seven seconds from Pennine in a very tightly contested race.

This weekend it was the Langdale Fell race, one of my favourite long distance events which takes in Thunacar, Bow Fell, Crinkle Crags and Pike O Blisco before returning to the Old Dungeon Gill pub where a warm pasty and a pint awaits to refresh weary bodies.

Although I didn’t feel I’d run very well and felt tired on all the climbs I still managed to finish 8th in the Over 40s category and won a tenner.

I ran in my old Inov 8 330 fell shoes which whilst being very comfortable have the old grey hard wearing sole rather than the newer black sticky sole. This made the wet lakeland rock very interesting at times so I think some of the newer sticky models are on the cards. 

Next week it’s the FRA relay in Kettlewell which Bingley are staging. I’m running leg 3, the navigation leg, so I’m hoping that my map and compass skills don’t desert me.  

Last weekend I did the Burnsall Fell Race, one of the oldest and most famous fell races in the country and one that truly deserves the title ‘classic’.

Burnsall is a very traditional race that runs straight up the fell and back down again and is all over and done with in the space of just 1.5 miles.

The record for the race is very long standing and quite honestly almost unbelieveable at just over 12 and half minutes. This year the race was won by local fell star Ted Mason in a shade over 14 minutes which in itself is a brilliant time but when you think it’s nearly two minutes off record pace it shows just how hard it will be for anyone to set a new mark.

I was somewhat slower coming home in 21st place in just over 18 minutes.

The descent from the summit flag is a real beast as it’s super steep and covered in thick heather which completely obscures rocks and your feet when they land.

Unfortunately, this year’s race was marred by a tradgedy. Mike Ogle a 62 year old blind runner died of a suspected heart attack as he neared the summit of the fell. Mike ran for Chorley harriers and was an experienced runner who used a guide to lead him round the course. I didn’t know him personally but I do know people that did and they described him to me as a truly inspirational person who never let his disability get in the way and always had a positive outlook on life facing every challenge with a smile and in good humour.

The only consolation for his family is that he died doing something he loved and surrounded by friends and a whole village of people who admired his courage, spirit and can-do attitude.

He went too early but certainly left his mark on the world while he was here – I’m sure his Chorley colleagues will give him a good send off and he’ll always be remembered.     

As you know I’m somewhat of a Kanadia fan – my new pair of 4th generation shoes are the 4th pair I’ve had.

Thankfully Adidas have not tinkered with the sole unit which saw a major overhaul when the shoes went from 2 to 3.

The outsole is superb featuring really useful lugs which provide great traction both up and down hill and also make the shoe comfortable on harder surfaces.

Looking at them you could be mistaken for thinking that the shoes would ride too high for true off road use but that’s not the case in practise. The foot feels planted to the ground and very stable despite the good levels of cushioning.

The 4th generation gets a reworking of the upper which is more cosmetic than anything else but I think works well and gives the shoe a classy and expensive look. Inside Adidas have also upgraded the inner sole which is now a little more contoured round the arch.

So, another fantastic shoe from the Kanadia stable which works superbly on almost all surfaces but once again the real treat for the buyer comes when you take them to the till. How Adidas can pack so many features into a shoe at this price when the competitor products are around 20 quid more is beyond me.

Go and try them I’m sure you won’t be dissappointed.

Just be careful with sizing – they still come up very small so you’ll probably need a full size bigger than your normal shoe.      

I have a plan brewing for 2012.

In 2007 I did the Ultratrail Tour Du Mont Blanc (UTMB). This was my favourite race of all time – 100 miles, 30,000 feet of climb in 34 hours.

Well, the organisers of the UTMB have now dreamt up a new challenge – it’s like the UTMB but with teeth!

The PTL (Petite Trot a Leon). Now I haven’t studied French since I was about 12 years old but I know what Petite means and there’s nothing small about this race.

The PTL is 300km with 27000 meters of climb – that’s 180 miles with 90,000 feet of climb for us Brits.

Now there’s a challenge……!

I have a few ideas but if anyone out there would like to suggest a challenge I’m all ears……

Wow I’m excited – I know it doesn’t take much….

But take a look at the new Adidas Kanadia 4 trail shoes – they look awesome.

I’m on my 3rd pair of Kanadias and think they’re the best shoes I’ve ever owned – I just hope the 4th generation work as well as the TR3s.

My yellow TR3s have just completed a Bob Graham Round and matched to a pair of Hilly Mono Skin trail socks they were quite simply the best things I could have wished for on my feet. Not a blister or a rub to be seen – in fact with all the water that was around at the weekend I think my feet are in better shape now than they were when I started!!

Can’t wait to try out the Kanadia 4s – better get down to see Russ before they sell out of my size.

Bob Graham Round – 15^th / 16^th July
2011

Andy Nicoll and Dave Stephenson – Bingley Harriers

Following a traditional ultra runner’s meal of fish and
chips, myself and Dave Stephenson tapped the door of the Moot Hall at 7pm on
Friday 15^th July 2011 and set off in a clockwise direction to
attempt the Bob Graham Round.

Despite the weather forecasts all being bad and the MWIS
suggesting that the chance of cloud free summits was just 10%, the weather was
kind – cool with high cloud and little wind, perfect for a BG.

Leg 1 went without a hitch and good time up Skiddaw, Calva
and Blencathra put us ahead of schedule at Threlkeld. Not needing head-torches
to descend Halls Fell was a bonus.

Following a quick changeover we headed up Clough Head but as
we neared the summit the weather turned. Low cloud, wind and driving rain would
now be with us for the next 19 hours!

Leg 2 was very tough and slow in the cloud and with viz down
to around 20 meters, running on bearings was the only option. A lengthy stop at
the Helvellyn shelter to add layers and food cost us time but was much needed
and the climb up Fairfield via Cofa Pike helped to keep us warm. We veered
right off Seat Sandal by mistake but our line down Raise Beck appeared to be
quicker than another team who we saw battling down through the bracken.

A great navigator on leg 3 helped us pull back time but
again the weather made the going very heavy. Although we had a rope on Broad
Stand the fact that neither of us were climbers and there was a waterfall
coming over the slippery crag made our ascent to Scafell summit very slow. We
then had to descend to Wasdale via the walkers’ path as Lingmell Gill was too
broad and too fast to cross.

At this point I thought our chance of a sub 24 had gone but
we both still felt physically strong so there was no thought of quitting.
Instead we gritted teeth and decided to pull out all the stops and go for it. A
fantastic bit of leading on leg 4 from a virtually unknown pacer delivered us
to Honister with 3.5 hours to spare. Only at this point did I truly believe it
was back on.

Remembering the note on the BG map ‘if time is tight, don’t
stop’ I grabbed some grub and set off up Dale Head without breaking stride.

The weather on leg 5 eased a little allowing us to make good
time and a great line off Robinson to the reservoir left just the road section
to complete. An army of supporters at Newlands raised the spirits and as the
sun started to shine after 20 hours of hiding I jogged up Keswick main street
to hit the Moot Hall door at 6.09pm 23 hours and 9 minutes after we’d left it.
(Dave finished 14 minutes later at 6.23pm).

Andy Nicoll

Bingley Harriers

Now this is weired…..

There was a chap by the name of Fred Rogerson who was the only official member of the Bob Graham club that had never actually completed the round. The reason for this was that Fred had been involved with the Bob Graham club / round for over forty years and assisted with literally hundreds of attempts.

Regrettably Fred died a while ago and as a tribute to him a plan has been hatched by his family and friends to send him (or more specifically his ashes) on a final journey around the 42 lakeland peaks of the Bob Graham round.

What is really spooky is that they’ve chosen the exact same weekend as me to make the trip and Fred’s team are setting off at 10pm, 3 hours after me…..

They are sending him round in a relay so the runners will have fresh legs but they don’t plan to finish at keswick until 7.30pm so with those few hours in hand I should keep ahead of him but can you imagine the stick I’m going to get from my pals if I get beaten by a dead chap!

I’ve recently discovered that