Fell.....

..... running.

Today I bought myself my first proper pair of fell shoes from the local running shop. I've always been a road runner, but the Ilkley harriers who I run with are more a fell running club. In the last couple of months I've been doing more off road running and enjoying it apart from all the slipping around caused by wearing the wrong running shoes.

This evening at the Harriers Tuesday evening run I wore my new fell shoes and decided to go out with a group of fairly quick runners who were heading up to Beamsley Beacon. Before we set off I finaly got to formally meet Drmackem who was running with a different group this evening so we just had time for a quick hello and handshake, a few pints might be needed on the next meeting :-).

The group I was running with was being lead by Paul. The laminated map that he had should have been a clue that the route was maybe a bit more off track than I'm used too, but to say it was off track is a bit of an understatment. After the usual bit of running through fields and on walkers tracks we ended up getting a bit lost and climbing down the steepest woodland bank you could imaging ( it was almost vertical ) the only thing stopping us sliding in to the river at the bottom was by clinging on to overhanging branches and tufts of foliage. Eventually we made it across the river and back on to more worn tracks ( only after our legs being cut by overgrown bracken and brambles and being stung by nettles ouch ! ).

The rest of the run was mainly on the moor tracks with just a bit of road as the sun set. The photo I have blipped is of Stephen going over the last ridge before the final climb up to Beamsley Beacon. By the time we set off back the sun had set and we were running by moonlight over the moor. In all we ran about nine miles, but because of the tough terrain and the slight detours it took two hours.

Despite ( or probably because of ) the detours, the nettles and brambles, the knee high bogs from all the rain, the tough hill climbs and the running in the dark., I thoroughly enjoyed the run and can see why people love fell running so much. It also helped running with such a nice group of people who were chatting and laughing all the way around.

My new fell shoes have also been thouroughly christened Before and After. They will definately be getting a lot more use. So today's blip is .....


..... Fell running.