With races starting to re-appear and the warmer weather making it easier for Race Organisers to run them fully outside, all pre-entry, in a Covid secure manner Bingley Harriers are starting to get themselves back racing on the fells. Usually we would be running club fell championships for Juniors and Seniors. The uncertainties of a second Covid summer made it impossible to plan. So now we would like to focus on a series of races to get us out, together and running at events. If you are already entered into any fell races that are not already full and would be suitable let me and Andy know and we can publicise them and get more there. If you are new to fell running but would like to give it a go – get in touch. We can help get you going 😉.
Becky Weight and Andy Jebb – Fell Team Managers
Here is what has been going on in the last couple of weeks and a few things that are coming up. I will put a few photos up in the Team App Gallery. Enjoy.

West Nab Fell – Junior and Senior races Sat 30 May 2021
A beautiful sunny late spring day – warm at last. Everyone spaced out around the start field with the races well spread apart to avoid too much ‘gathering’. The race starts in waves of 30, masked and lined up in the ‘waiting area’ and socially distanced on the start line. Yes it felt a little different to ‘normal’ but it was still great to be out at a race on a warm afternoon in the ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ Pennines, at Meltham.
There was a full range of junior races with strong fields, as part of the 2021 Lancashire Junior Fell Championships and a counter for place for Team Yorkshire for the Junior Intercounty Fell championships. Junior runners were attracted from across Northern England with plenty from Yorkshire, alongside the Senior race. Bingley was represented in the following races :
Girls U11 (2.0km, 100m) Marcie Ford in her first fell race, in a field of 21, came in alongside Isla Jebb with the same time of 11.52. Isla, the daughter of Rob & Sharon, got her foot to the line first. Well done Marcie.
Boys U13 (2.8km, 130m) Charlie Robinson had a good run and was well paced at 14th in 15.28 against a strong field of 34 U13 Boys.
Girls / Boys U17 (6.1km, 335m) Rebecca Flaherty had a great 4th place in 32.42 and I am sure there is more to gain. Maybe this was Rebecca’s first ‘fell race’ as she paused and commented at the top of the steep descent into the valley bottom of ‘What? I’m expected to run down there?’ No pauses next time 😉.
Benji Grundy (2nd claim Bingley) has been running the fells for ‘years’. He commented that the sudden switch to running in the heat was difficult to cope with. Less than a week before we were running in full winter gear being battered by hailstones.
Girls / Boys U19 and Seniors (8.1km, 520m) The U19s were running the full Senior race, a challenging distance and ascent for younger runners. Grace Dawson, 6th girl in 54.42, was well placed with a group just behind the two front runners. Alex Flaherty, was 12th boy in 45.34 in a strong field; the first 4 U19s were all ahead of the first senior runner, with a fastest U19 time of 37.05.
In the Senior race Becky Weight (F60) was 73/108 seniors in 59.10 in a race won by Owen Beilby M40 of in 38.30 and Katie Walshaw who was 8th overall in 42.42.
Full results at https://events360.co.uk/WestNabFellRaceresults2021_6.pdf

Selection for Team Yorkshire
Following the West Nab race, and with other performances in consideration, the following were selected for Team Yorkshire in the British Inter County Junior Fell Championships to be held at the Up the Nab race on Sunday 13 Jun :
Rebecca Flaherty (FU17)
Theo Clay (MU17)
Alex Flaherty (MU19)
Grace Dawson (FU19)
Congratulations all on gaining your Yorkshire vests and many thanks to all family and supporters who make it possible.

Kettlewell Fell Races – Sat 6th Jun
The ‘Bofra’ races are often very short, sharp, steep and challenging, and Kettlewell packs all of those into 1.4m and 550’ ascent (for the Seniors), with a rocky gully ascent and a scree slope descent to add to the interest.
Another glorious sunny day – this time in the Yorkshire Dales. 4 Bingley runners ran – Isabelle Jebb (U12), Abby Clay (U14), Jo Buckley (F45) and Simon Wright (M50), and several more linked family members. If I haven’t picked them all up let me know!
Isabelle Jebb was 6th in 8.23 a big field of 33 in the U12 Girls. She had strong competition from Bethan Buckley (K&C) and cousin Isla Jebb (Helm Hill).
Abby Clay was also 6th, in 12.46 in the U14 Girls. Her competitors include Millie Jebb (Helm Hill), Katie Buckley (K&C), Izzy Wright (Wharfedale) and Lara Brown (K&C)
Jo Buckley was 10/32 Lady in 18.28 and Simon Wright 45/80 Man in 17.14 in races won by Elsie Butler (Howgill) in 13.33 and Simon Bailey (Staffs) in 11.33.
Full results and lots of glorious Woodentops pictures on http://bofra.org.uk/kettlewell-results-2021/

Lothersdale Fell Race (BS 5.8km, 180m) Wed 9 Jun
After a hot mostly sunny day black clouds gathered in late afternoon. It held off for the outside registration at the pub and fortunately we only got a few spots of rain just before the start – this time runners setting off in pairs at 30 second intervals up the track from Lothersdale.
6 Bingley runners finished in some sort of order. The main results man had some Yr 7 Exam papers to mark when he got in so sorting complicated results with staggered timing wasn’t going to happen immediately. We all loved the race.
Paul Crabtree
Mark Leigh
Becky Weight
Vanora McCullagh (I wasn’t ‘feeling it’ tonight – kept having to walk on the way up!)
Harry Atkinson (Had to stop on the way down with thigh cramp – from a tough Velos bike ride earlier in the day!)
Caren Crabtree

Other ‘fell and mountain’ activity
There has been other Bingley activity at Hoppits Hill, Fairfield, Pendle in a Day (Well done Sally & Michelle), European Masters Virtual ‘Mountain’ 10k, All the lakes in the Lakes (Kate F), a lot of Welsh mountains with a lot of water (John P and Andy G) and supporting other long distance mountain ventures. If you were involved and would like to put a few lines (or more!) together – it would be good to share your experiences and achievements with the rest of the club and others.

What’s coming up ?
Good luck to everyone running this weekend – loads on and it’s going to be hot so look after yourselves and keep well hydrated.

Ennerdale Fell race – Sat 12 Jun. A long tough race and part of the English Fell Championship series. Ian Ferguson, Paul Crabtree, Andy Jebb, Ian Holmes, Dave Stephenson, Vic Wilkinson, Tom Gomersal and Robbie Williams. Good luck to those fit enough to get there 😉

Bradford Millenium Way Relay – Sun 13 Jun. 40 Bingley runners will be out in 4 teams on what is forecast to be a hot day. Get yourself out on the course to cheer them on and have a spare bottle of water handy and some jelly babies. Good luck to everyone and especially Paul and Tom who will have Ennerdale in their legs from Saturday!

Up the Nab – Sun 13 Jun. Part of the English Junior Fell Championship series and hosting the British Intercounty Junior Championship – as noted above a number of Bingley Juniors are in the Yorkshire team. Go Team Yorkshire and anyone else heading over for the race.

Eldwick Gala Fell Race (BS 4.8km/168m) Sat 17 Jul 3pm. As Race Organiser I am targeting making this happen. Minimum age 13. We are hoping to run some junior races too if we can find another person to help organise them. Anyone interested please let me know.

What have you done or got coming up? Write a few lines to share with the club and send them to me.
Thanks. Becky Weight.