Austwick Amble BM 13km 365m Mon 27 May 24

It had been very wet on the run up to this race but fortunately the rain stopped just before the Junior races and the sun shone for the Seniors. Being in the free draining limestone Dales, underfoot was mostly firm short sheep grazed grass and good open running along glorious limestone benches, after the initial climb up. A short section in the middle along Sulber Nick was rocky, puddly and greasy but was soon forgotten on the grassy return, with the last couple of fast miles down a gravelly farm track and road back to Austwick.

A bank holiday Monday has many other attractions and activities on offer so there was only a small select group of Bingley Seniors, so Mary Green and Nick Chapman chose their first 2024 Fell Champs outing well, gaining good points. There were also a few Juniors and families who had come for the Junior races and to enjoy the Austwick Street Fair.

The race was won by husband and wife team Rupert (Dark Peak, 49:41) and Lizzy (Settle Harriers, 55.59, new Ladies record) Allison. The Bingley results, amongst the 117 runners, were :

29 123 Nick Chapman MV40 1:01:39
87 96 Becky Weight LV60 1:18:44
94 48 Mary Green LV60 1:20:55
101 32 Caren Crabtree LV40 1:24:54

I was taken by surprise to be pipped at the post (3 secs) by Aileen Baldwin, F70 of Stainland Lions. How dare she! Well done Aileen 😊. Just goes to show we all need to keep our wits about us and keep racing until you are over the line.
Well done Nick for getting the maximum Club Fell Champs points, a good choice of race to join. Your best 6 of 12 races to count so still opportunities to score.

Buttermere Sailbeck AM 15km 1315m Sat 15 Jun 24

Where is Summer? Especially for a tough (9m, 4000’) Lake District run in June. The Lakes weather can always be unpredictable and harsh but we live in hope – or I do anyway – but your hopes may not be realised!
Buttermere was a Club and an English Fell Championship (EFC) race so extra interest for those targeting the EFC. Dave Stephenson gave myself and Jo Henry a lift. It rained most of the way, easing off as we arrived. Hopes lifted. Others (Tom C, Caren C, Donna E, Gareth H, Ian H, Cheryl J, Amicia L) were already there variously sheltering in vans or hiding under jacket hoods.
Gathering for the Ladies start at midday the rain started again. Jacket on or off? I don’t like running in a jacket but I don’t like being cold either so put it on. And away we went with the Men following on at 12.30. Out along Mill Beck, up Knott Rigg, and over Ard Crag (CP1) before dropping down to Rigg Beck (CP2). Then the killer climb up the south side of Causey Pike – a steep, narrow diagonal ‘trod’ (path is too generous a description) between heather, bracken and rocks, with the additional challenge, now, of letting the leading men run past. Yes, I did say run. For me in the back half of the race a climb like Causey Pike is a definite walk, as fast as I can with maximum effort, but a walk
nevertheless. So, it was great to see the leading men running up a climb like this. If you think about their times you know they must keep running most of the time but it is still amazing to see.
A bit of a scramble to the top of Causey Pike (CP3) and drop off along a ridge top stony path, sometimes narrow, at the back of Scar Crags, raining steadily by now. Cold and wet, and greasy underfoot. Descending off the top of Causey Pike I chose to step on a rocky slab (I can still see it!), my feet went, and I fell heavily on the back of my left shoulder, I guess I had thrown my left arm out of the way still guarding it from a broken wrist in February. Painful but didn’t want to stop and let any shock kick in so jumped up and continued running uncomfortably. More climbing up Sail and Crag Hill (CP4) the high point at 839m, before starting the long 2 mile finishing descent over Whiteless Pike (CP5) and back down to Buttermere. My jacket never came off. I never felt too hot and mostly felt cold and wet.
All the Bingley runners arrived back safely; there had been a few other slips and falls but nothing too damaging.

Some of the Bingley runners in action – See Header or attached file.
367 runners all told, including 92 women, in a large, strong and competitive EFC field. The winners were Finlay Grant of Dark Peak in 1:25:53 and Nichola Jackson of Keswick in 1:42:25. The Bingley results were :

37 260 Ian Holmes M55 01:40:06
214 356 Tom Cooper MSEN 02:14:50
237 54 Donna Edmondson-Booker W50 02:19:59
246 207 Amicia Lee WSEN 02:22:36
259 347 Dave Stephenson M60 02:25:23
318 176 Joanne Henry W45 02:42:05
320 140 Becky Weight W65 02:43:29
345 181 Gareth Harland M40 02:59:29
351 57 Caren Crabtree W45 03:05:18
357 144 Cheryl Jepson WSEN 03:46:27

Well done all – good points in the Club Championship – see the latest under More on Team App : https://bingleyharriers.teamapp.com/clubs/567035/custom_pages/8602-fell-championships?_detail=v1

In the Individual EFC Ian H again topped the M55s gaining maximum points, and Donna, Dave and myself added to our Age Category scores. For the Ladies teams Donna, Amicia & Jo kept us in the scoring for WOpen (3), and Donna, Jo & myself for W40 (3). There weren’t enough Bingley Men for team scores – MOpen (5), M40 (4) and M50 (3) – so Gents if you can make any of the EFC races please do, you may be the one who keeps us in the team counting.

Bingley has been in action on other fells and trails and I have a scattering of news but I have other reports to write. If you were there, or at any I didn’t catch, please write a few lines, pull out the Bingley results and send them to me – I’ll do the rest.

Sat 25 May Isle of Jura (AL, 28km, 2370m) 250 ran,
Ian Holmes (21st), Robin Lawrence (73rd) and Ian Ferguson (126th). Ian H and Robin were 1st and 3rd M50, and Ian F 3rd M60. Ian H is the M50 course record holder from 2016, and was awarded The George Broderick Plaque for 21 completions in 2017.

Mon 27 May Ilkley Trail (CM, 6.9m, 810’) 170 ran
Clashed with Austwick Amble. Amicia Lee was the sole Bingley runner.

Sat 1 Jun Wharfedale Trail Half Marathon, 230 ran
Lisa Pearson (now living in Cornwall) was visiting and booked this in with Jo Henry, along with Oliver Cheyne and Jason Beckett.
Sat 1 Jun Pen-y-Ghent (AM, 10.5km, 564m) 167 ran
Steve Webb (36th and 1M60), Tom Cooper (51), Stewart Macdonald (55), Mark Chatterton (67), Ceri Griffiths (153) and Andrew Coulton (154).
Sun 9 Jun Settle Saunter – Jason Beckett completed the 23 mile event.
Sun 16 Jun Lakesman Triathlon Half 1.2m Swim, 56m Bike, 13.1m Run
Yaz Small came in 7th Female and 2nd 30-34.
Sun Jun 23 Total Warrior Ultra and Total Warrior (12km)
Nicola Jones was first Female completing the most laps in the 5hr Ultra time limit, and Cheryl Jepson, Caroline Francis, Rebecca Howley and Chloe Weatherhead made up team Bingley Bombshells for the Total Warrior. Mud, fire, water, climbing, crawling, jumping – and some people say fell running is bonkers 😉
The above were followed quickly by the Club Bob Smith Spring Handicap Tue 25th Jun (delayed by the ‘Spring’ wet weather), Eldwick & Gilstead Gala Fell Race hosted by Bingley Harriers Sat 29th and Heptonstall Festival Fell Race, No 7 in the Club Fell Champs, Sat 6 Jul. Results and reports are on (or will be soon!) the Bingley Harriers site under News or Results.

Bingley Harriers Fell Championship (BHFC) 24 and other fell dates coming up. Get your entries in.
Full details on the Bingley Harriers site – under Disciplines https://bingleyharriers.teamapp.com/clubs/567035/teams/971139?detail=v1 or under Events. We want as many runners in the club championship as possible, and to make teams in the English Fell Championship races so any race you can run supports the club as well as your individual ambitions. Dates coming up :
Ingleborough (AM, 11km, 600m) Sat 20 Jul, 3pm. Alongside Ingleton Gala day. BHFC 8. Entries open : https://www.sientries.co.uk/list.php?eventid=13199. 11 entries so far.
Blisco Dash (AS, 7km, 609m) Sat 27 Jul, Women 1pm, Men 2.45pm BHFC 9, and British and English Fell, Champs. Entries still open for 16 and over (on the day) but not sure for how much longer. A tough Lake District dash – out and back up Pike O Blisco. Hoping for better Lakes weather.
Round Hill ((BM, 14km, 335m) Sun 4 Aug 11am BHFC 10. A local, easier grade fell race and a great option if you have been thinking about giving a fell race or a longer fell race a go. Enter on the day at Timble – give yourself time to get to the start.
Sedbergh Hills (AL, 22.5km, 1830m) Sun 18 Aug BHFC 11. Another opportunity for the long distance legs. A steep, tough, challenging race around the grassy Howgills.
Great Whernside (AS, 6.5km, 475m) Sat 21 Sep BHFC 12. The last in the series, and a good taster for the British Fell Relays at Appletreewick in October (19th). Looks like Enter on the Day (age 16 and over).
September and October are also busy with Relays – Fell, XC and Road. See separate News items and Events if you are interested in being in a Relay team. They are a great team day out and teams don’t happen without runners so put your name forward if you are interested.
If there are any other fell / off-road ventures featuring Bingley runners you would like to see here write a few lines and pull out the Bingley results and send them to me. I’ll do the rest.
For more information about the fells contact your Fell Team Managers and support, Becky, Andy and Dave Stephenson, to chat about what would be good for you, or pick up with some of the regular fell runners on our training sessions.
Becky Weight, Ladies : beckyweight@btinternet.com
Andy Jebb, Men & Juniors : andrewjebb2@gmail.com
Dave Stephenson : Team support dave.stephenson@blueyonder.co.uk