Lancs Lad In Yorkshire!!!

so I chose a race on foreign soil to open my fell season, the Ilkley Moor fell race was actually the first fell race for me since the Borrowdale last year! Trudy was hoping to repeat the return to form she showed at blake fell. The conditions were at best challenging given the heavy snow fall overnight and through the morning, still it's the same for everyone! This race always attracts a big field being a good catchment area for all the yorkshire clubs. Inspite of the weather this year was no different with 220 runners on the start line. This is home ground for Trudy, her being a Bingley lass, it was nice to see another KAC vest - Colin Valentine had also made the trip to the land of tea, cricket and aunt Bessies puddings. The start to this race has a real bottleneck so it pays to start at the front (something I learnt the hard way 3 years ago), it follows a contrived route to such landmarks as - the cow & calf rocks, pancake stone, rock valley and the badger stone. The course manages some good hard climbs given that the moor never reaches any great elevation, with the snow & ice the desents demanded all those well honed lakeland skills. I managed a new pb knocking 5 minutes off my 2007 time to finish 32nd just behind Colin who had the stronger climbing legs today. Trudy also knocked off 3 minutes from her 2007 time to finish 15th out of 36 ladies (116th overall) getting the better of amblesides Britta in a dogged fight from start to finish, given the underfoot conditions and desending not being Trudy's strong point this was a great performance...well done. Even though this race is on the 'wrong side' of the pennines I definitley would encourage anyone to give it a go, very well organised and a cracking little course.

winner: Graham Pearce (pudsy & bramley) 39:52

KAC Results: Colin Valentine 47:23 (22nd)
John Beetham 48:41 (32nd)
Trudy Beetham 59:51 (116th)