Race 43 of 60 @ 60: Stoodley Pike

This is a lovely race to do on a fine summer's evening but you do have to get out of the blocks quite quickly and there isn't really and easy section on the race to take a breather as it's fast all the way once the climb is done. Conditions were dry and clear, not too hot either so I was a bit disappointed to see my time slip from my 50@50. Mervyn Keys of Rossendale took another turn at showing how the good V60's do it, leaving the rest of us trailing in his wake somewhat but still well worth the trip over to the dark side of the county boundary to visit Mankinholes again.

Results: 49th/112  V60: 3rd/17  Time: 27:36

Distance: 5km  Climb: 213m

Race 42 of 60 @ 60: Kirkby Gala

Not really a typical BOFRA Championship race this, with a long run out across the fields and not much steep or technical terrain even when you reach the moor. It was a very typical V60 result though, with Joe Blackett first, as he has been in every race so far, Paul Revell second, as he has been in every race he has done so far and me finishing next, as I have been... you get the picture. Another great battle for me though, against Nick this time. I snatched the lead on the one short bit of steep downhill.

Results: 19th/61  V60: 3rd/11  Time: 30:37
Distance: 5.7km  Climb: 244m

Race 41 of 60 @ 60: Aggies Staircase

This is a race that I organised a few times, what seems like a lifetime ago, so I'm happy to see that it is still going and that it's still well supported, despite the clash with another disappointing performance by the England men's football team. It would have been a nice one to win and I thought that perhaps the rota of V60's taking turns to beat me would have left an opening because of the match - no such luck - second again!

The route is very varied with some sections more overgrown than ever and the footpath erosion worse than I remember it. The tricky bits are joined up by obvious paths which, slippery and difficult for the David Staff Race in November, become very hard packed in the dry conditions. The heat was uncomfortable but I felt I had done ok so was disappointed to see that my time was the worst of my eight goes at the race by some distance. My time from my most recent attempt, admittedly seven years ago, would have won the V60 class easily.

Approaching the tower for the second time.
Photo from Simon Fox

Results: 25th/99  V60: 2nd/15  Time: 40:53
Distance: 6.4km  Climb: 350m

Race 40 of 60 @ 60: Hawkswick Dash

Back to the BOFRA Championship for my 40th race and jogging out on the course during my warmup I introduce myself to Joe, the V60 who seems to have the championship sewn up already.  He raced the day before so if I’m going to beat him, this has to be my chance so I track him at the start and push ahead early on. He’s so strong on the climb though, that he gets ahead by five places – very nearly a minute. I bag three on the descent but it isn’t nearly enough and I take second V60 for the 10th time in 40.

Getting to the top and looking across
to see Joe running away from me

Results: 25th/70 V60: 2nd/6 Time: 17:05
Distance: 1.9km Climb: 193m

Race 39 of 60 @ 60: BOFRA Ulverston Fell Race

My first BOFRA race of the season was the fourth in this year’s championship with the top two V60 places being monopolised by the same two runners in the previous events. I got no change out of either of them slogging up the Hoad and Pat and I were left to fight it out for third place. Never more than a few seconds apart for the whole two miles, I managed to hold out on the descent, after being well beaten by Pat at Pen-y-Ghent last week. That was intense.

There was a great turnout from BCR and in the prizes were Lizzie, Harry, Josh and Simon R. Meanwhile more than one veteran BCR runner managed to take a wrong turn, even on home ground. Amazing what you can miss when you have your race head on.

Pat ahead at the monument
Photo from Lindsay Buck

A painful (sort of) sprint to the finish
Photo from Rob Browne

Results: 40th/81 V60: 3rd/9 Time: 19:18
Distance: 3.2km Climb: 165m

Race 38 of 60 @ 60: Red Moss Kips

Edinburgh seems a long way to go for a relatively straightforward 10km fell race but when it starts 3 miles from your eldest grandchildren’s front door it’s hard to say no. For reasons I don’t fully understand, the massive, empty car park where we register is closed to runners so son-in-law Andrew and I cycle the 3 miles uphill at a leisurely pace.  At the start I try to get away fast but Andrew is quicker than me on the traily bits and passes long before the real hill starts but never really gets away. I take my opportunity on the downhill but have 4km of easy trail left to hang on to my lead. That was hard – a real battle but I take the win, just.

At the presentation I’m awarded the first V60 prize but that turns out to be an error. 2nd again, for the 9th time out of 38 races. I’m keeping the beer though.

Result: 73rd/130 V60: 2nd/8 Time: 59:56
Distance: 10.5km Climb: 350m

Race 37 of 60 @ 60: Pen-y-Ghent

Race 37 of 60@60 was also race 500 on the Big Spreadsheet of Fell Races so I had hoped that it would be a race to remember. I’ve raced it a few times before and I like the course but this time round it didn’t go well. Recovery from the longer events is proving to take more than a week these days so I was tired at the top of the climb and slowed almost to a standstill on the long section of Pennine Way which drops us back into the village. That particular long distance path remains quite high on my fuckit list of things I hope never to do before I die. Pen-y-Ghent is a nice hill though and I may go back to try again another year.

Descending towards Hull Pot

Results: 96th/167 V60: 10th/21 Time: 1:12:30
Distance: 10.5km Climb: 564m