THE GLENDALE SHOW FELL RACE

Well that's the show over with for another year and with it the 2nd running of the new show race.
We kept the same route as last year,5 mile's for the seniors and 3 for the juniors. The difference was this year i didn't have the sleepless nights on the run up as i knew the commitee lead by Rachel and Neil and the race sponsor Davie Bertram fencing would sort out any problems,even with a family bereavement on the run up to the show they made my life very easy,cheers.
I was there on Sunday morning with Davie putting up the tent and flag while Adam came along later to mark the coarse. I was lucky to spot a Raven as we marked it but less fortunate to witness Fletchers impression of a Raven,it was more like a constipated raven with the flu! Lilburn estates where as good as they're word and the cattle had been shifted,it was all systems go.
Monday
I ran it at 6 in the morning and the coarse was near perfect for a fast race. Home for brecky then back for 9 and waited for the hordes to arrive(i said hordes). Slow to start but after a while they started coming.
Friends and complete strangers ,50 runners in all. Not many local or my club runners but 1 thing iv'e reallised is if people don't want to race nothing will change there mind.  I don't suppose many more would have turned up had it been an Alnwick GP race but it would have been nice to find out and it would have been even better if they didn't pick a race the day after to be 1 but didn't really expect much else.
The lads turned up though and i bet the farmer who had the champion bull was pleased it had been picked before Stevie sauntered in with his team GB tracksuit on.
Morpeth Harrier Carl Avery lead from the start and finished 20 seconds behind a certain Nick Swinburns winning time last year. What an effort!The lads got the world at his feet and whatever way he goes hes gonna be a winner,i just hope he doesn't take up fell racing . 2nd was Colin Donnely who won the Falstone Falcon on Saturday and top bloke Andy Blackett (DFR) the reigning NE Fell Running Champion 3rd.
Clare Mckitrick (Charnwood)won the ladies with a great time of 38.08 with Alnwicks very own Suzie Barwise Munro 2nd,Suzie did great for a first fell race after traveling the world competing in Tetrathlons,Phillipa Chambers was back again this year to finish 3rd,well done ladies.
The vets prizes went to 2 of the scenes most popular runners,Marie Drozdowicz and Bernard Kivlehan.
Now the bit ive been dreading-the juniors. I'm not gonna white wash it,i ballsed it up. I should have had signs turning the juniors back but decided (wrongly ) against it. Juniors that where leading and another went up part of the seniors route.I can only appologise and it makes it even harder as 2 of them are local kids i know well. Be that as it may the races where won by very deserving lads who after a bit of luck for them went on to finish the job. Tom Whelan and Tara Hawforth finished 1st and 2nd with James Ritchie who was 1 of the lads who went a bit further 3rd. The under 13s was won by the other brother Whelan (surely the only double Sunderland will do this year) Joe,Henry White 2nd with Callie Henderson 3rd,Callie did great to get back into contention after also going with the seniors. Again i appologise to young Jordan Hedgecock who was leading till my oversight spoiled it for him.
Big thanks to everybody iv'e mentioned already as well as Glenn (my public speaker)Pat,Ian,John,Mary,Alan,the Crombies,WRC with Helen and Ian Cowans taking hundreds of photos.
By spitting the dummy with Alnwick and not getting a lend of signs,arrows etc and having to make my own i think you'll all agree-i really showed them!
Also big up the runners coming from NSP Heaton Tynebridge and NFR to name but a few,who came to the back of beyond to do a wee fell race,cheers

CHEVY CHASE

Early in the year i decided i was going to do less on the roads and more on the fells with The Chevy Chase being my main aim. When i say main aim i mean i wanted a PB and to retain my local and v40 title.
Missing out on the road races hasn't been a problem as i picked up a nerve injury on the bottom of my foot which meant running at speed (well my speed )on the road was painful.So training consisted of the Chevy route broke down in sections with the odd cross country thrown in.The Harrier League is fantastic training for any goal and i take advantage of them.
I did the complete route in a 3.11 PB about 7 weeks before the real deal,that and a couple of wins at Hedgehope and Windy Gyle had me dreaming i could actually win and i was convinced i could go under 3 hours.Nothing like putting pressure on yourself. I'm like a coiled spring the week leading up to the race at the best of times but with genuine hopes i was worse than ever.
A nightmare to live with and work with, i was having sleepless nights and spent most of the time daydreaming about the race,every conceivable outcome was ran in my head so the morning of the race couldn't come quick enough.
Fletcher came to mine and we went up to see the walkers off ,we met in with Glenn, Shep,Simmo and Phil and we headed down to get registered.The craic was good but i was nervous.Adam tried in vain to get me to calm down.I did a quick interview for a podcast Leanda had signed me up for,you know me i hate the lime light so it was a real chore.

Then after the briefing,we where off.I had noticed a few faces that were gonna be contenders but was pleased to see a few missing that had there names down.Ian Harding was running but without a number-phew!
The pace early on was slow which suited me,my plan was to waste as little energy on the way to Hedgehope then have plenty in the tank for what is probably the easiest 10 miles you will get in a fell race back in.John Butters and me where in front with a chasing pack that included Fletch and Gary from NSP. Past Broadstruther and Cheviot Knee John started building a decent lead.I wouldn't say i was happy but knew there was plenty time so wasn't panicking-yet.
I did panic however when my bum bag broke going up Cheviot.Trying to get a gel out the zip came off in my hand,i spent minutes walking trying to get gel out with 1 hand as the other had a bottle of water in it.just as i had it sorted i got cramp so it was back in the bag for a salt stick,this disrupted my spare kit,i managed to get a pin from my number and pin it shut .It was a relief to get to the top and be able to start running,the salt sticks started working after a while ,in no time i was at the bottom,relieved John wasn't far ahead.it didn't last long though and as i filled a bottle of water he was off and i couldn't pick up his line,he seemed to be merrily skipping along a new tarmac road as i waded through 6 foot high bracken.

When i eventually got to the top of Hedgehope John was long gone,again i was ok,i was up there at amazingly the time i wanted to be so i felt good.i had good pace going to Langlee crag,in the distance i could see John take a straighter route to the road so was able to make some time up cutting a corner.We arrived at Carey Burn Bridge together,Leanda and her dad along with a few friendly faces gave me a boost and after a drink i was off.I took the opportunity to get a gel down me on a horrible little climb ,i swear its only 10 yards but its a killer,up over the top and i went for it,it's not great to run on,sharp stones,jaggy gorse bushes but i sensed i had to go for it.I walk/ran up Hellspath and managed a bit speed down to the ponds where my sister ,family and a mate from footy cheered me on.As i hit the road though every bit of energy seemed to leave my body,i had nothing,surely i couldn't lose it here a mile from the end.i have ran along this road hundreds of times and always dreamed i would be in this position and now it was happening for real,i picked it up again.

Coming down into Wooler i knew i was almost there,a few people cheered me down the track to the Hostel then when i ran past a gap in the hedge the most deafening noise hit me, it was mostly from my sister,i have grown up with that voice  but never before have i wanted to hear it as much as now.

  I crossed the line in 3 05 41 ,not under 3 as i had wanted but i had won!it was the greatest feeling i've ever had or will have in running.
John came in shortly after ,what a top bloke and great runner,he's beaten me loads and i've managed to get him here but  and he's always the same,a real class act.

  Fletch was in before i knew it,a big man hug from the guy who blanked me at Powburn fell race a few years back but has turned into my best mate,i could tell he was as happy for me as i was.After a shower it was all about what makes the Chevy the event of the year,and Wooler Running Club must take all the plaudits for this. Sitting around having a laugh with other runners,it doesn't matter if you're 1st or 101st you've just ran 20 miles in the hills and everybody's got a story to tell.
Big ups to my family for putting up with me,the only time i opened my mouth last week was to shout at 1 of the kids.Also all the other runners ,i cant name check them all but i got messages from lads i look up to and respect,getting praise from them means a lot.And also Alnwick Harriers who put up with my bitching and moaning and have provided me with a coach that turned me into the winner of the Chevy Chase.Cheers Geoff.