A day out at a Kendal Winter League race usually starts with a text to my mate Mark ‘fellephant’ Birbeck....”you doing KWL today fella”...”yes pal, 11 o’clock at the car park”.
The car park in question is at the Phantom Winger pub in Preston, it’s a convenient location for us all to meet and there’s normally a car full for the drive up to Cumbria. Today I arrived a bit early and the car park is already heaving....blimey how many are going today?
On closer inspection I’m the only runner, I’ve just driven smack bang into the middle of a ‘car meet’. The car park is full of all manner of prestigious vehicles and there’s a procedure in place. New arrivals drive up whilst revving the hell out of their pride and joys. These entrances of grandeur are excitedly greeted by groups of photographers happily snapping away at the horsepower on display. Imagine their disappointment when I roll up in my 13 year old Nissan x-trail...not one bloody photographer took a shot, how rude. I felt like popping my head out of the window and shouting, “181 thousand miles on the clock and still going strong....whoop whoop”.
I sit awaiting the arrival of fellow runners and still no photos are taken of my old Nissan...no matter how much I revved the ‘bad-boy’ up...oh well, at least it’s paid for. When my fellrunning buddies arrive their motors are also not worthy of a photographers click. We all jump in Marks car and when driving off the car park we can’t resist lowering the windows and start posturing for the cameras....one kid laughed and took a shot, we cheered...job done.
Longsleddale is a valley in South Lakeland and it’s stunning....a hidden gem. The race starts from the wonderfully named Docker Nook Farm from which post race refreshments are sold.
Tim’s pre race briefing is interesting. We’re warned about a potentially tricky descent through the woods, a slippery river crossing and a bog laden run across the fell top...I’m sold.
It’s a tough start straight into a climb but it’s worth it because the traversing descent that leads towards the woods is a cracker. The descent continues through the woods and takes us straight back down to the valley bottom. A little rest bite along the valley and we’re straight back into a zig-zag climb which eventually tops out onto what can only be described as ‘bog’. Strangely I enjoy this type of terrain and really start to pick up places and drop the few runners I was bunched up with on the last climb.
The last mile is on a fast runnable track that leads us through fields all the way to the finish....great race, possibly my new favourite of all the KWL races.
Many thanks to all involved and cheers to Andy Holden for informing me about Shoe goo....I’ll end up saving a small fortune in shoe repairs. With the money saved I might treat the old Nissan to some go-faster stripes...I pity them at the next car meet, they’ll be green with envy....
Broom broom.
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Originally Posted by Tindersticks
