Pendle Cloughs Fell Race

[Tindersticks]

Hi Mark

Unfortunately work curtailed my chances of doing the race.

Last year it was one of my favourite events...loved it.

I think many believe the race to be a navigation nightmare, without doing any research. A reccy of the route reveals it to be a pretty straightforward course, especially with the start and finish fields flagged.

This race is certainly up there with the Full Tour....and has less Tarmac, what's not to like?

[mapper]

Thanks for the feedback guys. When I looked at possible dates it was difficult to fit the race in where there was no clash.
I think I just need to get the word out to everyone. This year every runner thoroughly enjoyed it, commenting what a great route it is and couldn't understand why the low numbers. What do people want - free entry, cake, beer, prize for every runner.............?

[wjb]

What do people want - free entry, cake, beer, prize for every runner.............?

Yes please!

I really enjoyed the race, not done it before but would like to do it again next year. Even I was able to navigate between the checkpoints using the race map provided. The only difference to other races is that the best line isn't marked on the map but this actually made it more enjoyable.

[Gaz66]

Mark, just a note to say a big thank you to you and the marshals for picking this race up and putting it on. Thoroughly enjoyed the challenge, great to have an AL race like this on our doorsteps. Will be looking forward to next year and will try press ganging a few locals to support this race next year.

Well done and thanks!

[ukhursty]

It is an excellent route, loads of route choice, varied terrain and superb finish all the way downhill from the top of Pendle.

[benshep]

If you could get a local-ish club to put it on their list of counters for the club league that would boost numbers.

[Boxers]

Thanks a lot for organising! It's always a great race - one of the best in the calendar. I've suggested before that Settle Harriers put it in our championship. I'll try to push it again next year!

Simon

[mapper]

Pendle Cloughs 2018 - this Saturday.
With a good weather forecast runners are in for a treat!
Please bring full kit to registration for checking.
Full details and map of the course (copies given out at registration) on the link here:
http://www.claytonlemoors.org.uk/rac...ghs-fell-race/

[Tindersticks]

“There’s nowt so queer as folk”

This week at work I was amazed when a work colleague said she’d never had yoghurt. When I asked how is this possible for someone who is approaching 60? She shrugged her shoulders and gave no explanation.....each to their own, there’s nowt so queer as folk.

My amazement didn’t stop with the reluctance towards yoghurt.

Later in the week another work colleague, who confesses to be an outdoor enthusiast, dropped the bombshell that he’d never been to the Lake District. His reasoning was that he lives closer to North Wales so why travel to the Lakes? I agreed with him that Wales is beautiful and is well worth visiting time and time again. But he was having none of it when I suggested a trip to the Lakes for a change of scenery, after all he only lives in St Helens. Then I said to him, “ but isn’t the Lake District closer to you than the mountains in North Wales?”. He thought about it and simply replied, “I don’t like traveling north”......hmmmmm, there’s nowt so queer as folk.

In our little world of fellrunning we’re spoilt for choice as far as races go, some attracting far greater numbers than others. In recent years one of best races in the calendar, Pendle Cloughs, has struggled with low numbers. Today the numbers were up from previous years, but still only 75 runners partaking, a good proportion of these being from Tod Harriers who had it as one of their champs races. Is the fellrunning community slowly starting to take note of this classic Lancashire race? Honestly this is a great race, I’m reminiscing now as I type this....even the head crushing tones of some Norwegian Death metal compilation I’m listening to can’t sour my mood.....that is until my wife popped her head around the door and politely asked, “turn that shit off, how can you listen to it”.....I reply, “I can appreciate you not liking extreme heavy metal it’s an acquired taste...you know what they say, there’s nowt so queer as folk, take today for instance, only 75 ran at Pendle Cloughs”......Alison’s reply was priceless....”play your Norwegian Death metal crap on a loud tannoy in the streets, you’ll have people flocking to the hills”.

Pendle Cloughs: a brilliant fellrace, give it a go, you won’t be disappointed.

Norwegian Death metal: you’ll probably be in Alison’s corner and think it’s shit.....but you’ve probably tried yoghurt and been to the Lake District.

[wharfeego]

...Pendle Cloughs: a brilliant fell race, give it a go, you won’t be disappointed...

Indeed Daz, and well done on your third place today.
Your new "happiest runner on the fells" label seems to have been passed on to your fell compatriots today, though I'm not sure what the dog is thinking; "There's nowt so queer as fell runners" perhaps?

Happy Fell Runners

Happy Fell Runners by Andy Holden, on Flickr