Right, here goes. This will take me longer to type out than it does for me to run a lakeland superlong. I can honestly say that it was never my intention at the start of 2012 to do over 100 races. In 2011, my first full year of fell running, I did 86 races, of which 64 were fell. I hoped that 2012 would be roughly the same, doing what I love, fell races. It wasn't until after October that I thought I could maybe reach 100 races and whilst in a casual conversation with fell running photographer Andy Holden I mentioned to him about doing the 100. That following night, the bugger went and started a thread about the 100. I realised the pressure was on when runners started asking me at the races what number I was up to.

Of the 101 races 91 were fell, 4 trail, 4 cross country and 2 road. There would have been more fell but occasionally I work Friday nights and found it hard to make the Saturday morning fells, opting for the later starting cross country and trails. I am more suited to the fells and the stats prove this. Over the 101 I achieved a 19% top finish, whilst over the 91 fells this drops to a top 17% finish. When racing so much and doing back to backs it obviously affects your performance but I just love being at the races and I have sacraficed better results for this.

Anyway, enough woffle, here's the list:

1. GARSTANG 10K - 08/01/12 - Road race with a few little hills.
2. CROSBY COMMONER - 21/01/12 - A new fell race not far from Penrith, not technical but fast running.
3. PARBOLD HILL - 11/02/12 - Trail race which feels more fell than some fell races.
4. WINTER HILL - 12/02/12 - I am ashamed to say that I got lost on this, which is one of my local races.
5. STANDISH HALL TRAIL - 18/02/12 - Woods and mud.
6. STUDMARKS FROM THE SUMMIT - 19/02/12 - Memorial race for fell running legend Bill Smith.
7. MR SPARKLES DARK UN - 24/02/12 - Nightime fell race near Darwen tower, I have bought a better torch for this years race.
8. HIGH CUP NICK - 25/02/12 - Always wanted to do this race after walking the Pennine Way a few years ago.
9. ILKLEY MOOR - 26/02/12 - 5 mile race which feels much longer.
10. LEYLAND XC - 03/03/12 - Fast and furious, like most cross country races.
11. CLOUD 9 - 04/03/12 - Didn't really enjoy this race, too much fast running.
12. BATH HALF MARATHON - 11/03/12 - Crap race, nice place.
13. LADS LEAP - 17/03/12 - Championship race where you get to see just how good the top lads and lasses are.
14. EDALE SKYLINE - 25/03/12 - Fantastic weather on the day for this great AL over grippy gritstone.
15. MIDGLEY MOOR - 31/03/12 - A race where local knowledge really helps, I am not local.
16. MOW COP - 01/04/12 - Harder than I expected.
17. RIVINGTON PIKE - 07/04/12 - Another local race, which is one of the oldest in the calendar.
18. KINDER DOWNFALL - 22/04/12 - Really enjoyed this race but enjoyed the cakes even more.
19. 3 PEAKS - 28/04/12 - Found this tough, too much long flat running.
20. BUTTERMERE SAILBECK - 29/04/12 - This was obviously hard, it was the day after 3 peaks.
21. FLOWER SCAR - 02/05/12 - First of the mid week races.
22. CONISTON - 05/05/12 - Love racing on these lakeland fells.
23. MEARLEY CLOUGHS - 08/05/12 - 5 minutes drive from work for this steep little race.
24. FAIRFIELD HORSESHOE - 12/05/12 - Loved this walk when Wainwright bagging and loved the race.
25. CALDERDALE WAY RELAY (LEG 2) - 13/05/12 - Well organised relay by Halifax Harriers.
26. BLACKSTONE EDGE - 16/05/12 - Tough little mid weeker.
27. HARROCK HILL 1 - 23/05/12 - First of a series of 4 local races.
28. ISLE OF JURA - 26/05/12 - Blessed with fantastic weather all weekend for this absolute classic.
29. ENNERDALE - 02/06/12 - Classic lakeland long where the last 6 miles seem to go on for ever.
30. BAMFORD SHEEPDOG TRIALS - 04/06/12 - Won by Carl Bell, who kindly gave me his winning prize of a cake, cheers mate.
31. BARLEY CABIN - 08/06/12 - Awful Friday night weather for this good little race up Pendle Hill.
32. WEETS - 09/06/12 - Awful weather once again where I won a spot prize for the best beard. Thanks to the Chew brothers.
33. KNOWL HILL - 10/06/12 - The weather came good for this cracking little race.
34. TRUNCE 5 - 11/06/12 - Loved the two river crossings.
35. PADDY'S POLE - 12/06/12 - Brilliant super fast descent.
36. HOLCOMBE TWO TOWERS - 13/06/12 - Enjoyed the face, especially with finishing in the top 10.
37. WALSH TWO LADS - 14/06/12 - This was my seventh race in seven days and I managed to win first V40.
38. GREAT LAKES - 16/06/12 - A long championship counter where I did 17 miles in a 14 mile race after getting lost.
39. CLOUGHA PIKE - 23/06/12 - Muddy fields and some good rocky sections.
40. TOM TITTIMAN - 24/06/12 - With a name like that it just had to be run.
41. RESTON SCAR SCAMPTER - 04/07/12 - Started from the Hawkshead Brewery so it just had to be run.
42. FLAN FELL - 05/07/12 - Finished 4th and 1st V40, but only 19 ran but still managed to get my picture in Fellrunner, result!
43. HEPTONSTALL FESTIVAL - 07/07/12 - Good race with a good atmosphere.
44. TOCKHOLES - 07/07/12 - Second race of the day, pleased to finish 11th.
45. BOLLINGTON NOSTALGIA - 08/07/12 - Didn't really like this race, too flat.
46. BULL HILL - 12/07/12 - Me and clubmate Andy Clough had a sing song to Deep Purple and Alice Cooper on journey.
47. WASDALE - 14/07/12 - This race deserves your full respect.
48. WIDDOP - 18/07/12 - Mud, mud, glorious mud.
49. SHELDON - 19/07/12 - Starts from a pub with an obsession for clocks (yes, I did say clocks).
50. WARTON CRAG - 21/07/12 - Fell race from a little village fete.
51. GREAT HUCKLOW - 22/07/12 - Really glad I did this race cause I had a chat to Daz H about his trip to watch the Tour de France.
52. HARROCK HILL 3 - 25/07/12 - It never rains on Harrock Hill night.
53. RYDAL ROUND - 26/07/12 - Brilliant race which is 99% Fairfield Horseshoe.
54. AMBLESDIE SPORTS - 26/07/12 - Did this short BOFRA a couple of hours later, legs like lead.
55. BEETHAM SPORTS - 28/07/12 - It's impossible to squeeze through the fairy steps without touching the sides.
56. CROWDEN HORSESHOE - 29/07/12 - Belting horseshoe race with good food to match in the Youth Hostel.
57. BORROWDALE - 04/08/12 - An absolute lakeland classic.
58. WORSTHORNE MOOR - 05/08/12 - Really pleased to finish 13th the day after Borrowdale.
59. BROWNLEE OLYMPIC RUN - 07/08/12 - Fantastic day organised by the Woodheads.
60. CROWHILL REVERSE - 07/08/12 - Stayed in Yorkshire to do this race in the evening, finished 9th.
61. WHITTLE PIKE - 08/08/12 - Good race where I was pleased to finish 9th out of a large field
62. HOWTOWN - 11/08/12 - A new lakeland AL which should become very popular.
63. PILGRIMS CROSS - 15/08/12 - Lost my house keys down a drain, B*******!
64. WEASDALE HORSESHOE - 18/08/12 - Another Champs race, fast running after the boggy start.
65. SEDBERGH HILLS - 19/08/12 - Not the best idea the day after Weasdale.
66. HARROCK HILL 4 - 22/08/12 - Managed to finish 7th over the whole series.
67. CHIPPING SHOW - 25/08/12 - My highest finish so far, 4th.
68. BEN NEVIS - 01/09/12 - This race really is worth the long trip up to Scotland.
69. HADES HILL - 06/09/12 - 8th overall, 1st V40 on still tired Ben legs.
70. STRETTON SKYLINE - 09/09/12 - Fast and very runnable long.
71. ORTON AUTUMN FAIR - 29/09/12 - Finished 8th then went to the chocolate factory to celebrate.
72. HOPE MOORS AND TORS - 30/09/12 - A tough long similar to Edale Skyline.
73. SADDLEWORTH EDGES - 6/10/12 - Did this after 2 hours kip following a Friday night shift, struggled.
74. IAN HODGSON RELAY (LEG 4) - 07/10/12 - Best relay in the calendar, sadly marred by the passing of my friend Daz H.
75. LANGDALE HORSESHOE - 13/10/12 - My favourite lakeland classic.
76. LONG MYND RELAY (LEG 1) - 14/10/12 - Opted for the short leg as it was the day after Langdale.
77. BLACKBURN CROSS COUNTRY - 20/10/12 - Tough course, up and around Witton Park.
78. WITHINS - 21/10/12 - Always enjoy the Woodhead races.
79. GREAT WHERNSIDE - 27/10/12 - I like races like this, when the top lads pass you as they are descending.
80. PASSING CLOUDS - 28/10/12 - A rare trip down south for an enjoyable race.
81. SHEPHERDS SKYLINE - 03/11/12 - You need a fast start on this race.
82. CLWYDIAN HILLS - 04/11/12 - Cracking race in North Wales.
83. DUNNERDALE - 10/11/12 - My favourite short lakeland race.
84. WADSWORTH HALF TROD - 11/11/12 - I was second for ages on this race, until my legs died. Finished 8th, 1st V40.
85. TOUR OF PENDLE - 17/11/12 - The hardest fell race in Lancashire, I always cramp up at the bottom of big end.
86. ARNSIDE KNOTT - 18/11/12 - Struggled with a sore calf, after Pendle.
87. KIRKBY MOOR - 24/11/12 - Enjoyed this cumbrian race near the coast.
88. FAMOUS GROUSE - 25/11/12 - Cracking little race that wasn't even in the calendar.
89. SILKSTONE SHUFFLE TRAIL - 01/12/12 - Very fast trail race.
90. GRAVY PUD - 02/12/12 - Once again fast running followed by a brilliant cake competition.
91. REALLY WILD BOAR - 08/12/12 - First time I have ran nearly a full race in 2 foot of snow.
92. KENDAL CROSS COUNTRY - 08/12/12 - Did this 2 hours after Wild Boar, knackered.
93. MYTHOLMROYD - 09/12/12 - Please with 8th as I was still knackered from previous day.
94. BOLTON CROSS COUNTRY - 15/12/12 - Good cross country course with plenty mud.
95. STOOP - 16/12/12 - You get a free Santa hat, what more could you ask for.
96. SKIRRID - 22/12/12 - Travelled over 3.5 hours to South Wales for this little cracker.
97. RUDOLPH'S RED NOSE - 23/12/12 - Fast trail race in Blackpool.
98. WHINBERRY NAZE - 26/12/12 - Cracking way to run off the christmas dinner.
99. WANSFELL - 27/12/12 - Fast and furious lakeland short.
100. JUBILEE PLUNGE - 30/12/12 - A unique race in that it's all down hill, loved it.
101. AULD LANG SYNE - 31/12/12 - Ran in fancy dress as a dalmnation to mark the 101, very wet and windy.

Hope you all enjoyed reading the list and I would like to wish you all the best for 2013.

Happy fell running.

Darren Fishwick, Chorley