Hebden Village Sports

Hebden Crag on a better day - showing the white stone at centre
top which runners climb around before returning along the Rt skyline

The soaking wet weather we experienced at Burnsall Feast Sports on Saturday struck again at Hebden Village Sports a couple of days later on Bank Holiday Monday.  Fortunately, I'd been able to get out for a six mile run in the morning before the heavens opened. After lunch I was one of four stewards marshalling the U/12's, U/14's, U/17's and Senior fell races at three different points on Hebden Crag - in pouring rain.  For the two younger age group races, over shorter distances, we were able to shelter behind walls whilst the runners came and went, but for the latter two races we were fully exposed to horrendous conditions at the very top of the crag.

Start of U12's fell race

Not all went well. Last minute changes to plans by the Fell Race organiser resulted in some frayed tempers and flouting of the rules by senior fell runners. Adverse weather caused some of the listed events on the Sports field to be cancelled which resulted in races being brought forward. Rules stated that all entrants for fell races must be registered before the start of the first race, programmed to begin at 3.30pm. But they began earlier. Some senior fell runners turning up to register just before the deadline were told "Sorry, the first race started 20 minutes ago, you're too late, we're not taking any more entries".

Our Ted in full flight at Burnsall

Ted Mason, one of our local star runners, was one who'd been refused entry and was far from happy when he joined us at the top of the crag as a mere spectator. Had he been allowed to run he could well have won it and gained revenge on the Ilkley Harrier, Hector Haines, who'd beaten him into second place in Burnsall's Classic Fell Race two days before. Other senior fell runners who'd been refused entry stuck two fingers up at the race organiser and ran regardless. Officially, there were 39 starters but I counted 44 over the crag. There could have been more, I'm not very good at counting! 

Senior Fell Race winners Holly Page and Hector Haines with
Hebden's Golden boy, Andy Hodge, who presented the prizes

But whilst feeling sorry for refused runners who'd braved nasty conditions and travelled long distances to take part in our races, I was glad to scramble down early, taking away flags, removing barrier tape and dismantling routes as fast as my frozen legs and soddened feet would carry me. It wasn't much fun stuck 900ft in the air in a howling gale holding a king-size animated flag of St George! We breathed huge sighs of relief on getting home to strip off dripping waterproofs in welcome warmth and wrap our frozen hands round hot mugs of tea.

Bye-bye for now, see you soon

 I reckon that was the final straw after the worst summer since records began. No surprise then that over dinner that evening my wonderful partner and I unanimously agreed that a holiday in the sun was urgently needed to restore our flagging spirits. After much searching of the internet we finally booked a ten day package to Tenerife where we'll soon be running new routes around the precincts of  Puerto de la Cruz before stretching out in the sun, cooling off in the pool, sipping the odd glass of wine while 'Running with the Kenyans' on my iPad - and very little else!  Who knows when this poor old Blog will be updated again.  Watch this space!