Race Report: Grin & Bear It 31/10/2015

The Grin and bear it, or the snarl and swear at it. 

This was to be my longest distance run since 1st September and would allegedly total some 16 miles of fell running. 


I am no expert on fell running but I have now completed probably about 10-20 in total and in various guises. I am often asked by other club members as to where I find these runs and in answer to that the FRA (fell runners association) is always a good resource. However they do come with various codes so it’s always worth asking a more experienced fell runner what the codes mean and how they translate. For example, the wonderful cloud 9 in Congleton comes under a code of PM (partially Marked) LK  (local knowledge useful)  and is classed as a category BM, B being the hilliness  and M being the distance as in medium distance 9 miles. 

The grin and bear it on the website described this event as a C (meaning not too hilly) L (meaning Long) and then the additional bits ER (experience required) LK (local knowledge useful) and lastly NS meaning Navigational skills required. 

I hadn’t worried too much about any of these issues and to be quite honest thought a nice 16 mile jaunt through the “high peak” would be nothing more than a pleasure run. This illusion was to be shattered very quickly upon my arrival. The race started at a place called the Langsett Barn in Langsett which first of all would mean getting the map out to get there. In short it meant a jaunt across the motorway over the Woodhead pass and then somewhere after the Barnsley sign. With the venue found I then got on to the job in hand which was booking in. Now the organisers of this race were probably the strictest I have seen and refused to allow any numbers being given out before a kit check had been completed. On doing this my kit failed as Skins did not count as full body cover but fortunately I had my waterproof trousers with me which did. Also my bag map whistle compass coat shoes and I am sure even my socks were scrutinised before I was allowed to get my number. Then with my number attached I was pulled up again and told that my number was not appropriate on my leg but should be on my chest. I did not question as to why and I simply done as I was told.  I know when you look on some of the running forums the FRA come under a lot of unfair criticism regarding their kit checks and kit carry lists but I for one am glad they do this and just wished other races would do. 

I was lucky enough to bump in to Jonny Fellrunner aka John Tatham who is the husband of  Elaine a fellow strider and although John runs for Macc Harriers he can be seen mixing it with the striders on occasions. John is a very experienced fell runner and had done the race before, he started telling me about bog up to the midriff and that it was mostly runnable etc etc. Then a few others started mentioning the bog and how bad it could be. All of a sudden I knew my gentle little 16 miler around the peaks was going to be changed and I would need to get my head in to gear to get this challenge over.

The race started and the first 2 or so miles meant we sort of stayed on tracks through some woods and after this the race basically went up hill and up some more hill. However this was really nice gentle slope and not too steep and carried on like this to checkpoint 1. Now checkpoints in Fell runs should not be confused with checkpoints in other races where you might find water, sweets, cheering marshals etc. No at these checkpoints it consisted of a couple of mountain rescue team members ensuring you had survived. 

The run between CP1 and CP2 began in what I can only describe as conditions not for the faint hearted. It was pure mud and bog and it wasn’t long before it was coming up past my knees and I was struggling to get through. Going through this bog for approximately 7 miles or more was just completely energy sapping. I managed to team up with a couple of local runners as this helped me feel safe and it wasn’t long before I was thankful. I had taken a jump and landed feet first in what I thought would be mud but was actually bog passed my thighs. I grabbed some heather and began pulling myself out. However the energy required for this was immense and although I managed to get out, I was feeling all the energy being drained away. After another mile or two I ended up in the bog again and again past my knees. On this occasion I was well and truly stuck. I am not saying I couldn’t have got out but the fact two men were there to pull me out made life a little easier. As we ran on we pulled a few others out here and there before eventually reaching CP2 and heading down hills through the fells and towards a long track. Having mastered the art of bog running I was glad the race didn’t show any more of the stuff. As I continued on passed the CP’s I eventually met with the realisation that I only had a few miles to go before the end of the race. Only at this point did I start to feel ok and that I would be able to finish it. Before long I was heading up the last mile of the race to the finish. I had planned on being home in about 3 hours but the fact I had underestimated the run so terribly, got a little lost and then opted to stay with some local knowledge people meant  I was a good 45 mins after that but what I had done was completed it. As it was a fell race it meant that again I was very close to the back but someone has to finish last (not me on this occasion) 

An enjoyable race but not one to take on without some experience and not to be underestimated, on the plus side the race raises money for mountain rescue and the people whom organise it are fantastic. Oh and I got a spot prize too. 

For more information visit the race website.

Paul N