Coniston Country Fair

24th July 2005
6 miles / 2500ft
Results
The Route
After my short break from hill racing, and running up and down Blencathra in 53 minutes yesterday, I decided it was time for another race. The Coniston Country Fair fell race starts at the show ground at Coniston Hall, up steepish tarmac and tracks until you are out on the open fellside. From there it's a free-for-all to the top of the Old Man and back again. Alan Smith out-foxed everyone by drifting off rightwards after the final gateway, thereby avoiding the waistdeep bog that most of the rest of the field strangely chose. I made the bad move of not following Alan - and if there is one thing I have learnt from Scottish hill racing, and that is you should always follow Alan Smith - so why I didn't, I have no idea. Not surprisingly Alan popped out at the summit way ahead of the rest of the field and held position on the run back. First three:
1) Alan Smith, Deeside, 55 minutes
2) Dan Golding, Ambleside
3) Quentin Harding, Bowland
I finished 9th in 1:02.
101 runners
My nephews Robert, Jonathan and Andrew decided against the fell race, preferring the large variety of fair ground sports.