The Fellsman

12 May 2007 - The Fellsman is a well-known 61-mile jaunt across the Yorkshire Dales organised by the Scouts and was meant to be a timely next step in our training. Due to our various set backs and my knee problems carrying on from last weekend's exploits in the Lakes, it proved to be anything but.

Starting in Ingleton, the route meanders its way around a significant number of hills to Grassington. The record is a remarkable 11 hours. The majority of contenders, however, take significantly longer and 24 hours is the goal, not least because of the notorious Fleet Moss bog which the organisers carefully route you through after dark (although also after insisting on grouping runners into fours for their own safety). In the word sof one contender from this years race, "never underestimate the bog. It can take you an hour, it can take seven."

We took advantage of the organisers' planning and drove to Grassington on Friday night, kipped on a classroom floor, were fed and watered at 6am and bussed to the start at 6.30am. What we weren't prepared for was the subsequent lengthy kit check before everyone started simultaneously at 9am. The possibility of significantly more than four hours sleep will undoubtedly lead to different plans of preparation next year.

And there will be a next year because we put in a poor show this time round. My knee was niggling me still from last weekend's exploits but my aim was to nurse it round at a fast walk and retire if injury was looking inevitable, leaving Caspar and Kev to stride out the remainder of the course.

At the checkpoint on 20.3 mile though, Kev beat me to it. Sitting outside the excellently staffed and supplied tent in the sunshine with a fresh sausage roll in one hand and a chocolate swiss roll in the other, Kev declared he was withdrawing, his mind wasn't in it. I had resolved, mid baked-beans and cup of tea that my knee wasn't in it for the duration either, having given me gip from the off, and so our attempt came to a suprisingly swift end.

The upside was that we got another 20 miles under our feet and witnessed the superb organisation of the Fellsman event which will certainly tempt us back next year. Some careful work over the next fortnight should see my knee return to form, Kev to restock on Swiss rolls and Caspar to concentrate on his hills in time for a make or break recce of the BG route over the second May Bank Holiday.

If not then the quest will just have to go on longer than planned, for we've had a taste and it tastes doable.