The 2019 Poly Fell championship got off to a great start with a record  20 runners taking part in the 5 mile Brough Law Fell Race. That’s about a 75% turn out of the clubs fell runners.

It was a cold damp day with worse weather forecast and the organisers insistence on runners carrying full kit, had some people hastily begging other runners for the necessary items. Pleasingly I don’t think any Poly runners fell into that category. The fact that the race was a both Poly, NFR and NEHRA championship race ensured some 150 runners turned out despite the forecast. In the event we were spared the worst of the weather, only suffering a few flakes of sleet and snow on the highest points of the race.

In a close finish with just 40 seconds separating the top 4 finishers, Will Robson claimed 3rd place with Brad Clough in 9th just 2 minutes further back. Helen Heaney was our first women finisher despite indulging in some acrobatics on the final descent. Jenny Simpson was our second lady home.

Full results here: http://www.northumberlandfellrunners.co.uk/html/raceresults/2019/Brough_law_results_2019.pdf

I’d also like to mention Jon Heaney who won the 2018 North East Hill Running Championship. I’m not sure if anyone has realised quite what a feat it was. Going into the final race he was in 2nd place, but the leader and third placed runner had beaten Jon whenever they had raced previously. Jon though pulled out all the stops at Simonside Cairns and beat both of them to win his crown. In the V50 category Garry Robson romped away with that title.

The next race is the Coledale Horsehoe Fell race on 6th April, a classic Lake District middle distance race and it looks like being a good turn out for that one as well.

The evergreen George Adamson flashing his number and seeing the Poly home at Brough Law

 

 

Author: David Guy-Johnson