The Strider

By Pete Fotheringham

In the absence of any new contributions to the Strider, here is an issue from 10 years ago, containing enough reading matter to keep you going for a while. There are some great articles, including Kevin’s article on the 2009 British Hill and Fell Relays – the main lesson being “no matter how quick you are, if you can’t navigate you’re stuffed”. Plenty of familiar names too, in the championship tables – with Brian Holland leading overall – and in the articles Paul Hunt, Kevin Day, and Tracy Vernon who “has only relatively recently started running and has already knocked off her first BSH”. ...  continue reading

By Mark Whelan

Friday 14^th June 2019 I arrived in Keswick having travelled up with Steve Hennessey who had offered to drive. We’d got a couple of hours to kill, so we had a potter around the many outdoor shops to bag a bargain…there were none!

We’d parked the car at the back of Fitz Park and at 6:00pm I found myself changed in to my running gear and ready to go. At this point I spotted Mick Wren, who along with Ade and me would be supporting Col on his Leg 1 BGR. For those newer GVS members who don’t know Mick, he used to live in Tring, Hertfordshire, but found GVS over 10 years ago when he was bed and breakfasting in Whaley Bridge, whilst commuting into Manchester for work. He now lives in The Lakes and offers self-catering accommodation from his former 17^th Century Farmstead at Caldbeck (check out http://highgreenrigghouse.co.uk/ ). ...  continue reading

by Matt Biglin

Wincle Fete cropped up in conversation, late one Friday night last year. Specifically, it was the Wincle Fete sausage catching competition, which seemed pretty exciting. We were 2 bottles in by then but hey!

Sausages launched, sausages caught. Knock-out progression. To be clear, it’s only for dogs, not for humans.

Also, from the story there was even a whiff of jury nobbling, so possibly, a Mafiosi or Singapore syndicate connection. (Note from GVS fictional legal team: there is absolutely no evidence for this) ...  continue reading

by Pete Fotheringham

Running has taken a bit of a back seat over the last month or so, due to the move to Whaley Bridge. Writing about running, or anything else, has been even further back. But now we’re in the new house, most of the boxes have been unpacked, and I’ve run out of excuses.

Tuesday night’s social run was the traditional pre-race recce of the Whaley Waltz route, so that marshals and participants have some idea of where they will be going on Saturday. With everyone running in a single group, the faster runners have lots of opportunities for looping back, and for planning the optimum line, while those nearer the back have plenty of opportunities to watch and wonder.  ...  continue reading