Brough Law

(foties by Jill Bennett)

Als diary entry: Short entry - the Ides of March. 
This week has had little to commend itself. But today I found myself making the trip to the Brough Law Fell Race up at Ingram Valley not far away from Wooler with Missus Mac. I always thought Wooler should really be bigger in the hill running world than it is. Plenty of potential and great running around there.

Chef Linds', who had run the xc the day before, agreed to accompany Missus Mac round the 5 mile AS (short, steep) course.  I reckon there were around 100 in attendance and while the sun was out, the wind was definitely getting up. I ran to the car to add a Helly Hansen to my T-shirt. The race starts with a heart strangling ascent before the course plateau’s out . There is a tough long grassy climb at the far end before you turn and come back on yourself. It’s a lasso sort of route. Probably around 1000ft of climbing. I paid my £5 and was happy not to be paying the £4 parking charge levied on yesterdays North East cross country event in Sunderland.  
After a couple of notices from the organiser JB, we kicked off and I walked-ran-walked up the hill. I began to pick up a few places once we were at the top and continued picking off a couple of runners before the far end. I tracked Tim McCall  (Norham) up some climb into the gale force wind. I could see Keith Murray (Teviotdale) and Vaughan Hemy (N Shields) ahead. 
I drove on hard at the turn as we began a fast descent toward a burn. Hammering down the valley side to try and make some ground, I lost my footing on the wet grass and went for a skite along the wet surface. No injury, only mild embarrassment.  I had only just recovered crossing the burn and then stile, when I heard Tim (now behind) yell as he was blown onto the barbed wire. I caught a North Shields runner at the top of the steep climb with Robyn Bennett and the three of us ploughed back along the gently rising ridge fighting with the ridiculous crosswind. I imagine we might have been dealing with some serious wind chill if we had slowed down or the event had been longer. By this time Hemy and Murray were out of sight, but I wasn’t making any ground on them anyway, so next time perhaps. 
I came down the last descent at high speed almost making up the 100 yards that the runner in front of me had, but he pipped me at the post. Probably around 48 minutes and placed upper to mid table, I imagine. I dumped my bum bag at the car and re-ascended to see the Missus and Linds come back, but somehow they eluded me by taking the long way round a crag and were finished by the time I got back down with the Sweeper. A hard event in the wind, but very happy to have had another competitive run. It was JB's birthday and we were all given a generous slice of cake to celebrate. An enjoyable morning out.