Sportsister reader Gemma Brady won a competition in Sportsister to win a free spot on a women only fell running course. Here she tells us what is was like to swap the flat streets of London for the hills of the Lake District.
I’m a serious runner… or at least I like to think so. Marathons,10ks, getting up at 6am to run to work is no problem. But years of training on pancake-flat London streets have meant I gasp at the sight of a slight incline, and have to steel myself to enter any race that is described as the dreaded word ‘undulating.’
Mary and Alison trying out the new Haglof’s jackets
I was not an obvious candidate for an “Introduction to Fell Running” programme, but I jumped at the chance to combine my love of The Great Outdoors with a tough fitness challenge.
Ali Bramall’s email introduction to her programme put my nerves at ease, telling me everything I needed to know about what to expect and what kit to bring. A real plus was that I didn’t need to buy expensive kit - I took my running gear and a pair of trail shoes, and Ali helped provide the rest. I arrived at Oxenholme train station to be greeted by Ali and to meet my three companions for the four day course.
We headed to Ali’s home, the beautiful Summer Hill in Sedbergh, at the bottom of the towering Winder and fuelled up with tea and delicious homemade cake before taking to our first hill. We were talked through key techniques for running up a steep incline from posture to foot placement, and Ali assessed our individual styles and gave us tips as we ran. We reached the peak at dusk, and it was a breathtaking experience - I couldn’t believe we’d managed to run that far and felt very proud as we collapsed into bed after a lovely dinner prepared by Ali.
The next morning we were up with the lark for a Qi Gong session, an eastern practice which helped regulate the body and mind. Our instructor, who is also the local Acupuncturist, gave us key exercises which we could apply both to help our running techniques and to help bring balance to our daily lives. This was an unexpected highlight of the course for me because of its meditative effect. It was the perfect start to what would prove to be a challenging day.
Gemma and Zoe descending Grisedale Pike
Having had a thorough crash course in compass reading and navigation we packed our rucksacks with food and flasks of tea, and we set out to Keswick, where Ali had arranged for us to trial some waterproof running jackets for the day. We weren’t able to test the water-proofing, just the wind resistance as we made our way up Grisedale Pike, ran down the grass to Coledale Head, scrambled up Eel Crag, and down the path to Braithwaite.
We found ourselves altering our technique depending on the terrain; sometimes we ran, sometimes walked and sometimes scrambled or climbed. I was very nervous with such uneven and unfamiliar terrains under-foot, but Ali helped me at every step, and I soon relaxed, feeling exhilarated as I flew down the steep descents. As part of the course, Ali had arranged for us to trial some Salomon fell shoes and these really helped me to trust my footing and modify my position.
Day three saw us taking control of our own route: each of us was required to take charge of two legs of the six hour expedition across the Howgill Fells, navigating with map and compass. Once again, I felt completely out of my depth, but after clear instruction, I soon found my feet. Taking in the beautiful views, we wound our way across the terrain and successfully navigated the run. With extraordinarily high winds, we struggled at times to keep our maps in our hands, but our persistence paid off and we completed another challenging and satisfying run.
Gemma ascending Eel Crag
The programme for our final day was left for us to decide from the several options of routes and runs, and asked to choose our preferred option as a group. This was fantastic as we could judge our own fatigue levels and how far and high we wanted to run. We bravely opted for Blencathra and headed out for one final time. Everything we had learnt in the previous three days came together as we negotiated the rocky Hallsfell ridge and let ourselves go as we confidently cantered down another ridge.
The whole experience was extraordinary. Everyone in the group exceeded their expectations of what they could achieve and had an absolute blast. The setting of the Lakes and Howgills was beautiful - every day we had our breath taken away, and every moment we were helped along the way by an experienced and confident instructor. I expected to return to London exhausted, but found myself coming home energised and my running revitalised.
I’m already planning my next fell adventure, and I’m so glad I took the plunge and did something that a few weeks before I would have seemed impossible.
Gemma Brady for Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
If you are interested in this course Ali will be running it again this year.
The dates are: March 17-19 and June 2-4.
Just head to www.summerhillsedbergh.com/courses.htm for more info.
