Calder Valley Fell Runners celebrates its twenty fifth year in 2011 and we have come a long way since a small band of renegade runners shared a pint and chatted about creating a club dedicated to their fondness of running on the open fell. This year three of our senior members and one of our juniors were selected to run for England and Great Britain. As well as these individual achievements, our club has enjoyed national success for our men’s, lady’s and veteran’s teams, as well as a string of victories in relay events; all testimony to the team ethos that our club embodies.
With a base in Mytholmroyd, we meet every Tuesday for pack runs and specific training sessions, with lots of other social runs, training sessions and recces organised by individual members. Whatever your level, there is always a group you can run with or a session you can benefit from. We also attracts triathletes, adventures racers, mountain bikers, cyclists and climbers who enjoy the craic of running or racing with others. We really believe in putting something back into the sport we enjoy and organise a number of races each year, from the out-and-back three mile “Wicken Hill Whizz” in midsummer to the twenty mile epic “Wadsworth Trog” in the depths of winter. Away from the racing scene, we have a growing number of club members who have successfully completed the “Bob Graham Round” as well as other similar personal challenges.
With distinctive red and white hoops and the ram’s head logo, our vest is recognisable throughout the country as not just one of the country’s top fell running clubs, but also one of its most sociable and well run. As recognition of this we have been asked to organise this year’s annual Fell Running Association Dinner.
With a membership of about one hundred and sixty members and a flourishing junior section, our club caters for and welcomes all standards of runners of all ages from social joggers to international racers.
What’s Fell Running all about?
Instead of pounding along roads with the smell and noise of traffic engulfing you, fell running allows you to explore our beautiful countryside. There are a few gifted top level athletes, but the majority of people compete at their own level, meeting the same faces on different runs and going at their own pace. Fell running is an expanding sport following the publication of Richard Askwith’s Feet in the Clouds, that describes the fell running world.
Races vary from a few miles to marathons and beyond, but the main aspect that filters through all races is a sense of fun and camaraderie. Fell running is an amateur sport and so you can meet and run with the top names in the country – although most will only see their backs disappearing over the horizon!
Running up hills – I can’t do that…
The majority of runners will walk up the hills, but you’ll be surprised with regular training how much further you can go.
The training runs seem a bit long…
The club training runs are for everyone. The full route run is described on the website, however many club runners take a shorter route and we are introducting “have a go” nights.
Where do you run from?
Club training runs tend to start at the Mytholmroyd Community Centre, but occasionally we have away runs so check the training timetable for details.
Running – is that all you do?
Our club members are not just runners. They come from a wide variety of backgrounds and are interested in other sports such as cycling, adventure racing, climbing, walking etc. There are hobbies such as photography – especially of the fells! Often the whole family can come along – children can run in the junior races and the adults in the seniors. For the seniors there is also imprtant post race debriefing in the local pub! Check out what else we get up to!