Fellsman
16/05/2010
The Fellsman
An Englishman, Irishman and a Scotsman (John Taylor, Noel Hogan and Sandy Mackenzie) travelled to Yorkshire last weekend to take part in an ultra distance race of epic proportions. But this was no joke as around 400 athletes started the event and only 297 finished, which is a measure of how tough it was.
The Fellsman is a 60 mile high level traverse over very hard rugged moorland. The event climbs over 11,000 feet in its path from Ingleton to Threshfield in the Yorkshire Dales. Most of the route is over privately owned land, the use of which is secured by the organisers for the weekend only. This being the case the route does not follow well defined footpaths so the entrants navigational skills with a map and compass are tested as well their physical fitness.
The event started at 9.00am and as dusk fell runners were grouped up by the organisers for safety reasons. Noel Hogan managed to cover the distance in 15hr 03s and achieved 45th= with his group.
Sandy Mackenzie was 71st= in the time of 16hr 31s, managing to pass John Taylor who was initially ahead of him, but whose group slowed as the race neared the finish, leaving John with a time of 17hr 10m and 87th place overall.
