The Stoop Fell Race

The Stoop Fell Race is oragnised by one of Yorkshires, if not the countries maddest people!  Dave Woodhead and his lovely wife (and I can not never work out how she copes with him) orgainse a few races each year and todays race is part of his work!  His website is www.woodentops.org.uk if you fancy seeing more of what this race today is all about.
I first did The Stoop many years ago and really enjoyed my time.  Some of Dave's fell races were my first time fell racing and my passion for fell racing grew from this.  This is also the race I was just paying to enter two years ago when I get a call from my mum that I was needed back at Christies hospital where my dad was.  So I feel I should go race this race each year as later that evening two years ago my dad passed away and I know he loved watching me race and the atmosphere at races.
Today's race was always going to be a toughie for me as Ian Holmes was racing it and he knows the route better than most as its on his usual running patch.  The snow was plenty and the clag was down so everything looked white!
I lead the race out up to the top of the Stoop where the race turns and comes straight back the same way we went out.  So as you turn to come back there are some 180 others runners still running towads you which makes it very interesting when both runners are going for the same spot on the ground.  After a couple of tumbles in the lovely powder snow Ian pulled a gap on me which I knew would happen on the downhill on the way back.  Ian is one of the best fell runners that there has ever been.  His ability to run down the hill, whether it's covered in rocks, snow or grass is just amazing.  As I got back to the beck I could see Ian and I was closing on him all the way back but the end of the race came just too soon for me to catch him.  I finished second some 13 seconds behind Ian.  Thanks to Ian's wife for the snowballs!!!
Full results can be found on the link above.