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Fell Running - Surprise winner in Threak Peaks
11:16am Saturday 3rd May 2008
OVER 750 international athletes from 21 different countries competed in the famous 24-mile Three Peaks Race last weekend, as it hosted the Long Distance Mountain Running World Championships.
Surprise overall winner Jethro Lennox, from Glasgow, stripped Yorkshire's reigning Three Peaks champion, Rob Jebb, of his title, despite finishing the race almost two minutes slower than Jebb's 2007 time.
Lennox, who beat a world-class field to win the 24-mile race across some of the Yorkshire Dales' toughest terrain, completed the race in 2hrs 53mins 39s. The Shettleston Harrier, who had never competed in the race before took the title and a cheque for £1,000, along with the status of world long-distance mountain running champion.
Lennox said, "I am over the moon. My main aim this year was the British Championship, I was only hoping to go top ten in the Three Peaks, but on the day everything just clicked.
"The support from the spectators on the hills was amazing. They were all along the course as well, even at the tops of the hills. It really kept me going."
English pride was salvaged by Thomas Owens (London) who came in 37 seconds after Lennox in second place.
Ricky Lightfoot, 23, from Maryport, was sixth in the men's race and first British man home in the under 25s category, beaten by just 30 seconds by bronze medal winner, Mitja Kosovelj from Slovenia.
In the women's race Sharon Taylor, from Staveley, was the first Cumbria to cross the finish line in fifth overall.
She said, "The race went well, I started off steadily and was ninth or tenth at the first hill. The underfoot conditions suited me well and I still felt strong at the end."
The gold medal in the women's race went to Anna Pichrtova of the Czech Republic, who set a new women's course record of 3hrs 14mins 43s. Dominating from the start, she beat the old record set in 1996 by 1 minute 34 seconds.
Long-distance expert Angela Mudge, from Scotland was six minutes behind in second while Australian Angela Bateup was third, 40 seconds ahead of New Zealander Anna Frost. The Russian women packed sixth, seventh and eighth to win the team award.
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Prehistoric walk
The interesting brochure you can obtain from the car park at Foulshaw Moss says that more than several thousand years ago the Witherslack Mosses were part of an extensive wetland in what is now the Lyth Valley and on the flat ground west of the Kent Estuary. The Mosses - Meathop, Foulshaw and Nicols - are raised peat bogs brought about by sphagnum moss that draws up, acidifies, and holds water like a giant sponge, creating waterlogged conditions as it grows. Sphagnum grows from the tip, leaving the lower part to die. Waterlogging halts decay of these dead bits that build up and up over thousands of years, to form deep domed mounds of peat that are raised many feet above the surrounding ground. The Witherslack Mosses have dried out partly as a result of forestry and the invasion of scrub. Over time, drainage and peat cutting led to the loss of more wetland and now only significant fragments remain. Specialised peatbog flora and fauna have been unable to thrive because of the area being too shaded and too dry. Recently conifers have been removed and also masses of rhododendrons have been cleared. Hundreds of peat and plastic dams have been installed to bring about the ‘sponge’ effect of the peat. At Foulshaw, the remains of a 15ft to 16ft wide prehistoric trackway has been uncovered. This is believed to have been constructed in the mid-Bronze Age to allow people to cross the once huge wetland. Trunks of ash and birch were laid side by side and supported on logs. Foulshaw Moss is open to the public. Nichols Moss, a really squelchy one, is only suitable for a hundred yards or so before you encounter pathless very wet moss. It is a delight to stand and look ahead but as there is no walkway do not continue. Pause just on its edge from where you might spot red deer. Meathop is a lovely walk but only for those with a permit from Cumbria Wildlife Trust or if you are a member. The parking is difficult. After the first short grassy track, follow a wider track, left, that winds round right by a pasture and into fine conifer woodland. Beyond this a wide walkway takes you out some distance into the moss, from where you will spot all sorts of interesting lowly plants. To visit Foulshaw Moss, on the A590, it is best to approach the entrance from the direction of Kendal. If coming from the opposite direction continue on past the entrance and make use of the Levens underpass to make a U-turn and approach from the north. This avoids trying to make a right turn across a narrow section of the busy A-road. The entrance is not signposted until you have turned off the road. The entrance turn, a cart track, lies just before a large layby on a narrow section of the A-road. Just beyond the turn, stands a huge sign saying ‘Dual carriageway a mile ahead’. To approach the entrance, drive the dual carriageway at Levens until it ends. Continue a short distance along the two-way road and begin to signal your left turn. Watch out for the large sign ahead. If you reach the layby you have gone too far.
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