IN CONTRAST to last year’s downpour, runners in last weekend’s Kentmere race had to battle hot and humid conditions as well as the tough terrain.

And though dark clouds did loom on the horizon, they did not provide the relief of rain, but it did not matter to Ambleside’s Garry Greenhow, as he blazed through the 12-mile course in an impressive time of 1-33-24.

Horwich’s Phil Marsden came in a close second in 1-35-27 with Helm Hill’s Josh Jardine (1-35-52) chasing behind in third.

With more than 3,000ft of ascent the brilliant race saw runners race over Ill Bell, Froswick, past Thornthwaite Crag, over High Street and Harter Fell, to Kentmere Pike and finally Shipmans Knot before finishing back in Kentmere.

Despite having raced the week before in Snowdon, Ambleside’s Scout Adkin was the first woman back in an incredible time of 1-50-19 and came 28th overall out of 271 runners.

She was followed by Helm Hill’s Sharon Taylor (1-53-43), who was 32nd overall, and Northumberland’s Katherine Davis who was third woman in 2-00-40 and also first FV50.

Fourth place overall was Staveley’s Robb Jebb who was the first MV40 to cross the line in a time of 1-36-03.

The first MV50 was Borrowdale’s Mark Roberts, (1-43-36) who finished in 9th place overall and Bowland’s Leigh Warburton was the first MV60 in 2-15-17.

Valley Strider’s Kim Spence was first FV40 in 2-22-51 and Ambleside’s very own Kate Ayres was FV60 in 2-32-01.

Meanwhile, a route-finding blunder cost Lancaster & Morecambe AC athlete Tom Humphries victory at the Fellside fell race on Wednesday.

Dark Peak Fell Runner’s Max Wainwright was able to capitalise on Humphries’ error and take a narrow margin of victory with the first four finishers within a minute of each other.

Humphries had opened up a lead on the 100-strong field on the first climb onto Brae Fell.

From here the route continues over the summit checkpoints of Knott and High Pike covering 7 miles and 1900 feet of ascent. Mistaking Great Scafell for High Pike, Humphries mistakenly turned for home allowing a chasing group to move into the lead.

Wainwright led a trio of runners into the finish in a winning time of 52-39.

Noah Hurton of Eden Runners took second place (52-57) with the Keswick AC duo of Sam Stead (53-12) and Tom Day (53-31) taking third and fourth respectively.

The victory wasn’t a foregone conclusion for Wainwright: “ It was close,” he said. “A group of three or four of us reached the final checkpoint at High Pike and I only just managed to hold the others off on the descent.”

In the ladies race Nichola Jackson of Ribble Valley Ladies took a comfortable victory in a time of one hour three minutes and 37 seconds, ahead of Keswick AC’s Catherine Spurden (65-34) and Ambleside AC’s Lou Osborn (67-16), who was also first V40.