A SPORT ON THE UP!

There is no denying that over the last few years, there has been a huge increase in the popularity and growth of trail and mountain running. As more people continue to hit the trails, the future of our sport looks extremely promising. This steep surge in participation has also risen significantly within the UK and Ireland, with an increased representation of our athletes in European mountain races. These are exciting times to be a mountain runner and I’m very proud to consider myself part of this growing movement.

Now don’t get me wrong, we’re certainly not the first runners from the UK and Ireland to venture into Europe in search of new and exciting races. Early pioneers, such as Billy Burns, Martin Cox, Anne Buckley and Angela Mudge, have been doing it for years and have enjoyed a huge amount of success.

“THE FUTURE OF OUR SPORT LOOKS EXTREMELY PROMISING…THESE ARE EXCITING TIMES TO BE A MOUNTAIN RUNNER“

But this is different. Different because I’m not just talking about a handful of athletes, now we’re more like an army, invading Europe and entering races on mass. Inspired by the achievements of others, our ranks are swelling in size. Leading the line are the famous names of Robbie Simpson and Victoria Wilkinson, newly-crowned World Cup winners Andy Douglas and Sarah McCormack, Skyrunning champion, Holly Page, European champions and medal winners Jacob Adkin, Sarah Tunstall, Emmie Collinge and Emma Moran. The list goes on. British and Irish mountain runners are flocking to the continent to compete and we’re giving our European counterparts a real run for their money. The lure? Aside from the prizes, the chance to run in truly amazing places, compete against some of the best athletes in the world and most importantly, enjoy new and exciting experiences. There are literally hundreds of races out there and thousands of trails and mountains just waiting to be explored.

Take the Trofeo Vanoni relay, in Northern Italy, as one such example. In 2006, only one woman and one men’s team from the UK and Ireland entered the race. This year, a staggering total of ten women and nine men’s teams competed. It’s a huge contrast, but it’s also easy to see why this particular race has become so popular.

Continue reading below…

👉 https://www.sportsshoes.com/trail/trail-running/trail-runs/the-magic-of-the-trofeo-vanoni-mountain-running-relay/

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THE NEW INOV-8 X-TALON G 235

inov-8 first launched the X-Talon back in 2008 and I’ve been racing in this range of shoe ever since. Like all fans of inov-8, I’ve been waiting patiently for the release of the new X-Talon G 235 and I’m delighted to say that they do not disappoint.

For me, the G 235 is a shoe that combines the very best features of the X-Talon 210 and the X-Talon 230. It’s a perfect hybrid version of both successful models.

I love the 210’s because they’re so lightweight and the grip is outstanding. However, this love does come at a price. They only usually last about 200-250 miles and I wear out quite a few pairs over the length of a season. This is where the G 235 impress. Not only are they comfortable and lightweight, they’re built to last and don’t need ‘wearing in’. They also offer a similar protective quality and feel to the X-Talon 230. The upper materials are made from hard wearing ballistic nylon, with a black printed rubber rand wrapped around the front of the shoe. It’s worth mentioning that, like the 230, there is a rock plate built into the mid-sole, for additional protection against sharp rocks. The combination of these materials and protective features make the new X-Talon G 235 the ideal choice for running over extreme and rugged terrain.

For a lightweight racing shoe, the G 235 is extremely comfortable to wear. The precision fit suits the shape of my feet and I like the split shape of the gusseted* tongue (*this means that it’s been stitched to the inside of the shoe and helps prevents mud and debris getting in). Both of these features really help to improve the fit and feel of the shoe.

I also love the fact that I raced in these shoes straight out of the box. I first wore them for the Hodgson Brothers Relay in the Lake District in October. I slipped them on 10 minutes before the race and quickly made the decision to use them. They immediately felt comfortable and the fit and feel gave me enough confidence to race in them before testing at length.

The G 235 is a tough-wearing, high-performing lightweight racing shoe. I’ve worn this shoe to run in the Lakeland Fells, the Yorkshire Dales, the Alps, the Pyrenees and also on the Costa Blanca trails. It is primarily built to tackle soft and muddy ground, but it easily handles all other types of extreme terrain, from wet mountain rock to hard-packed trails. So far I’ve clocked over 200 miles, with minimal signs of wear. This improved durability is undoubtably the most impressive feature of the new X-Talon G 235. The combination of Graphene with STICKY GRIP rubber means that they will now last up to 50% longer than previous X-Talon models and most importantly, with an upper that’s just as strong.  I would predict that I’ll get at least 600-750 miles out of the G235 before I’ll need to consider replacing them.

So if you need an off-road racing shoe that’s lightweight, comfortable, durable, and protective, with unrivalled grip across all types of off-road terrain, then look no further – you’ve just found exactly what you’re looking for.

SPECIFICATION:

WEIGHT: 235g (average over size curve)

DROP: 6mm

LUG DEPTH: 8mm

WIDTH (1-5): 2 Precision fit

RECOMMENDED FOR: Racing on serious off-road terrain

CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW

 

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I’m not the greatest runner in the world and nor do I claim to be. In fact the more I think about it, I’m not even the fastest person in my house. But fear not, I do know a few things about the sport and I can spin a good yarn – it’s safe to say that I have more than a few stories to tell.

Over the last 15 years, I’ve competed in some pretty epic races, visited some amazing countries, ran up and down some spectacular mountains, and I’ve trained and raced with the very best mountain runners in the world. So if you fancy a few training tips, travel advice, or just simply enjoy listening to tales of adventure (mostly amusing and self-deprecating), then this event on Tuesday 12th of March, at the Ellis Brigham store in Manchester at 7pm, might just be of interest…

https://www.evensi.uk/fell-running-obsession-mounsey-ellis-brigham-mountain-sports/291215234

Andy Jackson Photography

The new MUDCLAW G 260 is inov-8’s latest running shoe to utilise graphene – the planet’s strongest material.

200 times stronger than steel, graphene has been infused into the rubber outsoles, making the 8mm studs stronger, more elastic and harder wearing.

In June 2018, I was given a prototype pair of the MUDCLAW G 260 and asked to see how many running miles I could put into them. Seven months later, I’ve managed to rack up a mammoth 1,100+ miles and counting (see photo above).

The revolutionary graphene-enhanced rubber compound used in the outsole of my prototype pair is the same used in the final version of the MUDCLAW G 260, which is on sale now at inov-8.com and via selected retailers. The only changes are in the upper of the shoe, where, following more rigorous testing, inov-8 have used our most durable materials to date.

MOUNSEY VS MUDCLAW

As a brand ambassador for inov-8, I’ve been lucky enough to be part of the testing and development process for the new inov-8 MUDCLAW G 260.

Initially, I tested a number of different prototypes, before receiving a pair in June 2018 that I’ve been wearing for the last seven months.

It is worth pointing out that the shoes I tested were prototypes, so while the rubber outsole compound has not changed, there have been some changes to improve the upper materials for the final production model that is now on sale.

The first thing I noticed about the shoes was how super-comfortable they were. I have what I think are fairly normal shaped feet, perhaps a little skinny, but not too much. From that first feel, I instantly knew these were shoes I could use for both training and racing.

The grip is the most aggressive I’ve ever seen and the best I’ve ever tested. It’s given me more confidence than ever before to attack any type of descent.

With the sticky rubber having been infused with graphene and promises made that these outsoles would go the distance, I was super-keen to test their durability and lifespan. I wanted to see if they could cope with the rigorous demands of fell, mountain and trail running, and, of course, a high volume of mileage, all of which I logged on my Strava account.

In fact, I saw the opportunity of testing these shoes as something of a personal challenge – could I use them enough to the point where they might actually wear out!? And so the battle began, Mounsey vs Mudclaw.

Over the last seven months my trusty pair of prototypes have travelled with me all across Europe. I’ve tested them on all types of terrain – from the hard, rocky ground of the Italian Dolomites to the snowy mountain peaks of the Swiss Alps, the loose, rough rock slopes of Mount Vesuvius and, of course, the soft, muddy fells of the UK’s Lake District.

Most recently, I wore them to complete the Dales Way (UK) – and 81-mile trail (muddy in places) from Ilkley in Yorkshire to Bowness in Cumbria. It was an easy decision to make – there is no other shoe that offers the same grip, comfort, grip and durability.

I know, yes, I’m an inov-8 ambassador and I rave about the brand’s products, but honestly, these are my favourite ever inov-8 running shoes. They are also the first and only pair I haven’t been able to wear out!

7 months, 1123 miles, 8 countries, 15 races, 226 runs, all weather, all terrain, 1 shoe

The MUDCLAW G 260 shoes with revolutionary graphene infused (G-Grip) rubber outsoles, weigh just 260g, feature a 4mm drop (heel-to-toe differential) and a snug inner fit for foot stability. The super durable graphene-enhanced studs (which look more like fangs) claw through mud and soft ground, while also moulding and sticking to rocky, wet terrain.

The shoes are perfect for trail and fell runners, as well as obstacle course racers, orienteers and cross-country runners, all of whom compete in muddy underfoot conditions.

Runner’s World (UK) have just published their ‘first impressions’ review of the shoes. ‘When the apocalypse finally arrives, only cockroaches, Keith Richards and the inov-8 Mudclaw G 260 will survive’ – read it HERE.

SHOP MUDCLAW G 260

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The inov-8 #GetAPic Sport Photo Competition 2018

I’m delighted to announce, that the winner of the inov-8 #GetAPic Sport Photo Competition 2018 is…

JIM HARRIS

For his beautiful photograph of a Bob Graham Round attempt, capturing runners as they climb the super-steep Steel Fell, from Dunmail Raise, in the Lake District.

A HUGE thanks to all those who entered, it was a very hard decision for the panels of judges to make. Of course, another HUGE thanks to inov-8 and James Appleton for providing the prizes and supporting the competition

Here are all the entries…

1. LEWIS DEAN – ‘Sheep are great on the descent!’

Underskiddaw, Keswick (6th July 2018)

This was my first visit to the Lakes, I was absolutely astonished. Couldn’t believe and kept saying to myself, this is on my doorstep. I was there as a result of supporting my first Bob Graham Round, I was doing legs 1 and 2. I possibly pushed myself a little hard on the climbs to get ahead of the other chaps so I could try and snap a few photos. I felt like a tourist, which I suppose I was, it was incredible. This photo takes me back to climbing Skiddaw and I just felt incredibly blessed. I took a few more, but this one truly resonates with me and takes me back to that very first time in the Lakes.

 

2. LEWIS DEAN – ‘Dark side of Blencathra!’

Threlkeld, Keswick (6th of July 2018)

Looking back and just seeing a silhouette of the mountain ridge looked incredible. Again, I feel a wave of nostalgia creeping over me as I look back on these photos. We were so lucky with the weather that day, no boggy terrain whatsoever, just dry ground underfoot making for an incredible descent. I was once again, having to speed up to catch the others as I was just completely overwhelmed by the beauty I was engulfed by as we made way into the ‘valley’.

 

3. LEWIS DEAN – ‘Be careful, disused mines ahead!’

Belmont, England (20th of November 2018)

I’m not great with self-navigation and especially when it concerns a map and compass. I was attempting to traverse with a map and compass and a little memory of the Rivington Pike Marathon route. Needless to say I got lost and wondered into heavy marshland where I felt at any moment I could sink under the ground and be lost for ever. It was particularly concerning when I hit a sign that warned me of disused mines ahead, I soon found comfort in the GPS of my phone and wandered back to a safe track. This photo reminds me of that moment, realising, I’m incredibly inexperienced and have a lot to learn. I would begin to think further about how I’d be truly out of my depth should I have been in a location further a field, lost in complete wilderness without the means to find my way back. It’s allowed me to truly sit back and reflect on how I’ll need to gain more exposure to events like that, being uncomfortable is truly the feeling of learning. Here’s to 2019 and the year I’m able to confidently and comfortably navigate using a map and compass!

 

4. FINLAY GRANT – Upper Swaledale Valley (30th August 2018)

Photo of the village of Reeth and the Lower Swaledale valley on a warm-up run of the course for the Reeth Show fell race, which I ran later in the day.

 

5. FINLAY GRANT – Reeth (27th August 2018)

Photo of me and the Upper Swaledale valley in the distance from the summit of great shunner fell on a training run to the summit and back again.

 

6. ADAM OLIVER – Helm Hill, Kendal (31st October 2018)

 

 

7. PAUL HAIGH – ‘One man and his dog’.

Luddenden Valley, Calderdale (16th December 2018)

 

 

8. PAUL HAIGH – The Calder Valley (18th October 2018)

Coming down from Crow Hill, Calder Valley, just after sunrise at 8am, with cloud still lingering on the hills.

 

 

9. EUAN BRENNAN – Scotland, 2018

 

10. EUAN BRENNAN – Scotland, 2018

 

11. EUAN BRENNAN – The Alps, 2018

 

12. STUART COWAN – Screel Hill and Bengairn, Scotland (17th December 2018)

Photo taken during a morning hill run over Screel Hill and Bengairn near Palnackie in Dumfries and Galloway. The view is looking towards the Solway Firth, Hestan Island and Auchencairn Bay.

 

13. STEPHEN SMITH – ‘The Mass Start’

Wainstalls Road, Calderdale (20th May 2018)

 

 

 

 

 

18. DAVE MIDDLEMASS – Sunrise on Latrigg (15th November 2018)

19. DAVE MIDDLEMASS – Panorama of Chevin Chase crowds (26th December 2018)

 

 

20. DAVE MIDDLEMASS – Kilnsey, Yorkshire Dales (28th August 2018)

Start of Kilnsey Crag Fell Race from the top of ‘The Chimney’.

I wanted to recce a coastal trail route so grabbed a new running friend and me, plus a generation, AKA my mum, and headed to the Jurassic Coast on a sunny November morning. We ran along the undulating South West Coast Path from Lulworth Cove, passed Durdle Door and I snapped this picture (out of breath and on my iPhone!) of them climbing the hill nattering away and admiring the view! Just as well we did because when we came back for the race a couple of weeks later we could’t see the sea it was so misty!

 

 

22. BRYN EVANS – Sunset at the Round Rotherham (20th October 2018)

The nerves of my longest ever run were eased by a beautiful sunrise as the settled fog started to disperse. It set up a lovely long day of plodding.

 

 

23. BRYN EVANS – The Reward (28th December 2018)

 

 

26. KAMILLA KONCZ – The Lake District (28th December 2018)

The one with the gingerbread was taken on 28 December during a hike around Elterwater, Hodge Close and Little Langdale. We had Christmas in the UK this year so I made some of my mum’s Hungarian gingerbread for a little taste of home.

 

 

27. KAMILLA KONCZ – The Hebden, Calderdale (January 2018)

This one with the snow was taken during The Hebden in January. There was so much mud too! It took me almost 7 hours to get around! Still going again this year, though…

 

 

28. RICH BALDWIN – The Bob Graham Round: Leg 4 (July 2018)

 

 

 

 

31. GERALD GRECH – Lost in Sestriere (29th August 2018)

The moment when I realised we were lost on a mountain bike trail in Valle Argentera, Sestriere, Italy at 2600m. The planned 2hour bike trip with 2French friends (father and son) who blindly trusted my guidance ended up in a gruelling 7 hour journey carrying our mountains bike through the woods including a very close encounter with an aggressive cow herd!

 

 

32. CHRIS MURRAY – Marsden Moor, Huddersfield (3rd February 2018)

 

 

 

34. CHRIS MURRAY –  Ogden Reservoir, Halifax (14th May 2018)

 

35. JEREMY DOUGHERTY –  Cadillac Mountain, USA (1st January 2018)

I live in Bar Harbor, Maine, USA, home of Acadia National Park which has steep, rugged, muddy mountains all clustered together, and surrounded by the ocean as we’re on a small island.  You can get in a great 50k with 20k in climbing here in about fifty different ways.
This is a pic from last new years day with local friends climbing of the highest peak on the eastern sea coast of the US, Cadillac Mountain.  It was 0 Celsius that morning and the surrounding ocean was full of sea smoke.  Nobody was in the park, but we are year round runners and embrace the elements here.  It gets real cold at times, but always beautiful.

 

36. JONATHAN COX –  Sgurr Alasdair, Isle of Skye (June 2018)

 

 

37. JONATHAN COX – near Annecy, French Alps (August 2018)

 

 

38. JONATHAN COX – near Annecy, French Alps (August 2018)

 

39. JIM HARRIS – Pennine Way (2018)

 

 

40. JIM HARRIS – Haworth, West Yorkshire (2018)

 

41. JIM HARRIS – Steel Fell, Lake District (2018)

 

 

42. SIMON WALKDEN – Grindleford Gallop Fell Race, (17th March 2018)

This picture is of my friend, Chris Marritt, as he braves the side winds on Baslow Edge, heading towards Curbar Gap in the Peak District. The race took place during the Beast from the East 2 and I think this photo sums up quite nicely just how brutal the -10C windchill was during this section of the race!

 

 

43. SIMON WALKDEN – Blacka Moor, Sheffield (4th May 2018)

 

 

 

44. SIMON WALKDEN – Higga Tor, Peak District (21st July 2018)

This is a photograph from a rare run with my 13 year old son, Sam, who took great delight in showing his Dad how easy it is to run up the steep hills! Here he is, showboating, by leaping off a boulder as we ran along the top of Higger Tor on our way back to Burbage Bridge and Stanage Edge.

 

 

45. PAUL HAIGH – Westminster Bridge, London (30th January 2018)

This captures London in a nutshell. Went for a jog along the river after work and came up with this by chance. Love just fitting in running wherever I can.

 

 

46. JOCASTA FLETCHER – Sa Calobra, Mallorca (13th October 2018)

Boiling hot weather 100+km ride , 2000m + of ascent. What goes down – always goes back up in cycling. Glad I live in Calderdale as prep for these hills! If you can cycling in Yorkshire you can cycle anywhere!

 

47. JOCASTA FLETCHER – Northton, Isle of Harris (31st May 2018)

A morning run along the 5 beaches to the temple under the shadow of Chaipaval – off day during our family cycle adventure doing the Hebridean Way.

 

 

48. OLIVER BLOMFIELD – “Chasing sunsets”

Arthur’s Pike, (18th November 2018)

 

 

49. PAUL MYERS – UNKNOWN LOCATION (2018)

First outing in the inov-8 Mudclaws.

 

 

50. PAUL MYERS – UNKNOWN LOCATION (2018)

 

 

51. PAUL MYERS – UNKNOWN LOCATION (2018)

Just the perfect day for running!

 

52. JAMES WILLIAMSON – “Snowhere i’d rather be”

Skiddaw, Lake District (8th January 2018)

Dawn raid of Leg 1 BGR, heading for Skiddaw, looking towards Blencathra.

 

 

53. JAMES WILLIAMSON – “I see a little silhouetto of a man…”

Bob Graham – Leg 3, Lake District (26th March 2018)

 

 

54. JAMES WILLIAMSON – “Walla, walla, walla!…ooooh”

Walla Crag, Lake District (8th March 2018)

Walla Crag, looking over Derwent Water towards Catbells.

 

55. MATT KAY – Buckstones, West Yorkshire (2018)

A brief respite when the Beast from the East came. Nearly lost my fingers to get back home, but nice pic all the same. Wearing inov-8 Roclites too, if that gets bonus points?

 

 

56. MATT BARKER – Loughrigg Fell, Lake District (14th October 2018)

Taken on the climb out of Ambleside.

 

57. KRIS LEE – Andorra (19th February 2018)

Skiing in Andorra, my faithful Mudclaw 300s to keep me upright when not on my skis.

 

 

58. KRIS LEE – UNKNOWN LOCATION (2018)

A lovely summer run out in my inov-8 Roclite 290s.

 

 

59. KRIS LEE – Langdale, Lake District (13th October 2018)

Free shoe cleaning service at the end of the Langdale Horseshoe race.

 

60. CALVIN FERGUSON – “Three Wise Men on a Bob (Graham)”

Lake District (28th July 2018)

Myself (taking the photo), Andrew Britton & Stuart Russell supporting Mike Clayton on his Bob Graham Round attempt. Glorious views down the valley.

 

 

61. JON BURDON – Holme Valley (2018)

 

62. APOLLO KWOK – “Waiting for Kilian”

Great Gable, Lake District (2018)

 

 

63. APOLLO KWOK – Great Rigg, Lake District (2018)

 

 

64. APOLLO KWOK – West Wall Traverse (2018)

 

65. MATT KAY – Dovestones (20th October 2018)

Out on the tops and looking down on the reservoir below.

 

66. MATT KAY – Turley Cote Lane (10th June 2018)

Sunny recovery run, snapped this one when out taking my time and just enjoying the views.

 

 

67. ALUN WOOD- “Morning views”

The Lake District (12th May 2018)

Waking up to this on a recce of the lakes 10 peaks on 12/05/18. Between Esk pike and Great End.

 

 

68. ALUN WOOD- “Lonely Shepherd”

Gilwern Valley, Brecon Beacons (17th July 2018)

Looking toward Sugarloaf mountain (wales) from the Gilwern valley on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park.

 

 

69. ALUN WOOD- “Sunset Fan”

Pen-Y-Fan, Brecon Beacons (23rd October 2018)

Evening run after work up and over Pen-Y-Fan and Corn Du in the Brecon Beacons National Park.

 

70. DAVID SEARLE- Old Man of Coniston, Lake District (2018)

This was taken descending the Old man of Coniston. Myself and a friend went to support another guy racing Lakeland 50 and he only went and won. We went for a run in the morning whilst waiting for the race to start and the clag cleared on the descent.

 

 

71. DAVID SEARLE- South West Coast (2018)

This was taken on the South West Coast path near Soar Mill Cove. It was a chilly moody autumnal day with a strong offshore wind. Very invigorating.

 

 

72. DAVID SEARLE- Devon (2018)

Running the ridge at Start point lighthouse in Devon at sunrise. Its one of my favourite spots to watch the new day break before a run. The coast path can be stunning and challenging at the same time.

 

 

73. MATTHEW BARKER- Lake Windermere (14th October 2018)

Lake Windermere spills over.

 

 

74. MATTHEW BARKER- Ruskin View (23rd June 2018)

Ruskin view after a steep-stepped climb to graveyard.

 

75. ANDREW BRITTON – “The Last Waltz”

Stair, Lake District (21st April 2018)

 

 

76. ANDREW BRITTON – Newlands Valley, Lake District (21st April 2018)

Anniversary Waltz 2018

 

 

77. ANDREW BRITTON – Stickle Tarn, Lake District (17th February 2018)

 

 

78. WILLIAM LAYE – L’Argentine, Switzerland (July 2018)

It was particularly striking as coming around into the second half of the loop, as you’re treated to a brilliant contrast of lush fields and imposing rock faces. An extra treat was my first sighting of a Marmot and the strange scream they give out when they see you! An amazing area to visit and so many brilliant trails to run.

 

 

79. WILLIAM LAYE – High Street, Lake District (March 2018)

Coming off High Street, completing the Kentmere Horseshoe route, whilst fending off the ‘Beast from the East 2’, in March. I’d never seen horizontal icicles before which completely engulfed cairns on the higher reaches. A route with a lot of bang for your buck, its just a shame I didn’t bring a sled to keep up with Emma! Perhaps even a bungee cord next time and she could pull me!

 

 

80. WILLIAM LAYE – Langdale, Lake District (March 2018)

Possibly my favourite place in the world – Langdale. First day out in sub zero temperatures with a fierce, biting wind. We traversed the modest Lingmoor, from the sheltered south side then quickly took cover behind that majestic wall. I’m ever in awe of the sheer beauty, quality and organic nature of Lakeland walls. A skill that’s thinner on the ground and a real craft that we shouldn’t take for granted. I love this picture as it captures all that’s beautiful in that area (except perhaps the warm retreat of the the Langdale pubs!) – Lingmoor, the perfect viewing platform.

 

 

81. DANAE DUMONTET – Upper Joffre Lake, British Columbia, Canada (4th November 2018)

A run through Joffre Lakes Provincial Park, eventually presented us with this unique perspective of Upper Joffre Lake’s emerald waters. If you look really closely, you can see two people paddle boarding down there!  

 

 

 

 

86. JAMIE MCILVENNY – “Sunset on The Fellsman”

The Yorkshire Dales (28th April 2018) 

My main target race of 2018 and what a great experience. My camera was away for most of it to concentrate on the run but couldn’t resist a quick snap as the Sun goes down over the beautiful Yorkshire Dales, leaving the beast of Fleet Moss and Beyond into the night ahead.

 

87. JOCASTA FLETCHER – Grasmere, Lake District (2nd July 2018)

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Scotland.

Rugged, wild and free.

It’s difficult to summarise a country in just 3 words, but hard pushed, I’d struggle to find a more concise and fitting description.

Those that know me, are aware of how much I love to travel. Italy being my obvious destination of choice. In my opinion, there is nowhere better in comparison, especially if you share my passion for the mountains. But perhaps I should have looked a little closer to home? I am, after all, a fell runner. I was born to run in the hills and mountains of Great Britain. The sport I love was forged in this environment. So what better place to visit than Scotland.

Pictured above: Running in the Isle of Skye (April 2018), with the famous Cuillin ridge looming in the distance.

Scotland boasts the highest mountains in the UK and has produced some of the greatest ever mountain runners that Britain has ever seen – Angela Mudge, Robbie Simpson, Andrew Douglas and Finlay Wild, to name but a few. So it was something of a New Year’s resolution of mine to discover a little bit more of this amazing country.

In January of 2018, I drove to the Isle of Mull. I was amazed by its beauty and it left me wanting more. In April, I decided to return to the north. I was desperate to see what the rest of the Scottish Islands had to offer and the Isle of Skye was at the very top of my list. It came with a flood of recommendations, my friends would always mention it during conversation. Many legends of our sport have previously graced its rugged landscape. I was treading in the footsteps of giants. No more so than the great Finlay Wild. An 8-times winner of the Ben Nevis fell race and renowned for his fell running prowess. A man with a reputation that proceeds him.

In this adapted extract from The Mountains are Calling, Finlay Wild, Scotland’s pre-eminent hill runner, is attempting to break the record for the fastest traverse of the notorious ridge line of the Black Cuillin.

Pictured above: The great Finlay Wild.

Finlay Wild stood on the summit of Sgùrr nan Gillean, the northern culmination of the Black Cuillin of Skye. The scree fountain of Glamaig across the deep trough of Glen Sligachan gleamed in dazzling sunlight; islands punctuated the glittering glass of the Inner Sound; away in the east, Ben Nevis stared impassively. The transcendent world of the so-called Isle of Mist was at harmony. The runner was not. He looked back along the ridge he had just negotiated – an eight-mile scythe of alpine pinnacles and splintered crags, flanked by plunging gullies. There is no greater examination in British mountaineering; it is, as Sir Walter Scott noted, unrivalled in its ‘desolate sublimity’. Finlay – a twenty-nine-year-old GP from Fort William, unknown outside the clique of hill running – had beaten the ‘unbeatable’, becoming the fastest to traverse the ridge, but something did not feel right. Doubt crowded his mind.

Starting from where it had all begun on Gars-bheinn, he traced the twisting blade of the ridge, silently counting mountains. His eyes lingered on Sgùrr Mhic Choinnich, the fourth of the eleven Munro summits. A surge of uncertainty. Finlay pulled out a flip book of summit diagrams, leafing through the pages until he located Sgùrr Mhic Choinnich. He looked hard at the drawing, then raised his eyes to gaze again at the mountain. A very simple question burst from his subconscious: had he touched the pile of stones on the 948-metre highest point? He had certainly climbed the peak; the spine of the central ridge made that unavoidable. The cairn though? Had he put his hand on it?

As Finlay descended, first to a road, then along a glen, the ridge now over his left shoulder, his mind dwelt on that airy crest. While he was unable to convince himself that he had touched the cairn, nor could he be sure he had not. His parents and a group of friends were waiting at Glenbrittle, ready to congratulate him. ‘I wasn’t, “yeah, I’ve done it”,’ Finlay remembered. ‘I said that I’ve kind of done it, but I need to check something. Basically, I got away from there as soon as I could and walked back up to the summit. That gave me time to think: what will I do if I haven’t touched it?’

Finlay clambered into the glaciated bowl of Coire Làgan, where vast chutes of scree cascade from a cirque of astonishing mountains. To the right was Sgùrr Alasdair, the acme of Skye; to the left, the shark’s fin of the Inaccessible Pinnacle; between them was the steep sliver of Sgùrr Mhic Choinnich, its west face forming the gigantic headwall of Coire Làgan. Scrambling up West Buttress, he made directly for the summit. Once on the ridge, the vista opened: mountains were everywhere; the islands of Eigg and Rum reared immaculate from the sea. It was the sort of day when you may have been able to glimpse the dark dots of the St Kilda archipelago, pitched some 100 miles to the west, jostled by the Atlantic swell.

Finlay was only looking to a summit of slabby rocks. Concreted to the cairn on Sgùrr Mhic Choinnich is a sixty-year-old plaque dedicated to climber Lewis Macdonald. Before it was shattered by lightning, a couplet read: ‘To one whose hands these rocks has grasped, the joys of climbing unsurpassed.’ Finlay knew before he got there. Unlike Macdonald, he had not grasped these rocks.

Desperately searching for a reason, Finlay began to piece together what had happened, why it had happened. He had approached the summit on a marginally different line to previous ascents – a common occurrence on the technical ground of the Cuillin. The newness must have momentarily disorientated him. Unconsciously, Finlay ran past the top, his mind already preparing for the difficulties ahead, principally the basalt-rudder of the Inaccessible Pinnacle and the six-storey down-climb from its top.

The summit of Sgùrr Mhic Choinnich had been ten metres away, amounting to a single metre of height gain. ‘Five seconds,’ Finlay said ruefully.

Finlay’s ambitions hinged on a decision of conscience. ‘The weird thing was that I knew I had done it, but at the same time, parallel to that, I knew I couldn’t claim it the way I had done it,’ he said. Finlay could have been excused for erring, for prevaricating. It was five seconds. The oversight was not deliberate. He had done everything else by the book: adhering to a set of standards enshrined by one-time record holder Andy Hyslop, demanding the contender visits the eleven Munros and two further summits, as well as undertaking four technical and exposed sections of rock climbing. Furthermore, to avoid any doubt over the record’s validity, Finlay had been taking splits at every summit on two watches. In races and mountain marathons there are marshals or checkpoints to ensure competitors do not – for want of a better word – cheat.

‘No-one is policing this traverse,’ Finlay said. ‘These things are done on trust. It is totally on your own conscience.’

Ultimately, there was no doubt, no debate. By strict definition, he had not summited Sgùrr Mhic Choinnich. It was five seconds but it could have been one, for if Finlay had not summited Sgùrr Mhic Choinnich, not gone as high as is physically possible, then he had not traversed the ridge. There could be no record. Not today.

It was a gesture that symbolised the ethos of his sport: nothing was more important than doing things the right way.

The Mountains are Calling, by Jonny Muir

Jonny Muir was a nine-year-old boy when the silhouette of a lone runner in the glow of sunset on the Malvern Hills caught his eye. A fascination for running in high places was born – a fascination that would direct him to Scotland. Running and racing, from the Borders to the Highlands, and the Hebrides to the hills of Edinburgh, Jonny became the mountainside silhouette that first inspired him.

His exploits inevitably led to Scotland’s supreme test of hill running: Ramsay’s Round, a daunting 60-mile circuit of twenty-four mountains, climbing the equivalent height of Mount Everest and culminating on Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest peak – to be completed within twenty-four hours.

While Ramsay’s Round demands extraordinary endurance, the challenge is underpinned by simplicity and tradition, in a sport largely untainted by commercialism. The Mountains are Calling is the story of that sport in Scotland, charting its evolution over half a century, heralding its characters and the culture that has grown around them, and ultimately capturing the irresistible appeal of running in high places.

Pictured above: The author, Jonny Muir

Jonny Muir is a runner, writer and teacher, and The Mountains are Calling, published by Sandstone Press, is his fourth book. A runner since his school days, Jonny ran and raced on road, track and trail before receiving a calling to the mountains. Since then, he has run extensively in the British hills and mountains, and has completed the Bob Graham Round and Ramsay’s Round.

http://heightsofmadness.com

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