Blog: 'I have met and made many friends through fell running'
The English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) website features a blog post every Friday through the year.
In 2016 we’ll be taking a look at an A-Z of accessible sporting and fitness opportunities available to disabled people. This week it’s F for Fell Running, and Lynda Howard from Derbyshire explains the nature of her sport and why she participates.
Lynda’s blog:
My husband took up jogging as a hobby, and one Sunday I asked if I could run with him. I wasn't very fit, and soon was gasping. But I kept going, having been given some brilliant advice: “slow down, but keep running.”
Soon I was running every day, not timing myself but just gradually increasing the distances. I discovered how good I felt afterwards, and I was sleeping like a baby.
My first race was the Larwood 10km, which was run by my local GP’s practice who had a poster about it in the surgery.
My husband entered it too, and screamed at me when in the final kilometre I ran past him and bolted for home! We finished in just under one hour, and soon we took on another 10km, followed then by two half-marathons.
Then Max asked me about fell running. I had never heard of it, but using Google we decided to enter the 11km Great Hucklow fell race.
A fell race is a race that runs across fields, mountains, moors and across and through streams. So it is essential to be able to navigate while running, whatever the weather.
Entry for the race was on the day. We had to carry a map, compass and a whistle, though neither of us did any map reading and just followed fellow runners.
My husband soon disappeared over a hill, but never mind – Pete, a villager from Great Hucklow, looked after me and got me home in the last half dozen runners. The best part was enjoying a beer in the local afterwards!
I soon joined the Fell Runners Association (FRA). We were sent a book which acted as an omnibus schedule of all the registered races. The next year we ran in most of the Derbyshire fell races – I call them Pub Runs, as they involved running to and from local pubs!
We joined Retford Athletics Club (RAC) and started to be a bit more professional about running. I purchased an RAC running vest and wore it with pride.
"I love this sport like no other"
At this stage, I knew something was wrong with me, but as I knew nothing further I carried on as before.
I now know I have Fahr's Syndrome, but try and stay fit. There is not a lot known about Fahr's – it is very rare.
It is caused by having an excess of calcium which gets deposited in the brain. The symptoms are a lack of co-ordination, speech becoming slurred, dribbling, lameness of the right leg and a numbness of the left side of the face.
There was a time when I was getting upset at my declining running. I once withdrew mid-race when placed last – it was being held in February and that year was extremely frosty. I realise now I was constantly slipping over due to my condition.
I still attend Tideswell Running Club in Derbyshire, but after doing lots of running I get very tired.
I have found if I talk to people about my condition I can cope much better.
We have met and made many friends through fell running. I love this sport like no other. I no longer work, but it used to be the case that at work every Friday the clerical assistant would ask: "Are you running up any mountains this weekend?" She thought I was barmy!
The Fell Runners Association (FRA) schedules and oversees events and races, as well as documenting results. More information can be viewed on their website or the FRA Facebook page.
