Mercia Fell Runners Club

Here’s my contribution to the Little Sods column, but I’ll call this one a ‘micr­o-sod’ as it’s only 2 feet! (Size doesn’t matter at  my age!) Its the step up the bank of the track you meet half way up Caradoc on the Cardington Cracker route. This is the tale of my attempts at that challenge.

Attempt number 1: place foot on top of bank and half-heartedly push-off. Not enough power and fall back. Ha!

Attempt number 2: put foot on top of bank again in same place (mistake!) and push-off harder this time. Bank gives way and I start to fall sideways. Arrgghh! Grab something quick for balance. I grab something in the periphery of my vision. Ouch! It’s a thistle. Muted mutterings could be heard.

Attempt number 3: All decorum is now thrown out along with any fell running creditability I may have had. I sit on the bank and roll over backwards. Success! I’m now lying in the heather on top of the bank.

Dave Nichols, April 2007