Grasmere Guides Race 2025: Fell Running Tradition in the Lake District
The show races that occur around the regions over the summer and autumn are often steeped in history and folklore. None more so in central Lakeland than Grasmere.
A Historic Race Steeped in Lakeland Tradition
With a male record of 12 mins 22 seconds set by Fred Reeves in 1978, (modern great Vic Wilkinson’s female record of 15.05 is much more recent), it is one of those races that offers much reward for a record-breaking run yet finds itself continually adding years on to that long standing feat.
Records That Still Stand Today
All of this is completely beyond me at my best, never mind now in 2025. After nearly three years out of the green and gold of Keswick I’d earmarked this as a potential opportunity to once more don the vest as my road to recovery reached new junctures and crossroads.
Lining Up at Grasmere in 2025
After a shortish day working around Keswick, I pulled the trigger and headed south over the raise to line up in the show field with whomever else had the same idea on a muggy bank holiday Sunday.
Back in the Keswick Colours
Not a massive turn out for Keswick as it turned out, no lasses and a just a small handful of lads and slightly older lads. John Battrick on a hot streak over the shorter distances this summer and Callum Tinnion adding AS category prowess to his long-distance pedigree in recent outings.
Pre-Race Atmosphere
A bit of nerveless chat on the back sidelines for me as we waited the signal, I’m heading out slow and steady and walking up in the best state of breath and heart rate control I can muster body allowing. Race visualisations are accurate as I find myself somewhere in the region of the 70 to 80th percentile of the field climbing through the hole in the wall and into the bracken trod.
The Climb, the Descent, and the Challenge of Grasmere
That most welcome and weird smile cracking as I look around and wonder at the various huffing, puffing, moaning, groaning individuals locked into the climbing groove, levels of suffering varying wildly, and in audible intensity.
Steep Ascents
Topping out perhaps not ahead of the furore below as whoever is fit, fast and fearless takes the victory down at the line.
Technical Descents
My fitness is a pale and pallid shadow of its once former self but skills die hard and agility and ego collide now in me as I cut a low banked line to the second and turning flag, here comes the off camber descent, bone dry and hard as granite under foot, punishing a lack of conditioning for sustained intensity nearly as much as the climb.
But they drop like less nimble flies into the rear view as I career past scores of tiring bodies, drifting left and right and teasing at the tick kingdom of bracken edges. Over the tiny bridge and on to the gate vault, only squeezing past a labouring man lifting his weary body over in slow motion.
Cheered to the Finish Line
Hand planted, just enough pop in the legs and tucked up tight I fit through the gap and zig a few zags past a couple more folk to the road.
Now here is the business of this race. Everybody is cheered enthusiastically to the line, even someone as tiring as myself, who rolls off the gas like a dropped throttle and crosses with a whimper.
Results, Recovery, and Looking Ahead
Who won? Well look up the results, who came about halfway down the field? Aye that was me, check in later to see whatever the next short steep race pans out like!..