AFTER a month's gap in the club championship fell race series for South-West Cumbrian-based Black Combe Runners,a number of the club's members only had a short trip to Coniston to take part in the classic Coniston Fell Race.

The nine-mile,3500ft ascent horseshoe usually attracts runners from all over the country,and this is helped by the event being staged every May Day Bank Holiday Weekend.

About 200 runners toed the line for the lunchtime start in cloudy overcast conditions with some mist on the highest tops,but this did not cause any problems for most,and cooler temperatures made for ideal running,helped by good underfoot conditions.

The race calls at Wetherlam,Swirl How and(via Brim Fell)The Old Man of Coniston checkpoints.

In the men's race it was a nip and tuck battle between Lloyd Taggart of Dark Peak AC and Bingley's Ian Holmes. Both men finished in under 69 minutes,but the Bingley runner just had the edge in the closing stages to win in 68:37.

The clear winner of the ladies race was Eryri running club's Jackie Lee, who was 15th overall in 84:15.

For the eight Black Combe Runners who took part,club points were up for grabs in this the second of their 12 fell race counters for 2007,and no prizes for guessing who was first back here.

Peter Tayler, who is a strong contender to take this year's title because of the form he is in at present,stormed across the finishing line in a highly respectable time of 86:59,and 22nd overall.

Next,three BCRs came in within 13 seconds of each other: James Goffe, who ran this year's London Marathon in 3:55.07,was 93rd in 1:45.16, Susan Hodkinson, a contender for the ladies title, was 94th in 1:45.23,while William Ross from Ulverston was 95th in 1:45.29.

There was a gap until newly joined member Steven Kruger came in 127th at 1:54.02. Next was Millom's Karl Fursey, who will be doing the 40 mile Keswick to Barrow event this weekend,128th,1:54.11.

Less than a minute behind him was Darren Foote,also from Millom,and 131st in 1:55.07.

And just missing the sub two-hour mark by five seconds was Robin Smithurst who was 148th overall.

Next club champs counter races are this Friday's (May 11) Dalton-in-Furness 10k in the road series.(7:15pm,enter on the day),and the already full Fairfield Horseshoe fell race the following weekend.

The club also hosted the 6 mile 1800ft climb Caw fell race in glorious weather on May 2,and though not a club champs counter,eight BCRs turned up. The race,from Broughton Mills,was won by Lloyd Taggart of Dark Peak in a new course record time of 45:57,whilest Eryri's Jackie Lee was unlucky not to take the ladies record.She was 15th overall in 56:27.

BCR times: 25th John Parminter,63:10.,30th Neil Gibbison,69:07.,31st Dave Scott-Maxwell,69:22.,32nd Susan Hodkinson,69:42.,40th Darren Foote,72:42.,41st Karl Fursey,73:30.,45th Robin Smithurst,78:40 and 47th Kara Walker,79:55. There were 47 finishers and two retirees. Everyone who ran enjoyed the race.