The greatest race on earth

[glaconman]

I totally agree with you BB. The more time goes by the more I appreciate sports where people excel as amateurs and remain grounded. It seems unrealistic to hanker after the days when footballers caught the same bus as the fans. But in fell running (and most running outside a track) that's exactly the situation. You can train with some of the greatest athletes, line-up against them on the start-line and then have a pint with them afterwards. People will be respected for their achievements, but the notion of celebrity doesn't come into it as much. I'm sure the running scene in your part of the world is similar to that in-and-around this part of the South Pennines. Amazing runners and great characters all sharing the start-line with the rest of us.

You can argue that money and celebrity is necessary in sport because it's a form of theatre that needs 'stars' in order to deliver an engaging spectacle. But I don't buy that anymore.

There's enough drama going on in the back-end of a small village race. You just need to get to know the people involved and understand what's driving them and how running positively effects their lives.