November 9th, 2023

Fell Running in Grasmere: the Past and the Present

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As part of her promotion of Grasmere Sports 2023, one of the many events and festivals that Catapult PR has promoted in its capacity as a travel PR agency and travel PR specialist, Jane Hunt speaks to Tommy Sedgwick, a multi race-winning fell runner, once described as “brainless and brakeless” due to his fearless descent of the fells during fell races.  This included the 295 metre descent from the top of Butter Crags, in the ‘Olympics’ of fell running – Grasmere Sports.

Tommy was a victor at Grasmere Sports on several occasions, including three during a ‘golden era’ of 11 years from 1969 to 1979, in which he shared the glory with rival and friend, Fred Reeves. Jane examines the background to this huge ’70s rivalry, which resulted in Fred breaking Tommy’s 1976 record in 1978 – a record that still exists for the Seniors Guide Race (fell race) today. She also quizzes Tommy about what it takes to be a winning fell runner at Grasmere and whether he believes the Reeves record will ever be broken.

To then look at the future of the sport, Jane also talks to three fell running children from the McGoldrick family – Mia, Calum and Finlay – and discovers what it is about the traditional Lake District sport of fell running that is still attracting youngsters today and what they get out of it.