A DALE antiques dealer has finished fifth in a British fell running championship despite taking up the sport only six months ago.
Charlie Ing, of Barnard Castle, ran his first race with the British Open Fell Runners' Association in Sedburgh, in May this year, where he finished a creditable fifth – although he admits a lot of the top runners did not take part in that race.
But he followed that up with a number of good results.
The 24-year-old said: “On my first race I lost three places because I was quite scared (on the downhill). It did feel good though.
“The next week I went to Coniston and I came 16th. I nearly gave up going up a hill.”
His best performances included the Lowgill Sports race in North Yorkshire, where he came second.
The British Open Fell Runners’ Association caters for shorter races of between one and six miles, and the championships are decided by the runners’ top eight performances.
He said: “Now I know which races to target next year.”
Mr Ing, who has a masters in sport and exercise from Teesside University, said it is the adrenalin of the sport that appeals to him.
He added: “Some people find the pubs, but I like to go out on the fells on a Friday night. I am quite inspired to promote fell running.
“Of course it is dangerous, but you push yourself physically and mentally. It is like a dug and it is quite addictive.
“Where we live we have the Yorkshire dales and we are only an hour from the Lakes.”
He added: “We also have fells all around us in the North Pennines, so geographically, it is perfect.”
Elsewhere in Barnard Castle, husband and wife team Stephen and Fiona Dry also took advantage of the area's geography to record good positions in the championship.
Mr Dry ended 30th in the championship and seventh in the veterans over 45 group, while his wife was 13th in the senior ladies category, and second in the veterans over 45 ladies group.
