Thursday evening and I’m a little apprehensive. This was my first time recording a Zoom chat and I’m interviewing GB athlete Chris Holdsworth. I’ve known Chris for a number of years. He’s a Lakeland Trails regular, one of inov-8’s ambassadors, a proper nice guy and I’m looking forward to finding out a bit more about him.
I’m nervous because me and tech don’t get on. I think something’s bound to go wrong, that I’ll cock it all up and will waste Chris’s evening.
To my surprise, everything technical went smoothly. Almost two hours later, conversation still in full flow, we had to call a halt. It was way past my bedtime!
Here’s a snapshot of the recording of my ‘run in with Chris’.
When did you first start running?
I was around 22, so a late starter, really. It was after finishing studying for an Arts degree at Leeds. Running was just not on my radar back then and when I did start, it was like being introduced to another world. I did a couple of low key races, setting off too fast and dying badly. Then in 2015 my Uncle Breton took me along to the Lakeland Trails in Cartmel and that event completely blew me away. I was hooked and in love with the sport.
How many Lakeland Trails have you run and won? Which is your favourite?
So far, I’m up to 16 Lakeland Trails events, winning 9 of them. Every time I run one of the courses, I think that’s my favourite. Then I change my mind when I run a different one, and that becomes my new favourite. Currently, it’s the Coniston Trail, I think!
Would you please tell me a little bit about yourself?
I’m 31, Burnley born and bred, living here with my wife Sophie – we married only a month ago, the pandemic threw our plans out a bit. Until very recently I worked as a Marketing Manager. I’m a member of Clayton le Moors Harriers for road, trail and cross country and Calder Valley Fell Runners for fell races.
How often do you train?
I train a minimum of 6 days a week, with either an easy jog or a rest day usually on the Friday, or working around the current job if needs be. Usually I will clock around 8-9 hours of running and aim to get 80 miles in by the Sunday. A comfortable target at the minute, and aim to increase this, body allowing, to progress the long distance running further.
Any cross training?
I wish I enjoyed cycling, but anytime I cycle, I just wish I was running! I strength train, focusing mainly on glute activation as I’m woefully weak from years at sitting at a desk.
What about your metrics – your resting pulse, height and weight, could you share these with me please?
My resting pulse averages between 40-42. I am 5ft 11” and weigh 9 stone 10 – at least I did the day before my wedding just over a month ago. I’ll pretend it’s still the same despite a honeymoon, Christmas and my birthday occurring since then!
How about PB Times?
5K: 14.55 (Podium 5K in 2018)
10K: 30.27 (Telford 10K in 2018)
Half Marathon: 68.21 (North Lakes New Year Half Marathon in 2019)
Marathon: 2.37.11 (Edinburgh Marathon) – although have since run a 2.28 marathon including 1,700 ft of climb in training during Lockdown, though I don’t think Power of 10 will accept it!
Favourite Running Shoes?
For long distances, I’ll use inov-8 Terra Ultra G270. For short distances I usually switch between the inov-8 X-Talon 210 and inov-8 X-Talon 225 depending on the length and technicality of the course.
You have represented Great Britain a few times. How did your International journey start?
By accident, really. I ran in the Three Peaks Race without realising it was a Trial Race for the GB Team. So it was a real surprise being told afterwards when I finished 3rd and sub 2 hours 55 minutes, that I was selected to run for Great Britain in the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships in Premana, Italy. The course was the most technical I’d ever run, far from my comforts of pure out and out speed on runnable trails and was a tough day at the office. Finishing battered and bruised, in around 35th, from memory, but gaining lots of experience from it. Sadly, injuries and pandemics kept me out of subsequent qualification races, despite feeling a much stronger runner since then, so hopefully I can have another crack at that again in the future.
Best GB Position?
Possibly coming 2nd at the Snowdon International Mountain Race. Maybe I was good enough to win on the day, but misjudging the climb, arriving at the top in 5th, managing to pull it back with a descent, passing Zak Hanna, Rob Samuel and the late Chris Smith to finish first GB runner home.
Now I hear you’re following in my footsteps and have become a race organiser. Could you tell me how the Pennine Trails came about?
I started Pennine Trails in 2019. We started from scratch, with no investment and nothing but our enthusiasm, a love of trail running and creating good time experiences. After one year, and a Global Pandemic, we have 7 races to our name and intend to expand further.
They’re an open love letter to Lakeland Trails and some European trail races – my sole intention is to bring exciting and scenic trail races to the Pennines.
Thanks very much for your time Chris – it’s been a pleasure and best of luck for the future!
After our interview, I thought about all the things we’d talked about, liking Chris, as a person, even more. An open love letter? What a lovely thing to say about the Lakeland Trails, events I’d put my own heart and soul into for 16 years.
It makes me doubly proud too. First, leaving my legacy of the Lakeland Trails in the capable hands of Phil Blaylock and now knowing they have directly inspired Chris to create his own Pennine Trails.
More new trail running events can only be a good thing. I went to bed looking forward to taking part in one myself soon.
Just thinking about Pete Hartley brings a warm glow deep inside and makes me smile to myself. Despite all the current world troubles and freezing cold winter weather.
What a lovely man.
On the Garburn Trail – photo Pete Hartley
Memories come flooding back as I’m looking through all the photos Pete gave me from the early days of the Lakeland Trails. From 2005 through to 2012, Pete regularly came up to the Lake District capturing the true essence of the events.
On the Derwentwater Trail – photo Pete Hartley
He really did understand the ethos of what I was trying to achieve. His iconic, picturesque images catapulted the Lakeland Trails into people’s imagination, directly contributing to the events becoming so successful. With Pete’s dramatic photos, normal everyday people could picture themselves running in the stunning Lake District landscape. Maybe you were one of them?
On the Marathon Trail – photo Pete Hartley
He tirelessly helped me behind the scenes, sending his images to National magazines and newspapers, always letting me know with his infectious enthusiasm and positivity.
On the Derwentwater Trail – photo Pete Hartley
“Runnersworld asked for a good shot from the Garburn Trail” he’d tell me on the phone. ”Their readers just voted it ‘the most scenic race in Britain’, so I’ve emailed one for you, I’m sure you’ll like it”
“The most scenic race in Britain” – on the Garburn Trail – photo Pete Hartley
When Pete first came to photograph the events, he was working for an outdoor website. He needed to sell quite a few of his photos direct to our runners, just to cover his travel expenses. This seemed a complete nonsense to me.
On the Kentmere Trail – photo Pete Hartley
Instead, I came up with a much better plan. Simply cut out the middle man and pay Pete myself for a proper day’s professional sports photography. We could then give the photos away digitally to anyone that wanted them. It was one of those win, win, win moments. Everyone benefited. Our competitors could download free photos via Facebook, Pete was paid properly for his work and we got some amazing images. This soon became standard practice with almost every mass participation event since. Yet we are proud to say we were the first!
At the Derwentwater Trail – photo Pete Hartley
Through the eye of a lens
Pete’s work still lives on in the Lakeland Trails through our current photographer, James Kirby. For a number of years, both would be working at our events, Pete quietly taking James under his wing. It’s fantastic to see many of the locations James still uses today are ones Pete originally highlighted. Capturing runners in their element was a real skill of Pete’s and he willingly passed on all his experience to James. A true teacher.
On the Marathon Trail – photo Pete Hartley
It was fitting that James came along to help me at Pete’s funeral, taking photos, helping with our gazebos, outdoor PA and speakers. The church was packed and hundreds more were crowded outside.
Pete’s funeral – photo James Kirby
In the pub afterwards, everyone had a story about Pete. Smiles all round. Tears of joy through knowing him. Pete brought something special to all of our lives.
Through the eye of a lens – A tribute to Pete Hartley
Just before Christmas, a new hard cover book was published, featuring Pete’s stunning photographic work. It’s been a labour of love for Pete’s partner Denise Park, as he left behind over sixty thousand images.
Pete Hartley and Denise Park – photo Pete Hartley
“Through the eye of a lens” is a fond tribute to someone who was liked and loved by so many in the running world, me included. The book is full of beautiful images, stunning scenery, total mountain and trail running inspiration. If you want a copy, you can order one here
Six years have passed since Pete lost his battle with cancer back in November 2014. I remember writing some words in his memory at the time and thought I’d share them once again here:
The Magic of Pete Hartley
It’s early evening and I’m sitting at home in front of the wood burner, plugging in the laptop for a quick check on the internet. Suddenly I’m stunned. Shocked. I read Denise’s post on Facebook, that Pete Hartley has died from cancer.
I didn’t even know Pete was so ill. I must admit, I didn’t know Denise and Pete were so close.
Like many others, I’d been enjoying the quiz Pete had been posting on Facebook, guessing the runners and races. His photographs brought back so many long forgotten memories of all those people that have been part of my running life. I’d also seen Facebook images of Pete and Denise travelling around, enjoying themselves. I naively assumed they must have just got together and were spending some quality time with each other – good on them, I thought. I was at Edisford Primary School in Clitheroe with Denise, and we even share the same birthday. Knowing them both for so long and then hearing this sad news completely out of the blue, stopped me in my tracks
Pete Hartley. Pete Hartley …
I first met Pete when I was a young lad at local orienteering and fell races in and around my home in the Ribble Valley. He was always friendly, he always had time to chat and encourage. It was Pete’s images of the fell running greats that helped inspire me to take running more seriously. Imagine being on the cover of the Fellrunner one day? Although I never did make that honour!
Time goes on and throughout the next two decades, I’d often bump into Pete at fell and mountain races, with his camera and ready smile. He never changed. Always friendly, always time to chat.
Over the last decade, we met each other much more regularly – he was my first choice photographer at the Lakeland Trails events. That’s when I realised how hard Pete worked to capture those unique and iconic running images. Pete always arrived a day or two before an event, having first spoken at length on the phone about the course, who the favourites were, discussing who we thought would win. His enthusiasm for everything to do with running seemed boundless. Then he’d set off around the courses, checking the backdrops, checking the light, re-checking start times, calculating the best places to be throughout the day. A true professional.
It didn’t just stop there though. After going around the course, he’d help us in any way he could. I vividly remember our very first event in Keswick in 2006. The day before the event it was bucketing down. Pete abandoned his course check and helped us assemble the marquees and run in, smiling and chatting to everyone, all day long, in the pouring rain. He decided he was going to join me and Claire camping in the marquee. We couldn’t afford security in those days, so had to do it ourselves. In the evening, we brought fish and chips back with us to the marquee, and in the fading light, watched the downpour from the shelter of the tent, still chatting and laughing. Pete held up a chip and said “magic fish and chips, these!”
Last Sunday evening I went out for a walk on the limestone scars above my home in Kendal, and thought about Pete, about what made him such a special person for me and countless others. I know he would have enjoyed the spectacular sunset with the Lakeland fells in silhouette. I thought about the strength of his personality, how he dealt with his own struggles after the car accident cut short his running career. About how he turned to photography, to enable him to continue being a part of the sport he loved the most. And the photographs themselves, what they meant to so many people. I thought about his recent battle with cancer, how he just got on with it, keeping it all to himself. His partner Denise too, I thought about what she must be going through.
The one word I kept coming back to was “magic”, and I realised that was a big part of Pete’s special gift. He could see the magic that surrounds us all, the magic in people, in wild places, in the simplest of things. Yet he could do even more than that. He could capture that magic moment forever in his photographs for us all to see the world through his own eyes.
It was dark by the time I got home, and whilst my little boy Ash was playing with his Lego, feeling sad, I turned on the laptop.
I read this, from Pete’s son Michael :
“My sister Claire and I grew up assuming that it was everybody’s Dad who climbed the Matterhorn, ran the London Marathon, cycled across deserts, took them canoeing down rapids and was the master of fancy dress. As we got older, we realised how lucky we were to have such an inspiring, supportive and loving Dad. His optimism and enthusiasm for life inspired nothing but kindness.
Yesterday, our Dad’s fight against cancer came to an end. Our heads are full of happy memories which will last forever, so please don’t be sad for us. He’s just off on his next big adventure…”
Reading those words made me feel so much better and I can think about the pleasure he brought to me and be reminded of him forever through his photographs.
I can remember Pete’s big smile and think of him, off on his next big adventure.
Magic …
Sunset at Pete’s funeral – photo James Kirby
Graham Patten
10th January 2021
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All my best ideas come when I’m not thinking about anything in particular, often whilst I’m day dreaming, in a ‘running trance’. This one was no different. I was out for a long run, enjoying one of my favourite Lake District trails along the east side of Coniston Water.
As I climbed out of the woods into bright sunshine, skylarks singing overhead, I stopped and admired the view. Blimey, I thought to myself, as I looked at the toy white yachts, way down below. Imagine an off road course going around the whole of the lake. I wondered how far that would be? Would it be a marathon distance if Tarn Hows were included somehow?
A decade ago
That was a decade ago, way back in 2008 and it took another three years of hard work to turn that dream of an idea into reality. First, I had to convince the National Trust, as most of the course was on their land. This included the ‘hallowed ground’ of the Tarn Hows beauty spot.
Fortunately, I had the help of John Atkinson, who farms up and around Parkamoor and worked at the time for NT. I’d worked with John before with our Coniston Trail event, so we knew each other. He immediately saw the potential of the event and the advantages to Coniston village businesses and surrounding areas. He was a big help in making the first event happen. We even got permission to do a complete lap of Tarn Hows and by including Beacon Tarn, we made it up to the Marathon distance of 26.2 miles.
There were many more agencies and stakeholders to win over though and this took time. Natural England, Forestry Commission, Lake District National Park Authority, Bethecar Moor Commoners, Torver Back Commoners, Cumbria County Council. The list was endless. Meetings in dreary offices with some people who had never run a step in their lives.
June 2010
In June 2010, I walked the entire course with our nine month old son in a backpack, taking photos of my partner Claire, the ‘model’ for the slideshow of the course. It was another sunny day. The views were breathtaking. I knew immediately that the course was destined to become a classic. Maybe even one day becoming one of the World’s iconic marathons?
I remember bumping into a couple of running friends that day. Myself and Claire must have looked guilty, as they asked me “You’re not planning another of your Lakeland Trails here are you?” We didn’t want to let the cat out of the bag with another year still to go, laughing it off. Towards the end of the route, we were both hot and tired, our son fast asleep, his head lolling to one side. Then, as an added bonus, we found a few big, fleshy cep mushrooms, a gastronomic treat to finish our day off perfectly.
The first Marathon Trail
So at 7am on a beautiful Sunday morning in 2011, the very first Trail Marathon in the Lake District set off from Coniston. History was in the making. We’d planned this early start with the National Trust, to avoid the busy crowds around Tarn Hows. It’s become a truly memorable way to start our Marathon. The air is cool even on those sweltering June days, the lake often steaming as inverted air tries to escape, still like a mill pond.
Almost a thousand runners started this inaugural event, shared between the Challenge and the Race, setting off two hours later. We gave a generous 8 hour time limit for the course, 6 hours for the Race, knowing that the underfoot conditions and relentless climbs would take their toll.
You can forget about your road times on this course! You have to earn those views with plain graft and hard work. This, the most beautiful marathon in the UK, could also be described as one of the toughest too!
Gradually the event has grown and now runners from all over the world come and take part. A couple of years ago we were even awarded the status of “one of the World’s iconic Marathons”. Another dream come true.
Half Marathon and Mini Marathon 10K added
We included a Half Marathon Trail in 2012, which takes in much of the first half of the Marathon course as far as Tarn Hows. Then in 2016, we added a Mini Marathon Trail Run 10K.
This year is the 8th anniversary of the event. So far, we’ve had six warm sunny days and one cool one when the rain poured down. That year, 2012, was also the year both course records were set – Ben Abdelnoor from Ambleside AC in 2hrs 53mins 50secs and Jo Zakrewski, Dumfries Road Runners, in 3hrs 21mins 34secs. I wonder if anyone will get close to them this year?
Finishing alongside the lake shore, through dappled sunlight, the trail amongst mature oak trees, the water shining silver, you’ll feel as though you’re in running heaven. You’re not going to ‘hit the wall’ either, as we take down the dry stone wall making it easier to enter the event arena.
Knowing once you cross the line, you only have another few steps before submerging in those cool waters to relieve your tired muscles. That will keep you going.
Then to bask in the warm sunshine. The afterglow, knowing you’ve really, really earned your finisher’s medal. And ice cream. And as much food as you can eat. And even more ice cream.
Parkamoor cottage
Remember my friend John Atkinson who helped with that very first event? You’ll see John handing out drinks as you pass his beautiful holiday cottage at Parkamoor, just after half way. On Marathon day, one of you will win a fabulous weekend’s holiday to come back and stay here. Now, that would be a perfect way to round the day off, wouldn’t it?
