"I didn't stay for cake!"

Sunday 20th March and there's a plethora of races to choose from. The most sensible one to attend would be the Windmill 6. Just a couple of miles from the doorstep, I'd be able to have a lie in and be back home well before lunch. It's a great one to snap at, with windmills behind the runners as they climb the fairly steep slope towards Royd Moor viewing point.

And so ... I decided to make my way through Hade Edge, Holmfirth and Meltham to reach my final destination, Marsden. Forty minutes drive, and with a cuppa pre-prepared for when I arrived, I wondered if I'd made the right decision.

Ten o'clock, time to enjoy my coffee, while I shelter from the cold wind that was blowing across the moor. Layered up to survive anything, I was so glad that an old fleece jacket had been left in the boot. Roomy to say the least, coat not boot, it managed to fit perfectly over the rest of my attire.

Blue skies with clouds scudding across the hills, this could be perfect for snapping those brave runners. But would it stay like this? The sun was exactly where I thought it would be, at my back. Time to change my shoes and head off into the wild blue yonder.

One thing I wasn't expecting, was the colour of the grasses. My expectation was that they'd be green or greenish, how wrong could I be.

It reminded me of my holidays in Greece, August time, when the temperatures can hit the high 30's. This would either work well in my compositions or be a total disaster.

With a brisk wind and a chill in the air, I made my way towards my first snapping point. If I decide to attend next year's race, I must find somewhere different to shoot from.

Why stick with my favourite spot? Well, it allows me to hit the runners on both laps, as well as capturing them not too far from the finish. Pule Hill next time? We'll see.

Realising that I couldn't remember where I shot from last year, I walked a few hundred paces and then turned round to take in the landscape. With images from September 2021 on my mobile, I tried to match the terrain to the photograph. Onlookers must have thought I was crazy, walk a bit then turn round, repeat.

Settled on a section of the track which was just after a muddy bit which dipped down.

Pule Hill to the right of the frame, yep. This must be it. Thankfully, a couple of marshals passed by and this helped me to set up in what was hopefully, THE place to be.

Unfortunately for the leaders in a race, they tend to be the guinea pigs. Sometimes I'm too close to them and they are cropped, or I'm too far away and they are smaller than I would like. The other runners fair much better.

Ian Sharpe showboating, with a busy string of runners taking your eye into the far distance. Maybe I should have had the camera set up on a tripod and then each shot would record the exact composition I was aiming for.

The cold was affecting my fingers and I was experiencing the dreaded FFS, Frozen finger syndrome. It was becoming more and more difficult to manipulate the little joystick on the camera. In reality, I couldn't see one image that wasn't in focus when editing the photos. Nice one.

Here come the leaders.

Shot a little bit too far to the left, Pule Hill nowhere in sight. When the leaders are out of the way, I'll be able to adjust my position a little.

While editing the photographs, I couldn't decide whether the exposure was too high or it's basically a "reflection" of how sunny it was. I suppose it depends on the settings of the computer and someone's mobile, laptop, tablet etc. Ah well, easily remedied.

Nearly there with the shot above. A reasonable distance between myself and the lead runner with a wonderful curve of athletes into the distance. Just a tiny bit to the right and it would have been spot on.

Liz Willoughby looking strong as she approaches the photographer. Not sure that the young man from Todmorden knew what he had signed up for. He did make it round the course, respect!

Why on earth did I take a photograph of these three posts? It was to remind me where to stand next year, if I turn up. Looking at the resulting photos, I might choose somewhere else.

I must have spent ten minutes or more, trying to decide on where to stand for the run in to the finish. Capturing the runners on the final climb can often result in a heads down approach. Panic set in and I just didn't know what to do. Stand in front of those stumps or behind them?

Make your mind up Mozzie!

In the end, I chose to kneel/sit down, this enabled me to raise their head above the line of the horizon.

Quite like the posts in the frame, it adds another focal point.

Handy tip:

It's worth running the fifty yards that the runners will take as they approach you. This gives you an idea of what "body shapes" they will make and angles taken. Will they have to look down on a tricky section? What speed can they achieve?

On reflection, I shouldn't have chosen this spot to shoot from. Too many twists and turns, a flat, straight would have been much better to shoot them head on. The runners were mainly in ones or twos. I could have shot them head on and then moved out of the way. In twos, move to the side to hit the pair of them, having snapped the frontrunner first.

Maybe next time.

Fingers had warmed up a bit by now and the dogs in the photo above came for a cuddle. They were toasty warm. Loved to have kept one as a hot water bottle.

I'd reckoned on the time between the first runner and the last would be about an hour. Recognising some of the back markers helped me to decide when it was time to make a move.

On the way down I managed to snap three more runners making their way up the final climb. All credit to them for sticking with it.

The view is amazing on this shot, way better than where I was before. It's a shame that there isn't a flat bit to take in the scenery as well as the runners.

Back to the car and it was around 12:30. Time for some cake. Must make the effort and nip in for a quick bite. Slowed down to check the state of the car park. It looked as though hardly anyone had left as yet. Being the misery that I am, I decided to give it a miss and get back in time for lunch.

Was it worth it?

Being out on the fells is always worth it. Way better than tarmac.

Will I be out there next year?

If I am, I need to rethink my snapping points, the second one at least.

The images weren't too bad, though not that inspiring.

Shot of the day has to be Ian Sharpe and his semaphore signals. It's already been "picked up" by the editor of the Fellrunner mag. You're famous Ian.

Two donations for Mountain Rescue Search Dogs England so far. Thanks to Chloe Hewlett and Steve Knowles for their contributions. Getting out there is made even more worthwhile by supporting these amazing animals and their handlers. You might need them one day and just a couple of squid helps me to achieve my target.

Donation page

Next fell type race is next Monday - the first Trunce of the season. I'll be in the stream waiting for you.