Inter-Counties Lad’s Leap Fell Race 2018

Morpeth Harrier Nick Swinburn, who apart from a surprise appearance at the English National Cross Country Championships at Parliament Hill in London in February, where he finished 41st in the Senior Men’s event,
has raced very sparingly over the past twelve months, mainly due to a recent injury, and his work commitments
with the Forestry Commission in Dumfries, however during his time there,
he took the chance to take in some hill running, a love for which he has always had, and so much so,
that he lined up in the recent Lad’s Leap Fell Race representing the North East Counties at Crowden in Derbyshire on Saturday 19th May 2018, which, although at the time unknown to him, also doubled up as a selection race
​for a place in the England Team, which will take part in the forthcoming Home Nations Fell Running Championships, being held in Sedbergh this weekend.
Swinburn, showed true grit as he won in Derbyshire, on a course which was over 9.5k,
which also had a climb of 1,699ft.
He won by a margin of 49 seconds over Tonbridge’s Maximillian Nichols,
as he posted a finishing time of 44m37s, thus giving him an automatic place in the England Team.

Nick Swinburn in action at the 2018 Lad’s Leap Fell Race

The North East Counties men's team finished 11th and consisted of:
Nick Swinburn, Chris Edis, Will Robson, John Butters, Sam Garratt.
Morpeths John Butters finished 60th overall and was 5th V40 to finish.

The North East Counties women's team were also competing and they finished 10th.

Swinburn’s Fell Running pedigree obviously played its part in this superb comeback,
and he is indeed hoping that a good run in Sedbergh, will take him a stage further
to being selected for the European Championships, being held in Macedonia in July.

He last represented Great Britain in the 2015 Championships, which were held in Portugal.

Meanwhile, following the Sedbergh event, Swinburn hopes to have an outing on the road,
​in the Blaydon Race, on Saturday 9th June.

The North East Counties men's team at 2018 Lad’s Leap Fell Race