click the photos to see a larger image

the 29th Box Hill Fell Race, organised by the South London Orienteers and Wayfarers was the scene of my latest day out in the countryside. It's a popular race at my club - Tring - and in 2009 we won the Team Prize, so this gave me the opportunity to not only take photographs but also to support my club mates. Congratulations to Springfield Striders, who at the time of writing I understand beat us this time round by a few points . .

looking up the hill from the start . . *X* marks the spot where the runners turn right and hoof it back down the hill to the finish . .

the power of Facebook . . within 40 minutes of updating my status to say I needed oxygen at the top of Box Hill, along came a friend who lives nearby to keep me company . .

getting focussed . .

one of the spectators joins in . .

before and after . . Claire was very proud of her new shoes and insisted I took a photo of them on the first ascent . . to be honest I thought they'd be muckier than that on the way back down again!!