Cumberland Fell Runners

Now, when Mr. Jarrett's lad
recently became a vet,
he thumped his chest and yelled out loud,
"you ain't seen nothin' yet!".

For many years he's ran,
fell, country road and track,
where did all begin?
let's go way, way back ...

When Mr. Jarrett's lad was young,
he liked to 'train' in a way,
by knocking on peoples' doors,
and swiftly running away.

Mr. Jarrett sat alone one day,
at the end of a days labours,
"how can I encourage him to run,
but not annoy my neighbours".

So he went down town on Saturday,
and bought the lad some shorts,
then marched him up to enter
in the famous Crab Fair sports.

It was decided the lad would run,
in the junior hundred yards,
his rivals looked so strong and tall,
but a shock was on the cards.

As soon as the gun went BANG,
he hurtled up the track,
as fast as his legs would carry him,
he never once looked back.

His running career had started,
Mr. Jarrett sighed with relief,
"no more neighbours stopping me,
giving me a load of grief".

Though about this time rugby
was interesting the lad,
indeed he was the fastest winger
the school had ever had.

"I'll have to get some weight on him",
thought young Jarrett's dad,
"here have extra helpings,
of beef and carrots lad".

Alas, as time went by,
the kid gained no more pounds,
though his rugby career continued,
to come on in leaps and bounds.

He often played at County level,
but was receiving some nasty clouts
not that the lad couldn't handle
those bigger rugby louts.

The boy still ran the track,
and road so very well,
that it was a natural progression
to try his hand on't fell.

The transition was instant,
he could run up those fells for sure
and an early victory for the youth,
was gained at Cleator Moor.

He also found as time went by,
he never could run faster
than when leading the rest a merry dance,
round the fells of Muncaster.

Of course, many victories came,
then came wedding bells
the lad's reputation grew,
whilst running his beloved fells.

His darling wife Mary,
must have been a saint,
for the way the lad drove his car,
could make strong men faint.

His story so far is at an end,
two fine sons to carry on,
and a new age, a new milestone,
to spur old Harry on.