As I talked about in the Pre Race blog (here) I felt my training had gone well, and it had. The week before the race though was a fairly stressful time with my wife Mel being in hospital a couple of times, so I was a bit mentally drained by the time Saturday came round and I was about to travel up to Kirkby Stephen. And what a drive it was!
The A1 was closed at J49 (I needed to get off at 50!) which meant a sat-nav directed drive through Swaledale, Reeth, over Tan Hill and goodness knows where else. Would have been a lovely drive in the day, but 11pm at night as I was watching my phone battery count down to 5%, 4%, 3%... and arrived when it hit 1% Am going to check road closures next time.
Race day arrives, cloudy skies and a chilly start. Cup of tea, coffee, bowl of porridge with Neil Weightman (whose house I stayed at) then a nice drive into Keswick. Parked up, and then discovered that the pay-and-display only took coins. I had a note. Cue panicked downloading of app, paying, jogging to registration, then fast-walking/jogging to the start line, catching up with Graham Kitchin on the way.
Arrive. And breathe.
A quick catch up with Tony Holland (of www.ultra-runner.com fame) and Charlie Sharpe, then a quick jostle for position on the start line. I was feeling fit, but a little mentally drained and unsure whether my head would last the distance, but looking forward to the race.
A count down, then race time. Ricky Lightfoot shot off into the distance, and I slowly moved my way through the pack (started too far back...again...) until there was just Ricky, a little bit of fresh air, then me. There was a chasing pack of a few people right on my heels, but no-one making any serious moves. I continued holding my pace, on the uncomfortable side of steady, remaining in 2nd until the first climb of the race going up to Castle Crag. Quite a few people closed up on me, with Shaun Livesey catching me up. Brief chat, then he dropped off on the downhill (I do like a good downhill). Some flattish running, then a nice steep down into Seatoller. Quick check behind me, and Shaun was nowhere to be seen. Some good info gained there...and a change of game plan. Going for position, not time.
Maintained my steady pace to CP1 at Seathwaite (last time I was here it was the (in)famous Borrowdale OMM of 2008, where it was around waist deep here!) then onwards, to the start of the REAL climb. Right turn at Stockley Bridge, in the direction of Styhead Tarn. Shaun caught and passed me here ascending strongly. I maintained my effort/pace and reached the dib-point in 1:32, to Shaun's 1:31 (Ricky passed through in 1:19!). A quick direction check, then up the corridor route.
When I was studying the map, and watching the video of the mountain section, it looked flatter. Maintain effort, Shaun increasing his lead, next closest people 5/6 minutes behind. A slight bit of confusion around Lingmell Coll (Thick clag, wrong path) meant that Ross Bibby and Scott Harrison caught me on the last drag to the dib-point on the top of Scafell.
This is the bit I was looking forward to, the technical, slippy section across Broad Stand and down to Esk Hause. Within short order I was clear of Ross and Scott, trotting happily down the mountainside. Dibbed in, checked around, no-one in view, so off to enjoy the rest of the descent. In fact I enjoyed it so much, I lost focus and ended up taking a tumble hurting my right hip and elbow, which was leaking claret. Focus regained, off i went again. Back to the Styhead Tarn dib-point, and I spot Shaun not that far away. Bonus. Game plan was starting to pay off. Careful not to get excited, carry on. Passed a bloke who looked extremely familiar (Jayson Cavill I think..) who told me the I looked far more comfortable than the bloke ahead, which was another boost, so I kept on going. Another few minutes, on his shoulder, past, and off. Quick top up at the checkpoint, then off together. Cue another navigational mini-disaster, and Shaun gets ahead a little, but I'm catching him. Still another 16/17km to go , so not too bothered. Quick check back, spot another bloke. Hmm, a minute or so back, this could be a problem.
Shaun stopped off to refill his water bottle, so it was back to me in 2nd. Maintain pace to the start of the climb up to Watendlath Tarn. Shaun is not far behind, but not gaining on the climb this time - not ruining myself on the descent off Scafell was paying dividends. A lovely descent to the tarn itself, the a good technical run down watendlath Beck to the next dib-point. I was starting to feel a little off, a little achey so at CP (after the standard cup of coke) I grabbed a handful of salted peanuts. Ran out of the CP, then rinsed the nuts in my mouth, getting the salt off them then spitting them out. Felt amazing afterwards, new lease of life. Sodium definitely makes for a happy brain. No-one in sight (Shaun was 3 minutes back by now) so kept it steady.
Nightmare road descent through Ashness Wood to Ashness bridge, then the nicest bit of trail ever under Falcon Crag, Walla Crag and into Great Wood. A couple of flat km back into the finish, and done. 2nd place, 4:40. Shaun Livesey 3rd in 4:44:01 having worked really hard over the last few km to hold off a late charge from Ross Bibby in 4th, 4:44:29. Ricky Lightfoot won in 3:40. Yeah, by an hour. He took most of the time out of me on the ascents, still my area of weakness.
Really happy with my run, although it wasn't particularly fast, went well enough tactically to let me have a relatively easy and stress free run,especially over the second half.
Thanks to TORQ for the nutrition, Camelbak for the awesome Podium drink bottle, and Altura for the clothing.
Possibly back next year for a crack at a decent time - brilliant race, loved it. Photos can be found here courtesy of www.granddayoutphotography.co.uk.
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