It's brutal. It takes no prisoners. If you go off too fast, you'll hurt all of the way to the end, if you make it. Too slow, you might not make the cut-offs. Can't navigate in the clag? Might end up anywhere (god knows I did!). Haven't experienced any 1000+ ft descents? prepare for your quads to go numb...
It is, however, my absolute favourite race, and the race I have completed the most often. This was to be my 7th, one t-shirt for every day of the week. And what a t-shirt it is. The most recognisable in fell running.
This year was to be a departure from the norm for me, as I was having to enlist help from outside my running club (Erewash Valley RC) in the form of Chris Baynham-Hughes. I've known Chris ever since the Welsh 1000m Peaks race, where we both came off Snowden the wrong way at the end. I've run a few races with him since then, so I knew we would be able to put up with each other. Expectations were set at 1) complete the damn thing and 2) get in under 9 hours. Everything else was irrelevant.
I was using the race to test out how Mountain Fuel would work for me over a long period of time, backed up with checkpoint food and some jelly babies. Plan was 4 sachets of Xtreme over the course, with refills at Wythburn, Angle Tarn and Cockley Beck.
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| Briefing |
Race morning arrived far too quickly. Kit check, registration, catching up with the usual suspects and some new. Race briefing, a final kiss from Mel and the girls (Esmee with her head in her book) and then we were off.
A steady trot along the bridlepath, onto the road briefly then up onto the footpath that goes over Thrang Crag and then down into Grasmere. Still going nice and steady, not sure what place we were in, but wasn't really too bothered. We head up Tongue Ghyll to Grisedale Hause still going steady. Almost go the wrong way around the lake as the clag was down, then head straight up the fence line to The Post. It's properly raining now, and really windy, although not a head wind as yet. Some good running along past Dollywaggon, High Crag, Nethermost Pike to The Shelter on Helvellyn. Numbers registered, then the massive descent down to Wythburn Carpark, and Food Point 1.
We go straight down until the terrain flattens out, then across and down to meet the path on the other side of Comb Ghyll. Not the best route as others take much faster lines here, by dropping down further before heading across the ghyll. Down the very slippery steps to Wythburn, for a Mountain Fuel top-up, a jam sandwich and half a cup of tea.
We exit out, and get a trot on along the path to the road crossing. We pass a couple of young lads and have a bit of banter. We will see more of them later...
It gets warm heading up Wyth Burn, so I take my smock off. It's a Berghaus Vapourlight, love it but it gets a bit sweaty on the inside when it's warm. About 3 minutes later when we hit The Bog (actual name, very appropriate too!) the temperature drops again, so back on it goes, over my pack this time. A bit tight, but more convenient.
We trog around The Bog, then take a slightly more Northerly route on the approach to Flour Ghyll, which works well. Neither of us sank. It's a hard slog up to Greenup Edge, and CBH hits a bit of a low patch going up. We regroup, then head straight into the teeth of a ridiculous headwind. It came accompanied with rain, small droplets that hurt. A lot. The run down to Stake Pass was just on the right side of exciting - too much more and it would have been verging on dangerous.
The two young lads pop past us, moving well on the descent. We hit just above Stake Pass then head up towards Angle Tarn. We followed the main path this time instead of the slightly more direct route as it was easier running in the horrible weather. We pop past the lads, then on to Angle Tarn for a supply top up and photo opportunity.
Angle Tarn
Waiting for Chris....
Still waiting...
Chris has a bit of a mare with his CP admin, hands were too cold to open packets. Entertaining stuff though. From there, it's the steps of doom up towards Esk Hause. We catch up to Pup (James Harris), who had broken his partner a bit. He finished tying his shoelaces then ran up the rest of the steps. That lad is a machine.
Back in the clag from Esk Hause all the way to Scafell Pike, with me risking injury with every footstep - all broken, wet slabs and me in Salomon Fellraisers. Comfy, hard wearing and fantastic in every respect. Except they act as a frictionless surface when confronted with wet rock.
We take the direct route off. 7th time doing the direct route, 7th different route down. Adds to the excitement. We pick up the trod easily, and head off down until we get to 3 other pairs scratching their heads when it disappears (including the lads). Where to go next? James lets slip that I've done it loads, so I point in a direction I hope is right. And in all fairness, it's OK. Only a small bit of climbing, although I do put a small hole in my smock.
It's very steep and grassy down towards Great Moss, and the lads hammer down the hill, then...go in completely the wrong direction. Too far away to hear us unfortunately, but we have a good laugh. Chris get out some concoction he made earlier, containing coconut, apricots and some other stuff I can't remember, coated in chocolate. It's amazing.
Across Great Moss (should be called Great Bog. Really.) then pick up the trod taking the direct line to Mosedale. We meet the lads again, have a bit of a laugh then hit Mosedale. One of the best bits of running in the race, we let loose a bit and stretch our legs.
Leg stretching.
We then hit the oasis of calm and food that is Cockley Beck CP.
This place is amazing. The Cheese and Homemade Pickle sandwiches are amazing. We get our Mountain Fuel topup, a chow a sandwich, cup of tea and a bit of fruit cake (I have learnt not to gorge myself here, sickness does follow...). The lads pass us and carry on, going slightly to the left of the normal route... We exit the CP, the Chris spots a lady called Wynne in a campervan. He tells me she has Honorary BG Club membership because of her amazing support of so many successful rounds. She also had Brownies. I had one. I think it had more calories in that one piece of cake than I had consumed all week. It was incredible.
We hit the climb up to Coniston Old Man. It actually feels easier than it has done before. I credit the brownie. We look for the 2 lads, but can't see them. Clearly, they have smashed the climb and going strong. We carry on, hitting the fences at the stiles and move upwards strongly. About halfway up we look back... and see the lads quite a way behind. Wonder where they have been?
At the top, it's undulating all the way to the checkpoint at COM summit. We run the flats, the downs, and even some of the gentler ups, and get treated to some amazing scenes through breaks in the cloud over towards Windermere. We hit the CP, then it's mostly downhill from there. We get caught by a strong descending pair, both in full waterproofs, by the time we hit the Three Shire Stones CP. A quick drink, and we hit the road down to Blea Tarn. We pass by the Waterproof Pair again, and it's getting really warm. Like really, really warm. We finish the quad-shredding road descent, then hit the path past Blea Moss and Blea Tarn. We hit the gas, trying to drop the pair, and spot a new pair. Not in waterproofs. 2 miles to go, and the race is on. We keep a good pace going, adrenaline carrying us up most of the climbs, until the drop down towards the campsite. We take the route over the fields towards Side House, and they close a little on the descent.
We up the pace. We're holding them. We get over the last ladder stile, onto the last short road section then increase pace again, and hold them off to finish in 16th place, in 8:34.
All in all, another fantastic day out. My favourite race of the year. If I could only do one, it would be this one.
Stuff which worked:
Montane cap. Kept the rain from blinding me.
Mountain Fuel. Interspersed with Jelly babies, was perfect. Didn't hit any low patches, just a constant supply of energy.
X-Bionic kit The Trick T-shirt and shorts kept my temperature stable, had less faff with taking off/replacing layers over the race.
Injinji Socks No between-toe blisters. Yay!
Thanks to MountainFuel for fuelling my race ( https://www.mountainfuel.co.uk )
The Ultra-Runner shop for kit ( http://ultra-runner.com )
X-Bionic for The Trick top and bottom ( www.x-bionic.co.uk )
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