Recovering from yesterday. A couple of bacon buttties this morning and just back from a couple of pints of Gold at Hawkshead Brewey. Sitting in the big leather sofas with the evening sun warming me through the windaw.
Perfect
Russell
Sunday, 22 May 2011
Recovery
22nd May 2011
Recovering from yesterday. A couple of bacon buttties this morning and just back from a couple of pints of Gold at Hawkshead Brewey. Sitting in the big leather sofas with the evening sun warming me through the windaw.
Perfect
Russell
Recovering from yesterday. A couple of bacon buttties this morning and just back from a couple of pints of Gold at Hawkshead Brewey. Sitting in the big leather sofas with the evening sun warming me through the windaw.
Perfect
Russell
Old County Tops
21st May 2011
After chatting a while ago about up and coming events and feeling a bit fitter I decided I quite fancied doing the OCT for the third (and final) time. My usual partner for this had an injury, so after asking around I entered with Tim, I though we would be a good team. We could set a steady pace and look to get around in 10 hours or so on a good day. In the process improving Tim's PB by about 2 hours. Of course on a run of 37 miles and 10,000 ft of climbing a lot can go wrong.
Things started well. Good time to Helvellyn and a good line off in the mist. Wythburn, Angle Tarn, Esk Hause no problems. Then as we headed to Scafell Pike and it went a bit wrong. I have to take full responsibility, call it a moment of ??. The team in front left the main path and I just kept following. Realising the error straight away I turn to look back but somehow it doesn't seem right so we carry on. Passing across a small trod I immediately think this must be the BG route to Ill Crag, then I see the rocks and am sure. We turn back but again it doesn't look right. So after checking it really was Ill Crag and taking a bearing we head back and are soon on the main path. 20 minutes lost for nothing. Fustrated and angry with myself we press on. I must now get the descent off Scafell Pike right. There is no way I am not going home without a Tee Shirt.
Coming off the summit I am blown over by a gust of wind and feel real urgency to get down. I pick up the trod that DW and I reccied and feel happier. But I follow it further than before so end up taking a steeper, rougher line down. Still we are safe and I think good, now lets get moving. Tim reminds me of the cut off time at Cockley Beck and I am thrown into panic again. How will we make it. I urge Tim on and in fact we get there with plenty of time to spare. Phew! As we leave the weather comes in. Rain and high winds now until we descend Wetside Edge. But not without my usual mini bonk on Coniston Old Mad. I stuff down Jelly Babies and sultanas and am soon revived.
We get another good line across Great Carrs and down Wetside to the 3 Shires Stone and discover that we still have 2 hours to get back. What a great moment of relief. We are completely on our own for this section after our good route choice and jog in chatting, a great way to finish.
Soup, sandwich and a quick change. Head home for hot bath and glass of wine. I mean ice bath and isotonic, honest!
Thanks Tim
Russell
After chatting a while ago about up and coming events and feeling a bit fitter I decided I quite fancied doing the OCT for the third (and final) time. My usual partner for this had an injury, so after asking around I entered with Tim, I though we would be a good team. We could set a steady pace and look to get around in 10 hours or so on a good day. In the process improving Tim's PB by about 2 hours. Of course on a run of 37 miles and 10,000 ft of climbing a lot can go wrong.
Things started well. Good time to Helvellyn and a good line off in the mist. Wythburn, Angle Tarn, Esk Hause no problems. Then as we headed to Scafell Pike and it went a bit wrong. I have to take full responsibility, call it a moment of ??. The team in front left the main path and I just kept following. Realising the error straight away I turn to look back but somehow it doesn't seem right so we carry on. Passing across a small trod I immediately think this must be the BG route to Ill Crag, then I see the rocks and am sure. We turn back but again it doesn't look right. So after checking it really was Ill Crag and taking a bearing we head back and are soon on the main path. 20 minutes lost for nothing. Fustrated and angry with myself we press on. I must now get the descent off Scafell Pike right. There is no way I am not going home without a Tee Shirt.
Coming off the summit I am blown over by a gust of wind and feel real urgency to get down. I pick up the trod that DW and I reccied and feel happier. But I follow it further than before so end up taking a steeper, rougher line down. Still we are safe and I think good, now lets get moving. Tim reminds me of the cut off time at Cockley Beck and I am thrown into panic again. How will we make it. I urge Tim on and in fact we get there with plenty of time to spare. Phew! As we leave the weather comes in. Rain and high winds now until we descend Wetside Edge. But not without my usual mini bonk on Coniston Old Mad. I stuff down Jelly Babies and sultanas and am soon revived.
We get another good line across Great Carrs and down Wetside to the 3 Shires Stone and discover that we still have 2 hours to get back. What a great moment of relief. We are completely on our own for this section after our good route choice and jog in chatting, a great way to finish.
Soup, sandwich and a quick change. Head home for hot bath and glass of wine. I mean ice bath and isotonic, honest!
Thanks Tim
Russell
Sunday, 15 May 2011
Disappointed
14th May 2011
The cairn you see in the photo at the top of the blog is no more.
Vandals have destroyed it.
I could go on with lots of expletives etc but what would be the point.
Just very disappointed!
Russell :-(
The cairn you see in the photo at the top of the blog is no more.
Vandals have destroyed it.
I could go on with lots of expletives etc but what would be the point.
Just very disappointed!
Russell :-(
Monday, 9 May 2011
Kentmere Horseshoe
8th May 2011
So I've got the new shoes and now it's time to try them out. We set of in drizzly rain and as we ascend past Buck Crag the weather improves just as forecast. Working our way round the horseshoe in and out of the mist we take in every top. Yoke. Ill Bell, Froswick, Thornthwaite Crag, High Street (Racecourse Hill), Mardale Ill Bell, Harter Fell. Kentmere Pike and Shipnam Knotts. Finishing in sunshine with some blue sky. The shoes are good, no problems. It's the legs that don't work properly!
Persuade the wife to go for a walk and pop into Hawkshead Brewery for a pint. Excellent!
Russell
So I've got the new shoes and now it's time to try them out. We set of in drizzly rain and as we ascend past Buck Crag the weather improves just as forecast. Working our way round the horseshoe in and out of the mist we take in every top. Yoke. Ill Bell, Froswick, Thornthwaite Crag, High Street (Racecourse Hill), Mardale Ill Bell, Harter Fell. Kentmere Pike and Shipnam Knotts. Finishing in sunshine with some blue sky. The shoes are good, no problems. It's the legs that don't work properly!
Persuade the wife to go for a walk and pop into Hawkshead Brewery for a pint. Excellent!
Russell
Saturday, 7 May 2011
Much Needed Run
7th May 2011
For a while now I have had a lack of motivation to go for a run on my own. Even though I want and need to.
So today I decided a good hours running would be just the thing. I thought I would set of as if running with someone slightly quicker than I wanted to go and try and maintain a decent pace. So I set of up the Kentmere road. I would run for half an hour, or to Kentmere Church, whichever came first and then turn back.
After half an hour I was only a few hundred yards form the church so I went there anyway. BAck a bit quicker and I felt much better for it!
Tomorrow a last longish run before the Old County Tops and perhaps Fairfield next Saturday. Undecided!
Russell
For a while now I have had a lack of motivation to go for a run on my own. Even though I want and need to.
So today I decided a good hours running would be just the thing. I thought I would set of as if running with someone slightly quicker than I wanted to go and try and maintain a decent pace. So I set of up the Kentmere road. I would run for half an hour, or to Kentmere Church, whichever came first and then turn back.
After half an hour I was only a few hundred yards form the church so I went there anyway. BAck a bit quicker and I felt much better for it!
Tomorrow a last longish run before the Old County Tops and perhaps Fairfield next Saturday. Undecided!
Russell
New Shoes
7th May 2011
Have needed new shoes for while now. Finally got to Pete Blands to try some on. Will collect tomorrow and see if I 'need' anything else. Have to wear them in a bit before the Old County Tops in two weeks. Hope Tim has got some training in.
Russell
Have needed new shoes for while now. Finally got to Pete Blands to try some on. Will collect tomorrow and see if I 'need' anything else. Have to wear them in a bit before the Old County Tops in two weeks. Hope Tim has got some training in.
Russell
Sunday, 1 May 2011
Coniston Fell Race
30th April 2011
I wasn't going to run in the race. My plan was to watch and take a few photo's. But after a bit of 'persuasion' from friends I decided to put my toe on the line. Having not raced so far this year and after a tough couple of weeks, by my standards, I planned to set off very steady and see how it went. As usual these days my legs felt tired and heavy at the start. Mouldry Bank was as steep as ever but I managed to find a comfortable pace. It's a long way to the top of Wetherlam but I found myself slowly passing people and had my sights set on a couple of Helm vests up ahead. Only racing can do this to me.
I had seen Speedy Dave up near the front but now he was out of sight. Again I thought he could have a good race. When I suggested he would be well under 1 hour 30 mins he did not believe me. I suspected he was taking the race quite seriously. He had reccied the course a few days earlier. Coming off Wetherlam my legs felt good and I soon passed some familiar faces. I can't say the climb of Prison Band is a pleasure but I am very familiar with it and enjoy it in a strange kind of way. Suprised to see K ahead, more reason to push on.
Get a great line off Swirl How and pass loads on the way to Brim Fell. K passes me so I work hard to keep in touch. I hope to pass her again on the descent. Am feeling much better than I thought and actually enjoying myself. Get a poor line at first off Coniston Old Man but soon pick up my usual route. I see people joining from the left and am buoyed to see I am up with some runners I have battled with over the years. Of course I was only having a steady run for the pleasure of it but there was no way I was going to let them beat me now. I commit to the last part of the descent and once on the miners track I have enough gap to hold them off to the finish.
Speedy Dave lived up to has name and was 14th in 1 hour 22 mins. I was faster than expected! The club won the Ladies Team prize. All in all a good day.
Russell
I wasn't going to run in the race. My plan was to watch and take a few photo's. But after a bit of 'persuasion' from friends I decided to put my toe on the line. Having not raced so far this year and after a tough couple of weeks, by my standards, I planned to set off very steady and see how it went. As usual these days my legs felt tired and heavy at the start. Mouldry Bank was as steep as ever but I managed to find a comfortable pace. It's a long way to the top of Wetherlam but I found myself slowly passing people and had my sights set on a couple of Helm vests up ahead. Only racing can do this to me.
I had seen Speedy Dave up near the front but now he was out of sight. Again I thought he could have a good race. When I suggested he would be well under 1 hour 30 mins he did not believe me. I suspected he was taking the race quite seriously. He had reccied the course a few days earlier. Coming off Wetherlam my legs felt good and I soon passed some familiar faces. I can't say the climb of Prison Band is a pleasure but I am very familiar with it and enjoy it in a strange kind of way. Suprised to see K ahead, more reason to push on.
Get a great line off Swirl How and pass loads on the way to Brim Fell. K passes me so I work hard to keep in touch. I hope to pass her again on the descent. Am feeling much better than I thought and actually enjoying myself. Get a poor line at first off Coniston Old Man but soon pick up my usual route. I see people joining from the left and am buoyed to see I am up with some runners I have battled with over the years. Of course I was only having a steady run for the pleasure of it but there was no way I was going to let them beat me now. I commit to the last part of the descent and once on the miners track I have enough gap to hold them off to the finish.
Speedy Dave lived up to has name and was 14th in 1 hour 22 mins. I was faster than expected! The club won the Ladies Team prize. All in all a good day.
Russell
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)