Fairfield Horseshoe

Monday 29th August

Planned to have a good run this morning and get some climb in. Fortunately DW texts me with an invite to Fairfield Horseshoe, Rydal at 8.30am. I am in the middle of the game with no name at my brother in laws 50th birthday party so my reply is not too clear. Some red wine had been consumed and more was to follow!

So dragging myself out of bed at 7.50am was hard but needed to be done. Who knows how long I would have stayed there without the motivation of a brisk 9 miles and some 3000+ feet of climbing. A quick breakfast and assuming we will be going at a good pace I throw minimal kit together. I question whether I should be driving at all this morning but don't feel too bad after the juice and cereal.

Arriving at Rydal I find a few others have come along and this makes it a good sociable run. The climbs up Nab Scar and Heron Pike go on longer than expected, but they always do. I decide this is a good thing and ideal preparation for Ben Nevis next week. A cool breeze picks up so I put on my jacket and decide it is best o keep moving. After the summit of Fairfield the wind is behind and the going good.

The views are great and we take time to admire them. Spotting lines and checkpoints for the up coming Ian Hodgson Relay. Then it is down. One of my favourite pieces of fell running in the Lakes. The Fairfield race probably has the worst climb and the best descent going (only my opinion). Things warm up so it is off with the jacket and enjoy the feeling of moving over the short grass at the perfect angle to stride out and just let it happen.

I have to dash off home so miss out on the coffee and cake. Instead it is shopping in Preston. I am soon parted from this months wages by 'neccessities' for my daughters return to university. The contrast between the two parts of my day are not lost on me.

Russell