Fairfield

28th December 2014

Finally on my day off the weather looks good. Clear, frosty and a  sprinkling of snow. My plan is to head for Fairfield. However because of my late start all the parking spaces at Rydal are taken. I carry on and park near Grasmere. This is good really as I don't like the climb up Nab Scar. I go to Great Rigg via Stone Arthur which I do like.

There are a lot of people about. Not surprising for a Sunday between Charistmas and New Year. Conditions are perfect although best not to linger on the summits as the breeze cools me quickly. After Great Rigg it is on to Fairfield and then Hart Crag and Dove Crag.

I descend the normal way to Ambleside and then take the Coffin route back to Grasmere. A great run out.

Russell

Boxing Day Orienteering

26th December 2014

Another go at this orienteering game. This time in daylight at Rusland Beeches. An odds and evens 1 hour score event. The area is wooded but not too dense so running is possible. There are several paths and walls criss crossing the area to give a little help to those of us (me) who have not quite got the hang of it yet. Especially in areas like this. Give me open fell any day.

The map is issued before the start and so a route can be planned. However it is not the control numbers on the map that separate odds and evens but the actual control (dib) box number. Second column on control descriptions. See map. This would catch me out later.

Before changing from odd to even or visa versa you have to visit control 11 or your score won't count. I highlighted the even controls by circling the control number on the map and planed to do these first. My aim was to do 1, 9, 2, 6, 5, 12 and check the time, I guessed that by then I would probably change over to odds because control 11 is close and the other evens are to far away.

This goes to plan until after 6 when I completely miss 5 and go straight to 12. I don't realise this until I get home and check the score. Then it is 11 and on to 8, 10, 20, 18. My second mistake is now that I go for 16 not checking if it is even. I waste at least 10 minutes finding it and then get 15 and 14 easily. Then head for the finish as time is running out. After download I realise my mistake. I will just have to put it down to experience. At least I did find it.

I am trying not to over analyse it but without the mistakes I would have another 20 points, possibly more with better route planning. Live and learn.

Russell

Night orienteering

10th December 2014

Cunswick Scar

As if orienteering wasn't hard enough in daylight I decide to give it a go at night. A slightly different format to the straightforward line course. It is an odds and evens score with a 1 hour time limit before penalties are incurred. 

Basically you have 1 hour to visit as many controls as possible. But because of the limited area you have to visit odd or even numbered controls first and then swap to the other, but only after visiting the change-over control. In this case number 21. See map.

I decide to visit odd numbered controls first and review my position after 25 minutes. I get as far north as control 11 and then head back to 21. Then frustratingly finding number 6 proves difficult. After that things go well and I reach the finish with 45 seconds to spare.

Knowing the area certainly helped and it was great fun. The weather also played its part. Wind gusting to 45mph, rain and sleet, -1 degrees. Will certainly do it again.

Russell

Tarn Hows 'O'

HSunday 2nd November 2014

After a break over the summer the local orienteering Galloppen events are starting again, time to dig out the compass and get lost. The first one I can get to is at Tarn Hows. Sounds like a good area. One thing I have learned from doing a few events is that I prefer the more open fell type courses to the woodland ones. This was a mixture of both, but a few more trees than I would like.

I go for the usual 'blue' course. 6km and approx 200m ascent. Straight from the off I am in a bit of trouble. I know I am near the first control and recognise features from the map but just can't find it. There are a lot of people running around. Quick re think. Pick up a feature, stream, and follow to the kite. It works but I have lost 5 minutes before really getting going. The next few controls follow in pretty much the same way after which I am more on my own. Now I concentrate on what I want to do and things start to go better.

To add to the difficulty the bracken, although dying, is still high and made small features, re entrants etc quite hard to locate. Where the map showed complicated ground between me and the control I sometimes took a longer but easier to follow route. The 'Take a bearing and straight line it' option not always working.

I am glad when the end gets near, tired and annoyed with myself for the obvious mistakes. I guess that is orienteering. I am out over and hour and a half. On similar open fell I would be near the hour. Lots to learn. Or maybe move to Norfolk and take up cycling.

Russell

Three Shires route

Saturday 25th October 2014

Whatever we chose to do today it was going to be a little bit wet and a little bit windy. I did not fancy a low level run, I needed to get up some hills. As much for my state of mind as my fitness. So DW and I opt for the Three Shires race route. After bacon sandwiches and the usual gear and shoe faffing we head out from near the Three Shires Inn and after a quick look at Cathedral quarry we are en-route.

The climb of Wetherlam does not get any easier with time but I feel like I am going better than of late. The best line through the bracken eludes us and we eventually pop out onto the grassy ramp line. Then we decide to get on the ridge instead of the usual race line. I don't think this is any better, too rocky and scrambley. If I do the race again I'll take the race line, head down and grind it out.

The summit is breezy to say the least so we do not linger and are quickly down to Swirl Hawse and into the climb of Prison Band, part of the route both DW and I enjoy. The summit of Swirl How is not breezy, it is definitely very windy, so again we are quickly on our way. A brief stop at the memorial on Great Carrs which has been re built. Then give DW a quick lesson on how to use a compass and we are off to Wet Side Edge.

Straight over the road at Three Shires Stone, Weynose Pass, and onward to Pike 'O' Blisco. It is a steady mostly grassy climb. There should be a bit more running than walking going on here but there is still the climb of Lingmoor to come and I am trying to maintain a steady pace. Another breezy summit and again we are quickly off on the descent. The racing line is a bit more obvious than it used to be.

We had been wearing our waterproof trousers since Wetherlam but the weather had improved slightly so we removed them just before the final descent to Blea Tarn. I don't understand why people dislike this part of the race. A nice technical, rough and rocky descent. Better than namby pamby grassy stuff. Straight into the climb up Limgmoor. This is where I will find out if I am getting fitter.

My pace is perhaps not great but I do maintain it all the way up, happy with that. And then another of my favourite descents to the bottom track and across fields to the finish. Coffee and mince pies await. A very enjoyable day out.

Russell

The FRA Relay 2014

So by some strange quirk or miracle I get selected for the clubs mixed team for the FRA relays. I have a few weeks to train more and get fitter etc but of course I don't manage to do as much as I wish. However I do manage a recce of the area. All this does is confirm how tough some of the legs will be and gives no clue as to where my, navigation, leg will go. So fingers crossed for the day.

I know I have done this leg a few times before, plus some other navigation events but it still made me feel very nervous in the few days before. I guess this is because it is a team event an others are depending on you to perform, not least your running partner, because it is a pairs leg.

My partner Caroline is considerably younger than me and although a little inexperienced I am certain she will be more than a match speed wise. I will have to work very hard and feel the pressure to navigate well. If she is nervous she does not show it. Because we on leg 3 we have quite a wait for our turn to run. But when it comes we have to react quickly. I find the start very tough but once we collect the map I get into my running. 

The navigation turns out to be quite straightforward but I am right about having to work hard. At several points our biggest challenge was battling against the strong wind. In the end it turns out we are well matched and do well. In fact the whole team do well as do all the clubs teams. A good day and a boost to my confidence. 

It is always a good feeling to represent your club in a team event.

Russell

FRA relay recce

Friday 3 Oct

Had a good look around the area today. Some great running to be had but plenty of challenging stuff too. As I am on the nav leg things could be interesting if the cloud is down. Perhaps that will suit me, perhaps not! Should be fun. 

Apparently there is a cut off after leg 2. I do hope this is generous enough to allow all teams to complete the course. It would be very unfair if all the time spent recceing, travelling and mentally preparing went to waste. Not to mention the monetary investment. After all this is the one big event for the FRA and should be inclusive and not elitist.

Russell

Four Lakeland Passes

Saturday 27th September 2014

A bit of a late decision to do this after DW reminded me it was on. Not sure how it would go as I have not done this distance for a while. And giving blood two days before might not have been the best preparation but I couldn't change that. 

I plan to go steady and that is exactly what I do. It is good to have DW for company and to keep me moving along. The climbs get increasing hard and I don't push it on the descents. The food stops are very welcome. Thanks to all the marshals and helpers. 

I begin to flag a little on the final climb and run in. It gets hot. I am glad to see the finish. 

Everything aches now. Tomorrow will be worse!

Russell

Potter Tarn

Saturday 20th September 2014

On Wednesday at club training I got the news that I was likely to get a place in the 6th team at the FRA  relays in four weeks time. It is interesting that this news seemed to give me renewed vigour and training went very well that night. 

So now I have a goal, something missing for quite a while, and I had better get out and train some more. So after work tonight I head out over familiar ground up to Potter Tarn and return along the river. I feel good and run better then expected. Amazing what the power of the mind can achieve over the weakness of the body.

But still more work to do.

Russell

Ben Nevis Race 2014

The Ben Nevis race has come around again. For me the 14th time. I am still to work out why I keep doing this to myself. So DW and I head up to Fort William on Friday afternoon and camp in Glen Nevis.

Race day dawns calm with some cloud and mist. The forecast for race time is not great but as often happens it turns out to be not as bad as predicted. After the usual start formalities we are off down the road, I feel good at first and settle into a steady pace. I basically maintain this all the way to the summit. Some better patches than others.

The descent starts well but half way down the lack of running and racing becomes apparent as my quads are very painful. However I keep going, concentrating on every footfall and survive down to the road without a fall, then surprise myself by running quite well on the road.

My time is slow but given the circumstances this year I have hope that with better preparation I can improve. Should I decide to enter next year.??

Russell

Training and run home

Training this week is a run-walk-run-walk session. I manage the eight reps at a consistent pace. But as usual these days the first few are always harder than the last.

On Saturday I need a run but am at work. I therefore plan to run home. I look over the map and pick a suitable route. As with the training sessions I start poorly but improve in the second half. I go via Alice Howe, School Knott and the Dales Way. 

At home I search the map again for more possibilities. A longer route is planned for next time.

Russell

Grisdale Horseshoe

Monday 25th August.

At CB's suggestion he, DW and myself set out to recce the Grisdale Horseshoe race route. A race neither of us had done before and therefore offered potential for disaster. All starts well as we head up Birkhouse Moor to Hole-in-the-Wall. Then on to checkpoint 1 on Catstycam. Up Swirral Edge to checkpoint 2 at Helvellyn. All straight forward so far. We think checkpoint 3 is at the outflow of Grisdale Tarn. This would make sense as there would be no point in one on Dollywagon as well. Checkpoint 4 on St Sunday Crag is straight forward but then we are heading for new ground.

Neither of us had bothered to make a note of the checkpoint references of plot them on a map so there was much discussion. However we find the good descent line down to the valley and checkpoint 5 which we agree is at a barn on the main track. We know checkpoint 6 is on a stile in the wall leading up to Hole-in-the-Wall but we wrongly think it is high up so struggle to find a good line. Head high bracken is a clue that tells us we do not get it right. We join the main path and continue all the way up to HITW. At least the extra climbing will do me good.

Checking later we see the correct location of checkpoint 6 is much lower and no doubt has a reasonable bracken free line leading to it. We live and learn. One day when I decide not the enter the Ben Nevis race I will do this instead. Although it appears to be the tougher option.

Russell

School Knott

A run I have been thinking about for quite a while but have struggled to link up the paths and bridal ways satisfactorily. So it ends with two miles of road. 

The route follows the Dales Way from Staveley until just before Windermere then goes over School Knott. Returning on paths to Ings and then the road back to the village.

Early morning run

Tuesday 18/08/14

I have finally managed to do something that I have been thinking about for years. Go for a run first thing in the morning. Only half an hour around Craggy Wood but very enjoyable. I might even repeat the process one day. Every step counts with the Ben looming.

Russell

What's been happening?

Not posted for a long while so time for a catch up and then hopefully more regular posts will follow.

The Coniston race went better than expected. A steady start meant I ran well after Wetherlam. Got a good descent and was pleased at the end.

Did not do much after that because of work commitments and before I knew it the Saunders was looming. There were a couple of course changes this year so we made the wise decision to drop a class from the usual Bowfell to Kirkfell. It was still a tough weekend for me, particularly day one. Day two was much better. We made some good route choices. Thanks to DW for his patience.

After getting back into training and doing a few local runs I decided a race might be a good idea. Turner Landscape coincided with my day off and as I had not done it before despite trying to fit it in for the last two years it seemed a good choice. And so it proved.

It is a pretty long grind up Grey Friar so I set off super steady. Misty and breezy on the tops. A nice surprise to see Joss Naylor taking the numbers on Swirl How. Then I pick up the pace a little and catch a few runners. Pushing on I pass a couple more but the final descent is slow as my legs are not used to it, everything hurts and I am careful as the ground becomes quite rough.

Overall pleased with my time but know I can go much quicker with a more positive approach. If I manage to make it to the start next year then I have a target.

Trying to get as much time and climb in as I can now. Ben Nevis next.

Came across this great quote the other day.

"A boat is safe in the harbour, but that is not the purpose of a boat"

Russell

A little more enthusiasm.

A while since the last post but at least something has been happening. I actually feel a bit more enthusiastic and have done a couple of races and some more orienteering. 

Coniston fell race went well. Not the best time but ran steady and pleased to remain strong all the way around. Sedbergh Gala is a bit short and brutal but I was able to maintain the effort throughout.

The orienteering is improving but small errors remain. What would help most is running faster. I know that sounds obvious, it's a little more complicated than that. Work in progress. Although training on Wednesdays is going well. It is difficult to run the session and get the most out of it for myself. 

A good run today up Red Screes from Ambleside. Last week a couple of hours out watching the Buttermere Sailbeck race in some fairly bad weather.

Causey Pike from near CP2

Russell

Coniston recce

Saturday 29th March 2014

I had planned to do a recce of the Coniston fell race today, then I get an email from LH asking if I fancied a recce of Coniston fell race. Result! So we agree on a late start to avoid the Coniston 14 road race. 

We start just after 11.30am. The initial climb up Mouldry Bank is steep and the long climb to Wetherlam interminable as usual. Then steady going to the Old Man. We took our time to recce the descent and got the best line I think I have ever done. 

Don't ask as it will be a secret I take with me. 

Or maybe buy me a pint and see.

Russell 

Blea Tarn Orienteering

Sunday 2nd March 2014

A tough day today. Plenty of tussocks and bogs. Two errors but also some good choices. Must concentrate more in future. One day I will get it right.

Russell

A local run

Saturday 18th January 2014

An offer from CB for a couple of hours run on Saturday afternoon fits in very well with my plans for the weekend. We leave home and head downstream to Cowan Head. Then up to Potter Tarn and on to Gurnal Dubbs. From there it is cross country to the fine viewpoint of Ulgraves. We drop and skirt the lower slopes of Potter Fell before climbing back up to Brunt Knott. I find this hard. Then back down to the village, clean off in the river and home.

On Sunday 19th MC and I have a couple of hours out on the bikes around Crook, Underbarrow, Crosthwaite, Winster and back via Crook. Followed by lunch at Wilfs. Would be good to do more of this.

Russell

Sedbergh Hills

Sunday 12th January.

Given the choice for a long run with a good amount of climbing this would not be top of my list. However it is just what I need to do, so time to knuckle down and get on with it. At least if I do the route now I won't have to do the race again. 

The forecast is quite good but we go prepared for a winters day. I find the climbs tough and we take it easier on the descents to hopefully prevent sore legs for the next few days. I feel for DW as he has to keep waiting for me and it is cold.

On the big climb up to Calf it gets increasingly windy. My feet and legs get cold but upper body and hands are warm, despite no gloves on. Cold feet make the rest of the run tough especially the descents, pounding the hard ground. 

Happy I got around the route in a steady time and reasonable state. But need to get faster and stronger on the climbs. 

Russell.

A bit off Langdale

Saturday 4th January 2014

Origanal plans to go out on Sunday were changed because of the bad weather forecast. However waking up to rain did nothing for my enthusiasm. But we had planned a late start, 12 noon. Langdale was the chosen destination and en route we plan to start up Pike 'o' Blisco. As usual I take a while to get going. On the good side the weather is holding out, no rain. Soon into the mist and the snow line. The ground is covered in slush and the rocks are a bit slippy. We do not linger on the summit.

Progress continues to be steady and the conversation helps the distance pass. As we approach the Crinlkes the snow gets more like it should be. The bad step went OK but after that we slowed as we weaved our way along the rocky ground to Three Tarns. Time is getting on but we decide to pop up and down Bowfell before descending The Band. It is strangely calm on the top. We are alone.

We drop out of the mist to find the  Pikes, Raise and Pike 'o' Blisco now out of the mist. What a great time and place to be. We descend steadily back to the ODG and the camper. Coffee and mince pies most welcome. The of course a pint in the Eagle and Child.

A good day. And it didn't rain.

Russell

Nine Standards

Wednesday 1st January 2014

It was a good idea to leave this post until today. After the race yesterday I was cold and disappointed. I haven't done it for several years and yesterday was exactly why. Mostly on road and track, rain forecast and not being fit at the moment all adds up to a miserable time. And it was. 

Having said all that now a day has passed I am glad I did it. The ascent into the increasing wind and snow almost broke my will but the descent went well, improving all the way down. 

Conditions on the summit were very bad and I can only imagine how those wearing only T shirts and shorts were feeling. There were a few cases of mild hyperthermia. If it was not for the facts that the course is mainly obvious and the mountain rescue were on hand the organisers would have had good reason to cancel.

I will seriously need to improve if I am to toe the start line again next year. So there is some motivation.

Russell