16

Ben Nevis 2016

A year on and what a difference. My vow to train better for this years race really paid off.

Although not a fast time I felt good throughout. 10 minutes quicker than last year.

The change of descent route was sad for the race but good foe me. Legs felt much better. The grassy bank is really a quad killer.

The weather was just about perfect too. The morning rain clearing for the few hours of the race.

Looks like I will have to enter next year and try and keep the sequence going. And train well again. Quality rather than quantity seems to be working.

Russell

Misty Bowfell

Tuesday 2nd August

Day off so head to Langdale and park on the usual spot. Now I have to decide what I am gong to do. My thoughts on the way were to head for Bowfell but avoid running right up or down Mickleden. I decide to take the direct (ish) route up Harrison Stickle but miss out going to the summit and turn toward Pike 'O' Stickle. Then down the path to the top of Stake Pass. 

With the visibility being OK I try to suss out the OCT route to Angle Tarn. I conclude there is no point in taking the direct cross country line unless you know it exactly and are running strong. Better to stick to the path until much higher. 

At Angle Tarn it starts to rain and the clag is down, 40-50m visibility. I could head down and for a minute that looks appealing. But what the heck I decide on the BG route to Bowfell. I will admit to going wrong on this climb before in similar conditions so it is time to exorcise those demons. It goes well. Perhaps the trod has become more obvious and there are certainly more cairns.

I descend to 3 Tarns and down The Band. Very slippery and my legs feel like crap. Soles of feet aching with every step. Good Ben Nevis training. Jog to the car and realise I have left my food and drink on the kitchen table. :-(

Russell

Kentmere O

The LOC summer evening series comes to Kentmere. It will use a new area.

The course is a 1 hour score. Each control worth 10 points. Get as many as you can. And get to the finish in time or lose points. Simple!

Thre are 20 controls, I get 16 and am back a few minutes early. Could possibly have got 1 more but that assumes good nav and speed so I think I made the right decision. 

Very enjoyable but also very hot and muggy.

Russell

Langdale run

Another V hot day and this saps my energy. A slow run but enjoyable. I could not manage much more.

From Langdale I head up White Gill. There are a couple of climbers doing one of the first climbs I ever did. 1977 or 78. Then I find my way over to Stickle Tarn and decide to go up Jacks Rake. More climbers doing more routes from my past. 

Then around to Harrison Stickle. I try to descend at a good pace but the heat gets the better of me. Must be good training though!

Russell

Helvellyn

Time for some Ben Nevis training. Is is going to be a hot day so get out reasonably early. I choose a straight up and down Helvellyn from Swirls. Need to get the descents in as much as the climbs if I am going to be able to walk afterwards. Shorts and T shirt day but very windy and cool on top.

A good run.

Russell

Scotland trip

The Scotland trip is becoming a bit of an annual event. That is no bad thing. This time we (DW, CB and myself) head to the Cairngorms and park up at the ski centre. Our first day takes us across the Lairig Ghru. Then down the western edge. Taking in 4 Munros. I am not going to attempt to spell the names of summits reached. We descend back into the valley and camp near the bothy but far enough away to avoid the crowds!

It is a cold night.

Day 2 is a leisurely start. No rush to reach our campsite this evening. The first Munro is an out and back, so we can leave the heavy packs behind for a while. Then on to Ben Macdui. Scotland's second highest mountain. We beak for the second brew of the day. A pleasant snowy descent and another out and back (sans packs). Derry Cairngorm. I think I can spall that one. Descend to a loch and possible camp site. A bit too cold here so we drop down further to Loch Avon to find a spot.

A pleasant and much warmer evening here. 

Day 3 is back to the car via a cold and icy Cairngorm summit. 

The into Aviemore for a late breakfast.

Russell

Potter tarn potter.

Friday 29th April 2016

The weather has changed. A lot of snow about and it is cold and breezy. Opt for a short potter down the river and up to Potter Tarn and Gurnal Dubbs then straight home. Good to be out for a bit but it took some effort to work up the enthusiasm.

Russell

Red Screes - Fairfield

Wednesday 20th April 2016

A beautiful day and I am off work. Over the past few weeks I have really wanted to head to the northern lakes but until the A591 is repaired I really can't be bothered to drive around. So I find myself at Kirkstone Pass. I sit a while to contemplate my options. Decide to head towards Fairfield via all the summits on the way. Going out I take in High Bakestones. A loveley spot.

The breeze is cold and gets stronger but after turning for home it is behind me and I am fine in shorts and T shirt all day. The climb back up to Red Screes slows me. Really need to get fitter.

Back at the car it is positively hot. Head straight home. A bacon sandwich awaits.

Russell

Winter League 2016 finale

Elterwater race is my seventh KWL race this year and so I will earn my medal and mug at the presentation. This is a fantastic and proper short fell race. Again not the best start for me and a tough climb, but I have a good descent and enjoy it in the end. 

On to Arant Haw race on presentation day. A beautiful sunny day a great race. Usual story for me. Hard start but get going after 15-20 minutes. Find it hard to pick up and run after the steep climbs. Again a great descent and get a few places by good route choice. Lovely tea and cakes followed by presentation. It has been a few years since I last did these races and definitely enjoyed them.

Will have to decide about next year. Would be good to do them again and improve!

Russell

Glenridding, Raise, Glencoyne.

Thursday 14th April 2016

I set off with a vague plan to do a 3-4 hour run somewhere from Glenridding. Even though I have plenty of time to organise myself I still manage to forget any food and a map. The food issue is solved by stopping at the Glenridding shop. As for the map, I will have to rely on my failing memory.

I start by visiting two summits that I have never been to before. Glenridding Dodd and Sheffield Pike. Halfway up the pike I am in the mist. Then it is decision time. I was going to head towards Helvellyn but that now seems a bit optimistic so the next objective is Sticks Pass. I take a break here to contemplate my options. 

I chose to turn left and head for Raise. It is much colder at the top. Back down to the pass and up to Stybarrow Dodd. Decision time again. Hartside springs to mind. Having no map it is memory time. I know it is approx east so out with the compass and off. Soon the ground steepens and I know I am a bit far north. Adjust course and am quickly on the right trod. This is a great piece of running, especially in the Dockray Great Dodd race. 

At Hartside I have to navigate my way back around Glencoyne Head to the col below Sheffield Pike. What I had not realised is that the run towards Hartside from Stybarrow turns towards north, therefore my thinking that I need to head south is confusing. So I end up not running far enough back south east before going south. Then following the slope of the land. This leads me to drop down by a beck near Scot Crag. I know there is a trod that contours around Glencoyne somewhere below me. It is just a case of heading down and hoping I don't drop over a crag. I end up on a grassy spur that takes me nicely there.

The run around the head of the valley is great and then it is down to Seldom Seen and back to the car. The Strava packed in just as I hit the Glencoyne trod which was a bit annoying. It seems to happen now and then.

Russell

Blisco not so dash.

Tuesday 29th March 2015

Day off and we are in Langdale for various reasons so head up Blisco. Cool and breezy but the weather improves and the spells of sunshine are welcome and give great views. Good to be out again.

Russell

Coniston reverse

Clockwise Coniston round

A day off and what a beautiful day it is. I decide on the Coniston fells and a route I have not done for a while. Reverse of the race route. It is shorts and T shirt weather and the climb up the 'Old Man' is hot. The rare shade is welcome. Above Low Water the patches of snow are frozen solid and it cools a little. Stunning views from the top.

I walk and jog my way over Brim Fell to Swirl How. Descend Prison Band. This is awkward going. Much better to ascend. Heading for Weatherlam there are a few patches of snow to negotiate. After a few minutes to take it all in I head off down. Pleasant running, much better than coming up this way. The clear waters of Church Beck look inviting but cold. I resist. 

Russell

Two evening runs.

Wansfell and Loughrigg

I am on my own for a few days so after work on the Friday I head to Ambleside and dash up Wansfell. I work hard all the way up but am not quick. I think my time to the summit is approx equal to my best total race time. Work to be done.

On the Sunday I head to Ambleside again. This time it is Loughrigg. From Brathy up to Lily Tarn along and down to Loughrigg Tarn then straight up to the summit. Returning via the LSH race route. A good run and very enjoyable. No one around. I really like these evening runs.

Russell

BGR leg 3 part recce

BGR first half leg 3

I join the Helm ladies BGR recce. My intention is to get some time out and help if I can.

Leaving Dunmail we are soon onto the snow. This lasts all day. I am not sure how useful it was as a recce but we did get a couple of helpful references and plenty of map and compass practice. It was great to be out on the tops and in good company. Thanks DW KA for tea and cakes afterwards.

Russell

2016 so far

So 2016 dawns and I need to get off to a positive start. I decide that some racing is probably the best way to get motivated and gain some fitness. Therefore I plan to do enough Winter League races to qualify for the prizes. Not that I will be winning any!

First up is Scout Scar. I just want to run all the way and not embarrass myself. It goes to plan. I don't worry about position or who is ahead of me. Finish OK and more importantly enjoyed it.

Next up is Whitestones. This has been one of my favourite KWL races. I even finished 6th one year. But that only tells you something about what KWL used to be like rather than my racing ability. The start for me is bad because it is a fast sprint into a uphill section. However I keep pushing and once up the climb I get into my running and slowly pick of runners ahead of me. By the finish my legs are gone because the boggy ground really takes it out of you.

On to Birkrigg Common. A very runnable runnable course with a steeper start and finish. The underfoot conditions are very slippery on the day and I have the wrong shoes. Not a valid excuse. I run as hard as I can but the result is not what I wanted. Still, another one down.

Cunswick Scar is next up. I did this last year and felt terrible. Today goes much better and I run well. I have a bit of a battle with a couple of other runners and come out on top. When the results come out I am a little disappointed. Only 30sec quicker. There was a bit more of a hold up at the gates but I thought my time would be much better than that.

My fifth race is Sedbergh School. Not done it before. Basically three laps of a cross country course with a nasty 'water jump' to negotiate. The first lap really hurts and I think it is going to be a bad day. However I pick up and pass a few runners and have a good race.

I have to miss Cautley because of work. No bad thing you might say. So it is on to The Helm. Two laps of very familiar ground. That does not make it any easier! It is tough and also very warm. Never my favourite. I had had a run around Coniston on Thursday (see later post) and did not feel good, perhaps I am feeling the effects.

Next is Elterwater in two weeks. I need to do it to get all my league counters in. Luckily it is a race I like.

Russell