Dockray Hartside

Wednesday 6th May 2015

Short notice for this one as it is not in the book. Joe described it as a 'pop up race'. I think that is a great idea. But only 16 of us took to the start line. The first half mile of this race is always my worse and today was no different. A real struggle up the road left me at the back of the field. Once on the fell things improved and I gained a little on runners ahead.

After High Brow the descent to the river crossing was good and I caught the runner ahead. The climb of Hartside went well. I opted for the direct route tonight rather than the around the ridge I usually favour. I think it worked well. Once into the descent I look ahead for other runners but none in sight.

After reaching the ridge before Common Fell two runners who were well ahead of me appeared from my right. Where had they been? They had not done the race before. We basically run together to the finish. A great low key event and the weather just about played ball. Dockray Great Dodd on 10th June to look forward to.

Russell

Wansfell Pike

Tuesday 28th April 2015

A quick up and down Wansfell from Troutbeck this morning. Cold and breezy on the summit and fresh snow on the higher fell. Needed a few layers on unlike last week on Coniston Old Man in shorts and T shirt and sweating like a secret lover hiding in a wardrobe.

Kirkstone from the summit.

Route profile. :-)

Russell

Reston Scar Twice

Quick run after work. Up and down Reston Scar twice. Not race route just what I fancied.

Russell

Coniston Old Man

Thursday 23rd April 2015

A day off and I feel like I just need to get a good climb in. Combined with just getting Strava on my phone. Coniston Old Man has a segment up the main path so I go for that. It is hot and I struggle to maintain a pace near the top. However the reward is good. I am alone on the summit. Stunning views.

Descend via race route but as usual I don't get the best line. Never the same way twice!

Russell

Ill Bell

Sunday 19th April 2015

A late decision to head up Kentmere and take advantage of the great weather. Up to top of Garburn and then along trods to meet the main path below Yoke. Good running apart from one monster bog!

Contour Yoke and on to Ill Bell. The wind is biting so I don't stay long. Back over Yoke summit and then reverse the race route back to the church. Great to be out. Didn't see anybody.

Russell

Blencathra

Thursday 16 April 2015

Great to finally get out in this good weather. Blencathra via Sharp Edge with MC. Surprisingly I have not been up this way before. Brilliant day.

Russell

Cautley Winter League

Sunday 8th March 2015

I made a last minute decision not to go orienteering today, too much hassle. So went to Cautley Winter League fell race instead. It is a short race, approx 4k but with the 500m of climb in a little over a kilometre it is a real toughy. I knew I would struggle because I have not done anything like this for some time. I was right.

I joked at the start that my plan was to set off steady and then ease off. As it turned out this happened naturally without me having to think about it. Although I climbed at a consistent pace it was pitifully slow. The descent was better but I clearly was not my usual self. Legs at the end were totally shot.

The route goes from the foot bridge at Cross Keys to the summit of Great Dummacks and back, see map.

Russell

Cunswick Scar Winter League

Sunday 1st March 2015

A long time since I have done a Winter League race so I approach this with some trepidation. My warm up feels terrible (as usual). It will no doubt be fast and furious at the front. I opt for a steadier start. It is hard work but I run better than expected. Only a couple of short steeper section reduce me to a walk. I just don't have that extra spring in the legs to power me upwards.

The weather turns grim towards the end but on a good note I manage to dig in and pass a few runners  in the final stages. This is encouraging as I was expecting to be dying on my feet at this stage. Probably won't make it to any more KWL this year but maybe next?

Russell

The Loughrigg and Silver How Chase

Sunday 22nd Februry 2015

A last minute decision to do this race. The forecast was bad and proved to be so. However it snowed rather than rained so in a way that made it better, the big issue was visibility. Down to less than 50m at times. 

The start was terrible and that is putting it mildly. I had nothing in my legs at all and for a while was in last place. It made me feel very low. Even contemplating dropping out at one point. Mainly thinking of the marshals and how long they would be out in the conditions. But as I kept going I was keeping in touch with runners ahead so pressed on.

It was very hard work all the way to Silver How but then things improved. I was dreading the climb back up Loughrigg but it went very well and I found a good rhythm. Then had a good run to Lily Tarn and final descent. And I wasn't last.

It is not often that I run a fell race in waterproof jacket, hat and gloves all the way, but today it was essential. Last time I did this race it was shorts and vest weather.

So whilst this is a bit of a low point in my running recently I can take some positives from it. I did enjoy it. So work to do.

Russell

Orrest Head Night 'O'

Wednesday 18th February

Where do I start with this one? Last night I could have ranted on about how bad it was and how rubbish my navigation was etc etc. But this morning after a restless night with my brain working overtime trying to put things into perspective I feel a little better. Yes I totally messed up a couple of legs and I do hate thrashing through the woods hunting for controls, even in daylight, but at night!! Aaaarrrggghhh.

So in hindsight I did make time consuming mistakes but also did really well sometimes. The main error was missing control 17. Control 16 was in the wrong place so after much searching eventually finding it I was keen to press on and headed straight for a crossing point. I didn't realise my mistake until the finish. 

Looking at the results I see the better orienteers realised the error (control on wrong place) and didn't bother wasting time looking for it. I am not that good. So lessons learned and hopefully remembered.

I'll leave it at that.

Russell

  

Night run

Saturday 7th February 2015

A short night run from home. Not great as legs have no go in them and my back seems to hurt a little.

I stop on top of Reston Scar, turn of the head torch and lay down so I can look straight up at the stars.

A little light pollution but still great.

Russell

Helm night 'O'

Wednesday 4th February 2015

Another night orienteering event but this time the venue is the Helm. So home advantage may be a factor. The course is basically two laps of the Helm in different directions and of course visiting different controls. I do OK and make no serious mistakes. Enjoyable and good fun. As usual I just need more speed.

Lap 1.

Lap 2.

Russell

Helvellyn

Tuesday 3rd February 2015

A beautiful day, and after two days away at a trade show it is great to be out, up high and in the snow. I park at Dunmail and head up towards Grisdale Tarn. Then a sharp left turn and climb steeply by the broken wall and fence posts to Dollywagon Pike. The snow soft and about a foot deep. But a few people have been this way recently so the going is not too arduous. The views however are fantastic. A good excuse for the frequent stops.

The breeze when it comes is very cold and I do not linger at the summit. On towards Helvellyn. The paths are a little icy in places and I have to pick my way but am soon on the last climb to the top. When I arrive the cloud comes in and the view disappears with it. A quick stop and put on my micro spikes. Then head down to Wythburn Church. I need them nearly all the way down. As I descend the views re appear. 

The track through the forest is no go due to forestry works. I follow the OCT route to the road and then take the track back up to the path and along to the car. Where I had left my phone, hence no photographs.

Russell

Yes it has been 40 years

Another mid week day off and another bad weather day. So it is a low level run from home (no car anyway). Then I realise I have the opportunity to go somewhere I have not been for nearly 40 years, despite being able to see it from my house. Lily Fell is a small and fairly insignificant bump just outside Staveley. Before the bypass was built we used to go sledging there as kids. 

Recent attempts to summit have been thwarted by the presence of cattle in the field but now they have gone indoors, so I finally get there. But no time to linger, it is cold and windy with snow showers. I press on down and onto Ashes Lane. Cross the main road and work my way back to Cowan Head exploring some footpaths I have not been along before. Then home along the river.

A nice hour out but not to hard as it was club training in the evening. Two runs in a day, long time since that has happened.

Russell

Windy Scar

Thursday 15th January

Day off so it must be out for a run. It is very windy so I rule out the high fells and head for Scout Scar. I opt for the usual route. Across the race course and over to the pile of stones. It is very windy, at times hard to run into and it takes your breath away. On to Helsington Church and down to cross back over the Brigsteer road. Through the woods to Barrowfield Farm. Climb back up to the scar on along to the summit mushroom. The wind is more behind now and the running cold but pleasant. Back down to Bradley Field and the car. Good to be out but at times a struggle.

Russell

Training reward

Wednesday 14th January 2015

Recovering from cold over New Year. First run on Saturday, good off road run with the Monday group and a good training session tonight. Think I have earned this.

Russell

Wansfell

Nice to have a walk with MC on Monday afternoon before his return to university. Great views from the summit.

Russell

Not Skiddaw

Saturday 3rd January 2015

The weather was poor in the morning but set to improve later in the day. So after a bit of work we head  over to Keswick. It is pretty miserable through Ambleside and Grasmere but over Dunmail things get better. Patches of blue sky appear and the summits start to emerge. 

We park up and set off on the days adventure. This basically einvolved a circuit of the main street going in and out of all the usual gear shops with a stop for soup and sandwiches in one of Keswicks fine cafes. 

Each time I step outside and look up Skiddaw becomes more and more splendid. Bathed in the afternoon light. The dying bracken glowing orange highlighted by the dark patches of heather. The summit sporting the lightest sprinkling of snow.

But I have had a stinking cold since Monday and not been out making this even more hard to take.

Being ill really sucks!!

Russell

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