At the start in Clapham most folk were looking bundled up against the cold (except one lad in a vest bearing more than a passing resemblance to a whippet - he wasn't going to stay cold once he got moving), and I was wondering if I'd underdone it (thin base layer, thin softshell, gloves, hat, buff, summer weight running shorts) but once we got going I was toasty (and lots of people were shedding layers once we cleared the tunnels).
I made good time up Long Lane, sat slightly behind two women with two dogs. As the route split and the 13 mile route went right, I caught up with the dog owner and we had a pleasant natter as we climbed the steep bits. The other woman disappeared ahead like a rocket and I never saw her again.
The run up from Clapham. Picture courtesy of CRO.
That steep descent is difficult - not runnable, 3 points of contact in a lot of places, slippery and hard on the thighs. The duck boards and track across Humphrey Bottom are easy going though, and I made good time, shovelling down a quick bit of food (must have been around 1h 30 or so). Then onto the mostly unmarked route round Fell Close. Much of this was familiar from last year, and there were strategically placed marshalls and a few flags so route finding was straightforward. I passed a fair few walkers between here and Colt Park.
The run down from Colt Park to Borrins is mostly pretty flat and a good opportunity to make up time. My plan had been to keep the cumulative pace on the GPS below 7:30 per km. It'd got as high as 7:49 on the climb up Ingleborough, but that was expected, the trick was to bring it down again, and by this time it was hovering around the 6:50 mark. Knowing the amount of climbing still to do, that was fine by me, I'd soon lose the extra gained.
I was a bit tired at Borrins and not thinking quite straight. Some indecision about the right way (past the farm, over the stile and turn left, don't fanny about with the paths through the farm itself) was corrected by the two gents who'd been just behind me since Humphrey Bottom, and the descent to the valley bottom (under the railway and over the river) was more chance to pick up pace. No steam train this year sadly - last year as I ran down the track towards the railway crossing I was delighted to see a Class A4 on the Settle and Carlisle no more than 50 yards away.
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Climbing up to the road, then again up to the Ribble way, I headed off left towards High Birkwith. The Pennine Way from High Birkwith to Horton rises fairly sharply then drops again. I followed the track from High Birkwith until it started to veer off left then joined the grassy track, along with a man and woman who looked like heading off the wrong way.
The track down to Horton is foul - fist sized rocks to turn your ankles, smaller ones to bruise your soles. I was glad of the heavier shoes - the barefoot shoes were a liability here last year.
I paused for a chat with the marshalls at Horton (I'd encountered someone heading up the Pennine Way track intent on doing the 3 peaks without a map. I'd directed him to Brackenbottom, a much less roundabout route up PYG, and very very strongly recommended he go to the PYG cafe and buy a map), refilled a water bottle, then off we go up Sulber Nick into the strong headwind. Quite a few walkers heading down at this point, probably having completed the 3 Peaks.
The run along the top of Moughton was easier than I remembered. I spotted a hare running along the field edge as I cleared one of the stiles. With no one in sight in front of or behind me, it was like being out on a solo run and I relished the isolation. I was starting to tire though.
The paths around Thwaite are hard work when you're flagging - narrow, winding, undulating walled paths with rocky surfaces. Last year I reached Thwaite in pretty poor order and had to stop to shovel down some chocolate. This year I was tired, but still functioning pretty well and pressed straight on to the checkpoint, eating on the run. Up more walled tracks to Austwick, another checkpoint and the road climb up through the village ("run a bit, walk a lot, run a bit, walk a lot".
Leaving the road above Austwick I felt like the finish was close, even though there was a lot of climbing still to do. The marshall at the top popped up like a jack in the box just as I was wondering where he was, took a couple of pictures and cheered me on a bit. The marshalls on the CRO are always particularly friendly and encouraging (whilst competently and discreetly checking for hypothermia/exhaustion).
3km to go. Picture courtesy of CRO
Which left the final grind up under Norber, then down into the village. I managed to dredge up some energy for the climb and went pretty quick, then battled with the headwind until the sharp drop through the tunnels. The first tunnel comes as a shock as it goes pitch black on you, even as you're struggling with rough ground underfoot. It takes a while for your eyes to adjust, so by the time they do you're out the other side, assuming you haven't fallen on your face.
Running at a good pace through the village to the finish, I was startled by the blare of a car horn. It turned out to be the lad I'd met on the previous years run who'd run dressed as a Roman soldier (he'd finished a bit in front of me, having lost a lot of time to a 5 mile detour!) cheering me on. This year he'd done the half marathon twice instead of the full once. I saw him shortly after in the CRO HQ, and he very kindly gave me a T shirt from the event he'd been doing last year (Yorkshire Warrior). Being a Yorkshireman born and bred it was much appreciated :-)
Final time was 5:11, 34 minutes faster than last year. Better weather helped, knowing the route a little better, not being on high dose antibiotics and being better equipped too. The main thing though was knowing that I could comfortably average sub 7:30min/km for that distance/ascent, having done 48km/1000m in 6 hours a couple of weeks ago. The final average pace was 7:10.
Food: 4 'nakd' bars, first after 1 1/2 hours, then every hour after that.
Water: started with 2 650ml bottles, refilled one at Horton.
Clothing: gloves went on and off all day long. Soft shell zip was up and down for cooling/warmth. Buff stayed round my wrist most of the way. No other changes, I stuck to the base layer & soft shell all day.
Kit:
The weather was looking changeable, and although there's not a lot of remote exposed running on the route I err'd on the side of caution. I tend not to draw that much of a distinction between events and normal runs, so I'm always equipped to walk myself out. Self sufficiency is a big part of running for me, so I hate to think that I'm relying on the race organisers to help me if I can't finish.
Some of the shopping from the last year came in handy for cutting back weight and bulk, so I was carrying the following:
- Montane Fireball - didn't use
- Montane ultra vest - didn't use
- minimal first aid kit
- 5 nakd bars - 1 left at the end
- 2 chocolate bars - didn't use
- compass
- OL2 lamfold map, route marked up and protected with sticky backed plastic
- powerstretch gloves
- buff
- cheap waterproof trousers in a drysack - didn't use
- SOL survival bag
- Raidlight pouch for food
- whistle
- phone
- tissues & van keys in a drysack
- 2 650ml water bottles
all rammed in my Montane batpack. I could probably have left a few things out (the waterproof trousers are an emergency item, I would never run in them, and since the worst case would be walking back the quickest route, or lying in the survival bag until someone picked me up, they're unlikely to be useful), but generally it was a pretty good 'self sufficient' pack.
Clothes on the run:
- ventus softshell
- summer shorts
- base layer (thin Rab one)
- base layer socks and summer walking socks
- roclite 295s
Those last were a last minute decision. The new Trail Freaks have given me a blister on the top of my foot (manufacturing defect I think), and the baregrips are too narrow and give me blisters. The roclites are my winter running/all year round walking shoes. Harder soles and better studs were needed for the climb up Ingleborough and the Pennine Way path into Horton, and the rocky paths around Thwaite. Shame about the baregrips, they'd have been ideal if they fit me. It's not like I can go up a size to get the width, they don't make them in a 13.
Once again thanks to the organisers and marshalls for what is probably my favourite event of the year. Thanks to everyone who sponsored me too - the CRO team work hard for the benefit of outdoor folk, it's good to be able to give something back.
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