This has been on the Runfurther calendar for a few years, but for some reason I've never run it. This year it was also on the Tod Harriers Ultra Champs and Claire had expressed an interest, so we signed up.
Friday night I had my kit more or less packed, so as soon as possible after 5 we had the van loaded up and were heading up to Grasmere. Approaching Grasmere from Rydal there was a lot of localised flooding, apparently there had been an epic deluge not long before we arrived. Once we got there one of the race organisers pointed us in the general direction of where to park up, and after chatting here and there we settled in for dinner. I'd chopped a massive bowl of salad before setting off, so we had that along with some couscous and wine.
Saturday morning we got up around 7.15 and got the coffee pot on. Once dressed and ready we took our coffees over to registration and got our numbers, then went back to the van for more coffee. It was raining and quite windy just before the start so we'd both put full waterproofs on, anticipating cold on the tops. This was the first time we'd done 'getting up for a race' together in the van, and we seemed to manage OK.
We couldn't quite make out the race briefing for the sound of wind and rain, so it was a surprise when everyone started running. We set off too, finding ourselves at the back along with Ian Challans. Ian would normally leave me far behind, but had been supporting a leg of the BG the night before so was a little slower than normal.
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| Murk on Loughrigg |
There are lots of bottlenecks in the first km or so, so we didn't make up any places until we'd been going a while. Everyone set off awfully quickly anyway. Tracks and lanes up and down the side of Loughrigg, then we started to climb properly and I paused to take off my waterproof trousers. I shoved them in one of the big mesh pockets of my UD Fastpack15 (must write about that pack sometime) and cracked on to the top. Claire had stayed behind with Kim and Francesca a little before but they were only a hundred metres or so behind me.
I've been after climbing Loughrigg for years, but somehow not got around to it. It was a pleasant enough climb, and the weather was improving a little with some sun showing through the clouds.
From Loughrigg we dropped down into Ambleside, and crossing the road in the centre of the town started the gradual climb up Wansfell. I bumped into Andy(?) who I'd run with on the Fellsman, and Claire caught me up here and we ran together down to Troutbeck then up the other side over the Garburn Pass and down into Kentmere.
At Kentmere I got my water bottle topped up, grabbed a pitta out of my pack and got going. Claire was delayering and repacking and left the CP a while after me. As I left I bit into my pitta and sank my teeth right into the inside of my cheek, which really hurt. I was making good time though and kept the pace up on the climb then dropping down to Sadgill.
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| Towards Gatescarth |
The long flattish gravel track up from Sadgill towards the Gatescarth Pass was a bit dull, but an opportunity to maintain a good pace. I got chatting with a lad who was looking forward to the PP Dales Way, and we talked about events and recovery for a while.
I bagged a Wainwright at Harter Fell. The descent was rocky and gnarly to Nan Bield. There was a CP at Nan Bield, which was getting windy and nasty. Rough work for the marshals there. I paused for a minute to put my waterproof on, then started the climb up to contour around the side of Mardale Ill Bell. Suddenly it went dark, the wind picked up and the hail started. From here until shortly before the top of Thornethwaite Crag the weather was cold, wet and nasty. I pulled on gloves but still my hands went numb.
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| Scenery! |
Approaching Thornethwaite Crag I encountered a hardy photographer with a camera thoroughly wrapped in plastic. As I climbed over the rocks by the rather interesting cairn I slipped and had a nervous moment before regaining control. Then down the scree and up Stony Cove Pike, shoving a pitta in my mouth as I climbed, then following the wall down I looked ahead at Red Screes and had an 'ohhhh' moment as I realised where I was.
This was a lovely descent. The weather eased off and although I was starting to tire a bit I enjoyed the run down. I dropped in behind another runner who was favouring the bog and grass over the slippy rocks, and soon got down to Kirkstone. I gave my number (running backwards into the CP so they could read it off my pack), drank some water and risked a couple of Haribo, then set off up Red Screes. Claire later said she could clearly see my distinctive and rather tasteless white coat as I climbed.
Towards the top of Red Screes I heard a voice call, and Karen was just above me. When I caught her up we chatted for a while then I got ahead at Scandale Pass. She was close behind me all the way down the track and passed me as we reached the bridge over the beck turning towards Rydal.
We ran along chatting for a while, then I pulled ahead as we were approaching Rydal Hall. The Coffin Road track to Grasmere is a pleasant hillside path which rises and falls then pops out on a road above Grasmere. Karen grabbed the opportunity of a smooth surface to get past me, then I got stuck trying to cross the road allowing a woman I hadn't seen for hours to catch and pass me which startled me a little.
Round the sports field and across the grass, and I was at the finish. I grabbed a cup of tea and sat down with the others. Checking Claire's location via my phone, I discovered she was only 2 or 3km behind and was soon crossing the line to the finish too. I finished in 7:35, Claire in (I think) 7:52. We sat around for a while, got cleaned up then had some delicious sweet and sour veg and a chat with Karen before heading home.
I really enjoyed this one - a shortish route but with lots of climb and interesting locations. The weather was mostly OK apart from that one hard squall. Organisation was good and CPs well run & supplied. Definitely one to do again next year.
Kit (usual stuff I'd carry for a race, just noteworthy things included):
Altra King MT 2.0 shoes
UD Fastpack 15
OMM flash 0.5
Food:
Pitta pizzas - half pittas with a teaspoon of tomato puree, slice of mozzarella, a little cheddar, lightly toasted in the toaster. These were a massive success.
Peanut butter: only ate about a third to a half of a container
Stats:
22 ultra events since restarting in 2019
1 bagging round
1 ultra event pre 2019
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