August 2008: the Sun Has Got His Hat on Issue. Editor’S Obvious Filler

NewsieBlack Combe Runners

August 2008: the sun has got his hat on issue. Editor’s obvious filler

Another newsie limps off the presses and it’s been such a long time since the last one that nobody can remember what happened. The editor is very sorry about that. Next one will be quicker and thinner. And so will he. Meanwhile:

Pete went for a long run with some friends. Sue and James had very different marathon experiences. The Black Combe race was frozen, the Duddon roasted, and the Great Lakes drowned. The superlongs plodded by and it seemed that nothing would stop Sue from completing the full classics series and probably getting all sorts of prizes, but then she made the fatal pre-race mistake of ordering a seafood dish at the Newfield.

At Ennerdale I knocked an hour and 20 minutes off my PB. I still think you should get a prize for that, even if your You’d take a long time to get round Ennerdale if you hopped, too. old PB was the result of doing the last half of the race on hands and knees while hallucinating caterpillars. Sue and Impassable Bog, the (probably very similar) one mile Follow Andy weren’t far behind and a tired but very happy picnic Parmy, the Up Great Stickle, the Down Great Stickle and followed. the 110m sheepfold hurdles. Some of these may come with alcohol-related handicapping, and there will be style and The summer Black Combe race was another happy difficulty points for all falls. shambles. The Summer Relay on the other hand was a great disappointment to everybody: due to an oversight by the As I write this I’m wondering how much red bull I will organiser, James and I were not given the same leg to run have to drink to beat Pete in the Grasmere Senior Guides and as a result the whole thing went like clockwork. The on Saturday – more than my own volume, probably – baton was handed over with dreary regularity despite thick and looking forward to the autumn race season. We’re cloud and rain, everybody had a great day out and I had putting together a team for the UK Fell and Hill relay to get lost in the Broughton Mills race just to give people championships, which we will almost certainly win, and something to talk about at the barbecue. before you know it the Dunnerdale will be upon us and the days very short. By the way, James, we’re all very sorry about the ping pong damage and traumatised pets. Just after that there should be another newsie: I’m aiming for somewhere between the end of the racing and the In other news, we have lots of new members, and if Christmas do, so please send your articles, photographs, this was a proper note from the captain they would be announcements and adverts to [email protected]. welcomed nicely and their names read out. Since it’s not (I As usual, the newsie’s strict editorial policy means that we’ll told him there was no room) I will just point out that it is print anything that appears to be in English and isn’t entirely the height of bad manners to turn up and immediately start in capitals. running quicker than me. The next one will be about training, so watch out. There is a great deal of talk going on about new events next year including a team entry in the Helvellyn triathlon, a Will Black Combe Heptathlon made up of events like the 200m

Cover picture of Darren enjoying the Black Combe race was taken by Val. Newsie printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper Contacts: race results to Mike (716772 or [email protected]). Official-type proposals for discussion to Andy, Our Leader, on a Tuesday or to [email protected]. Photographs, ads, announcements and newsletter stories to Will on [email protected]. Relevant announcements to [email protected], and almost anything is welcome at the forum on www.bcrunners.org.uk.

Marathon Gosforth 10m Hawkshead 10k Ulverston 10k Best 5 so far Road Keswick to Buttermere Haweswater Half Marathon Con iston14 Dalton 10k Windermere Fell Loughrigg Coniston Helvellyn Ennerdale Skiddaw Blisco Sedbergh (est) Best 5 so far L M L S L M S S S M M L M S L Hannah Appleton 60 68 62 71 Hannah Appleton 60 68 59 67 58 66 58 65 Mike Berry 67 78 72 83 Darren Foote 62 62 58 58 66 66 John Chattaway 63 68 Karl Fursey 62 62 58 58 58 58 Darren Foote 68 68 56 56 Neil Gibbison 69 79 Jo Francis-Nichols 53 65 Andy Gittins 71 76 61 65 60 64 Karl Fursey 62 62 55 55 67 67 61 61 67 67 59 59 68 68 325 325 James Goffe 70 76 68 74 Neil Gibbison 79 91 78 90 Kevin Hodgson 66 66 Andy Gittins 66 71 71 76 Sue Hodkinson 75 85 70 79 69 78 66 75 69 78 71 80 354 400 James Goffe 68 73 75 81 71 78 75 81 77 84 366 397 Mike Jewell 65 72 Peter Grayson 73 84 76 88 73 84 75 86 Pat McIver 71 75 Kevin Hodgson 71 71 Will Ross 77 77 74 74 70 70 72 72 Sue Hodkinson 78 88 73 83 77 87 79 90 Dave Scott-Max 68 71 Mike Jewell 74 82 75 83 74 82 Hazel Tayler 60 74 57 71 57 71 Mac Knowles 76 85 Pete Tayler 86 91 84 89 78 83 82 87 83 88 413 438 Penny Moreton 56 70 49 61 56 70 55 69 59 74 275 344 Dave Watson 66 73 56 62 Phil Newton 74 84 74 85 Richard Wilkes 77 77 76 76 Will Ross 71 71 72 72 76 76 Hazel Tayler 63 78 Championships so far Peter Tayler 80 85 83 88 85 90 To qualify, you have to finish five races including at least one each of short, medium and long. Both championships are still enterable: there are races of each kind still to go (but only four left on the Claire Watson 59 73 56 69 62 77 59 74 61 76 297 369 road so you have to have run one already). Still to come on the road: The Ulverston 5k, Langdale Dave Watson 71 78 66 73 71 79 71 78 Marathon, Carlisle Half and Brampton to Carlisle 10 miler. On the fell: Grasmere, Grizedale, Three Shires, Langdale and Dunnerdale. Oh, that wall

I didn’t really believe in the wall before the marathon. I to walk but I knew if I did I would never get going again. I didn’t know what it was and thought it was just people began to feel quite tearful. I just wanted it all to stop, but so whinging when they got tired, but here it was, so quick, close to the end you really can’t give up like that. so textbook, and so utterly complete. The marathon takes in some pretty dull places in London, All of a sudden, my legs stopped working. I had no control and I was looking forward to the final stretch so I could do over them and they were doing their own thing. Luckily a bit of sightseeing. Unfortunately I didn’t see a thing. I saw they were running, but I had no control over the pace at all. blurred visions of legs, some running, some walking and It was like trying to whip a dying donkey into action, only some, like me, shuffling painfully along. to find that it was in fact dead. It was like they weren’t my I saw tarmac, and lines on the tarmac and the odd bottle of legs at all, except the increasing pain told me they were. Vittel. I saw the inside of my eyes, but I missed the London Eye, Big Ben, and Buckingham Palace. The only thing I saw My quads began to twang with every stride, the blisters that was the finish, but I really don’t know how I got there. It I’d had all the way now became raw, my hips joints ached, was the longest most excruciating hour of my life. my lower back ached, and then it got worse – nausea and stomach cramps, and I just got slower and slower. I wanted Sue Hodkinson

James at Tower Bridge not hitting the wall. He was instructed by his family to smile this year. Sue: I knew it would be well supported, 1:34:44: A half marathon PB! Woo hoo! Oh but I didn’t realise how well supported. wait, that’s not very bright is it? 13 miles to Every part of the route was lined with go, and I had to admit that I wasn’t really people cheering, with bands and music feeling like it. The cheering had worn off. I at every pub. I was encouraged. A bit saw the elite men come out of canary wharf too encouraged perhaps as my fourth in a compact ball, like an efficient machine. mile was a 6.34 – a stupid pace for a Blank faces showing no sign of effort and a marathon - but I was finding it hard not pace I could not begin to imagine. to be swept along. At the first Lucozade The finish line stop I accidentally squeezed most of the contents of my bottle onto the face of the man behind. He took it rather well, I’ve never felt that ill after any race. I considering. would liken it to the worst hangover I’ve ever had and the aftermath of a car This is where I began to crash. I felt like that for the next three notice the effort. Oh dear. hours. My face was grey, and my lips were white, and what I wanted more than anything was a shady tree in a deserted field where I could lie down. You don’t get many of them in London.

+6 minutes

-1 minute Sue’s Lead Based on 5k splits table assembled by James As I approached twelve miles I heard lots of cries of support for Gordon, looked to my right and saw I was right next to Gordon Ramsay. I knew he had said he Last year when I ran through the was aiming for three and a half half marathon stage I was already hours and this was a spur to push tiring but this time I felt strong and James: I decided not to try me on. I was particularly pleased when I and push up too far at the got past the 20 mile mark where I start because I felt I had had cramp last year. The 5th five K was my quickest. probably started a little fast Previously, in the heavily congested I had one brief period where a calf last year, dragged along by earlier part of the race I had seen a tensed up slightly so I eased up faster runners around me. bit of space on my right and headed for a bit but was then able to push When the hooter went I for it to find this guy running in a on again, generally passing more began to regret this caution thong – again good motivation for runners than passed me right to as I got rather baulked in me to get on out the way! the end. the early stages.. The first Great Lakes Race

Rumours of a new race around the Scafell fells had steep and dangerous - instead a diversion southwards was become reality by the time I heard what the Great Lakes recommended. This instruction was duly ignored as I and Run was all about. several others threw ourselves down a hideous gully slap bang in the middle of Horn Crag. Well nobody died, but it A trot up the Band to Bowfell from Langdale followed by a was pretty abysmal and probably cost 10 minutes in wasted delightful jaunt around Esk Pike, Great End, Broad Crag and time. A lesson learnt (maybe)... Scafell Pike. And not to be left out, an ascent of Scafell and Slight side followed by a gently meander over the mosses of Having survived the descent all that remained was a bog- upper Eskdale towards Little Stand, pop up Blisco’ for good trot across the mosses followed by the ascent towards Little measure quick sprint down the hill and you’re done. Well Stand. Due to the water levels the mosses seemed like hard all this sounded very tempting - not so much as a race (I work and by the time I reached the end of Mosedale I was don’t really like races per se) but as a Grand Outing in the tired. At this point you’re faced with about a mile of steady broadest sense. A little further investigation determined that uphill on trackless bilberry bushes. As I started to slow Rob Smithurst and Jo and John Taylor were taking part so down a few runners passed me but I was content with the there would be friends too. They’d spent days between them thought that at least the Taylors were behind me and for checking out the route - so what I thought, I know the area once I might actually beat them... I could hardly believe well, should be a doddle. A mere 13 miles / 7000ft. A bit over my eyes when they passed me about 5 minutes later and four hours I thought, maybe even under? disappeared into the cloud!

So it was with a relaxed and cheerful air that I found myself Now the broad ridge between Crinkle Crags and Little in the field at Stool End farm on 21st June. The weather Stand is not an area I know at all, and in thick cloud full on forecast was abysmal but I was rather looking forward to navigation was required. In fact by this point 2 other runners this - maybe my local knowledge might give me an edge. had appeared and it took our combined efforts to work Everything started out well - unusually a 100% kit check our way through the wilderness to eventually pick up the at the start and an “off you go” at the fell gate from the familiar path to Blisco. A haul up to the summit, point the organiser. It was about 10 seconds after the start that things compass at the finish and off we went. Luckily we found a started to change. The first raindrops fell. By the time I very direct way through the rock band and were soon on the reached the first checkpoint, Bowfell summit, I was wearing ultra steep grass slopes leading back down to Langdale. By every bit of spare clothing I carried. The wind was up, the now I was really past caring about the race - it had become rain was at times horizontal and the rocks were becoming more of a battle to survive the cold, the wind and the wet. very slippery. By the time I reached Great End visibility However as the finish loomed below it did occur to me that was down to maybe 20m - I had to navigate my way to I ought to try to beat my 2 companions and I wondered and from the summit in the cloud. And I was starting to how I was going to do this. The answer came in the form feel cold, really cold. As I made my way past Scafell Pike of a stumble - I slipped on the wet grass and immediately though it became clear that my careful navigation was doubled my speed. Two further deliberate glissades put me paying dividends. Glancing back a large group of fast- several hundred metres in front and I finished comfortably looking runners who had previously been ahead of me before the others. The organisers welcomed us home with were appearing out of the mist having clearly gone astray sheepish looks and for good reason - of 76 starters only 64 somewhere. There then followed a rapid descent to the eventually finished. Foxes Tarn gully where there was a checkpoint (to prevent And how about the 4 hours? No chance. 4 hours and 48 shortcuts under Scafell East Buttress) and a long climb back minutes worth of “running” on what amounted to wet rocks onto Scafell via a bizarre flagged diversion. The weather on and wet bog. But at least I’ve a time to beat... Scafell summit was so bad that the marshal had given up trying to record numbers and was just waving everyone So did I enjoy it? Well another competitor described the on. And so out of the cloud down to Slight Side. Now the race as “brutal” and in the prevailing weather that sums it up race organisers had made a big fuss about this next bit - the rather well -but on a nice sunny day I think it could easily be descent down to Great Moss. On no account they said should something of a classic. See y’all there next year? anyone venture near Horn Crag which was deemed far too Dave Scott-Maxwell Summer Fell Race

Well the Fell Championship took place as planned but and a drizzling rain leading to navigational errors in finding not as well organised as it should have been, nor were the start of the Bootle Path for James and his accompanying there as many competitors as normal due to runners runner Ben. Karl and Will managed to turn up Miller Gill having other commitments. instead of Townend Gill, while Val kindly led Gill off the summit to the Bootle Path. In the same vein just why I am writing this ....only knows I am not the organiser of the run. Maybe that is a problem Times were recorded for the ‘mass start’ runners by adding that could be rectified next year by having the race run on subsequent times to the time of the first man home more formal lines. That being said lets get down to facts. Dave Parminter. Recorded times for the ladies and Rob is somewhat open to question apart from Val and Penny. That I arrived at Whicham at 1805 with Val who was setting off being said finishing times are: early, I was not running it as I have done my knee in yet again. Then along came Joe, Gill and Penny who, with Val, 1. Dave P 1.32.35 5. Rob 1.48.00 all set off together to the fell gate to get on their way round 2. James 1.33.08 6. Gill 1.48.10 the course. Rob then arrived and he also set off early. Phil 3. Ben 1.33.10: 7. Jo 2.01.00 then arrived and he and I set off to walk up the Combe. We 4. Val 1.44.04 8. Penny 2.01.32 were at the Fell gate when Bob turned up and Phil and I then Sue retired hurt just after the start, Karl and Will were thought about who was going to do the timing and were disqualified for missing out Townend Gill but that being said there any watches and marking sheets around? Whilst in they did climb more and run further than the rest. Dave H this debate Sue arrived and came up trumps with a watch had a prior commitment and only went up the Combe and and marker board complete with pen. Dave P then came up back so did not count. to the gate followed by Dave H, Will and Karl. Just after they set off along came James and another runner with him, Ben, Thanks to John and Jill for taking the orders for the meal in who both set off late. The all set off and I started the watch the Miners. The pre-ordering certainly paid off as the food then set off up the Combe with Phil and Bob. Shortly after I was ready pretty quickly. Thanks to Sue for letting us have noticed that the watch had stopped so accurate timing of the puds. Lets hope we didn’t break the bank!! ‘mass start’ went out of the window.. Next year we should really try to be more organised.

As for the run itself. The conditions on top were thick mist Keith Nixon LAMM Me and Richard came 39th out of 140 teams in this years D class of the LAMM Glenfinnan. We were 50th on day 1 and 32nd on day 2.

The Midge were horrendous (I still have bites on my bottom!) as was the temperature. Very hot and almost unpleasant! The event centre was in a field just under a viaduct that was in the second Harry potter film! (The Hogwarts express went along it!) (for those childish members of the club!)

Day 1 was pretty un-runnable with lots of broken terrain and lots of ascent and a bog that i went up to my knees in (the only wet patch on the course).

Day 2 was fantastic with lots of downhill grassy sections - Just what I like! but with a horrible last checkpoint that you had to descend and then climb back up to - mean! also with lots of cheating from other teams by 1 member not visiting the control point.

Hannah Appleton Pete’s Bob Graham: 22.53

I can’t remember exactly when I thought the Bob sleeping later, I got to early evening thinking I could already Graham would be a good challenge for me but I think have been half way round. The strangest bit of all was it was to do with reading Richard Asquith’s “Feet in the sitting in anticipation on the sofa 3 hours before I started, Clouds”, probably 3 years ago before my first fell race. thinking of all the months of preparation that had gone Since declaring my intention to try, the most frequent before. Once we were in Keswick and ready to go, Hazel questions I’ve been asked, particularly by non-runners, tried to get Damian, Kevin and myself onto the balcony at are “Why?” and then “How?” Moot Hall for the “before” photo and was helped by a very loud and very drunk woman sitting on the bench near the I think I’ve been looking for a major challenge for many finish. She was relaxed and having a good time at least. years without realising it and one of the attractions was the step into the unknown, not knowing whether I had it in me. How? is a different matter and I’m still not sure I really training understand it. In planning my training schedule, I found it very difficult One of the oddest parts of the event was the waiting the to know how much I should do because I had nothing to day before, having selected a midnight start. I tried to sleep compare it against. It was very useful to talk to old hands on in the morning, unsuccessfully, and was then psyched like Mike, Chris and Peter who have done it, but I didn’t up, grumpy and appalling company for most of the day. think I could afford to share their confidence in my ability. Much eating, preparing of food, more eating and a little As a result, I ended up running in all sorts of appalling

Leg 1: Trying hard to start steadily, we soon hit high winds and were Leg 2: Sue and Dave joined me for the second leg, from Threlkeld to well buffetted up Skiddaw (I was immediately concerned that without a Dunmail. While the day dawned going up Clough Head and my body drop in the wind I had little chance of completing) and then drifted off slowly started to wake up, it remained cold and was still very windy. the path coming down into heather you could drown in. Things looked up Some of the great views of dawn across Ullswater helped a little and though with some good navigation from Damian and what turned out to we managed the whole leg without seeing another person. I don’t know be a too quick descent of Halls Fell Ridge. Overall I was 3 minutes down what Bob Graham was thinking when he went off the route to Fairfield on the first leg, against my target time for a 23-hour schedule and quite and back, but we had to follow. The trip down from Dollywagon had a bit of precious energy used up. been faster at Easter and easier on the legs as a snow slide. We got to Dunmail 10 minutes ahead of schedule. Skiddaw Great Calva Blencathra Clough Head Great Dodd Dodd Watson Stybarrow Dodd Raise Helvellyn Nethermost Pike Dollywaggon Pike Fairﬁeld Seat Sandal Steel Fell Calf Crag Sergeant Man High Raise Pike o’Stickle Rossett Crag Bow Fell Esk Pike Great End Scafell Pike Sca Fell Yewbarrow Red Pike Steeple Pillar Kirk Fell Great Gable Grey Knotts Brandreth Dale Head Hindscarth Robinson 3000 2000 1000 0 weather and was grateful for all who helped; Mike leading small food parcels I’d prepared for every 30 minutes bored me for 6 hours in cloud wind and rain from Dunmail to me sick within 6 hours and some of them almost made me Wasdale, Will trying a winter night leg up Skiddaw in a sick later on. Sad to say I started to like lucozade and gels howling blizzard, Sue joining me for 8 hours of powder and didn’t eat much else on the last 2 legs. Mike’s oranges snow swimming (including 50 minutes for the first mile won the award for best food of the day. up Seat Sandal and then twice up Fairfield), Sue and James accompanying me across Mike’s death traverse below support East Buttress on Scafell. There were highlights too – Will doing his cartoon impression of someone trying to run off One of the great things about the day was the unstinting cracking ice before getting wet maybe the best. support of all involved. Having Dave and Claire’s camper van as the main support vehicle made logistics easy and Hazel’s organisation and leadership of the food pitstops helped me refuel and leave in time. I felt like I Probably my first mistake was eating too much at the first was breaking up a party when I arrived in Wasdale, but stop. I had planned to eat 7-8,000 calories through the day, soon Mike and Dave were earning medals for bravery but a whole tin of rice pudding with fruit was too much for by attending to my feet and legs. Strangely enough my stomach. That seemed to have an effect all day and I no one offered to apply Vaseline all day, I had to do it switched to pizza, potatoes and lucozade at the breaks. The myself.

Leg 3: Miracles happen, we got up Steel Fell on time, the sun got warmer Leg 4: Having felt so good on the second half of leg 3, it all started to and the wind dropped. To pay for that my left hip started hurting (I unravel. My right knee started to get very sore almost the first stride always thought my joints would be a problem) and I needed my first I stepped from the top of Yewbarrow, my joints again. Chris, Leighton painkillers about 10 hours in. Even so, it was a great run; dry ground and Hannah paced me on, feeding me the appetising gels as we went. and dry rock, clear skies and great views and excellent support from Heading up Gable, I lost the ability to talk and though I realised I’d hit Pat and James. Pat managed to hear my quiet drink alarm that went off an energy gap, I couldn’t do anything about it. Having perceptive pacers every 15 minutes and came running to oblige. I felt especially good on helped as they guessed my problem and force fed me what they had – the second half, picking up a further 20 minutes, running off most peaks the improvement was virtually instantaneous. Richard (who had helped before James could get the camera out. Rob had set up a great system on Broad Stand) joined us again and was soon heading down to Honister on Broad Stand and we were all up in 5 minutes. in advance to order more of those nice boiled potatoes. Skiddaw Great Calva Blencathra Clough Head Great Dodd Dodd Watson Stybarrow Dodd Raise Helvellyn Nethermost Pike Dollywaggon Pike Fairﬁeld Seat Sandal Steel Fell Calf Crag Sergeant Man High Raise Pike o’Stickle Rossett Crag Bow Fell Esk Pike Great End Scafell Pike Sca Fell Yewbarrow Red Pike Steeple Pillar Kirk Fell Great Gable Grey Knotts Brandreth Dale Head Hindscarth Robinson 3000 2000 1000 0 Leg 5: Now cold and wishing a rapid passage through the last leg, I set The End: Even so, I was still worried everything would seize up and it off again from Honister with a cast of thousands (Phil N., Dave P, Phil wasn’t till Hazel saw the “Portinscale 1.5 miles” sign that I felt like I T., Hazel, Claire, Richard and Leighton (for his second leg)). I could still could start to relax. The run up the road did pass pretty well. It was grind it out uphill but was having trouble with my joints grinding back really nice to do this in the dusk and without lights and great that Mike, on all the downs. As I topped Robinson, the 42nd and last hill, I was Dave W. and Damian came out to run the last quarter mile with me. still 90 minutes up on the 24 hour pace, but was desperately worried I wouldn’t get down. My right leg now couldn’t hold much weight when bent so I had to perfect a straight legged style – not easy down steeper, tussocky slopes but bearable once I got to the road.

So I wanted a challenge and it was rapidly turning into a After thinking about the finish so often, it was as sweet major one. I’ve always been interested in how people tune a moment as I had hoped as I finished in 22 hours 52 their minds in to doing extreme things, how does Ranulph minutes. Keswick centre is a bit of a desperate place at Fiennes push himself to the weight of a 6 year old and still night, the drunk woman on the bench had been replaced have the energy afterwards to saw off his frost-bitten finger by a nurse-themed hen night, but to finish with so many ends? While this was only a day long it pushed me deeper friends who had put so much effort into helping meant the than I’d been before. I had visualised running up to Moot world to me. It’s the most supportive team I’ve ever done Hall to finish many times during the preceding months, anything with and I still feel slightly odd that the whole not knowing if it was a good thing or not. On the day it day was for my benefit. A few weeks on I realise that it’s was only when I thought ahead to the finish that I started now all over, the pains in my legs have mainly subsided to feel emotional so I stopped thinking about it and often and I’m looking forward to my next race. Even so I keep thought of James, my disabled nephew, to help me regain getting flashbacks, all rose-tinted, that make me smile – concentration. Training over many hours in poor weather long may they carry on. Having done this, I shall always be for most of the winter had toughened my mind so that the keen to help others have a go, hopefully we’ll have more fact I was running on dry grass and rock seemed easy. In attempts in the club in the next few years. the end, despite the pains in my legs (which I can’t now Pete Tayler remember too clearly), it almost felt easier to plough on than stop with less than 10 miles to go – there’s no way I wanted to have to start again.

Drink!

Sue Hodkinson, newsletter wine correspondent, reviews this year’s crop.

Wine Sunrise Merlot 2006, Chile La Lejania Chardonnay 2007, Chile

Race & prize Coniston Fair Fell Race, first lady Blisco Dash, last lady

Description A lovely classic merlot with good A dry acidic wine with violent hues, body and persistence. Warm scents aromas of toil, and a taste of bracken, triumphant high notes reminiscent of the Three Shires and a vigorous finish. Stone.

Price Knotted calves and a 2 mile sprint to A dollop of pride and an unhealthy the line. helping of rage.

Drink it with Hot dogs, fudge and whippets 14 pints of ale and a large handkerchief.

Rating

I can’t think of anything to fill this space, so here’s a picture of Andy looking happy at the end of the Ennerdale horseshoe Karl’s K2B Korner AN event I’ve done annually since 2004, you need to be The Red Lion pub, a haunt for tired K2Bers wanting to chill part of a team to enter it, and like last year, I was part out and take on some alcohol gets the “whizz straight past” of the Kepplewray team who have hand cyclists as well treatment from me until the Lowick Church point with a as me, and this year, James running for them to, making quick stop here. On dep from this C/P comes the hardest us the only two BCRs I am aware of doing this 40 mile part of the route: nearly three miles of almost uphill, even challenge that starts at Rough How Bridge lay-by, though the gradients weren’t steep, its a test when you’ve outside Keswick, on the A591. gone beyond marathon distance, and this was reflected in my split time between Lowick and Rake Cross points Numbers were a tad down on 2007, probably due to which is the highest part of the walk just below Kirkby Barrow AFC winning promotion to the Blue Square Moor, at 30.4 miles and 5 hrs 21 mins. Even sub 7 hrs was Premier league only nine hours earlier after their play-off looking unlikely, but a sub 7:15 would be achieved. victory over Stalybridge saw numerous Bluebirds fans go to that instead, but still over 2000 walkers and runners started My pace had slowed considerably since leaving half-way but this year’s K2B, with 1815 finishing the course. had to expect it. The next 5k to Marton began undulating and was on part of our winter training league Valdaree The challenging route heads briefly along the main road as Ulverston 10k route as well as dark nights social run terrain the sun rose above the Helvellyn range, but within a mile until the descent into Marton began. Great views of the it joins the six mile long U7003 road on the west side of Furness Peninsula and Morecambe Bay, with Barrow ahead Thirlmere giving great lake and mountain views. This is were greeting us up to about 33 miles. At Marton, a quick the busiest part of the walk so early, and late starters like stop before plodding onto Dalton, now just 5k from the me are constantly weaving in and out of walkers before finish, but this would be a 35 minute 5k leg as one tired rejoining the A591 to go down Dunmail Raise, then turn Karl had only jogging speed left in his legs. Along the old off onto a minor road before reaching the first checkpoint A590 into Abbey Road there was one more refreshments in the centre of Grasmere. Refreshments are provided station opposite the turn off to the Abbey, and even I was at every checkpoint, and additional toilets, including in dire need of more fluid for the last mile as it was so public loos are given on a route card every person taking warm now. The final yards took us into Hawcoat Park, to part gets with their electronic tag. finish at the BAE sports club grounds just after 1:50pm in The next checkpoint is barely three miles away at 78th place overall, in a total time of 7:11.36. Out of all the Elterwater, but the nasty short, sharp shock of Red Bank’s 1 K2B’s I’ve done annually since 2004, this was my third in 4 hill is the next challenge, even I struggle to jog it, but is best time, but have always finished in a 20 minute frame a good chance to fuel up on a slower part of the route. The between 2005s only sub 7 hour time to the slowest of steep fast run into Elterwater and onto Skelwith at 15 miles about 4 mins down on today. (James had a good run to in, is the reverse direction of September’s Great Langdale finish some 45 mins quicker than me.) Marathon route. For about 4k its along the main road Lots of post walk entertainment on the grounds and plenty before going up a dirt track to take another minor road, but of refreshments made this an enjoyable day. Wearing my downhill towards the outskirts of Coniston. latest funny hat, the elephant one got me headlining the The K2B doesn’t actually go into the village itself, instead front cover of BAE Systems Community News colour we head to Monk Coniston car park at the most northerly paper with a large photo that some of you may have seen. tip of the lake to beep our tags again. The next six miles If not the Evening Mail also had my photo in on May 12ths most BCRs will be familiar with, albeit we are running in paper, but not smiling or aware of photographer when he the opposite direction of the Coniston 14 race along this U snapped me. It should still be on their website. class road. At Machells Coppice, beyond Brantwood at just Funds raised for the K2B charities, of which Kepplewray is past 20 miles is where I take a break and fuel up. This C/P one, amounted to £163.84, about £17 more than last year, provides sarnies, fruit and other refreshments plus a chance with nearly two-thirds of that coming in loose change from to put on a fresh pair of running socks. shop customers throughout May filling my tubs. Due south to Lowick, and though there are only mile Next year’s event is on Saturday, 9th May. If enough BCRs markers every 5 miles I had to guess when I reached the were interested we could have a BCR team at the next marathon point, and it was around 4 hrs 25 m including K2B. A team needs to ideally contain 10 people and you breaks, which would make the net time just over 4 hours if don’t need to run together. Worth thinking about as I sign I had stopped my watch every time I reached a checkpoint off this latest korner. Karl Fursey or took a break. 25 years ago Stuart Barnard reports from the 1983 Kentmere Horseshoe.

Of the original dozens of BCRs who were to run in the Together Rob and I descend out of the cloud to see a lobng 1983 Kentmere Horseshoe only ‘Rocket’ Rob Sanders and crocodile of broken humanity smoking its way down the myself made it to the start and neither of us finished! fellside back to Kentmere. Needless to say, as we reach the bottom the cloud lifts and the lesser peaks on the second However, we were in good company because probably half of the race are clearly visible. 80% of the field were also DNFs. As early as the first 1000’ of Kentmere Pike I saw such well-known fell runners as I get back to the start at the same time as Bill Todd reaches Harry Jarrett and Alex Smith opting for discretion and by the finish, I don’t feel too happy about giving up now. the time we reached the snow line in the gale force winds Had I left the shelter of the pack and taken bearings I have and freezing snow even the superstars were having second no doubt that I could have navigated myself round, but it thoughts, Kenny and Duncan Stuart and Colin Valentine would have taken more bottle (or more experience) than I materialised out of the mist on their way down. possess to sacrifice that security and stay alone in conditions By now I was in a group of 20 or so just below the summit such as they were. of Kentmere Pike, obviously I should have taken bearings Getting out of the quagmire which served as a car park was but in the heat (wrong word) of battle the best-laid plans quite another adventure. etc. The leaders of our party took a left, I followed though I probably knew better. We ground to a halt. One runner ran into another runner’s back and someone else ran into his back and trod on his toe and so on, chaos reigns for a moment or two then it’s “where are we?”, “it’s bloody cold”, “should we pack it in?”. I suggest that we left the fence (that runs over Kentmere Pike) too early and in the absence of any better idea we bimble off back to the said fence.

We are joined by some 10/15 itinerants and cross the summit plateau. I know that I should be looking for a gully on the left from the head of which I can make the col between Kentmere Pike and High Street, if I can complete this manoeuvre then the navigation should be comparatively straightforward: needless to say I follow the leaders, lemming-like, in the hope that they know where they’re going. They don’t, and once again we grind to a halt.

Wind, snow, ice, the lot. Compasses out (more in hope than expectation). Lost! “Let’s bugger off back to the start”, says someone from the back; the cry is taken up by the mob and we turn into the wind to beat a freezing retreat, after only a few yards we meet head on another group of around twenty who admit to being completely lost, they join us and off we shamble. Emerging out of the mist on our right, yet another group of around forty takes shape, these also are lost. Picking up disenchanted runners all the way we number by now about 100, covering the fellside like some In those days Black Combe Runners was a warm and gentle sun sort of avenging horde. shining on the naked ladies of the Furness Peninsula.