Winter Bob Graham Round, 4 th and 5 th January 2013 Approaching the Christmas break I felt fit enough to have a go at the BGR again, and was keen to try before the ‘Mid- Winter’ cut-off of 10 th January. The conditions would need to be good, and crucially I’d need some strong runners who could support at short notice. A mild spell and break in the rain was forecast for the first weekend in January, and at a very wintery New Year’s Eve Lonsdale training run, enough club mates confirmed availability. I also had offers from my climbing friend, Jez Such, Lee Knight (a recent convert from road and trail ultras), Tom Phillips and John Carr from City of Lancaster Triathlon. Andy McCracken and John Knapp of COLT also stepped in last minute with an offer of leg 4 and the drive round to Wasdale (thanks to Andy’s wife Dawn). So we were set and ready to go on a damp gusty evening, with clouds scudding across the tops and the odd glimpse of stars. A mild misty forecast predicted wind up to 50mph but not until the latter half of the round. Leg 1 Skiddaw was dispatched in 75 minutes – too quickly – I had been slower on my summer round. Lee and Ken were supporting. Lee has recently moved up to Ambleside. I met him at the Hardmoors 55 in March, and we also ran the Old County Tops together. Since moving up, Lee’s been piling in the fell miles and will be a name to watch in the races this year. He’s strong, and Ken and I needed to reign in the pace for the sake of the rest of the round. Once we’d settled this we could use Lee’s strength to carry some of the extra winter support gear. Calva came and went, we missed the top of the good descent trod and couldn’t find it in the mist and heather. Approaching the Caldew river crossing I shouted to watch out for a deep hidden tributary. But the warning was too late, Lee disappeared up to his head in a peaty slot. He was pleased to drag himself out and splash through the river. Ken had told us on the Calva climb that he was struggling for pace and now he gently encouraged us not to sacrifice speed at his expense. It’s great to run with experienced club mates who can look after themselves solo in winter and I respected Ken’s decision to encourage us to go on. Back into the clag we summited Blencathra a few minutes ahead of schedule and dropped off onto the direct descent. We started on ‘middle tongue’ and joined the Yiannis Tridimas’ ‘Parachute route’ for the second half and were soon in the warmth of Tom’s camper van feeding, drinking, changing socks and shoes. Lee was to continue with me, and Tom assured us that he would not leave until Ken was safely down. Leg 2 We used the direct line up Clough head that Ken had recommended on his round last year. For support, Lee had been joined by Jez Such, a climbing friend of mine since University days, and Jez’s brother in-law Tim, a runner from North Wales. The team quickly meshed and I knew we had strength when Tim mentioned he’d once carried a hang glider up Clough head! But it was far from hang gliding weather as we worked against a gale force headwind on the climb. I remember fearing what it’d be like on the tops. We were all pleased to summit, the wind eased a little and we relaxed into the grassy descent towards Great Dodd. It was good to catch up with Jez, and get to know Tim a bit more. He told me about his work as a teacher in Wales, and potential plans for running the Paddy Buckley Round later this year. Jez hadn’t supported a night time section, but knows the score through long days out winter climbing in Scotland and the alps. He passed me food regularly along with words of encouragement. Time and navigation checks were sorted efficiently and we were hitting the splits pretty much spot-on. I felt a strong sense of motivation running this leg with Jez. We started climbing together at Cardiff University in 1983 and have shared many adventures. As we moved off Helvelyn, with the highest leg 2 peak under our belts I asked him how he was enjoying his cold damp night of exercise. “Hmmm, loving this” was his tongue in cheek reply. By the time we reached the end of the leg Jez had dug in deep, opting even to complete the ‘out and back’ to Fairfield. He’d contributed a huge chunk of support. Lee had been out training for the Lakeland 100 a few days previously, completing 50 miles on New Year’s Day, so it was a very impressive performance to run both legs 1 and 2 with a heavy support bag. Back at Dunmail a few minutes ahead of schedule it was time to contemplate the key leg 3. Leg 2 supporters Jez and Tim Leg 3 John Carr from COLT had ‘phoned the night before, having to pull out because of work commitments. Luckily Tom Phillips was still available. Tom had recently completed his outstanding Winter Ramsay round, reducing the best time by a jaw dropping three hours. Although it would have been great to have John along, I knew that Tom was 110% able to look after me on his own. So with words of encouragement from Ken, Jez, Tim and Lee, we were off up Steele Fell. On that slope Tom and I were out of the wind and were even treated to the odd glimmer of moonlight as the clouds swirled over the tops. Calf Crag, Sergeant Man and High Raise passed and the grassy running to Thunacar Knott was a welcome change to the energy sapping bog of the first leg 3 sections. The Pikes came and went and then it was on to Martcrag Moor. I’d decided I wanted to go direct, following the Langdale Fell race route, but this was very wet and we wasted time zig- zagging trying to find the vague trod that takes the driest line. I should have listened to Tom and gone round on the path, and was frustrated at not getting this right. Nine minutes down at Rossett Pike and we lost a further five on the steep Bowfell climb. Food was also an issue. That feeling of just not being able to get anything down even though you know you really have to. Somehow we got lost right at Bowfell summit. Tom had taken the precaution of hanging back to guide me onto the descent route, but once moving we must have swung through 90 degrees and were suddenly on unfamiliar ground. A bearing that should have got us back on track took us to the top of a steep snowy drop - perhaps down to the top of Bowfell Buttress? Making this assumption we headed back for the summit and eventually got onto the right line. This and the next section through Great End and the Scafells were the lowest mentally on the round. We’d lost perhaps half an hour, I felt exhausted, and I’d been running in the dark and mist for just over 13 hours. A few mouthfuls of food and Tom’s encouraging words, but at that point it really felt like going through the motions. Tom did a fantastic job marking the descents on the other tops and assuring me that we still had plenty of time in hand. But I had my doubts and knew that things could go either way. The traverse to Foxes Tarn and the Scafell climb were the worst. The mantra was ‘Just get it done and hope things will pick up’. Scafell We arrived in Wasdale around 40 minutes down, but as Tom predicted, a good feed and rest worked wonders. Leg 4 This had been a support conundrum. The original intention was for Tom, John and I to combine legs 3 and 4, avoiding the Wasdale road support. For Tom this would ‘only’ be like the longer Ramsay Round legs! But as John Carr was looking uncertain, Andy McCracken offered for leg 4, and even organised for his wife to drive round. For that I’m especially grateful. I didn’t know the McCrackens well, and to go to all that trouble was very touching. John Knapp from COLT, a very strong athlete who’s looking towards his own BG attempt later this year, was also available. This support was vital. Tom had done a fantastic job on leg 3 and would have got me round 4, but having a proper break, feed and more support took out a lot of risk from the round. Efficient changeover at wasdale Andy picked out perfect lines all the way and John stayed just behind looking after nutrition. I switched off and felt like the middle link of a three-carriage train. Some climbing power came back and we began clawing a few minutes at each summit. By the time we got to Great Gable the wind had started to gust quite violently, but swinging towards Honister brought it pushing onto our backs. Descending was very slow now with dead legs. But we’d gained around 20 minutes on the schedule and it now seemed that short of a disaster I’d make it to the end.