Middle Pack

OUCH That was hard! I always knew it was going to be hard after only just starting to train again 4 weeks prior to the race after an enforced 10 month rest but as with all things me, I just thought I could wing it. Stupid really in hindsight.

The video is by Andy Holden. He has done a cracking job!You can check out a load more from him on Andys You tube profile

I went up with friends on the Friday evening, set up camp in the national trust campsite and had a few beers. An early night of reasonable sleep, only woken once because I was slightly cold solved by my new bivi bag / sleeping bag cover which I got into then promptly fell back to sleep again.

Saturday we woke to glorious sunshine, not a cloud in the sky. It was going to be hot today! So after some pre-race taping of ankle I was lined up at the start. I had split times for a similar time to last year and a game plan of start slow and pick it up later on if I could.

Before long we were off up the first hill and into the distance. I was following my plan well, walking, jogging and not pushing myself as much as last year. I hit the first checkpoint only a few minutes down on my previous year and I was feeling comfortable. Maybe it wasn’t going to be so bad after all?

I was stuck behind someone on the twisty path down from Whin Rigg. I was happy with that as again meant I wasn’t going too fast. As soon as I hit the valley bottom the heat hit me! I just knew it was going to be a long day in the heat so I was slowing down through the shaded wooded bits hoping to get my body temp down, a futile exercise in retrospect with the long exposed climb to Seatallen with the sun bearing down on me. It was on the start of that climb that my legs started to feel heavy and my stomach felt bad. I drank a fair bit hoping it was dehydration, and looked at a gel but the murmurs from my stomach suggested I put it away till later. A depressing climb to the top with streams of runners coming past me as I tried to hang on, left me 20 minutes behind last years time. The climb to Pillar was a similar affair as I again watched runners skip past me as I lumbered on. It was only jelly babies and stubbornness that were keeping me in this race.

Soon I was on the contouring route round Kirkfell, I enjoyed this section last year and ran it all. this year it just seems hillier? I have to admit walking all that section and also spending a minute or so with my feet in a stream as they felt like they were on fire. It was then the ascent of Great Gable. I had done this two weeks before for Karls BG and it was fine, this time it was torture. I was sure I was going to quit once I got to the other side. in fact I think that was the only thing that got me up the hill was the idea of stopping at the bottom.

Then something strange happened? Descending Great Gable I started to enjoy myself again? Maybe I was going to be able to push the last bit? Maybe its all in the head? Onwards and upwards to Scafell Pike was my only thought on hitting the bottom of Gable. I briefly stopped to pick up a drink and some more food from my support team of my wife and friends. Shoved a load of jelly babies in my mouth and I was away. Only to be brought to a walk very shortly afterwards. I did know now that I was on the homeward stretch and the beer wasn’t too far away. The drag across the boulders of Scafell Pike was not too bad and although I was no longer in a race and it was all about finishing things were not too bad. I was soon on the last stretch down Lingmell Nose. Onthe way down I confronted by what seemed like hundreds of 3 peakers sticking to the racing line. If I was racing I would have been a bit more miffed at there existance on the desecnt but I had a few laughs at people shuffling down, sometimes on their arse as I almost ran past them. Hitting the grassy section I found myself running and catching the guy in front. I was racing again! I am off. Nothing is going to sto me now!

I didn’t take into account massive cramp in the thighs that almost sent me sprawling on the floor a number of times down the last checkpoint so a shuffle between almost running, and walking but I made it to the last checkpoint and according to last years splits  I was only 5 minutes from the finish. But this time it was a good 15 minutes to get down the last section and that was a walk/shuffle until the gradient leveled slightly and I could put in a run to the finish.

All that was left in me was to grab my beef stew and crawl off to my tent and lie down.

Not sure of the final postion but was over 1 hour slower than last year.

Quite disapointed with the final time but I suppose I should be happy that I could finish despite the lack of training and the injuries I have had. An hour is a lot of time to get back through training though so this has hopefully given me good motivation to step it up before Borrowdale.

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