I had been looking forward to racing this route for a while. One of our club championship races and one that I needed to qualify as I had not ran any of the long races yet. So I needed a good result to get me up in the rankings. I was figuring 3 hours would be a good goal to go for and wrote some split times down from last time sportident was used. I was all set to race!
I went up with a club mate Eirik Stanges to run the race. His first lakes race and my 2nd attempt at the race. The first attempt being in my first year fell running and the course was cut short at Esk Hause and missed out Scafell Pike.
I took a trip out with Judy Howells from Wharfdale Harriers to do the Beamsley Beacon fell race. A hot evening to run from Addingham, up to the beacon then straight back down through a small ginnell covered in nettles and thorns. I have only ever done this race route in the dark so it was going to be a novel experience seeing where I was going.
It was a race I kind of talked myself out of. I wasn’t feeling too great so convinced myself that I wasn’t going to run great. The race starts wth a fairly big bit of flat road and trail which left me behind the pace. It then gradually goes up the hill through a wooded bit and a fw fields until finally hitting the moors. All the worst kind of terrrain for me – runnable terrain!
Once at the top then the descent down to the bottom begins. The initial descent is quite rocky and steep. A lot rockier than I remember when it was dark. Guess thats what you get when you can see. Then a road section to a sneaky little ginnel. This was the bit I was dreading. Thorns at eye height and nettles and thorns at leg level and this was meant to be a mad dash? On getting there the rumours I heard at the start were true. Someone had gone up the night before to strim the path a bit! This person is a star! This meant full tilt down the ginnel that last time I couldonly walk down in the dark. Catching up with others on the descent. It soon leveled off and we were running back into Addingham.
Slightly disappointed with my race. Could have done better at the start of the race and I made a bit of a meal out of the whole thing. The evening though was great! Straight in to the pub afterwards and I wasn’t driving so a few swift pints and driven home via chip shop and getting a few more tins of beer.
As always with these evening races, there is a mad dash to pick people up and get out of Leeds to register for the race and get sorted. Once arriving, we managed to register and get ourselves sorted and over to the start line before the heavens opened.
Soon we were starting and as soon as the race started the rain stopped, leaving a cool evening air, and the great smell after a recent rain shower. Perfect for a run.
The race starts with a steep road ascent before hitting moorland and upwards still. I felt a load better than Jack Bloor last week, but was apprehensive not to push too hard too early. The up soon gave way to a gradual descent back down to tarmac and me thinking I was on my way back to the finish so started to push a bit only for the people in front of me to disappear back up the hill again. Damm, back up to the top again, I wish I had looked at the race route beforehand. So up again, lungs now gasping and rasping. Always seems to be the time the photographer gets snap happy and catches you looking pained and deadly serious as you concentrate on not stopping to catch breath.
This time the ascent was shorter but a lot steeper, and soon we were back downhill, gradual, followed by steep followed by tarmac and very steep. Before you know it you are sprinting (if you can call it that) across the field to the finish, before stopping and trying to catch some breath.
The best bit about these evening races is the pub afterwards. A swift pint, a catch up with other runners you know and a bit of banter. Oh and if you are lucky a prize. Somehow I managed to come away with a bottle of wine for my efforts.
Final result was 17th out of 105 in a time of 29.27. Winner was Jonny Bradshaw from Wharfedale in a time 26.02, but ran closely in by Tom Adams from Ilkley only 2 seconds behind. There are some seriously fast juniors around that are giving the seniors a real run for their money.
The foot was hurting afterwards, but I know that I am reasonably confident on it on shorter distances and races. So with that in mind any long distance stuff is going to be on the bike this year and only short stuff on the fells.
Huge thanks to Brett and the marshalls for organising a real cracker of a race. A great pub afterwards as well.
I would like to thank David Brett for the use of the photos. Some of the others are absolutely great! Definately worth a look at. Bob Wightman was also taking photo’s so you can check out his as well.
The last two nights I have finally managed to get running again. A small step to getting fit again after a few very patchy months. I realise I have a fair bit to get back to where I used to be back in Autum. I also realise I should have got myself sorted a LOT sooner. It is a stupid thing to do to continue running when injured, but when running is such fun and quite important to my wellbeing, it is hard to tell yourself you need to stop.
This gap since pretty much Mid November, with the odd race to “test my foot” (Another stupid thing to do) and no training has meant I have managed to look at my season goals and make a few adjustments.
Main thing is no Bob Graham round in 2009. Was planning on the 5th June as it is my birthday that day, it falls on a full moon and is in the height of summer. It seemed too good an opportunity to pass up. Now I think I will give it a miss. I don’t want to rush it. I want a long build up and to enjoy the whole experience. Not cram in a load of training and just end up injured again right before summer. So plans are afoot for a 2010 BG but there may be some other runs in the meantime worth reading about. Also means I am free for recce’s and support for anyone interested in a bag carrier?
The lack of a Bob Graham free’s up a massive chunk of my year and given me the chance to be a bit more varied in my events.Something missing last year.
Some of my favorite races are now free for me to do! So the first thing I can now do is the Lakeland Classics series again! I have entered Wasdale and Langdale as it is English Champs races and I will do Duddon and Ennerdale to qualify.
I will also spend some of those planned Bob Graham recce weekends doing adventure racing or mountain biking. I have a few pencilled in already as well so should be good. I will also be spending a few weekends either running or biking or both, with wild camps in our national parks generally having fun and taking in the views with friends.
I will try to do the Runfurther series, albeit without the Fellsman as a friend is coming over from New Zealand that weekend. Mates come before a run! I will also partake in the club championships. First race of 09 ebing Noonstones next week. My first race back (hopefully)
All in all, despite putting my big goal to one side for a full year, I am looking forward to this year! I actually think I am looking forward to it more now than I was before. Without the BG training shadow looming over me, without the recce, recce, recce mentality getting in there, basically without Bob Graham I can relax and enjoy the build up to June 2010.