Race 8: Wansfell

This is a short sharp shock of a race straight after Christmas, being a straight up and down of Wansfell Pike from Ambleside Town Centre. The first part is a runnable climb up Stock Ghyll Lane before the route passes through a fell gate and on steeply to the summit. The race was delayed by 24 hours due to very windy conditions yesterday and the field was probably reduced to the keener runners as a result. I knew that I had my work cut out to make the top half in any case but when Kath first told me that I had finished one place short of my target and that I would have made it, had not another runner behind me withdrawn with a sore ankle, I honestly thought she was winding me up. She was in that kind of mood, having had a slight altercation with an old lady and a dog, which had left a couple of neat puncture wounds on Kath's leg, towards the end of her cycle ride from Spark Bridge to Ambleside. My lungs were bursting from about three quarters of the way up but I held on to the summit and had a real go at the descent. I managed to pick up nine places on the way down but unfortunately, one short of my target.

I should add that one of the joys of fell running is that we ordinary club runners get to line up at the start with the real big names in the sport. The winner at Wansfell was Rob Jebb, British Champion.

Here I am looking fat, camp and slow. Disappointing as I feel that only two
of those really apply. Nice view of the summit behind though. Thanks again
to Kath for hauling the camera out on to the fell side to capture the image.

Results: 38th/75 (finishers)  29:20
Distance: 3.3km/2.1 miles   Climb: 405m/1329ft

Race 7: Whinberry Naze

This race is boxing day fancy dress tradition for many runners but I'm afraid I hardly pushed the boat out this year, mustering only my Santa hat from The Stoop to top off the usual kit - sorry about that. Must try harder next time! I probably wasn't alone in feeling a little under the weather but thanks to the number of runners taking a relaxed interlude from the Christmas festivities I achieved my top half finish quite comfortably. Simon Fox, another old friend, adversary and club-mate ran away from me early on, finishing fifteen places ahead and showing me how much work I still have to do before I can say I have recovered my running legs. The course is actually a little cracker (geddit?) with some really nice running on grassy moorland but I particularly like the slippery descent before we hit the road to the finish.

The busy start

The final climb on to the moor top

I did beat the Sumo and Spiderman but I'm not sure where the horse finished

Results: 78th/210   33:26
Distance: 6.4km/4 miles   Climb: 229m/751ft

Race 6: The Stoop

Training has not felt good since Kirkby Moor and it has taken longer than usual to get over the cold which drained my energy prior to that race. I have been doing three mile runs and feeling like I used to feel in the last three miles of a ten miler ten years ago. I started towards the back of the field and the huge number of Santa-hatted runners forced me to take it easy and make my way slowly through the field for the first couple of miles. That proved to be a good strategy as old friend and adversary Alan Yeomans from Rossendale tracked me down and passed as we approached the turning point at the summit. That confirmed my opinion that I was there or thereabouts in my quest for a top half finish and as we started the descent the sharp studs on my new Walshies began to make a difference. The ground was as slippery as we all expected and I made up about 20 places before the stream crossing. I held on to the finish and it was just as well as I only just squeezed inside my target.

It was great to chat to a fellow Darrener at the finish and congratulate Neil Holding of West Pennine Runners, who claimed the first Vet 50's prize, about ten minutes in front of me. I did beat him once I think, years ago. Once in about 400 attempts that is! Some of these guys are just a different class.

Blue skies over the Cricket Pavillion at registration but
don't be fooled. The wind over the moors was bitterly cold.

And this is how hard I was trying at the finish.

Results: 194th/402   46:54
Distance: 8km/5 miles  Climb: 250m/820ft