Race 23 of 60 @ 60: Muncaster Luck

Misty on Muncaster Fell I was running with a group which drifted a bit too far left between checkpoints one and two. Spotting a wall on our right I pulled up thinking that we'd missed Silver Knott. Big mistake - wrong wall. Several others stopped, having no more clue than me where they were. I headed back quite some way before trying again and finally, using map and compass, I firmly relocated on a wall corner. Meanwhile, phones appeared out of bumbags and consequently I arrived last at the checkpoint.

The ironic thing is that in my opinion the FRA prohibition on the use of GPS is simply daft. It's completely unenforceable and more importantly, all organisers want runners to arrive at the finish safely and not in a neighbouring valley. I use my phone when I'm uncertain in the mist on my own and when I'm away I download routes to my watch. After nearly 500 fell races over more than 30 years I get it with the ethos thing, I really do but seriously, things move on, like it or not.

But anyway, the bottom line is that I should have had my map out from the start and not lost touch with it in the first place. Ended up doing over 20km on a race listed as 15km. Shocker!

Results: 25th/26 finishers, 29 started  V60: 2nd/2 (The only MV60 to finish)   Time: 3:01:35

Official Distance: 15km  Climb: 620m

(My distance: 20km  My climb: 810m)