Sunday 10th May and I have that very weary feeling, so it must be the day after the Fellsman. 61 miles and 11,000 feet of climbing, so this really does qualify as Grand Day Out. This is the fourth time that I have done this event and although the visibility was the best I have experienced it was pretty chilly with a stiff breeze and a few sharp, hypothermia inducing, showers.
This is one of my favourite races in the series. The route is great as it goes to the top of the hills, the organisation is brilliant and whilst always competitive, everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.
Unusually this year I had done a bit of recceing of the route. It was good to see the end section in daylight. There really are some good views from Great Whernside on a sunny day!
I set off not really knowing how I would perform this year, but as this was my fourth ultra this year, I was hoping to have gained a bit of fitness. But having been suffering with sinusitis, I did not know how well I could go.
The first climb up Ingleborough is hard work, but a fitting start to the race and I was not feelng as dreadful as I feared I might at the start. So grabbing a piece of flapjack it was off to Whernside where it was good to see Rachael having a good race and well up the field. Nicky Spinks and Sarah Rowell were flying and well up the field too. The weather started turning a touch inclement and in the blustery gale I managed to get my waterproof on....and never felt inclined to take it off for the rest of the day!
I always manage to forget one of the hills in this race and this year it was Blea Moor. Coming round the traverse, it loomed very large and suddenly there was a whole load of weather. Delaying the moment of puting my gloves on meant that my frozen hands could not even undo the zip of my coat without assistan ce,to get my tally clipped. As always the marshal at the top was smiling and stoical about his precarious position out in the elements. Getting out of the wind into the woods was a relief, but I was frozen as was everyone else around me. At Stonehouse the pasta was delicious and I have never seen the tent so crowded as we all took shelter. Having got some assistance to undo my rucksack , I got some more clothes on and headed off at a bit of a plodding pace. However the sun came out and after an hour or so I was feeling warm again and all those negative thoughts of packing in had been blown away.
It was at Redshaw that I caught up with Lewis and Jane, Gerry and Steve joined us up onto Dodd Fell and we then all went across Fleets Moss together. Middle Tongue was horrible! Having been up about a month ago after the dry and sunny spell in April, I had forgotten what a quagmire it quickly becomes. So we all got to Cray together and set off as a group up Buckden Pike. Another stunning sunset as we ascended up the gully and looked behind us.
As the sun set the moon came up and what a huge orange moon it was, filling the sky. We made good progress to Park Rash with a bit of jostling of position between the groups around us. Then up and over Great Whernside where the wind and mist threatened but that over we were on the home straight. Yarnbury came quicker than I expected and off we went down the road, which is not quite downhill all the way! Just past the drunken revellers and into the finish. Not my fastest time, but not my slowest either and great to be out in the hills with like-minded company.
This is one of my favourite races in the series. The route is great as it goes to the top of the hills, the organisation is brilliant and whilst always competitive, everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.
Unusually this year I had done a bit of recceing of the route. It was good to see the end section in daylight. There really are some good views from Great Whernside on a sunny day!
I set off not really knowing how I would perform this year, but as this was my fourth ultra this year, I was hoping to have gained a bit of fitness. But having been suffering with sinusitis, I did not know how well I could go.
The first climb up Ingleborough is hard work, but a fitting start to the race and I was not feelng as dreadful as I feared I might at the start. So grabbing a piece of flapjack it was off to Whernside where it was good to see Rachael having a good race and well up the field. Nicky Spinks and Sarah Rowell were flying and well up the field too. The weather started turning a touch inclement and in the blustery gale I managed to get my waterproof on....and never felt inclined to take it off for the rest of the day!
I always manage to forget one of the hills in this race and this year it was Blea Moor. Coming round the traverse, it loomed very large and suddenly there was a whole load of weather. Delaying the moment of puting my gloves on meant that my frozen hands could not even undo the zip of my coat without assistan ce,to get my tally clipped. As always the marshal at the top was smiling and stoical about his precarious position out in the elements. Getting out of the wind into the woods was a relief, but I was frozen as was everyone else around me. At Stonehouse the pasta was delicious and I have never seen the tent so crowded as we all took shelter. Having got some assistance to undo my rucksack , I got some more clothes on and headed off at a bit of a plodding pace. However the sun came out and after an hour or so I was feeling warm again and all those negative thoughts of packing in had been blown away.
It was at Redshaw that I caught up with Lewis and Jane, Gerry and Steve joined us up onto Dodd Fell and we then all went across Fleets Moss together. Middle Tongue was horrible! Having been up about a month ago after the dry and sunny spell in April, I had forgotten what a quagmire it quickly becomes. So we all got to Cray together and set off as a group up Buckden Pike. Another stunning sunset as we ascended up the gully and looked behind us.
As the sun set the moon came up and what a huge orange moon it was, filling the sky. We made good progress to Park Rash with a bit of jostling of position between the groups around us. Then up and over Great Whernside where the wind and mist threatened but that over we were on the home straight. Yarnbury came quicker than I expected and off we went down the road, which is not quite downhill all the way! Just past the drunken revellers and into the finish. Not my fastest time, but not my slowest either and great to be out in the hills with like-minded company.
