Coniston Fell Race 9m/3500ft Sat 3rd May

The weather proved better than the forecast. Sunny, warm and a bit of a breeze – perfect conditions. Such a pity I didn’t make a ‘perfect’ decision about half a mile into the race. As we levelled out after the first steep bit of climbing the field split into two flanks. I followed the right flank up towards the quarries, reasoning that I would continue climbing rather than the left which appeared to drop down and then climb again. The race route map in my hand suggested left. I know why now, conditions underfoot were not great. From my vantage point further up the side of the fell I could see the final runner of the left flank way ahead.

On my climb up towards Wetherlam I decided to switch allegiances and join the ones on the left and follow the hints on my map. No point paying good money for something and not use it. By the summit I’d managed to catch a couple of them up. I’m sure the view would’ve been great but I was concentrating hard on trying not to kick myself for being so stupid.

From this point on I followed the map religiously. At the top of Old Man decision time again. Follow everyone else off the south side or do what I’d reccied on the previous Thursday; the safe route choice on the map. I decided to stick with what I knew, surprisingly I gained three places going this way.

At Swirl How I thought I’d be lucky to make the finish in 2hrs30mins, but as I hit the path for the final run in, the target of 2hr10mins was still on. I managed it, 2hr08mins. Winner was Ian Holmes of Bingley in 1hr11mins.

Despite my initial foreboding, I turned out to have a really good run. I also have to count myself very lucky, I went over on my ankle on the ‘tourist’ path bit coming off Old Man and narrowly avoided being flattened by the Mountain Rescue Ambulance near the finish. The ambulance was on its way to pick up another runner who hadn’t been so lucky – a broken leg after landing awkwardly. A day of the ups and downs of fell running.

TF

Coiners Fell Race 7m/1100ft Mon 5th May

Thought I’d try this one to run off a bit of Saturday’s aches & pains. It sets off from Mytholmroyd, which is one of those places in Yorkshire that isn’t pronounced as it’s written and you get funny looks off the Locals when you try.

A low key race this one, not usually many entrants. So low key in fact that when I arrived no one seemed to know where the registration was. The juniors returned from their race and told us we had to get our numbers from the tent in the field ‘over there’, pointing vaguely up the hill. I found the tent, got my number and then went to look for the map with the route of the course to mark it on my map. Told you it was low key, it turned out I was the only one with a map! The organizer said he knew the route and had been out and placed a few flags for us to follow, ‘when you get to Stoodley Pike, you’re halfway’.

I set off slowly and arrived at the queue at the first stile to be greeted by the two women in front ‘oh, we thought we were last’. I said nothing, but at the first opportunity I made sure they were!

It was nice to try a different approach up and down from Stoodley Pike, the way back down was extremely boggy in places and just as energy sapping as all the climbing on Saturday. My two acquaintances from the first stile didn’t manage to catch me up and came in with the bloke going round collecting the flags.

I was back in 84mins (70/73), one at the front took 46mins.

TF