Dunnerdale Fell Race

After last weeks run I wasn't holding out much hope of beating my previous best of 70 mins on this race in 2006. Dunnerdale was my first Lakeland Fell Race (that I finished) way back in 2005, so it holds a special memory. It was also the race that set me on my quest to become a better map reader and navigator. So an absence of four years, meant it was long overdue for a return visit.

With half the assembled field sheltering against the pub wall from the hailstones, it meant I got off to a bit of a 'flyer' at the start, so much so that I still had Wendy D in sight before we stepped off the tarmac. Views etc are a given, but I thought I'd give the non-racing wfdbwgua members a bit of a flavour of the 'friendly' banter that is part and parcel of a fell race

On the climb up The Knott
'Are those shorts from the 70's'
'Come on Dave, stop slowing everyone up', reply 'I waiting for all the oldies to come past'
Ambleside runner to Pennine support crew after hearing 'Come on Pennine' ' How about come on Ambleside, or is that too hard to read'

(The quick-witted will note that my club name (unlike some) is not written on my vest. Two reasons - 1) we're so famous and 2) can't read/write in Salford only paint pictures!)

On the steep climb up to Stickle Pike
Fellrunner chat-up line! Male runner to female runner 'Hold my hand and you can pull me up the hill'
It didn't work!

Great Stickle
Fell runner chat up line! 'Show us your chest'
Result for the marshal - number under jacket!

Must have been a bit oxygen starved when I crossed the finish line as my initial sums had my race time as 75mins (on a par with the previous week). However as I watched the following runners cross the line it began to dawn on me that I had some notable people behind me. Walking back to the car I began to realise that they can't all have been having a bad day, so revisited the sums. Start time 12.02pm, finish time 12.07pm - what a 'dopey mare' it was 65 mins not 75mins. Raced back to Village Hall to see it in 'black&white', there it was 65.43
http://bcrunners.org.uk/races/dunnerdale/2010

Copeland Chase

A 3hr run on the medium length course (15k straight line dist) with map and compass round the fells from Dockray. Despite waterproof socks it was a bit chilly for the tootsies with a bit of white stuff lying on higher ground, splendid views when I remembered to look up from the map! No results as yet.

TF