Black Combe Fell Race - All not Disappointed

This race, 8 mls / 1000m climb, is admired for varied reasons. For those who like it rough, being early in the year on a very exposed ridge it is often weather-affected - regulars delight in that even top runners go astray when the clag is down. The clag can be fast moving carrying all sorts of stuff in it. On the other hand when you can see the views are glorious in all directions, reputedly the best all-round summit view in England. There are also a couple of stonking great climbs (550m and 400m) for those who want to remind themselves what it feels like before the Lake District season proper starts, and one of the great runnable decents from the 600m summit down to the finish at not far off sea level.

Four ventured up on an UTUP awayday - Etu, TF, Kev and Colin. Despite the grim conditions on the drive up the weather cleared as forecast with not as much wind as expected. The run up the first summit was clear with a following wind; there was clag over the top with a seasonal driven hailstorm to freshen up the backs of our legs, thus providing the 'rough-day-out' element before it all lifted in time for the tops to be in clear for those who appreciate the views on the second climb up to the summit.

No results or splits up yet, but I gather we all went over the first summit in fair close order before I ruthlessly let TF pass to sort the compass holding bit along the top. Before ungallantly striding past when we dropped out of the clag. There was a reckoning when my wheels, engine and ego fell off on the second climb back up to the summit, TF strolled past to ease away into the distance and be first of the group to finish in just under two hours.

Kev sensibly hung back observing all this at a distance before dropping further back when he rembered he doesn't actually much like running downhill at the moment. Etu got the finish he desired after his Winter Hill travails, although seems to have been beaten up a bit by the race arriving back with sore ribs, a leg wrenched and some tender back-of-leg flesh (not all of us looked over our shoulders to see the hail coming and kit up).

There was a top quality pie and peas and cup of tea in the village hall for afters, overall a nice relaxed quality to the organisation - a 'good' sort of event to go to. Amusement was provided by the award for the fastest descent off the last summit. TF was the fastest of our group with a teeth chattering time of around 20mins, the prize was awarded to some young local with a time of seven mimutes something.

A good day for all.

CW