Me and KLM and a posse of local Lancasterians travelled up on Sunday at 'bleary-eyed-O-clock' to do battle with the Cumbrian Fells.
This year the location was Patterdale. The LDMT is organised so that you have to run a bit, following a taped route before you get to the map issueing point. First nervy bit 'am I heading the right direction' to get my map. Two fast lads had set off immediately before me and had disappeared up the lane out of sight.
So it was with some relief that I got the map in hand. The relief didn't last long. The first control looked straightforward enough as did the last, the bit in between - well I'll let you decide which way you would have gone by checking the link to the routegadget site on this page http://results.sportident.co.uk/home/event.html?eventid=a1c3fec1-b9de-43c0-93a7-9a80b55df790 . This is a new version, it's supposed to work better on all computers but I have a conflict on my computers at work, but it will now work on apple devices which it didn't before.
KLM had set off 2 mins before me and I managed to catch up on the descent into the Grisedale valley. We both opted for a route climbing up to the 'Hole in the wall' on the Striding Edge ridge, where we parted company and KLM carried on the climb up Swirral Edge and I opted for the 'duffers' route contouring around Catsye Cam and onto the path around Keppel Cove to then skirt round the summit of White Side. Our 2nd control being a sheepfold about halfway down Helvellyn Gill. KLM had already said hello to the Marshalls nestled in its walls by the time I arrived.
By the time we both reached the 4th control KLM was still ahead (check the 'winsplits') but I managed to claw back some time by doing an 'up and over' whilst he took a contouring route to the 5th control. All the courses had this control and the next one as their last 2 controls. I note that a couple of runners on the long course have plotted an 'up and over' route to the last control - that definitely deserves some respect!
I think the % of non-finishers over all the courses shows how tough a day it was. For myself given the lack of training over the last 2 months (distracted by having new kitchen done) I was chuffed to make it round in one piece. Having plotted my route I got 17.5m and about 6500ft climb, as you can imagine stairs are tricky at the moment.
Can't wait for a fortnights time when I get further 2 days in the Lakes of map reading and route choice with an even heavier rucksack!
TF
1 comment:
Well done TF giving me another stuffing on the fells, that's 3 on the bounce! London this weekend for a couple of Urban O events by which time I hope the hole under my ankle bone has healed. It has been a very uncomfortable week with that injury.
Good luck on the RAB, may see you at the overnight.
KLM
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