Great Lakes Race

Had I known at 7.00am that the predicted break in the clag wasn't going to arrive until 3pm then I'd have opted for a more social run on Winter Hill. As it was, with the exception of Roger A's company up the first climb to Bowfell, I was on my own until passed by a group of 4 faster runners on the drop to the bottom of Foxes Gully. This was the first indication that at least someone else was having a worse race then me.

A navigational faux pas meant me missing the racing line up to the summit of Bowfell, so probably adding an extra 5-10 mins by following the tourist route. I found Ore Gap, Esk Pike and Esk Hause without too much difficulty by not wandering too far from the main path. It was slow going though. The position of the Marshals on Great End didn't seem familiar to previous years, but what the heck I'd found them and despite the slow pace was on track time-wise to meet the 3hr mid-way cut-off, so wasn't too worried.

I checked the bearing and headed off to rejoin the path to Scafell Pike. Now in the past, there's been a series of cairns showing the way. No cairns, but I reached a path with people on it. First bit of doubt creeping in, I did a bearing check again and all seemed ok for heading to Scafell Pike. Not much after this point seemed familiar. When I think back, it's probably been 4 years since I'd last been this way to Scafell Pike. I avoid it as I don't like the boulders, so wet, slippy boulders in poor visibility is my worse nightmare. 

After what seemed an eternity (in reality only 30mins since Great End) I reached the highest point in England. Now to get off in the right direction! I'd resisted the urge to hug the Marshals on the summit, but it took an even bigger amount of willpower to resist the urge to hug and kiss the stretcher box on Mickledore. Now that would have definitely got me some strange looks!!

Remember those 4 faster runners I'd mentioned? They'd had a trip down towards Wasdale. But despite all this, we all cleared through the cut-off. I much preferred the grassy route by-passing the 2nd part of Foxes Gully, but it'd been taped in the previous years races and I wasn't going to try and replicate this given the conditions, so stuck with the more well worn route. I'd messed up in 2011 coming down off Scafell (taking a few others with me!), so concentrated like mad to stick to the main path. On my approach to Slightside the clag lifted and the first patches of blue sky appeared. At the checkpoint were a set of different runners, a mum and daughter, looking as harassed as I felt. The trip across the Moasdale valley was uneventful, they chose to head up Stonesty Gill, I chose Swinsty Gill. Swinsty Gill won, I reached Red Tarn ahead of them. The sun was out now cracking the flags, flipping typical the only bit I'd bothered to recce!!

Even with a incredibly slow time of 6hrs (my slowest by nearly 30mins) I still had 5 finish behind me, with a further 9 DNF's. Not my happiest day of racing, but I survived. Some definite tales of woe recounted, with much group efforts. My thanks to the RO and all the Marshals for re-instating this race. A proper test of one's mountaincraft. Winner was Simon Booth in a time of 2:48. Provisional results can be found via the thread on the fellrunner forum (or via Ambleside AC facebook page).

TF