Picture if you will...

...two weary travellers, moving slowly along a snow covered track in a pine forest on a northern hillside. Approaching from a side path on their right, appear two wolf like beasts - for a moment the two pairs pause and eye each other suspiciously.

Then the beasts' owner appears, and it becomes clear that lives are not in danger, for the 'wolves' are in fact Northern Inuits, a breed that has been developed by crossing a number of sledge dog breeds with German Shepherds, especially to give a wolf like appearance, and the pine forest is Wilderswood. YJ and ETU engage the owner in friendly discussion for a few minutes, then both parties continue on their separate ways.

Panic over, we live to run another day.

Christmas/Quarterly 'Do'

Our Winter Solstice Quarterly/Christmas 'do' will be at the Black Horse Limbrick on Friday 8th December. There is a Christmas menu available, but this needs to be pre-ordered - contact me if you are interested, or indeed, if you have any intention of coming.

Snowdonia

In response to EtU's query about my Snowdonia marathon record I can disclose that my first appearance was in 2001 at the age of 62,  the year I recorded my best finish  of 3.29, a time which EtU must have bettered in his earlier years

Modesty forbids me from recording how many age group wins I have achieved, suffice to say that in 11 starts I have finished every one and only been beaten........as I say modesty forbids........though I do have a nice collection of prizes.

Saturday 18th November

Neither of the Bros will be UTUPing on the 18th, YJ will be down in Brighton for their 10k on the Sunday, possibly Park Running on the Saturday, and I will be at Haigh Hall for my local Park Run.

Snowdonia Marathon 2017

Saturday 28th October saw YJ and yours truly lining up at the start of yet another Snowdonia Marathon; YJ well prepared, despite a greatly reduced training window, due to an undiagnosed, but thankfully cleared, health problem; self not at all well prepared, due to loss of mojo.

Five hours later saw YJ crossing the finish line with gun/chip times of 5:00:15/4:59:58 placing 1,221 out of 2,211 finishers and 1st V75.

Much, much later, and shortly before it went dark, I staggered over the finish line, muttering that this would be my last marathon ever - but an Irish lad in my dorm had told me the evening before that the Dingle Marathon is definitely worth doing, and I've never raced in Ireland...

Having won his age group, YJ gets a complimentary entry into next years race and then in 2019 he will have moved up to the V80 category, so I guess he'll just have to keep coming back, to add that award to his set - John, at what age did you start your collection of Snowdonia age group awards?

11th of the 11th of the 11th

Very short notice, I'm, afraid, but YJ and I will be UTUPing tomorrow then heading straight to the bomber memorial to pay our respects. There will be a formal service on Sunday, so we don't expect many to be there on Saturday, probably just us.

Better notice for the quarterly 'do', which will be on Friday 8th December at the Black Horse (please note change of date from the 1st and confirmation of venue).

A Long Story Cut Short

Or The Tooth Fairy's Big Day

Readers of this blog will know that after our somewhat damp trip to the western fells in September, the TF had only four Wainwrights left to “bag”. The original outing had been scheduled for October 22^nd but had been postponed because of the weather. This was lucky for CB as he couldn’t make that day but bad luck for EtU who was unable to be there last Sunday.

TF and Botters travelled from a gloomy and wet Bolton at first light, rendezvousing with TLoB at Jn36. We had a pleasant and promisingly sunny drive to our starting point, Millbeck. Our first summit was Dodd, which was last climbed by TLoB in 1991 when it was completely afforested. Now the summit has been cleared. After an initial slog up by the side of a fence (a taste of things to come), we were rewarded with a spectacular view of Derwent water and Borrowdale. An easy trot up to the summit and back, and then it was decision time. Either a long drop down to Ravenstones on a good path, followed by a long climb to our next summit of Ullock Pike, or a yomp across some very rough ground to save 1.5 miles and 500ft of climbing.

Eager beaver TLoB was keen to take the short cut, TF was a little reticent. Botters was predictably clueless.  Short cut winning the day, the first part of our yomp wasn’t too bad, a gradual climb up a forest path with just the odd branch or two to negotiate, but then we had to turn steeply uphill, climb a fence and then slog our way through a steep slope of thick heather with no path in the latter half, and only the heather to help us up. TLoB attacked the slope like a mountain goat. TF and Botters slugged it out, finally reaching a good track just below the summit of Ullock Pike. At this point Botters announced that he needed a banana so TLoB had to run off to avoid a projectile vomiting session which might have upset the others, not to mention the walkers we now encountered. Ullock Pike and Long Side were soon ticked off and the final summit of Carl Side was reached. TLoB graciously held back at this point as he and Botters SB applauded TF onto the top, photos were taken and then SB produced a bottle of Champagne that he had very kindly lugged all the way up just so that we could mark the occasion properly. SB then gave a speech which had a large input from EtU and included several new words for our delectation! So as not to miss EtU out, here is the transcript:

“I asked Ed as our missing ‘friend in common’ for a speech that could be delivered when we reach the summit of Julie’s last (214^th) of Wainwrights’ fells, because this is what he would have done if he were here on this momentous occasion. He didn’t give me what I asked for I suspect because he doesn’t want to foster dependency. He might also fear that we may resort not to ask him to come on future outings but just provide a few words of encouragement as a less troublesome substitute which can simply be uploaded to Ed’s Echo Chamber blog. What he did provide however were a few pointers.  Now you may start to notice a smattering of strange words being used, which I would like to deny all responsibility for before we go any further…..

Ed suggested that the words I use be accompanied by a glass of fizz to celebrate the fact that Julie's extended expedition celebrates her 40th year. It’s actually her 50^th looming apparently, but Ed wanted me to say 40^th so I feel duty bound to ‘he-who-is-missing’, to comply.

Ed says it's not clear why Julie only declared her hand so late in the year.  Perhaps, he said, she wanted to have the finishing post in sight before she went public. Ed would also like to know if she ever sorted out a top beginning with 'J'? Apparently, at one point Julie was planning an outing that took in tops that all started with the letters of her name and 'J' fell into the 'too difficult' category.”

At this point the TF confirmed that although not easy, she had managed to construct a JULIE challenge. 

“Ed did ask that I send his congratulations. He says he would have loved to be here to offer his congratulations in person, but he had a pre-booked church appointment. This is so strange it must be true, and to be fair, I have never known Ed to tell a porky.

I am also instructed to ask whether she is arranging her 40th party, or does she want it to be a surprise?! Apparently now that Julie’s Wainwright gig economy-type challenge is complete we may be moving into the ‘cuffing season’.

Now you will I am sure have noticed the strange words. This again was at the behest of our missing wordsmith. He sent me a cutting from his favourite and oft quoted rag ‘the Daily Mail’ which lists the hot new words for 2017. (Google the definitions if you are so inclined). The new word I want to finish with is Corbynmania which Ed says Chris may like, but Ed wishes it noted that his spell-checker tells him it is not a real word.”

TLoB added his own few words in commendation of the TF, and then it was a pleasant and surprisingly easy descent which included some spectacular zigzags then followed before all too soon our day was done.

Hearty congratulations to the TF. Doing the Wainwrights is hard and requires commitment and good planning, both of which attributes the TF has in abundance. All so thanks are due to TLoB who enlivened the outing with many an entertaining story, which were all prefaced with ‘To cut a long story short…’   We would have needed to take in a few more summits to have had time for the unedited versions. And a special thank you to TF from TLoB for the pleasure of joining her on three outings and 14 summits this year.  Botters was just delighted to be let out of the house, but had little concept of where he was or what he was doing.

Although this article will appear as having been written by me, it is in fact a joint effort by both Botters and myself. I leave it to you dear reader to decide who wrote which bits.

The Tooth Fairy's Big Day

Many congratulations to the TF on her magnificent achievement of completing all 214 Wainwrights. . SB and I had the honour of accompanying her last Sunday when she knocked off the last four and a full report will appear here soon.

Last 4 Wainwrights

The forecast for Sunday is not good, so I've decided to cancel the trip to claim my last 4 Wainwrights this weekend.

I intend to complete by the end of the year, so if we enter a period of settled weather which means I can give sufficient notice for an alternative date, then I'll post on the blog. Otherwise I may have to take a very short notice decision to take advantage of any reasonable weather.

TF

Completing My Wainwrights

I have 4 final summits to tick off for my first completion.

EtU and TLoB expressed an interest in seeing me safely round these. They've been keen participants over the last couple of months on some of my other trips and felt a 'group' outing should be attempted to celebrate the occasion.

The last 4 summits are Dodd, Ullock Pike, Long Side and Carl Side.

We have provisionally suggested a date of Sunday 22nd October. Meeting in Keswick. Start time between 9-10am.

If you're interested to come along and join in then put the date in your diary. Lift-sharing and other details will be firmed up nearer the time. Given the exposed nature of the ridge we will be a little weather dependent but will see how things go.

TF

Quarterly do - Equinox

I know that EtU is unavailable until well into October but the Equinox does fall around Sept 22nd. As my better half has taken the evening off from Guide Dogs we shall be going out to celebrate a non-signifiant birthday on Friday 22nd. We are happy to go the the Black Horse at Limbrick. If any others would like to join us, it will be wonderful. If the numbers need us to book some tables, we can do so. We could go somewhere else but have always enjoyed the Black Horse. I'll also email as the blog is not as frequently used as once upon a time.
BTW, is anyone, else apart from TM and I, taking part in the Red Rose 50 this coming Saturday?

Another day in the Lakes

The TF has almost finished her Wainwrights and following last month's very successful outing to the Far Eastern fells, she decided to arrange another trip. There were two options, four peaks in the Northern fells if the weather was good, or six in the Western fells if it wasn't.
The forecast was dire and the whole trip was in doubt until late Monday when it was decided to risk the Western option and so I picked EtU up at our Jn 36 rendezvous, and we met up with the TF in Keswick about an hour later. Last month we travelled by boat to the start of our run, this time it was by bus, which I would highly recommend; scenic and relaxing.
We arrived in Buttermere and set off round Crummock Water in "that rain what gets you wet." Conditions underfoot were no better and within half a mile we had all given up trying to avoid the wet sections as we were already soaked. A long and slightly tedious slog up to Floutern Pass ( which can only be described as a morass) was followed by an enjoyable climb to Hen Comb, our first summit. We then had to find our way in very poor visibility to Gavel Fell and were temporarily confused by a small hill called Floutern Cap, but the TF is an excellent navigator and she soon had us on the right path to Gavel Fell, Blake Fell and Burnbank Fell. The weather had improved by this stage but we had fallen behind schedule due to the weather and the conditions underfoot, and a decision was taken to abandon the last two peaks (Fellbarrow and Low Fell) and head for the Kirkstile Inn instead.
A much needed cup of tea and a warm by an open fire revived our spirits and we jogged the last 1.5 miles to catch the bus back to Keswick. The TF is now down to 4 Wainwrights left to climb, and EtU and I are looking forward to joining her when she completes them.
Watch this space.

A Grand Day in the Lakes

Despite living within an hour of the Lakes, I have hardly visited it since my return north, so I was well keen to join the TF on her day out last Friday. EtU kindly picked me up at jn 36 and we met the TF at Glenridding in good time for a cuppa before our boat trip. We had a very pleasant 35min cruise along Ullswater to Howtown before setting of up the steep climb to our first summit of Steel Knotts. There then followed some desperate manoeuvres in the waist high bracken before a steady climb on to Roman road just south of Wether Hill.
At this point the weather was most unAugustlike and we put on our spare clothes for a food break at which both EtU and the TF tried to poison me by eating bananas. Perhaps they were trying to tell me something! A long steady run brought us to High Raise, then Rampsgill Head ( I also "bagged" Kidsty Pike in order to avoid the bananas), then The Knott and Rest Dodd.
At this point EtU confirmed what I have known for years: that he is a very sensible chap indeed. The TF wanted to add The Nab to her Wainwright summits which involved an out and back run of just over 2 miles, but EtU said he would give it a miss. A very wise choice as to say it was damp underfoot would be an understatement. We ran/swam our way to The Nab but avoided the worst of the morass by taking a wider line on our return.
The TF is a superb navigator and found a grassy trod to Angletarn Pikes and down to Boardale Hause where we reunited with EtU before the descent to Patterdale and then along the road to Glenridding for tea and cakes.
Thanks to Julie for the idea and the route planning,  to Ed for the lift, and to both for making it a grand day out.

Summer Outing Friday 4th August

I'm planning a summer outing for Friday 4th August with a little twist.

I have a few Wainwrights to tick off, namely Steel Knotts, Rest Dodd, The Nab and Brock Crags.

The starting point for the route will be at the pier in Glenridding. So perhaps the astute ones will realise that the little twist involves a trip on the Ullswater Steamer across to Howtown where we'll swap water for Fell and return to Glenridding via the aforementioned tops. The boat leaves at 9:45am (first one, cost £6:80) gets in Howtown about 10:20am and the Fell route is approx 12m, ft of climb will depend on route taken, but I'm guessing about 4-5hrs at a steady pace.

The definitive Fell route will depend on weather conditions on the day, ideally taking a higher route via Rampsgill Head and a little out'n'back to nab The Nab. Poorer conditions may dictate a drop to the valley from Steel Knotts. Last 1-2m may have to be along the road unless you fancy a swim back to the pier.

Expressions of interest will do for now, as firm numbers won't be required until nearer the time when weather conditions will be more certain.

EtU and TLoB have shown their hand, with EtU prepared to help with co-ordinating the car-share as I'm planning to stay up for the weekend and will be there early to get the tickets for the boat.

Will keep you posted for any further info
TF

Coope's Dozen Sat 29th July 2017

This year's round will be, as per established tradition, on the Saturday before the Borrowdale race; that is, on Saturday 29th July.

I will publicise this run on other forums, but please also publicise by word of mouth if you get the opportunity.

I have another running commitment later that day, so won't be doing much of the round, but I will be at the start to help get things under way.

There will be a small group of us 'running' a low key Dozen on Saturday 22nd July but the 29th will be the main event. Anyone planning to do both?

Quarterly 'Do'

I have booked us into the Black Horse at Limbrick for a week on Friday - 21st of July.

That is just one calendar month after the due date.

I was asked how many of us will there be, and I had to say there'd be anything between 3 and 20. If you plan to come please let me know, then the pub can fine tune our seating arrangements.

Edinburgh Ironman 70.3 (= Half Ironman)

No, I have not suddenly become a triathlete  but thought it worthy to post up a link to my daughter Diane's posting of the Edinburgh Ironman 70.3 held last weekend. She originally entered the Ironman UK which will be held in these parts the weekend after next but decided that she wouldn't have the time for the training so switched to the easier option of half distance, or so she thought! Read on ...

Saturday 1st July '17

I'm Parkrunning tomorrow, so won't be at the Barn. However, YJ, still on the comeback trail, will be in attendance and glad of company.

email

I have had to change my email, as my old ntlworld address is no longer valid. My new email is


beesley52@outlook.com


My old email ceased to function on June 4th but apparently if you send an email to it, no "failed to deliver" message comes back. So if you have emailed me since June 4th, I wont have got it!

102 or 104 miles of NYM 100 completed

I have finally got round to blogging about this year's LDWA 100 mile challenge.
Staying only 40 minutes away from the start at Malton School meant that it was an easy journey from Diane's in Thirsk with Julie and Diane in support. I took the advice from after last year's 100 to start on the 10am walker's start rather than the later noon start.
The first few checkpoints opened quite early so I had no problem about being slow enough to arrive after they opened. The predictions were for potential thunderstorms but at 10am, the weather was warm enough for T shirt and shorts. I set off amongst the middle of the pack so it took awhile before I could move through the walkers and run a little. I lost some ground as did many others when we all went round three sides of a field to see those behind being directed on the shortest route. My plan was for 4mph average during the day to get to Checkpoint 9 at Botton before darkness.
The first checkpoint at 4.7 miles was not actually a checkpoint but they provided drinks which I made sure I took on whilst many overtook me ignoring what I considered essential. With 64 minutes gone, I was well ahead of schedule. Checkpoint 2 (10.5 miles) at Hovingham arrived after 2hrs 29 and so did Julie and Diane as well as some excellent cakes which of course I enjoyed. The terrain so far had been gentle with the greatest difficulty avoiding too many nettles. A thunderstorm had also come and gone without too much excitement.

CP2 Hovingham just after the thunderstorm 

By now I had moved through the field and had generally found runners of my pace. A slight hiccup near Kirby Moorside cost me a couple of minutes and a check for the route back out of CP3 and I was soon on my way to Hutton-le-Hole, a very picturesque "chocolate box" village at CP4, delayed slightly by a rigorous kit check (there were four disqualifications) and beef stew and Yorkshire pudding.
A quarter way through in 6hrs 29, there was no way I would maintain such a pace, okay only a bit quicker than 4mph, but that wasn't in my plans anyway, sub 36 hours would be brilliant, not sub 26 hours! I now had the advantage of having recce'd the remainder of the route, although I also knew I was entering the hillier half. On through Rosedale (CP5, 32 miles in 8hrs 22) and then a tough 800ft climb up Blakey Ridge to The Lion Inn. I didn't mind the climb then some quicker running on the road before narrow tricky tracks across Wether Hill and then the descent to Botton. Julie and Diane had tried to meet up with me at The Lion Inn but think they had missed me so headed to Botton where they asked how many had come through to find that the leaders had only just arrived. From the event tracker they realised I was in the top 50. They walked back along the route half a mile to meet me. After walking for a short while, they told me to run on to the checkpoint and I found I could run that section at 8 minutes per mile. By Rosedale, the first of the faster runners who started at noon passed me so I was in with a mix of 10am and noon starters. I was in fact 38th to reach Botton (40 miles) at 8:41pm, so 10hrs 41. Food was soup and a salad with tasty local Botton cheese. Headtorch and an extra layer (but still warm enough for shorts) were added at Botton as I headed up the wet gully climb up High Moor and the trickiest descent of the 100 off Raven Hill. I just made it there before dark and then it was a some good running and a muddy climb up to Glaisdale Rigg and on to the first night checkpoint at Glaisdale. This checkpoint was manned by a South Wales LDWA group speaking a foreign language to which my response was"Ey up ar kid, tha knows tha'r'asta spake propa round 'ere. Ast tha got some decent snap?"

A foreign welcome at CP7 Glaisdale

The night section was walked mainly with a couple of fast noon start walkers and good progress was made, eventually reaching the breakfast checkpoint CP10 at Fyling Hall school at 5.17 am (64 miles 19hrs 17). Dawn had come whilst at the previous checkpoint at CP9, Hawsker. The breakfast CP was where I planned to for a full kit change and sort out any blisters. I was not very well organised (I had been awake for nearly 24 hours) so took longer than I would have liked but eventually set off at about 6.50 am. My garmin battery had died before reaching Hawsker so I was not fully aware of the minutes ticking away : I switched to a similar garmin kindly lent by TM for the second "half" of the route.
Pace was initially ok then after about 4 miles had sudden twinges in my right leg and it refused to run so I was reduced to walking. Julie and Diane arrived just as I was leaving CP11 Littlebeck just before 9am with the clear skies and sunshine keeping me warm.

Right leg not great but otherwise feeling fine 68 miles in at Littlebeck

I reached CP12 Goathland Village Hall (74 miles) at 11:08, still over two hours ahead of my "slow" schedule which would see me finish at about 1am. Diane and Julie were there to meet me and Diane was going to "run" the next leg with me. The fact that I was no longer running but walking did not disappoint Diane as she had been laid low with a cold so had done no training for over a week. Stage 13 from Goathland to Snape is quite an interesting leg with initial moorland paths followed by a forest section and then the final mile along the road to Snape. I walked it all the way but pulled back three others who were initially not even in sight. By the time the road to Stape was reached, Diane told me to keep going at my pace which she couldn't manage to stay with!
I had recce'd the section from Stape to Lockton twice so I knew what was to come, two steep climbs totalling 800ft in just 4.8 miles. I tried a bit of running : I was able to run. Caught up with the next one who was also running. I crossed the NYM steam railway line at Levisham station and hit the first hill, speed walked up it : feeling great. Okay with the road descent from Levisham then zoomed up the second hill to Lockton. Back on track. Just three more stages to go. Okay on the next stage, got caught by a couple of 100 regulars who normally run sub 30 hours : stayed with them through Thornton-le-Dale.  We were discussing why we do these events and vowed it would be the last (for one, his 10th). They slipped away from me before the final checkpoint. By the later checkpoints I was finding it difficult to eat. At the final CP I took on just three jelly babies. I did have High 5 in my bladder so kept drinking. I struggled a bit over the final few miles as I my right leg had again rejected the idea of running. However, I made it by dusk, just. 9.48 pm finish for 35 hours 48. Target achieved. The route description stated 102 miles, most people logged 104 miles but it was done.
Great looking meal at the finish : my stomach wanted none of it. I tried to be sick but there was nothing there. I had two rennies and at least felt a bit better but I was not in a good state. I was better than last year where I needed medical attention but unlike the Hobble or the GRP where I finished feeling as lively as when I started, my energies were used up. My legs were in pain as we drove back to Diane's but at least I lost only one night's sleep.
The perfect weekend would have been to spend Monday at Wembley watching the world's greatest football club in the Championship play-off final - you know the team, the one the bookies and pundits said would be relegated but next season will be playing teams that such Man U & Spurs who we used to be able put six past with ease! Somehow with the gulf in riches I think a repeat of those days are highly unlikely. If they can beat the bookies' predictions by one place that will be a bonus. A day at Wembley was not possible but by finishing on Sunday night I was able to watch the match in the local pub during on Monday afternoon.
This was probably my final 100. I had improved my time by ten hours. Of the 492 starters, 152 retired or were disqualified. I had the 116th fastest time. The fastest time was 22:41. Maybe I could have completed in 30 hours (a bloke who takes the same time as me on the Hobble did 30hrs 22, for 30th fastest) but it takes so much out of me on the second day, which is down to the ability to eat.
I shall do the Red Rose 50 (September 16th) but then I will stick to no longer than the Hobble.
Full results here.