Sardona Ultra Trail - Inaugural Edition

Being a new event I think a bit of background to this is required.  I first heard of it through my e-friend Umberto.  We first made contact via my blog reports on the Jungfrau Marathon back in 2007 and 2008 and have been swapping messages and emails about our running activities ever since.  A couple of years ago Umberto said that he had a project in mind.  It was based around creating a running event with the primary focus being on enjoying the environment rather than it being a mass race.  This eventually morphed into the Sardona Ultra Trail whose first running was last Saturday 15th (and 16th for some) September. Not content with organising the ultra Umberto also had a marathon and half-marathon race to deal with.

It is worth saying up front that this has been one man's dream (albeit fully supported by his family) and full credit needs to go to Umberto for pulling this off.  The amount of work required to sign up sponsors, organise technical and safety committees, create a website, marketing, plan the route, man the route, get the runners to the start line etc has been tremendous.  To top it all the weather threw a last minute spanner-in-the-works by blocking off two passes with snow, requiring an emergency re-routing of the ultra and marathon courses.  I'd been out here in July to recce the whole route with Umberto but we were snowed off then as well so we did the first section up to the first high pass on the first day and went out to the Spitzmeillenhutte on the second day.  This helped me decide to wear my Salomon Speedcross shoes for the race.

The original (official) ultra course is an 80km (50 mile) loop with over 6,000m (20,000 ft) of ascent (and descent).  The revised bad weather course was an out and back route of some 60km and 4400m.  A comparison of the two routes is shown below. The start and finish is in Furt on the extreme right hand side. The original route runs clockwise.  Furt is 1520m above sea level.

Original Route (pink) v Revised Route (yellow)

The original route as shown is in fact out of date. There are modifications to the route on the top right hand side but the important bit is the southern part of the route which contained the offending (snowed off ) passes. Instead of taking this high alpine route we went down into the Weisstannen valley and ran parallel to the original route. We then picked up the original route along the western edge and followed it up to the Spitzmeilenhutte in the north west corner of the route.  From there we turned round and retraced our route back the way we came (always interesting as you see the front runners on their way back as you're still struggling out).  The final few kilometres were different to the route out.

This give some idea of what we missed out on (route in red).  Maybe next time.

Original route from Lavtinasattel pass

The ultra started at 8:00 a.m. on a cool but dry day.  Clouds were still clinging to the tops but there was a promise of a clear day in the rising sun.

And they're off.....a quick wave to Rosie (I'm in the middle, blue top,white hat)

The race starts with a steady climb up the Garmil (2003m).  I had intended to drop back and take it steady but found myself towards the front so I jogged along until the increasing incline reduced us all to a walk and I started getting passed as usual.  Even at this stage I noticed lots of people taking photos and video footage.  They were already in tourist mode.  Can't say I blame them.

Over the Garmil there was a nice steady descent to the first water stop outside the Gaffia restaurant (1861m).  I passed a couple of runners on this descent but I was surprised at how spread out the field already was.  There weren't many other in sight to pass.  From here we were to follow an out and back route.  On the way back we dropped down the main track from Gaffia to Furt rather than go back over the Garmil.

After the Gaffia (on the way out) the route then kicked uphill again with a zig-zag up to the Baschalvasee (lake) at 2200m.  There were patches of snow up here but nothing serious.  After levelling out alongside the lake the route turned west and upward.  This climb was much shorter on the revised route.  We climbed up to the shoulder of the Baseggla at 2280m and then dropped down the other side (before reaching the dozens of stone columns on the original route).

The first part of this descent was over trackless tussocks.  It was soon obvious that the 'local' (Swiss, German, Austrian) runners weren't familiar with this sort of terrain as they slowly picked their way over the tussocks, wary of twisting an ankle.  Being a veteran of many KIMMs and OMMs this was very familiar territory so I mercilessly picked off several runners here.  They probably thought I was mad risking an injury.  The tussocks didn't last long though as we reached the stream and zig-zagged down through the gorge it had cut out of the mountainside.

This descent down into the Weisstannen valley was nearly 1300m in total (equivalent to Ben Nevis, the UK's highest mountain). It consisted of three different sections: the top section of tussocks and rough track through the gorge, a middle section of smooth looping farm track and a bottom section of muddy path through the trees.  We'd meet this again later in the day on the way back.

Furt to Weisstannen

I took full advantage of this and passed around ten runners, especially on the farm track where I had no fear of tripping and built up a full head of steam.  I've noticed this reluctance to let rip downhill in the alpine runners in the past.  I think there's a belief that it can ruin the knees. I loved storming down there.  My choice of Speedcross shoes was spot on for the bottom section which was very steep and muddy.

In the valley bottom we crossed the road and went up the other side of the valley for a while before turning parallel to the road along the bottom. Prior to our start we'd been told that the start to the marathon distance race was to be delayed to allow for the Alpabfahrt in the Weisstannental.  The Alpabfahrt is the bringing down of the cows from the alps into the valleys at the end of summer. In typical Swiss style this isn't a mundane agricultural task.  It's a celebration and major tourist attraction.  The cowherds and their families dress in traditional costume and the cows are decorated with flowers and extra large (and noisy) bells.

I didn't see any of this at this stage but as I was running along the valley side I heard this strange cacophony filling the whole valley.  At first I thought it was a large factory or sawmill before I suddenly remembered the Alpabfahrt and sure enough it was just possible to make out individual cowbells.  The noise must have been amplified by echoing between the valley sides.  I'd heard nothing like it before.

The whole route was very well marked but along this section the markings failed.  The track split into two equally likely looking paths.  There were no markings visible beyond the split.  I'd seen a runner in front take the upper path and, because I knew he was following another runner who seemed to know the locals at the road crossing, I assumed they had local knowledge.  However, it didn't quite feel right so I went up 50 metres before getting the map out.  As I was checking the map I saw most of the runners I'd passed on the descent run past and along the lower path.  While putting away the map, the runner I'd followed came running back down.  He'd seen no further markers and realised he'd taken the wrong path.  This was Michael from Germany.  We were to meet often during the rest of the the race. As we ran along the valley side we caught glimpses through the trees of the cows strolling along the valley bottom road.  The route then dropped down to the road at Weisstannen village and the next checkpoint.

On approaching the village there was a table full of drink and food out on the right hand side of the road outside of the hotel but a guy was gesturing for us to go to the left hand side next to a hut.  This was very confusing but the guy was pretty insistent (not that I could understand what he was saying).  It turned out that the hotel table was refreshments for the cow people and the race checkpoint was indeed behind the hut. This was very well stocked with gels, cake, bananas and drink.  I'd dropped Michael slightly on the descent down to the village so I left the checkpoint on my own.  This section involved a kilometre (notice I've gone metric in this race) or so of road before taking to a riverside path for a five or six kilometres.  While still on the road I encountered my first Alpabfahrters.  The cow to people ratio seemed to be well inside 2:1 and there didn't seem to be more than half a dozen cows in each group.

I managed to run most of this section as it gradually wound up the valley along side the river.  The sun was out but there was plenty of shade.  I took a riverside path on the right hand side of the river but I think quite a few runners stayed on the road on the left.

Weisstannen towards Vorsiez and Unter Saas

The route crossed the river and then onto a path along the left hand side up to the collection of farms and a cafe (very tempting) at Vorsiez where it took to the farm track that gradually rose up and turned north.

The whole bad weather route

Weistannental to Spitzmeillenhutte (and back)

This was a long steady climb along a lovely wooded hillside overlooking the valley where the original route came down from the wonderfully named Foo to join us .

(c) Thomas Schmidtkonz

Michael caught me up along here after I attended to a call of nature.  Nowhere else but Switzerland would they bother to tunnel through a 100 metres of solid rock for a farm track.  

(c) Thomas Schmidtkonz

The track eventually levelled off and became runnable again.  I dropped Michael here knowing he'd catch me when it went uphill again.  I ran to the farm at Obersiezsass nestled in a broad high valley.  The route reared up again, very steeply at first, for the long haul up towards Spitzmeilen.  As predicted Michael soon caught me up on the steep section, just as the front runners came down on their way back ( I reckoned they were a good 2 hours in front of me).  He dropped me on this stretch as I trudged up the hill feeling the effects of the warm day.  I'd run out of drink by now so welcomed the mountain stream we had to cross on our way up.  Eventually I reached the shallow Fansfurggla pass and should have been awarded with a view of the Spitzmeilen mountain.  Unfortunately there was some mountain mist covering the peak.  When you can see it (as I did in July) this mountain looks like it belongs amongst the buttes of Arizona rather than in the Alpine peaks.    As it was we didn't get to see it during the run.  At this point in the race my mind was on other things anyway.  It was only another 4km to the Spitzmeilenhutte.  

It was just a gentle downward incline for a kilometre, contour round past those strange white rocks shown above, a slight rise over the shoulder to the right in the above photo then a drop down to the hut and the turn-around checkpoint.  Throughout out this section runners were streaming past on their way back.  I did a quick headcount and figured I was somewhere in the middle of the pack.  This was fine by me as I knew that   most of the climbing was out of the way and I had the lovely downhill section back down into the Weistannental valley to come.

Me approaching the Spitzmeilenhutte checkpoint

I had a slight disappointment here as I'd expected the checkpoint to be actually inside the hut and was looking forward to a bowl of the lovely meat and vegetable soup that I'd had here in July.  Instead, they'd erected a wigwam and the checkpoint was set up on tables outside that. (What is it with the Swiss and wigwams? There is a permanent wigwam in Kleine Sheidegg where the Jungfrau Marathon finishes).  There was a first in race refreshments for me here: hot isotonic drink.

Who is this old man?

It has taken me seven hours to reach this checkpoint.  I quickly calculated that I'd just finish as night descended, around 8 p.m..  This was quite good as I'd told Rosie to expect me nearer to midnight.

Michael was still at the checkpoint but he set off soon after I arrived.  I filled up my drink bladder, partook in the cake and bananas on offer and downed a glass of the very strange hot iso drink.  Then I turned around and set off back the way I came.

Heading home...

Retracing my steps back the mist had cleared by the time I reached Fansfurggla, having seen the back of the field still heading to Spitzmeilenhutte, and the sun came out again.  It was well into it's descent now.   As I descended down towards Obersiezsass I met a guy still ascending.  He said something to me but I replied "Sorry, English" to which he responded "Big hill".  This was the understatement of the day. I later learned that this was Thomas Schmidtkonz who was to become a Sardona Ultra legend at the first attempt.  He basically spent the entire race documenting it with his camera.  Apparently he unpacked his entire pack at the Wiesstannen checkpoint on the way out.  I believe that the marshals returning from a checkpoint also found him standing around at the top of the last descent taking photographs in the dark.  This man was not in a hurry but certainly knew how to enjoy a run.  

Looking down to the Obersiezsass hanging valley

As I reached the farm track above Obersiezsass I packed away the poles and set off on the lovely long descent.  I could see Michael in his yellow shirt about a mile down the track.  The next few miles were a lovely runnable downhill.  I ran this whole section at between 8-10 miles/hour. It was brilliant.  I caught and passed Michael halfway down fully expecting to see him on the big climb out of the valley but didn't see him again.  It took me an hour to walk up this section but only 15 minutes to get down.

The journey back down the Weisstannen valley was fairly uneventful. I was reduced to a run/walk by now.

It was then back up the 1400m climb out of the valley.  The muddy section through the trees was tough.  I was racing (in a slow trudging fashion) the sun as it set behind the hills on the northern side of the valley at my back.  The shadows were chasing me up the hill but I managed to stay in sunlight until the top of the climb.

On the middle section up the farm track zig-zags I managed to get into a good rhythm and passed a few other competitors.  One guy was sitting down in the middle of the track with his legs stretched out in front of him.  He said he was OK so I left him to it.  Towards the end of this section some people had driven up in a Land Rover and set up an impromptu aid station handing out gels.  This was very welcome as I approached the last section though the gorge. This went slowly but surely and I eventually reached the farm buildings just before the last climb to the top.  It was getting dark now and I found it difficult to find the track, although I knew where I was (I just didn't know where the track was).  I didn't have my headtorch on at this point so the reflective route markers weren't easy to spot.

Just as I was approaching the top section with the tussocks (Alp Gamidauer) I saw the strangest sight I've ever seen on a mountain.  I'm convinced that it was not an illusion.

There was another competitor about 50 metres ahead of me.  I was concentrating on the ground in front of me and just as the incline levelled off I looked up.  Between me and the other competitor there was a man.  He was wearing a dark long coat or cloak and a wide brimmed hat and had long shaggy hair.  He was carrying a pack of some description on top of which was a bedroll or tent.  If he'd had a pointy hat and a staff he'd have looked for all the world like Gandalf.  He was walking in the same direction as us but where our route turned right he went straight on.  I've since checked the map and where he was heading was just rocks and cliffs.  Very strange.

So, over the tussocks to the last checkpoint where I put on a spare top and my headtorch.  It was largely down hill from here, past the Baschalvasee and down the zig-zags to the cafe at Gaffia.  Here the route back diverged from the route out.  Instead of going back over the Gamli we simply had to follow the wide track back down to Furt and the finish.  I'd caught up another runner at this point and he tagged onto me as we started down the track.  I'd been down this track on my July visit and knew it was fairly runnable (albeit in daylight) so I turned on the after burners for a last blast and dropped the hanger on to sprint into the finish for a time of 12 hours 22 minutes in  36/78 position.  A grand day out.

The winner, Ueli Schneider, finished in an excellent 8:23, Michael in 12:35 and Thomas in a well photographed 18:53.

It was a mere 50 metres from the finish back to my hotel.  I couldn't find Rosie so I had a shower and got changed then went down and found her in the corner of the restaurant.  I was just in time for dinner so I wolfed that down.  We then had a chat and a few drinks with a couple of other runners in the hotel reception/breakfast area.  Being so close to the finish the hotel was the event centre so runners came in as they finished and, very reminiscent of the Lakeland 100 finish area, were clapped in.

For a first running of an event the whole thing went extremely well, especially so in the circumstances.  Umberto and his team are to be congratulated.  There were lots of very happy runners.

The next day was perfect weather so we went up the ski-lifts to the Pizolhutte where we had lunch then took a steady walk with Umberto and his family up to the Wildsee.

   

Lakeland 100 Revisited

When the Lakeland 100 course conspires with the weather it will find any chink in your armour and rip a dirty great big hole in it.

I thought my main chink was the sprained ankle that I suffered on the recce a month earlier which was still hanging around. It turned out to be the grumbly digestive system which I've had for a few weeks now.

After last year's delay at Kentmere which I estimated cost me a couple of hours I fancied my chances of getting inside 32 hours at least.  Once again my clubmates Paul H and Peter D were taking part as was Will M who upgraded from last year's Lakeland 50.  Both Paul and Peter were hoping for a sub 30 finish time. Paul had a 32 hours under his belt from last year but Peter had DNF'd due to stomach problems.  Also running were Tom H and Brian L from Tring (where I live).  Tom also had a score to settle having DNF'd last year. Another DNF returnee was Steve K who we'd met and ran with on most of last year's recces.

My training had gone really well up until spraining my ankle on the last recce weekend in June.  This prevented me from topping off my training with some decent mileage.

The weather forecast for the event was cool temperatures (15-16 deg centigrade) and showers which looked like pretty good good running conditions but the Lake District weather is unpreditable if it's anything.

I drove up to Coniston on the Thursday and stayed at Coniston Holly How youth hostel.  My room was full of others doing the race including the aforementioned Steve K and Brian L.  On Friday morning it was down to the school to pitch the tent and register (plus a trip back to the youth hostel to get my food which I'd left in the self catering kitchen. Duh!).  I weighed in at a couple of kilos less than last year and was given the race number 267.

There was no Joss Naylor this year to give us our pep speech which as a shame as I'd hope to have a word with him about doing some prints of a painting of him which I've just finished, and selling them for charity.  The idea being to get him to sign them. I'll have to contact him some other way.

Joss Naylor, Wasdale, 1970s - Artist: Mick Wren

Anyway,  as the start time approached the weather improved (that is if you're a tourist and not about to run up Walna Scar Road!).  It must have been over 20 degrees.

So, 5:30 arrived and off we went.  Up front it was going to be very interesting as the winners from the previous two years (Stuart Mills and Terry Conway respectively) were there as was the highly placed Paul Tierney  and a few others I wasn't familiar with.

Photo: Susan Graham (Me in blue on left and Tom in blue on right)

The usual dash ensued until we hit the Miners Track then it was out with the poles and walk up the hill.

Me and my poles (Paul on right).

The first leg went pretty much to plan.  I passed loads on the downhill section to the bottom of Walna Scar Road. I managed to keep most of those behind me on the climb up (thanks to the poles) and passed a few more on the way down to checkpoint 1 at Seathwaite.  It was here that I had make my first call to the loos.  It was all downhill from then (so to speak).  Leg 2 went well.  After the usual trudge through the bogs round Harter Fell I comfortably ran the rest of the leg passing a few more runners on the way. However, I still lost some 30 places due to my pit-stop at Seathwaite.  The Boot checkpoint was the same as last year.  The helpers were inundated with a flood of runners in a rush to get on in this early stage.

So, it was then the steady incline to Burnmoor Tarn and a drop down into Wasdale where I caught up Peter who was complaining of blisters on his heel bottoms.  On the road stretch before Wasdale Head I was just thinking that we'd get into the checkpoint and Paul would do his usual trick of appearing, whizzing through the checkpoint and disappearing, when who should come up behind us but Paul.  We jogged into the checkpoint where Paul whizzed through and disappeared (never to be seen again).  He was a man on a mission.  I donated my large Compeeds to Peter for his heels.  Ironically this year I'd gone through my first aid kit and cut it down to size so I had no spares but hardly ever suffer from blisters so it wasn't a problem.  Will also turned up at this point and took off after Paul but didn't manage to catch him.  At this point I reckon I was about ten minutes up on last year's time but it was still time for the head torch (Petzl Myo RXP).  I left Peter to put his shoes back on knowing he'd catch me on the up hills. A steady jog along Mosedale and up onto Black Sail pass followed, all the while looking for a reasonable hiding place for the loo (it's even harder to hide at night when everyone has a head torch and you're covered in reflective gear!).  In the end I held out until Buttermere checkpoint.  Having snapped my poles while descending Black Sail pass last year I made sure they were safely stashed away this year.

I was glad to get the descent off Scarth Gap out of the way.  The showers started on this stage some very heavy but not lasting too long so it was difficult to know whether to bother with the jacket.  This was reflected in the variety of body cover in use at any point in time.  There were people in shorts and t-shirts alongside people wearing full body waterproofs.  That set the pattern for the rest of the event.  I had to get the cag out on this stretch as the rain brought the temperature down.  I also had one of several falls going down here.  Running along a grassy trod on a bank parallel to the rocky path I tripped on a rock and went arse over tit down the bank.  Thankfully I missed the rocks but did get cramp in both calfs which I soon stretched out.

As it turned out Peter didn't catch me up on the hills but, looking at the results he passed through Buttermere as I was inspecting the state of their plumbing.  I'd decided to walk the first part of this stage, to the top of Sail Pass anyway to give myself a rest.  While doing this someone behind asked if I was Mick Wren (the race numbers had our first names printed on them).  I'd apparently given him some advice on the Lakeland 100 facebook page regarding poles and he was very grateful for it.  This was the first of many instances of people recognising me for one reason or another to the point where I began to feel a bit like a celebrity.  Must practice my autograph.

Going up the steep section to Sail Pass I had a very weird experience.  On a previous recce in 2011 I'd sailed (forgive the pun) up here using my then new poles.  However, on the actual 2011 event I really struggled which I'd put down to not have the use of my freshly snapped poles.  This year I found it extremely hard even with poles.  About three quarters of the way up I started to keep losing my balance and falling (fortunately to the left and not down the hill to my right).  It was just like trying to stand up when totally pissed.  This had me very worried.  Eventually, as I approached the top of the pass my left ear popped and my balance improved (although I still felt drained).  I can only assume that the air pressure in my ear was affecting the balance mechanism in that ear.

I chucked down a small bag of oat and fruit biscuits at the top and proceeded to descend the very steep path towards Barrow Door.  About 20 minutes before this my head torch had flashed telling me that the batteries were on their way out and now the light was really dimming so I waited for some other to catch me up so that I could piggyback their light.  I had spares batteries but didn't particularly want to change them in the open.  That was another attempted weight saving I'd made this year.  I normally carry a spare head torch (a very small and light Petzl Zipka) as well as spare batteries but I put that in my drop bag this year.  I'll not be doing that again as I felt very vulnerable without that spare.  I only had to drop one of my spare batteries and I'd have been stuffed.

Braithwaite checkpoint eventually arrived and I entered to find Peter in there (not thinking at the time that I hadn't seen him pass me).  After another plumbing inspection and a change of batteries we left together.  Two minutes later it was raining stair rods as we jogged along the road to Keswick.  I paid my respects to my ancestors as we passed Crossthwaite graveyard then it was up onto Spooney Green Lane.

Back in the checkpoint I'd put some boiling water into a chicken tikka freeze dried meal (from Expedition Foods) that I'd been carrying with me and left it to rehydrate in my rucksack planning to eat it going up the lane.  I've used these food several times before on the overnight camps of mountain marathons and they've been great but there must be something about taste buds while on the move.  The chicken tikka was far too spicey and the the texture felt wrong so I just couldn't eat it.  This had happened previously when I tried the same thing during the Bullock Smithy challenge.  So, I've given up on the idea of having a 'proper' meal while on the move.

While travelling up the Glenderaterra valley I noticed it was getting light which shocked me as last year I was approaching Dockray at this time of day.  Those toilet stops and the bad patch over Sail Pass had cost me dearly. We eventually found the new unmanned checkpoint (on the second sheepfold after searching for it on the first one) then walk/jogged to the Blencathra checkpoint but not before I had to make an emergency stop behind a wall to inspect the bracken.  There were no free socks this year at Blencathra but at least it was indoors this time.

By now we were well aware that any chance of a decent time had long gone so we mentally dropped into 'just finish' mode.  It's interesting how this affects the performance.  We walked where we probably would have run if going for a time and, being effectively a team of two, we ran at the speed of the slowest runner at the time.  This had the cumulative effect of our time slipping more and more.  We souped up at Dockray and plodded on to Dalemain arriving at 10:40 to find Will who had retired (along with some 30 others I believe).

I claimed squatters rights in one of the portaloos while Peter had his feet strapped up by the medic. We then refueled on the wonderful soup/stew and cake and custard served by marvellous checkpoint staff, and had a change of clothing.  The spare poles I'd brought along stayed in the drop bag.  In the end we were there for at least an hour but eventually set off walking across the field.  My plans to minimise checkpoint time had long since bitten the dust.

After a jog along the river we entered Pooley Bridge where I popped into the public conveniences (convenient being a very apt word in my case) to see how their plumbing compared to elsewhere in the Lakes. I can report it was adequate.

On the climb out of Pooley Bridge I received my second shock of the day.  We were walking and this guy came sprinting past.  "He's keen" I thought then another ran past then another.  It dawned on me that they were the L50 lead runners. Last year I'd been at Sadgill when the first L50 came past.  This was depressing. The fourth L50 runner was my mate Kieran Davis with whom I'd done the Old County Tops back in May. Ian Corless (of Talk Ultra fame) who I'd spent a few hours with on the last recce soon passed as well.  It was then time for another photo-shoot.

Nice colour scheme (Peter in red)

With hindsight I'm not sure that fluorescent yellow was the best choice of colour for my new role as chief  bracken inspector.  Marc (event organiser) had asked us during the pre-race briefing not to smile for the photographers as they wanted to show how hard and tough the event was but he shouldn't produce such a happy event so we ignored him.

Peter had come up with a cunning plan at this point.  We were going to let the first 20 L50 runners go then tag onto the back of the next one.  Like most cunning plans this one melted in the heat of execution as we watched a good 50 runners go by.  Eventually though I saw one I wanted to follow and tagged on in tow at what felt like a cracking pace (it was downhill).  The fact that it was a very nice looking young woman in short lycra shorts was pure coincidence I can assure you.  This very pleasurable stretch came to an end after about a quarter mile when I noticed that Peter hadn't followed.  I guess my backside doesn't have the same motivating effect.  So, normal service was resumed and we trotted down towards Howtown.

On the last official recce weekend in June I'd met up with two guys in Windermere youth hostel who were also doing the recce, workmates Mikey and Dom.  They were on the L50 and came past Peter and I just before Howtown.  Dom was still suffering from an ankle sprain and was considering his options when they got to Howtown.  As it turned out they both continued and when Mikey got to Ambleside he found out that Dom was still going and waited half and hour for him to make sure he finished.  That just about sums up the spirit in this event.

Last year the Howtown checkpoint was centred inside the building but this year they'd decided to put most of it outside (probably to cope better with the numbers) but after dibbing in I went inside and Peter lost track of  me.  He caught sight of someone leaving wearing a fluorescent yellow top and chased after them.  While he was doing this I was came out to look for him and couldn't find him.  He realised it wasn't me when he noticed the rucksack colour and came back.  I would have popped into the loo here but there was a queue so off we went.

I really suffered here last year in the heat.  This year the heat was much better but being amongst the L50 entrants I was forever acquiring a trail of people behind me.  This pressurised me into going a little faster than I'd have liked to until I had to pull over and let them past.  In the meantime Peter was obviously feeling stronger and took off for the top where he waited for me.

Running as a pair is much slower than solo running.  We each had sections where we felt better than the other and had to wait.  Next time (if there is one) if there's chance of a good time then I'll have to run my own race.

Anyway,  we made our way across the Kops and down to Haweswater, hacking through the bracken at the bottom rather than climb down the rocks.  Along the bottom track I had to find a water source as the drink in my bladder tasted very strange.  I'm not sure what it was but I didn't trust it so had to refill my bottle.  Having done so I then climbed up into the bracken for another 'inspection'.  The noise from the stream hid any noises I might (did) have made.  I then caught up Peter and chugged round to the Mardale checkpoint.  It was getting colder, wetter and windier by now so we put an extra top layer on after a couple of welcome cups of tommy soup.  Then it was up the Gatesgarth Pass path.

This time it was my turn to get to the top first where I waited for Peter.  The weather had set in now so it was cagoules and gloves on.  Coming down the other side was it's usual steep and rocky self until we reached the point where the appropriately named Wren Gill meets the track.  It was like a giant had scooped a three foot deep, two foot wide trench out of the middle of the track. The track was destroyed. That must have been quiet a sight when that happened.  We were walking at this point and I started getting very cold so down in the bottom of the valley we resorted to wearing overtrousers.  It shows how I was feeling the cold as I didn't resort to overtrousers in the 1998 'Howling Howgills' KIMM or in the 2008 Borrowdale OMM.

It was around this point that I had another weird episode. I was walking alongside Peter when I suddenly realised I didn't know who it was next to me.  I went through a whole list of people (runners and non-runners) in my head before getting back to Peter.  This happened a couple of times.  I didn't tell Peter about the episode but I suspected this was a sign of hypothermia.  I spent a few minutes considering this and decided that it would be foolish to risk continuing.  I did have another top and some leggings in my bag but if I put those on I'd have had no back-up clothing.  With 20 dark, cold and wet miles to go it would have been
dangerous.  Having completed last year there was no pressure for me to prove anything so I had the luxury of being able to quit without feeling any loss or guilt.  This was all ironic considering last year I was held up in Kentmere by the medics with suspected hyperthermia.

So we arrived at the Kentmere checkpoint at around 9:00 p.m.(via the Sadgill track which was also torn up by the weather and was also a lot longer than I remembered) where I dibbed into the retiree dibber box being informed that the coach back to Coniston would leave around 10:30 p.m..  I made sure that Peter had anything he needed from me then dashed into the loos while he bravely set off into his second night to get his first completion.

It was at this point that the wicked god of retirees took over.  The first thing he did was to empty the header tanks for the loos in the checkpoint ten minutes after I arrived so they were closed.  He then made sure that the bus back to Coniston didn't leave until 1:00 a.m. So there I was with a very dodgy stomach in a checkpoint with no loos for 4 hours.  On arriving back in Coniston (after hallucinating a woman holding a bike outside the checkpoint) I was told we could have a t-shirt (which was fine as they aren't dated) but the wicked god had the last laugh as when I got home I found it was a L50 t-shirt!

While waiting at Kentmere both Steve and Brian came through and both very determined to finish, as they indeed did.

Back at the event centre I found that Paul had finished in 30:50.  Not the sub 30 he wanted but a brilliant determined effort nonetheless.  Ian had done a brilliant sub 10 and Kieran 10:39.  Mikey and Dom finished as I was there in 14:01 and Peter, Steve and Brian were still out on the course. I'm afraid I couldn't stay awake long enough to see them in.

Photo: Paul Hunt.   Peter at the finish

The journey home provided more opportunities to inspect plumbing as I called into almost every service area down the length of the M6.

In hindsight I'm very happy with the decision I took. Whilst I didn't actually feel too bad in myself during the event it was tiring feeling the need to go to the loo for 30 hours and it probably affected my digestion and energy intake.  I was certainly feeling the cold a lot more than I should have done.  Two days later and I'm already thinking about doing it again having said twice was enough.  However, I should have a guaranteed place in the UTMB next year so I might do the 50 as a training run.  We'll see.

Old County Tops 2012 - Slip Sliding Away

Well that was an unexpected pleasure.  I hadn't planned to do this race (a mere 37 miles up 10,000 foot worth of Helvellyn, Scafell Pike and Coniston Old Man) but responded to a request on the Lakeland 100 Facebook page for a partner.  This event is done in pairs (not sure why but I suppose it could turn a bit interesting if the weather came down).  The request was from Kieran Davis an ex-roadrunner turned fell/trail runner from Derbyshire, nearly 25 years my junior..  Kieran has entered the Lakeland 50 this year and was looking for some longer distance experience.  (His previous longest run was 21 miles.)  He was running sub 6 minutes miles on the road so I knew he'd have to wait for me.

I nearly didn't make it after having a massive headache on Thurday and finding my blood pressure to be 205/136.  That's seriously high so I took myself off to the docs.  It'd gone down a bit by the time I saw him but, having tried everything to avoid going on the pills for years I agreed to try some ACE inhibitors (but not until after the race).

So, after a Friday night at Ambleside Youth Hostel and awaking to a very rainy grey morning I drove over to the New Dungeon Ghyll in Langdale and met Kieran, along with his wife Jo and their dog.  Also there were Goyt Valley Strider clubmates Claire and Caz and Paul and Will as well as ultraplodder Nick.  Other famous faces were Sarah Rowell and Yiannis Tridimas both presumably having a break from supporting Bob Graham attempts.

I made a major mistake even before setting off from home.  I've clearly got into a trail running mindset and chose to take my XA Pros (one new pair and an old pair).  I didn't take my Speedcross as I'd not run more than 21 miles in them and didn't know how they'd work over this distance.  I didn't take the Mudclaws as they'd skinned my heels in the past over a long run.  So, the choice on Saturday morning was between a well worn pair of XA Pros or a new pair which I'd only worn twice.  Normally the new pair wouldn't be a problem as I'd been using XA Pros for many years and even did the Bullock Smithy in a pair straight out of the box, but this new pair were an updated model and the fit wasn't identical so there was a risk involved.  In the end I opted for the old pair and spent the rest of the day regretting it.  Hindsight now tells me I should have worn the Speedcross.

So, at 8:15 on a late start (due to dealing with EODs and partner swaps in the main registration queue) a record breaking 103 teams set off from the car park at New Dungeon Ghyll under a grey sky.  It had stopped raining half an hour before the start so the jackets were still on. Down the old Langdale road (farm track) to Chapel Stile (to the clangs of a Swiss cow bells bringing back memories of the Jungfrau Marathon) then up and over the shoulder of Silver Howe heading for Grasmere.  It was on the descent into Grasmere (where my ggg-grandfather was christened in 1805) that I received my first lesson in shoe choice.  Slipping in the mud I came down coccyx first onto a rock, also damaging my right index finger in the process.  No real damage done (although my finger was out of action for the rest of the day and is still painful a week later).

On through a very quite Grasmere and up the A59 for half a mile (to come across the same cow bell) before turning right up towards the Great Tongue. The poles came out here (I'm not proud) and the jacket and gloves went on for the drag up to Grisedale Tarn and up into the clouds hugging the Helvelyn ridge.  The race split here.  Half went straight up the monstrous incline to Dollywaggon Pike.  We, the rest, took a sloping line up the hill until we met the ridge path.  Kieran had plenty of time for a break waiting for me to drag my carcass up the hill.  The top was covered in frozen snow. A Bob Graham attempt by Aly Raw of Bingley Harriers had been through a hour of so before us and they were running through a snow storm. (She completed in under 23 hours for the record).  We were soon at the X wall shelter where the cheery marshalls took our number.  That's four times I've been on Helvellyn and I've yet to have a view of any description.

Off we dropped down the side of Helvellyn on a SSW heading.  Next time (Did I say that?) I'll drop a bit further West where the ground levels out more. On the top section the scree rocks were covered in a thin but very solid layer of ice.  The combination of snow, ice and shoes fit for ten pin bowling made for the first of several interesting descents.  We eventually picked our way down and dropped through the trees to Wythburn car park and checkpoint where we picked up some malt loaf and jam sandwiches.

The Wythburn valley came next.  Three quarters of the way up we came across a dead ewe with a live lamb snuggling into it.  A hiker said he was going down to tell the farmer.  Hope it made it.

We took a line to the left of the stream cutting over the shoulder of High Raise, rather than contouring round like most did.  I prefer our route choice.  We dropped down onto Stake Pass then round the back of Rossett Crag to the time-out checkpoint at Angle Tarn with 15 minutes to spare.

Photos: Nick Lander

Now we've got to get to Cockley Beck in time then we're safe.  Just the little matter of Scafell Pike and the Great Moss to deal with first.  

With Angle Tarn looking spectacularly black and sinister behind us we headed off up to Esk Hause.  We hadn't gone far when I recognised the pair in front of us. It was Paul and Will.  We gradually hauled them in and I enquired as to where Paul's poles were to which he replied that they were for girls.  He's obviously been listening to our clubmate Al.  I'll remind him of that when we're heading up Garthsgate Pass on the Lakeland 100 in July.   We went up and over Broad Crag and up Scafell Pike together.

The race organisers had advised anyone who hadn't recce'd the southern drop off Scafell Pike to retrace their steps down to Little Narrowcove and drop down there.  This was our plan until Will said he'd recce'd the route recently so we tagged on and set off down what I remember as being a vertical cliff looking from the bottom.  We hadn't gone far before Will said that the route he'd recce'd was further to the right and he'd recce'd it uphill!  However, he managed to find the way down but not without leaving me behind in my roller skate shoes. They took off over Great Moss while Kieran waited for me to slide my way down.

I was a bit weary going over Great Moss which seemed to go on forever.  Just before we reached Mosedale I downed 500ml of isotonic drink and that seemed to revive me no end.  We tanked it down Mosedale, passing three of four teams and nipped past Paul and Will just before the Cockley Beck checkpoint 8 minutes inside the cut-off.  The cakes, sandwiches and bananas we're just what the doctor ordered.  After topping up the drink bladder we set off for the last hill.  I was surprised to see Paul still in the checkpoint as he's normally in and out like a shot.  They'd previously told me that Claire and Caz were behind them which meant I was first in our club.  Not that that made the upcoming climb any easier.

The poles came out again as we set off up towards Swirl Howe, cutting off the corner of Grey Friars.  After a steady 500m of ascent, during which we climbed alongside a pair of guys from the Pennine club, one of whom was revelling in being much higher than his Dutch countrymen.  Kieran spent quite a while waiting for me going up here.  We picked up the top path here and headed off in the direction of Coniston Old Man (COM).  This part of the route was an out and back to the top of COM so we were now seeing pairs on their way back to the finish. 

At Levers Hawse I had to succumb to the inevitable and squatted behind a rock only to realise everyone dropping down to the hawse could see my backside sticking out.  That's twice things have gone wrong here.  A few years ago I was just finishing day 2 of a Saunders Mountain Marathon and just had to drop down to Low Water for the last control when my partner took a bee line in the mist for what turned out to be Levers Water.  We lost a good 90 minutes looking for a control that wasn't there.  Never again did I trust someone else's navigation. 

We were then up and over the upturned pudding bowl that is Brim Fell and up to the Old Man.  Three down, none to go.  A quick swig of water and we were off back down. Skirting round Swirl Howe we dropped down to Three Shire Stone and onto the road.  This is where my shoes at last came into their own.  We tonned it down the road pick up at least three teams in the process.  At the wall corner we turned left and along the Lakeland 100/50 course (albeit in reverse) past Blea Tarn picking off another weary pair.  The drop down into Langdale felt much shorter than it does going up it.  It was then across to Side House Farm where I admit we cut that corner by going through the gate to the left of the farm. 

At this point, with just a quarter of a mile left, I ran out of steam.  I could feel the tank emptying with every step I took until I was reduce to a walk.  Kieran waited for me on the bridge.  I used the tiny drop off the bridge to get going again and managed to run the couple of hundred yards to the finish in a time of something like 10:45, well outside of the sub 10 we fancied at the start and over three hours behind the winners. Considering 20% of the field didn't finish and I was running in carpet slippers we can't complain though.  A grand day out on the hills. (Oh, and did I mention, I was first in our club?)

After refuelling on the marvellous lentil soup and cakes I then tried to find a room at the New Dungeon Ghyll hotel but they were full so I set off to Bingley to deliver my painting of Dave. 

During the event, as I was trudging through some of the boggier sections I remembered why I'd decided not to do OMMs anymore and to focus on trailrunning, but with hindsight I really enjoyed this event and will probably be back for more (with the right shoes of course).

Stepping Up the Miles

Having not managed a long run in April (due to a variety of reasons) I desperately needed to get out for a few hours before the upcoming Old County Tops (37 miles and 10,000 feet over Helvellyn, Scafell and Coniston Old Man) race on 19th May.  So I planned a big loop from our house expecting it to be somewhere in the low 20s only to find out when I got home it was over 29 miles according to Run Keeper.

I can't get the map to embed so click here to see> last Sunday's run.

It was cool and wet (and slippy underfoot, especially in the latter half) so I didn't need too much in the way of fluids (I drank a litre overall) but I felt very hungry for some reason (probably due to me cutting down on the carbs recently).  Fortunately I'd taken a couple of bananas and bars but was still feeling empty over the last ten miles.  I was ready for a cup of tea and a nice hot bath by the time I got home but overall fairly pleased as I found the first 20 miles nice and comfortable (and I got to see some Shetland pony foals which were extremely cute and not much bigger than our dog.)

GG III

Had a long day out yesterday. Unfortunately most of it was in the car.  Set off at 6:30 to get to Grindleford in the Peak District at 9:00 for my third outing on the Grindleford Gallop.  This is a course that suits me more than some others due to the long runnable sections with just three hills of any size.  In the last two years I'd come 3rd and 2nd within the club which never happens in other, more hilly, races. 

I didn't know how I'd get on as I'd not run more than 10 miles in one go (and then only a couple of times) since last August and hardly been out at all until after Christmas.  However, I had managed to get out almost every day in February for 4-5 milers (mostly around the flat lands around Towcester where I work). This was unheard of as three times a week was normal for me.  As usual I was carrying too much weight (fat) for my liking. I'd mysteriously put on half a stone (3 kg) very rapidly in February taking me over 13 stone for the first time in years.  I've managed to get down to 12st 10lb but that's still a stone above racing weight.

Anyway, the weather was almost identical to the previous two years, a bit chilly but no real promise of rain and the risk of the sun coming out.  There was a record attendence by our club (Goyt Valley Striders) with nearly 40 members entered.  It was good to see the old faces again (and some new ones) as I'd not been out with the club for over a year.  (A 350 mile round trip for a training run is a bit excessive).

After a quick warm up we were off.  The usual dash for the narrow stiles was made and out onto the first hill we went.  That soon brought me to a walk as usual.  While strolling up, a new GVS face jogged past (this turned out to be Nick Jefferson who I'd never met before), closely followed by Peter Davis.  They disappeared over the top but I managed to catch and pass Peter as we entered Eyam village.  This set the pattern for the next few miles.  Peter passed me on the drag over Longstone Moor and I caught him again as we entered Great Longstone (where Stuart took this picture).

A bit of mind reading had gone on on the run down into Great Longstone.  Last year Peter had recommended using contact lenses.  Advice which I'd taken.  Along the stony track into GL I'd been thinking it was a good job I was wearing them instead of steamed up glasses when, on catching Peter he said "Bloody hell, I wish I hadn't told you about those lenses".  

Peter then caught me up on the disused railway line heading towards Bakewell.  I clung onto his shirt tails along the track only to see him disappear up the hill to Ballcross Farm.  I didn't see him again until the finish. 

The rest of the run was fairly uneventful. The cracking view down the Derwent valley from Calton Pastures.  Drop down to Edensor, through Chatsworth Park to Baslow then another walk up onto Baslow Edge (where I met Sally Hunter, who forgot to take my picture).  By this time the lack of long runs was showing in my weary legs as I plodded along the tops of the various edges (where, apparently, I passed Will Meredith, who forgot to take my picture).   

That final drag along the top of Froggat Edge to the road felt longer than ever, followed by a weary descent into Grindleford to finish in 3:13, a minute down on last year.  I thought I was 3rd in the club but Stephen Bull had somehow snuck in between me and Peter so I was 4th (7th overall in the M50 category and 68th/339 overall (still comfortably upper quartile)).  

I then managed to drive home to finish a long, weary but enjoyable day.  

Blog Convergence

Well, it's finally happened.  I've done my first running painting.  That represents a convergence of my two blogs, this one and SlappingOilOnCanvas.  I painted this recently as a present for my mate and mountain marathon (KIMM/OMM, Saunders etc) partner Dave on his 50th birthday.

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This painting had an immovable deadline so that gave me the motivation to get my finger out and do it at last.  (I nearly started it a year ago getting Dave's birth year a year early).  I have an ambition to become a regular painter of mountain scenery, ideally with a race going on and this was my first attempt.  Unfortunately there's are any mountains in view but I'm very pleased with the result.  The race Dave was taking part in was the Really Wild Boar race up in the Pennines near Sedbergh.

Time for an Update

So it's a new year (already!) and the first month is nearly over.  This post is a brief look at what I've got planned for the year and what's happened so far.

Top news is that I didn't get selected in the lottery for the Ultra Trail de Mont Blanc (UTMB) 2012 which is a shame, especially as my mate Dave is doing the impressive La Petite Trotte à Léon (PTL) and would have been over in Chamonix at the same time.  Hopefully, this means that I'll get automatic entry for next year's event but with the massive oversubscription the race could be almost full with just the carry-overs from this year.  It wouldn't surprise me if they changed the rules on automatic entries. 

On a brighter note I got into this year's Lakeland 100 so I've got that to look forward to.  I'm also doing the Grindleford Gallop for the third consecutive year.  I've done well in this so far, coming third and second in the club.  Looking at the large number of club entries for this year I somehow don't think that this trend will continue to first place.

As consolation to the UTMB I will probably enter a new event in Switzerland the Baechli Sardona Ultra Trail being organised by my friend Umberto. I've also got the offer of going over in the spring to recce the course and hopefully help with planning if I can.

I might squeeze in the 56 mile Bullock Smithy in August.  I've got a 12 hour target to beat there. Apart from that there's a weekend recce of the latter half of the Lakeland 100 in June but nothing else planned.

The first three months of this year is the 3Ss: Speed, Strength and Suppleness.  Well that was the plan.  I've had a couple of cold/flu spells and an aching flank (hopefully not my dead kidney playing up) that spoiled the first part of January.  I'm getting back into the swing of things now by putting in 5 or 6 five milers per week in the last two weeks.  I need to get into a more rigourous pattern of training though.

Well I've no doubt bored you enough now so, until the next time, get off your bum and go for a run.