Training Log Archive: Mark3

FIRST!!! My first fell race victory.

After coming 4th last year due to 2nd place getting lost I had resolved to take my own bearing and ignore everyone else.

Getting up to the trig, route largely obvious and I was hanging off the back of the second group, about a minute behind the first group, think I was in about 15th ish. About an inch of snow on the ground which meant it was faster conditions than last year, where it was just mud. It was technically a couple of degrees colder than Trigger at 2ish, so wore the thermashall, but was a bit toasty since there was no wind at all. There was also no vis, which turned out to my advantage...

Got to the trig and then there was a bit of a trod to Wolf Stones, then everyone seemed to diverge. Decided the couple of guys I could see weren't really on the right line and so went off on my own. Hard going through the heathery snow, but again faster than last year since a lot of the water had a layer of ice over it - there were ominous creaks and I went through a few times - not as badly as a few people I saw with bleeding shins at the end.
Got to a fence and was overtaken by a few people who had clearly been following me - neither had their map or compass out - one of them said "is this the right way?". Hmm. They overtook me and then started going too far left; I went slightly right and saw a large post looming out of the fog, which I vaguely remembered from the checkpoint on the way out. As I got a bit closer, I saw the marshall and gave him my number. "Well done mate", he said, "you're the first one through". I did a double-take. What had happened to everyone else?! Started running down the flagged section and saw people over to my right, who then saw me and started running towards me to get back to the CP... one guy overtook me and I did my best to stay with him, but he was too quick down the hill... went as hard as I [safely] could for my first 2nd place finish... then spoke to the guy at the end, "wow, lots of people missed that checkpoint didn't they?" "Errm... what?" turns out he'd missed it too -> victory!!

C • Well done 5

I don't like the chest track.

Overdressed. Took it easy. Slightly worried about the plantar pain.

Double-migraine this morning. Work was a struggle. Yawning a lot. Decided a rest day was a good idea.

Flat. Mistake at the start, running down the wrong road, and again not being able to find a hydrant, and a telegraph pole... but other than that went ok; probably lots of sub par decisions as usual for score events, but definitely getting better at being able to judge how long distances will take and hence back a respectable 38 secs early.

Running felt really hard again, definitely need a rest day. If it rains tomorrow or Thursday, I think it's justified.

Run followed by a disappointing falafel salad with passable sweet potato fries in the pub. Had two mince pies and clotted cream when I got home though, so that was alright.

No major issues although found this really really tough.

Edit: 48th/182
If I'd have run last year's time I'd have been 8th, so the conditions did at least affect other people too.
___


Hmm...45 minutes slower than last year and a full hour behind my target.

But

Conditions were grim. Raining and 50+ mph wind throughout. Wore baselayer and thermashell under coat which was too hot for the first bit on the track and then definitely erring on the side of too cold for the whole rest of the race. 3/4s were too optimistic too; realised this at the start when 95% of the field was wearing full length.

New OMM overmitts worked well and kept my hands dry although impossible to eat anything while wearing them. The wrist loops I added worked, though.

Deliberately set off slowly along the track and never really got going. The slabs up to black hill were as slippery as an ice rink, running next to them was ok when it was possible but often wasn't, so reduced to a walk. Nearly fell over a few times; many people did fall over.
Stayed with the group I was in faffing about trying to get the right map out of the bag and we all came of black hill trig straight, rather than staying on the PW, which is definitely against the rules. Otherwise, good line down the Crowden brook and then into Crowden apart from the last steep rocky track where some people gained a load of time following the wall which was more grassy; going to have to look into that.

Took the track up to Lawrence Edge which was a terrible idea; lost lots and lots of time here. Ended up rock climbing through waist deep heather which took ages. Strava implies I only lost 5 mins here but it felt like much more! Took the edge track all the way around to get to Wildboar rather than cutting across the moor like last year. If I do this race again I think I'd go the standard way up Lawrence but take the edge path again. Strava implies edge was slightly faster (and easier in bad conditions, and navigationally). Bit lucky Wildboar to Bleaklow, basically remembering last year. Then from Bleaklow, followed someone rather than using the map which was a bad call. Rescued it to Hern Stones; couldn't find the trod but took a bearing to the trig which worked beautifully. Vis was not good.was getting a bit worried.

Trod from higher shelf came out a bit high but not too bad, then extremely windy such that you could lean your entire bodyweight into it and be fine. I think this was windier than Langdale.
Stayed on path for too long before cutting to PW, saw the cut but didn't trust myself enough and was having a grim day, wanted to take no chances.

Bearing way off from corner of PW down Red Enough; actually came down a different enough. Really bad. Running was lovely on Fetherbed Moss though, so feeling really good until I came out in the wrong place. Had no idea what I'd done. Looking at it now, left the PW WAY after I thought I had and so was actually on the opposite site of Red Clough where I thought, which explains the mistake. Actually my bearing was ok...

This lost at least 10 mins. Ok after that, but really slow along Kinder Plateau due to the wind. Kinder Downfall was flowing uphill; I got drenched. Had to keep stopping to walk to avoid being blown off the edge or into rocks. Route from Noe Stool down fine, although would like to explore from below and try the path up from JL on the other side of the stream. I still think going down and around is faster than staying at the top - and today especially I wanted to get off the top asap.

Overall, poor performance. Caused by:
(1) bad choices (Lawrence)
(2) bad navigation (Red Clough)
(3) terrible conditions

I didn't enjoy most of it. Going to have to do it again, though.

On the plus side the slight plantar fasciitis I felt before the start didn't turn into anything, and my Achilles was fine. Every cloud...

C • (4) 2