Training Log Archive: Dormir

Silly running time!

So, after an email conversation with Ben Abdledoodle about the Lakeland Classics, the idea of doing the Abraham's Tearoom Round (henceforth referred to as The Teacup Round) was put into my head. I raised it with fluceluce, who agreed to come along for a fun day out.

We both spent a week nursing various minor and not-so-minor injuries, then decided to start anyway and see what happened. Vic is crocked so was on road/bike/some running support, and Tom was to meet us in Buttermere for the 2nd and 3rd sections.

7.12am ish start with a run out to Braithwaite, Vic cycling alongside. Getting light as we climb Barrow, some layers off as it's nowhere near as cold as we thought (despite the snow on the ground). Some classic former-orienteeresque straight-is-greating it across the lower slopes of Causey Pike to take in Rowling End, where we found some fox footprints (or a dog with no owner), and followed them up to Causey Pike. A bit of sketchy scrambling to the summit (rimey!) and onwards to Sail, the snow getting a bit thicker. On the top of Sail the sun came out briefly, so we stopped for some pictures and whooping before trekking onwards to Eel Crag. A nice bit of downhill running as a change for the legs to Coledale Hause (which I barely recognised in the clag, and pick up the traverse line to Grisedale Pike, where we met our first other people of the day (5 of them! Including one guy running in shorts....). Coming off towards Hobcarton, we saw someone Lucy knew. Bit of navving around Hobcarton, as the clag was thick and neither of us know that summit (and we didn't want to accidentally drop into the valley). Then back towards Coledale Hause, and hula hoops all round as we yomped up the back of Eel Crag towards Whiteless Pike. Whiteless was gained, and we had a lovely long descent into Buttermere, where Vic and Tom were waiting with tea and enthusiasm.

2nd section, Tom and Vic along for the ride. Long trudge up Red Pike, but mostly climbing well (apart from near the top where I started to get annoyed that we weren't at the top yet). Gained the ridge, and a lovely lovely run along to High Stile in the sunshine, hills poking through the cloud and generally loving life. High Stile gained, good times. Then came the least fun/hardest nav bit, trying to pick up the path off High Stile in the snow when none of us knew it. Footprints in the snow led us astray but safely down the rocks, but when we stopped to check the map we realised we were far too far left. Luckily we figured it out and quickly picked up a trod that (eventually) took us back to where we wanted to be - although there was some slightly sketchy traversing (only really sketchy because of the snow though) to get there. Finally the other end of Buttermere was in sight and we could yomp down again. Walked across the track to Gatesgarth to get some food in and down the road.

Vic said goodbye and trotted back towards her car at the Fish, me, fluceluce and Tom began the long steep drag up the back of Robinson - only two summits to go! It's a lovely side of the hill that I hadn't seen before, but I was quite glad to get to the top (fluceluce thinks it was about 1-1.5 miles and 600metres of climb....). This was probably the most unpleasant weather of the day, but we legged it off and picked up the BG traverse that we know so well and were soon by the lonely tree. Collected some walking poles (one broken, one not - clearly someone broke one, threw it away then decided they didn't want the other either?!) and trotted down towards Little Town. Through the carpark and onto the last climb of the day up the mine track towards Catbells. Made the top without headtorches, then put them on for the descent. Took the TWA line off the side to avoid slippy rocks, then onwards towards K-Town. Made a friend - lass from London who was jogging back towards Keswick - and kept up a reasonable pace all the way home. We may have missed cafe closing time, but we had excellent celebratory pizza and prosecco instead.

Here's to silly running, spectacular friends and stunning scenery. May we have many more days like this :)

C • Great stuff! 2

Hoping to do some silly running at the weekend with fluceluce, so taking it oh so gently to make sure foot and calf are fixed in time....

Yogi yogs

"Yoga for tired legs" to try and sort out the weird knot I've acquired in the back of my calf

Gentle flattish run to test the foot out. Not bad

Keswick AC core. Bloody hell it was hard

Potter round the Glenderaterra before the Keswick AC ladies' meeting. Mostly with Debs and Helen, very enjoyable.