Training Log Archive: TimM

Group shakeout around Grasmere.

FRA Relays - 3rd leg (nav) with Tam.

Team started very strongly so we were sent out in 3rd; a fair bit behind Keswick but about a minute behind Pudsey. We saw them picking up their maps and looked like we had gained time on them, so expected to see them on the way to 1. We turned left up the steep path but people kept asking if were the leaders so clearly we had taken a bit of a maverick route choice. Looked below and could see a fat pack running along the stream - this route cost us a couple of minutes.

We had discussed the route to 2 and not really come to much conclusion. The decision was arguably made for us by the sight of Pudsey running along a lovely trod clearly taking the route that avoided going up and over. So we took that and quickly entered the clag, within which we were to stay for the majority of the race. After a while we got to a fence and lake - this caught us by surprise but wasn't the end of the world. What was far more confusing was coming across a path that wasn't anywhere to be seen on the map.

This wasn't just a little animal track, it was a substantial track like the one we'd been on to 1. Haven't really been that confused for a while and really did not understand what was going on. The pack behind us caught us up but seemed to be running more confidently along the path. Looking back now, it would seem they knew about it so knew what was going on. Turns out this path is on just about every map, apart from the OS one we had.

Slightly frustratingly we could hear, but not see, Ambleside somewhere around us and it would have been good to tag onto them. I'd considered suggesting waiting for them coming out of 1 - think this might have been an alright idea in hindsight.

When we came off the unknown path it was an unbelievably nervy descent that seemed to take ages to hit the wall. Not gonna lie, still had little clue as to where we were. When we did hit the wall we didn't know where along it we were - cue more faff that was then compounded by going too low into the control. Inside I was quite pissed that we'd screwed it up already.

Thankfully we did ok to 3 and this reset it a bit. We'd agreed the route to 4; take in the sickening climb and then go along the ridge until it kicked up, at which point we'd cut across and into the long descent. The climb was a bit grim, but we caught site of Ambleside a little bit above us so we must have been moving ok. Before long it was into the descent which was not the most pleasant mix of steep scree and rocks.

Hit 4 well though and from there it was just toughing it out to the finish, sending Gregor out a minute or two down on Ambleside and about the same ahead of Dark Peak and HBT. Keswick had gone walkabouts so we had still come back 3rd.

Gregor put in a strong shift and we were close to 3rd. Very much feel that Tam and I should have been a good few minutes quicker (at least) which would have put Gregor out in a far more comfortable position. A claggy nav leg was perfect for us and we really should have taken advantage of that rather than screwing it up a bit.

But 4th is a sweet result and everyone else ran very nicely - can't imagine FRAs gets much more competitive than when in the Lakes, and we got our fair share of plaudits from some surprised people I think.

http://www.sportident.co.uk/results/2018/BritishFe...

C • Chaos in the mist! 2