Running race (Fell) 4:50:05 [4]
slept:7.5 shoes: Inov8 X-Talon 212
Wasdale Horseshoe Fell Race.
Painful.
Had Dave Stacey from NZ in the car with me. He took some good pictures at Greendale (where Joss Naylor lives) and the bottom of Lingmell Nose.
Bit late getting to the start. was still pinning on my number when the gun went!
Probably went off too fast up Illgill Head. Rhys had said that the first section didn't need recceing... so, of course, we soon ran into a cloud with 50-100m visibility! I was in front of a pack but quite a way back from the next guys. Went quite fast across the hillside to try to get a tow to the first checkpoint (CP). Didn't work. After about 5 mins of running I was unsure enough to stop and wait for the next guy. He was a Bowland runner (skinniest lower legs ever) and didn't know the route either. Then Mike Robinson (Dark Peak) came through and led the way.
Unfortunately I think the chasing had got me into the wrong frame of mind so Mike and I were going pretty quickly to Joss Naylor's place.
Lost about 200m on Mike as we went up Seatallan, mainly because he ran and I walked (but on a more direct line).
Kept him in view as we all ran the trod towards Scoat Tarn. Turns out that the line I had recced around Scoat Tarn was far too low and rockiness made me struggle to run. had a lot of people go past me over this kilometre so will know better next time.
Out climbed and took a shorter line up to Pillar and then got a few places back on the descent to Black Sail Pass.
Already had achey legs at this stage and was scared of the climb up Great Gable. Did a lot of walking around the northern side of Kirk Fell as a result. Was still really hard to keep any momentum on the walk up Great Gable.
I think I lost a lot of time on the next leg. I descended gingerly and walked a lot of the runnable incline to Esk Hause Shelter. I lost maybe a minute heading for the cairn, on purpose, thinking that was the CP. Realised before I had climbed a great deal though.
The pussy-footing off Great Gable and the rocky part of Scafell Pike was more of an effort to conserve energy than because I was too tired to go quickly. Ran pretty fast down Lingmell Nose because I saw a Bowland guy who was a little slower. Only got him because of the scree/erosion section on the steepest part.
Made me realise that I had held back too much though because I didn't feel too bad as soon as the descent started.
Bit disappointed with the time. Could have easily been ten mins faster (even after the quick start) if I had known I could push on a bit from Black Sail Pass to Esk Hause.
24th place.