A LONG HOT DAY IN THE LAKES

3am in the morning and I’m sat up in bed, wearing just my navy blue Patagonia Y fronts and a head torch. I’m also smearing factor 30 sun block on my arms and legs. A guy looks in the window, he’s wearing a hoodie, we stare at each other, it doesn’t take long to workout which one of us is the “misfit”

You see I have entered the “10 peaks challenge”. A race around the 10 highest peaks in the Lake District. I have slept the night in my landrover, parked near the grounds of a posh Keswick hotel and the transfer coaches leave for the start in 15 minutes. This is the second year for the event. A charity event for Macmillan Cancer Research. Last year 52 people started and non finished!

The coaches leave on time and we arrive at Thirlmere. A pep talk from the organiser follows, I look around at my fellow competitors. There’s a good mix of long distance runners and walkers. Also a smattering of hard as nails fell runners, with their tatty and worn gear, obligatory holes in their Helly Hansen thermals and calf muscles shaped like spades. Contrasting with the road runners, well dressed in co-ordinated Ronhills, nattering about negative split times and mile markers.

4am-a relaxed start follows and I let the first 30 or so get ahead, not that I had much choice about the first dozen.

A quick wizz up Hellvelyn 1st peak, keeping it steady, 55 minutes gone. Made memorable by the beautiful sunrise across the Pennines to the east. The hardcore fell runners dive off the summit on a direct line back to Thirlmere. I want to save my legs for later and take the tourist path descent.

CP1-Thirlmere. A chance to collect plenty of food and water, before tackling the long slog up Wythburn. It’s as ever very boggy, I eat my food whilst wallowing and wading through the morass. Early morning sunshine, its 6.30am. High Raise summit passes, and steady running leads to Angle tarn. Here the first route choice beckons, the BGR route up Bowfell Rakes or the path from Angle tarn? The BGR route wins the day, though steep its quicker and I’m ahead of my chasers. The summit of Bowfell 2nd peak gives tremendous views of the central Pikes of Scafell. I push on over Esk Pike and down to Esk Hause. Passing 3 Wharfedale Harriers en-route. (More of which later) The 3rd/ 4th and 5th peaks pass in quick succession.

CP2-Scafell Pike 6th peak. The highest peak in England. Its 9.30am and the day is warming up. Time to put on my sun hat and shirt. Each competitor is allowed ½ ltr of water and an energy bar here. I chatted to the checkpoint crew, a smile crossed my lips as I casually mentioned the guys behind are not too thirsty and that they said I could have their water ration. The checkpoint crew saw through my ruse and laughed out loud!

Off now to the 7th peak, Scafell. Lords Rake is as ever steep and scree filled, making for slow progress. Leaving the summit I head back down. The Wharfedale guys and I exchange greetings as we pass each other. It’s getting hot now and I try to fill my bottle from a water drip weeping from the cliff face, but it takes too long. I Continue along the rough path below Pikes Crag heading for Lingmell Col and the Corridor Route to Styhead Tarn. Picking up water en-route from the numerous streams.

Straight up the rocky steps to the summit of Gt Gable – 8th Peak before tackling the steep scree run down to CP3-Beck head. Another ½ ltr water ration here. Developing my ruse from CP2 I successfully blag an additional ½ ltr of water. However honour abounds and I admit my scam and hand back my “extra water”.

From here it’s a long run round the back of Kirk Fell and Black Sail Pass to Pillar 9th peak. It seems to take an age, my energy levels are low. I plod on. Brief chat with the Wharfedale guys, glad I’m not the only one finding it hot. One more peak to go. I now retrace my steps and more, heading for Honister Pass and CP4. Along Moses Trod I’m hailed by a couple from across the hillside. I’m in race mode so pretend not to hear them. More hailing, yep it’s definitely me they want to speak to, I decide I can spare a couple of minutes, they’re lost and want to know the way to Borrowdale.

Returning to race mode and the task in hand I run on. “Bugger” I spot the Wharfedale guys ahead disappearing over a ridge, where did they come from? They had picked a much better line than me. So I’m now 10 minutes behind them instead of 10 minutes ahead, great – NOT.

CP4 – Honister slate mines, jacket potatoes and chilli, proper food, just what I need. Keen to get going I grab a banana and head off up Dale Head towards the last peak. I carry the banana for a couple of miles, I know I need to eat it but just cannot bring myself to – am feeling a little nauseous. A battle rages in my head, “either eat it or throw it away” no point carrying something you’re not going to eat, think of all that extra weight! Such are my thoughts late afternoon. Eventually I do a deal with myself and eat half of it.

Running down Newlands valley is just beautiful. It’s still very hot, the rocks radiating their heat, gathered throughout the day. Using my cap I scoop water over my head from the streams. I have a good chat with the Wharfedale guys as we enter CP5 – Nichol End Marina. Last chance for food and water. For the past couple of miles Skiddaw 10th peak, has been looming ever larger. Definitely the crux of the race. A direct line from here to Keswick and the finish is only a couple of miles away; however we have nearly 10 more to go.

It’s a massive slog up Carl Side and onto Skiddaw. I stop more than once for a breather, limiting myself to 30 seconds each time. It seems to take an age. The views from the top in the evening light are stunning, definitely worth the effort, a just reward. 5 miles to go, and it’s all downhill! A quick blast down the main path, legs just about holding out and I’m soon running through Fitz Park heading back to the posh hotel and the finish. I take the hotel steps in a single bound, before marching through the hotel reception areas, passing Al a carte diners in the restaurant to finish at 8.36pm.

I spend some time chatting to the Wharfedale guys and the event organisers before heading home. Driving back through the central lakes, the sun is setting. Casting a huge orange light over the mountains. I reflect on what a top day out I’ve had. Sunrise to sunset in one of my favourite places to run. The 10 Peaks Challenge is a tremendous event. Well organised with a great spirit. If you are looking to do an endurance event I heartily recommend it. www.10peaks.com Oh yes and you get a cool T shirt and a “survivors” medal!

Andy Ellwood

Leeds-Liverpool Challenge

As you know Bill Smith, Zoe Baxter, Mike Lamb, Cath Coates and myself (Phil Nettleton) are runnnig from Leeds to Liverpool along the canal towpath, suppported by Tim Coates and Stuart Vann (not a club member yet) on cycles. We are using the event to raise funds for 2 charities, Help4Heroes and Neurocare. We set off on Wednesday 5th October;

Day 1 Wednesday 5th October, Leeds to Thorlby swing Bridge
Day 2 Thursday 6th October, Thorlby to Rishton, Lancs
Day 3 Friday 7th October, Rishton to Parbold
Day 4 Saturday 8th October, Parbold to Liverpool

in all 127.25 miles in 4 days.

Day 5 Sunday 9th October, rest for most except for Bill and Phil! It’s the Liverpool marathon for us, a further 26.2 miles! In all 153.4 miles over 5 days!….. God help us.

We have tried 2 recce runs; firstly on Good Friday from Leeds to Skipton in unbearable heat then last Sunday (17th July) from Church near Rishton to Skipton and it, it down all the way. Many lessons have been learned, about ourselves and our fitness levels and the practicalities or logistics involved.

Prior to lift off we have planned further training events and fund raisers;

Sunday 24th July, Bill and Phil take part in the Morecambe Bay Challenge, a half marathon across the sands of the Bay

Saturday 6th August, An invitation to Afternoon Tea from Mrs Nettleton, a few tickets still available.

Sunday 14th August, All involved walking the Three Peaks

Saturday 10th August, A Treasure Hunt around Skipton and Hippo Hunt for kiddies to raise awareness and funds for the charities

Sunday 11th August, final race run for us all.

Can I onbehalf of all of the team thank Skipton AC through you for your support, not least the sponsorship of our running shirts. I hope we be good ambassadors for the club.

Cheers
Phil

Wharfedale Half and Marathon: 4th June 2011

Following the very hot Friday, the Skipton AC Marathon and Half Marathon runners in this year’s Wharfedale event, were relieved when the weather turned cooler for their run on Saturday 4 June.  Apart from a reasonable headwind at times the weather was perfect and SAC achieved some excellent times and prizes from the largest field to run, with 86 in the full marathon and in 243 the half.

Claire Pearson should be very pleased with her “2nd lady”  and “1st local lady” for the ½ marathon (1 hr 47 mins), especially bearing in mind a leg injury (I’d swap her injured legs for my uninjured ones any day!) and Barbara Robinson (4 hrs 37 mins) and Val Costin (4 hrs 59 mins) had fantastic runs in the full marathon, both winning 1st prize in their age categories!

Other runners in the ½ marathon were Glen Costin (1 hr 50 mins) Dave Gorman and Triss Kenny (both 2 hrs 4 mins), Brian Hugill (2 hrs 8 mins), James Kirkpatrick who had a great run doing it in a time of 2 hrs 26 mins with no training!  Jan Smith gets the prize for being the last of the Skipton crew to finish in a leisurely 2 hrs 28 mins, but had conserved enough energy to go to a party that night!

It was also good to have some encouragement and refreshments on route from Richard Barrett who will hopefully be wining another prize in this event next year.

This is undoubtedly a tough race, but well worth the effort and well organised.  Well done to all those that took part.

Jan Smith

Congratulations Neil Pate

On Saturday 21st May Skipton A.C.s top veteran runner Neil Pate tackled the fearsome Great Wall Of China Half Marathon. The breathtaking views are a slight distraction from the punishing 21km undulating route which takes in over 800 steps. However, Neil’s Yorkshire Dales training served him well as he produced the performance of a life time, narrowly missing out on the medal rostrum, but finishing a stunning 4th overall out of over 850 runners and 1st Briton to boot.

Former Bradley resident Neil, now a full time athlete who lives in Shanghai with his family, had to make a 1320 mile return trip just to compete in the event. But that will be eclipsed by his next challenge, the famous Mt Kinabalu Race in Borneo later this year.

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Tough Ten – By Jo Morgan

It’s time to get up early again
Today’s the day I run The Tough Ten
As my Dad’s knuckles rap on my door
My knees wonder why don’t I play on the xbox anymore?

To end up at the start
I must have received a sharp blow to the head
My feet are wondering whether
I can sneak back off to bed
But it’s too late the race has started
And with it all my common sense has departed

I’m running up a steep Carleton hill
I remind myself I’m doing this for a “thrill”
I see face after face shooting past
And all I can think is you’re three times my age
How can you be running so fast?

After about 80 minutes it’s the end of the race
And I’m left with a T-Shirt and red face
And other parts to match
I say goodbye and wish everyone well
At least I’ve got another running story to tell

As I walk home
I think of what I will be like in years to come
When some young whippersnapper is shouting
“C’mon Grandad get your finger out your bum!”
I’ll look down and at my withered, old knee
And think
Thank God for those fun filled weekends
With Skipton A.C

© Joe Morgan 2011