Off north of the border for a couple of weeks, so no blogging. Fingers crossed on the weather. The plan - big days out on the hills, and some worn fingertips and sore shoulders checking out the bouldering!
Been a bit busy this week, getting work stuff out the way. Short runs (4 miles each) on Tuesday and Wednesday. Yesterday was the last Warrior Series race - Kinniside Conclusion. Finished second lady again, but persitence paid as I won the ladies title for the long series. Another bottle of wine, and another mug! Fantastic little race series, great routes, and a great low key atmosphere. I hope to be back next year.
Friday 16 April 2010
Tuesday 13 April 2010
Kinniside recce
Despite not really taking the local WCOC spring fell series seriously, and using these short sharp races as speed work, I found myself arranging to meet up with a mate to recce the last race in the series. Partly an excuse to get out in the gorgeous sunshine again, but I have to admit there is a bit of my competativeness creeping in. Last night after work we met up and jogged around the route, in beautiful blue skies. The air was amazingly clear and the views of the central fells stunning. Unfortunately I didn't take the camera with me, I was revelling in the fact that I didn't need to carry anything with me, no bumbag, no rucksac, just the shorts and t-shirt on my body, highlanders on my feet and my car key tucked safely away!
We had a fun time checking out direct routes, from the Cold Fell road, up to Flat Fell, down and back up to Dent, off the back of Dent across to Swarth Fell, and then Blakeley, before dropping back to the road. Lovely run despite the gorse bush hack! er hem!!
Bit of a rest today, just a 4 mile walk in total to and from work.
We had a fun time checking out direct routes, from the Cold Fell road, up to Flat Fell, down and back up to Dent, off the back of Dent across to Swarth Fell, and then Blakeley, before dropping back to the road. Lovely run despite the gorse bush hack! er hem!!
Bit of a rest today, just a 4 mile walk in total to and from work.
Sunday 11 April 2010
Leg 3 Recce
Headed out in glorious sunshine today to have a look at leg three. Decided I couldn't face driving to Dunmail Raise and subsequent faff of a return leg and drive home, when I could just do it from Wasdale Head - a mere 20 minutes drive if there are no grockles. So parked up on the Green and headed up to Styhead Pass, over past Sprinkling Tarn, and Angle Tarn, around the back of Rossett Pike, to Sticks Pass, across and up to High Raise and then down all the way to Steel Fell, where after a quick stop I turned around and followed the route as far as Mickledore.
Fantastic day out. 10.6 miles out to Steel Fell, and then the return back to the car of 16 odd miles. Felt strong but was worried I was a bit slow on the easier running ground, I don't feel I have any problem with the steeper ascents but don't seem to be moving as well / fast on the easier running ground. Not sure whether to worry about that as I can't think what to do about it!! My feet felt a bit battered as well by the end as it was warm and I haven't been out on the rockier ground for a while!
To top it all off I saw my first swallow of the year!
Fantastic day out. 10.6 miles out to Steel Fell, and then the return back to the car of 16 odd miles. Felt strong but was worried I was a bit slow on the easier running ground, I don't feel I have any problem with the steeper ascents but don't seem to be moving as well / fast on the easier running ground. Not sure whether to worry about that as I can't think what to do about it!! My feet felt a bit battered as well by the end as it was warm and I haven't been out on the rockier ground for a while!
To top it all off I saw my first swallow of the year!
some bouldering at St Bees
Spent Saturday down at St Bees, in gorgeous sunshine being belay bunny and general pack horse for P while he started rebolting a route on Apiary Wall, for the BMC Cumbria Bolt Fund. Due to the amount of kit we'd carried down to the crag, I left the mat in the van. This did not help my aim of having a gentle bouldering sess. I have discovered my feet, ankles, legs ... well everything are quite precious to me at the moment and after pootling up a couple of the easiest problems couldn't face harder things without a mat. Luckily it was pretty busy down at the boulders so managed a reasonable amount of problems using others mats. Lovely day, and was careful not to do too much!
Almost forgot, saw 3 or 4 porpoises off the coast, one very near the shore. Beautiful sight!
Almost forgot, saw 3 or 4 porpoises off the coast, one very near the shore. Beautiful sight!
Friday 9 April 2010
Aiken Skyline
5th race in the Warrior Series last night. Had a couple of days off due to a dodgy stomach, so wasn't sure what I would feel like last night. Have been feeling tired due to lack of calories. Arrived early so decided (?!) to warm up by heading up Graystones - my informal competition to tick all Wainwrights before my friends two year old dog - so just trotted slowly up to the top and back, making sure I visited both tops!
Race itself was really good fun and more of a challenging route both under foot and route finding than previous races. Felt steady all the way and strong, despite the heather bashing, bog trotting and route finding. Previous beta on the best line turned out to be hit and miss - especially the 'trod' around Brown How! Not particularly runnable that. Legs felt like they'd had a good work out. Realised for what its worth that I'm in close competition with a young lass for the series, so I may even recce next weeks race before hand! taking things seriously, me?!
Race totalled 5.9 miles, plus about 1.1 mi for Graystones. Ascent: need to work that one out!
Race itself was really good fun and more of a challenging route both under foot and route finding than previous races. Felt steady all the way and strong, despite the heather bashing, bog trotting and route finding. Previous beta on the best line turned out to be hit and miss - especially the 'trod' around Brown How! Not particularly runnable that. Legs felt like they'd had a good work out. Realised for what its worth that I'm in close competition with a young lass for the series, so I may even recce next weeks race before hand! taking things seriously, me?!
Race totalled 5.9 miles, plus about 1.1 mi for Graystones. Ascent: need to work that one out!
Tuesday 6 April 2010
Easter Weekend - wet, windy and sunny
Had the in laws up this weekend.
Friday we went for a walk in the afternoon - nothing strenous at all.
Saturday, a longer fell walk was planned so I put on my running kit and arranged to come back down off the fells the way they were heading up, ran 7.7 miles before I meet up with the walking party in upper miterdale. I'd gone up through the forest to Irton Fell, Whin Rigg, Ill Gill Head and down to Burnmoor. The weather had been cloudy and a bit drizzly up to that point, and as I met the walkers, the rain got heavier. I changed into dry clothes on my top half, but as the temperature dropped and the rain turned to heavy hail, I got very cold. As we were now walking I was struggling to get warm. We dropped down to Burnmoor Tarn and walked back along past the Stone Circles above Boot, to Blea Tarn, the Fisherground and then home. After the earlier hail and sleet it warmed up again and the sun came out much to my relief, but I was worried by how cold I had got. 7.7 miles run, 7 miles walked.
Sunday, P was at St Bees with the BMC re-bolting meet. I headed up to Wasdale Head for a long run. The weather again was drizzly and low-ish cloud. I wasn't in the mood to get wet and cold ....again, and had a 'low' level run planned linking the passes and valleys: Wasdale Head; Black Sail Pass; Black Sail Hut, Ennerdale; Scarth Gap; Buttermere; Honister via Fleetwith Pike Quarries; Stonethwaite, Borrowdale; Langstrath; Sticks Pass; Stakes Gill; Rossett Gill, Esk Hause..
At this point my route was to take me down into Upper Eskdale and back over Mickledore. Two things - 1. I'd run out of food, completely! I obviously hadn't eaten enough the day before and had been ravenous all day!. 2. There was a lot of very slippy wet snow up there and the descent down through the slot of Knotts of the Tongue looked particularly uninviting. So being sensible I bailed at this point and dropped to Styhead and Wasdale Head. Total of about 23 miles and about 7000 feet ascent. A really good run, despite the slightly inclement weather and lo calories!
Friday we went for a walk in the afternoon - nothing strenous at all.
Saturday, a longer fell walk was planned so I put on my running kit and arranged to come back down off the fells the way they were heading up, ran 7.7 miles before I meet up with the walking party in upper miterdale. I'd gone up through the forest to Irton Fell, Whin Rigg, Ill Gill Head and down to Burnmoor. The weather had been cloudy and a bit drizzly up to that point, and as I met the walkers, the rain got heavier. I changed into dry clothes on my top half, but as the temperature dropped and the rain turned to heavy hail, I got very cold. As we were now walking I was struggling to get warm. We dropped down to Burnmoor Tarn and walked back along past the Stone Circles above Boot, to Blea Tarn, the Fisherground and then home. After the earlier hail and sleet it warmed up again and the sun came out much to my relief, but I was worried by how cold I had got. 7.7 miles run, 7 miles walked.
Sunday, P was at St Bees with the BMC re-bolting meet. I headed up to Wasdale Head for a long run. The weather again was drizzly and low-ish cloud. I wasn't in the mood to get wet and cold ....again, and had a 'low' level run planned linking the passes and valleys: Wasdale Head; Black Sail Pass; Black Sail Hut, Ennerdale; Scarth Gap; Buttermere; Honister via Fleetwith Pike Quarries; Stonethwaite, Borrowdale; Langstrath; Sticks Pass; Stakes Gill; Rossett Gill, Esk Hause..
At this point my route was to take me down into Upper Eskdale and back over Mickledore. Two things - 1. I'd run out of food, completely! I obviously hadn't eaten enough the day before and had been ravenous all day!. 2. There was a lot of very slippy wet snow up there and the descent down through the slot of Knotts of the Tongue looked particularly uninviting. So being sensible I bailed at this point and dropped to Styhead and Wasdale Head. Total of about 23 miles and about 7000 feet ascent. A really good run, despite the slightly inclement weather and lo calories!
Flat Fell Flounder
Last Thursday was the 4th Warrior Series Race. After the heavy snow of Wednesday, wasn't sure what the fell conditions would be like for this. There was a fair bit of drifted snow which was deep in places and had a weak crust on top.
Felt tired in the legs warming up, but as we set off, I kept a steady pace going and found myself near the front of the small pack. It was a bit of a ministry of silly walks as those not at the front tried to use the footprints of those before us, up to Burnbank summit. It was a stiff climb up to the summit, and from there a rising traverse around to the summit of Carling Knott.
I was swapping leads with a friend who then got the better of me on the descent. I did back off slightly, not wanting to risk any injury in the slippy conditions. After reaching the sheepfold, a rough line got us down to the bridleway and a lung bursting race up and round the hill back to the finish. Managed to gain some time on Julie, but couldn't catch her by the finish. GReat little outing on cold conditions - where has the spring gone?!
Felt tired in the legs warming up, but as we set off, I kept a steady pace going and found myself near the front of the small pack. It was a bit of a ministry of silly walks as those not at the front tried to use the footprints of those before us, up to Burnbank summit. It was a stiff climb up to the summit, and from there a rising traverse around to the summit of Carling Knott.
I was swapping leads with a friend who then got the better of me on the descent. I did back off slightly, not wanting to risk any injury in the slippy conditions. After reaching the sheepfold, a rough line got us down to the bridleway and a lung bursting race up and round the hill back to the finish. Managed to gain some time on Julie, but couldn't catch her by the finish. GReat little outing on cold conditions - where has the spring gone?!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)