Last weekend wasn't the nicest of weather (again!) but we still filled the weekend with outdoorsy stuff. On Saturday I trotted over to Nether Wasdale via Irton Fell for the Screes fell race. I wasn't sure that this was on until a few days before hand, after the death of Danny Hughes earlier in the year, but the family have decided to carry on holding the race (and the Middlefell Race too in April). It had been a wild wet and windy morning, but when I left the house just after lunch the cloud showed signs of breaking up, and the sun almost came out. It was quite warm too for the time of year. I had a nice trot over the fell, using the race descent route down to the valley and along to the Screes pub.
After a quick change, registration and a stowing of my bag, I kept the decent warm up in my legs by trotting up and down, and before long it was time for the off. Joss (Naylor) was again on the start line setting us off. It is, I have to say, a horrible start and finish for this race unless you like tarmac running! But all too soon the route heads off up the track to the base of the Screes, and the steep path up the side of Whin Rigg. The break in the weather disappeared about half way up the climb, and I felt quite happy that I'd stayed with a long sleeve top on and wasn't just in a vest. By the time I got to the summit, it was thick mist, and horizontal rain.
As I turned for the descent I realised I was in 1st lady position, and also that my shoelace was totally undone, but I didn't want to loose any time, so just plunged on down the ridge hoping that the wet bogs to come wouldn't suck my shoe off! I think I probably was slower than normal on the descent because of my shoe, but it stayed on and got me through to the finish line, and I held on to the first place. I was about a minute quicker than last year so was very pleased.
The tatiepot and craic in the pub after were as good as always and I won a signed copy of Joss's book! I actually already have one signed copy, so need to decide what to do with one of them! I'm sure I could find plenty of willing buyers. After the tatiepot had digested a wee bit, I set off home with the book firmly wrapped in a black bin liner in my rucksac to keep the rain off. I'd like to think it was the food in my belly that made trying to run back over the fell hard work but I think it was more likely that my legs felt pretty bashed!
In fact they were bashed, as on Sunday P and I went to the Grizedale area for a mountain bike ride. We parked up off the East of Lake road by Coniston Water, and rode up through the forest til we intersected the North Face trail, following that until its end at the visitors centre, where we ate jam butties and green and blacks ginger chocolate, before following the rest of the trail until the Parkamoor descent. This was were my wheels fell off (mine and not my bikes), I just had nothing left in my legs, so it was a slow ascent to the top of parkamoor. The descent down here was awesome though, despite the very strong winds which threatened to blow us off the track near the top where its exposed! Just a quick blast back up the road to the van and a cuppa! It wasn't a long ride by any stretch so I was a bit surprised at how bashed I was but at least it gives me more incentive to get out!
I did have the opportunity for proper recovery as I was away with work for three days, apart from managing 20 minutes on a treadmill in the hotel gym on Tuesday morning.... god they're boring...
Last night as the clocks have now gone back and I still haven't charged up my lights, I headed up to Hardknott for a hill rep session. I only need a small head torch for this. It always feels hard but the first time in over 6 months, a headwind on the ascents all made it feel really hard. 4 x 30 sec efforts x 3! Ouch!
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