The Hebden 21mi. 23/01/2010.

The Hebden is traditionally held on the first weekend of the year. In 2010 it was delayed by 3 weeks to avoid clashes with other events, yet it was still the first event of the year for most of us thanks to the exceptional snowfall this winter that resulted in most events having to be postponed. Only a week beforehand, the long route was impassable in many places. Organiser Alan Greenwood, a great stickler for detail, kept us well informed with status reports on his website up to the last minute. The snowdrifts only just cleared in time to allow the full event to take place with the exception of one small section after checkpoint 5, where gates remained half buried and the farmer did not want hundreds of walkers climbing over them (quite understandable really). That required a short cut along New Road, which shortened the route possibly by half a mile. No-one complained; we were too happy just to be out in the hills again.

And so it was, at 8am in Mytholmroyd, 350+ keen runners and walkers were led informally from the Community Centre round to the church for a safe rolling start of the short AND the long routes. I had chosen the long route of 21 miles (including diversion). That might not sound very long for a 'long route' but when it's in Calderdale with its sharp ups and downs and copious mud, 21 miles is quite demanding enough.

The long route meandered in & out and up & down the vales, moors and cloughs via checkpoints at Old Town, Slack, Eastwood, Broad Head Clough, New Road and Little Scout Farm. It never really ventured that far from Mytholmroyd but you would never have guessed, such were the frequent and dramatic changes in scenery. The weather was kind to us so we could appreciate the scenery in all its glory, and the paths were clear thanks to the volunteers' efforts. Yes, they do take their secateurs and garden shears with them on their route-proving reconnoitres. More than that, they take their courtesy notifications to post through residents' doors whose properties the route passes through. Public footpaths in Calderdale go up people's drives and across their front gardens and make you feel guilty as though you are trespassing on private property. Perhaps it's one reason for the high incidence of navigational errors in Calderdale. People don't want to trespass. The difficult parts on rarely-used footpaths where there is no obvious path to follow were marked with red tape, which was useful otherwise there may still be people wandering out there. The Hebden route is certainly quirky in places!

We enjoyed the usual welcome and support from the many willing and cheerful marshals, helpers and Raynet volunteers. And the food, oh the food. I reacquainted myself with Carole's heavenly chocolate cake at checkpoint 1. The dripping sandwiches and stollen at checkpoint 3 in the woodwork shop are always noteworthy and something to look forward to. The tuna sandwich at checkpoint 5 kept me going for the final 4 miles or so to the finish. There was more but I don't wish to come across as gluttonous.

The meal menu at the finish was naturally full and plentiful. It even commenced with an aperitif of mulled wine in its very own heated urn. WOW!

With such a spectacular route and such good organisation, no wonder this event fills to capacity. It has built something of a reputation among the runners as well as the walkers (it's all over the running forums for months leading up to the day). The reputation is well deserved. Many thanks to Alan, Carole and all the helpers. All your immense efforts are recognised and really appreciated. Bring on 2011!

Considering the shortened route, my time of 4:30 ranks as a Personal Worst in the 4 years of this event's existence. Upon my return, Race Organiser Alan Greenwood greeted me with: "Nick, what have you been doing?" Only dragging my sorry bottom around his event as fast as it would go and draining most of the life out of myself in the process. The extended layoff has done nothing for my fitness. All I wanted to do was lie down and go to sleep afterwards, but the post-event meal revived me for the drive home. May my completion of The Hebden be the start of my return to former fitness, Amen.

All the pictures I took are here.

2010 plans go awry.

Oh dear. My best made plans for 2010 seem to be falling apart around my ears.

1. In the first year when we foreigners have to use this entry route, I fail to get picked in the Western States Endurance Run lottery. I won’t be jetting off to Northern California in June for the first time in five years.

2. Winter weather has resulted in the postponement of my first two events this year so far and disruption to others.

3. The Devon 100, which I was due to be plodding in April, has been cancelled.

4. Business travel commitments that are emerging from the woodwork at this very moment are threatening more events.

5. And now for the most unexpected blow of all: I learned yesterday that my application for the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc has been refused. WHAT? There must be some mistake. I have more than enough points to qualify me. Perhaps I ticked a wrong box and the ‘computer said no’. I emailed the organisation for an explanation. Apparently there was a draw and our group was not picked. That’s some difference compared to last year when they opened entries again because they were under-subscribed. Ultra Running popularity has gone stratospheric.
Still, it’s not all doom and gloom. I’m told I can transfer my registration to “Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie”, or TDS for short. It is ~105km with 6.7km of altitude change compared with ~166km with 9.4km of altitude change for UTMB. So, a mere walk in the park then ;-) With this shortened event I might just have some energy left to run my favourite Bullock Smithy Hike the weekend after, but something tells me that will be most unlikely.
There is another possibility as well on the same weekend – Le Grand Raid des Pyrenees. It's another 100-mile mountain race that has been described as being even tougher than the UTMB.
Decisions, decisions.

So, the tattered remains of my schedule so far for 2010 look something like this:
Sat 09 Jan - The Tandem - 28mi. (postponed to 20 Feb)
Sun 17 Jan - Two Crosses Circuit - 25mi. (postponed to 21 Mar – can’t do)
Sat 23 Jan - The Hebden - 22mi.
Sun 31 Jan - That’s Lyth - 23mi.
Sat 06 Feb - Rombald Stride - 23mi.
Sat 13 Feb - Anglezarke Amble - 24mi.
Sat 20 Feb - The Tandem (rescheduled) - 28mi.
Sun 21 Feb - Beacon Bash - 21mi. (can’t do this now)
Sat 27 Feb - Myrtle Meander - 24mi. (can’t do due to business travel)
Sat 06 Mar - Troller’s Trot - 24mi.
Sat 13 Mar - Wuthering Hike - 32mi.
Sat 20 Mar - Hardmoors 55 - 55mi.
Sat 27 Mar - (rest)
Sat 03 Apr - Manx Mountain Marathon - 32mi.
Sat 10 Apr - Calderdale Hike - 36mi.
Sat 17 Apr - (any suggestions?)
Sat 24 Apr - (Devon 100 cancelled – alternative suggestions?)
Sat 01 May - (any suggestions?)
Sat 08 May - The Fellsman - 61mi.
Sat 15 May - Marlborough Downs Challenge - 33mi.
Sat 22 May - (rest)
Sat 29 May - Heart Of Scotland 100 - 100mi.
Sat 05 Jun - (rest)
Sat 12 Jun - Swaledale Marathon - 23mi.
Sat 19 Jun - (any suggestions?)
Sat 26 Jun - (WS100 denied – alternative suggestions?)
Sat 03 Jul - Osmotherley Phoenix - 33mi.
Sat 10 Jul - White Peak Walk - 26mi.
Sat 17 Jul - (rest)
Sat 24 Jul - Lakeland 100 - 100mi.
Sat 31 Jul - (rest)
Sun 08 Aug - Long Tour of Bradwell - 32mi.
Sat 14 Aug - (any suggestions?)
Sat 21 Aug - (any suggestions?)
Sat 28 Aug - (UTMB denied – TDS or GRP as alternative?)
Sat 04 Sep - (rest – resist the lure of the BSH!)
Sat 11 Sep - Pumlumon Challenge - 26mi.
Sat 18 Sep - High Peak 40 - 40mi.
Sat 25 Sep - (any suggestions?)
Sat 02 Oct - (any suggestions?)
Sat 09 Oct - (any suggestions?)
Sat 16 Oct - Rowbotham’s Round Rotherham - 50mi.
Sat 23 Oct - (rest)
Sat 30 Oct - Snowdonia Marathon - 26.2mi.

That’s as far as I’ve looked so far.

VFF update.
Boy, those fivefingers give you a right good work-out. I ran to work in them again on Monday and they got their first dose of mud, which squelched up between the toes. It felt wonderful at the time (the running, not the mud – although I don’t know ….). I thought I might have got away with it with the muscle trauma, but no. By Tuesday morning my calves were feeling sufficiently worked-over for me to run in my normal running shoes. As the day progressed the Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness began to make itself known in no uncertain terms, such that descending stairs was painfully laboured. Today they are plain trashed. Somehow, running (in normal shoes) is less painful than simple walking.
At the moment I can only manage one VFF commute per week. I shall persevere until I can get my muscles adapted for the daily commute run without any issues. I can’t wait for that to happen. It’s a great leg, foot and core strengthening exercise because of the way you are forced to run. Once I’ve acclimatised I may struggle to get my trousers on, such will be the circumference of my calves ;-)

2010 week 1.

The beginning of 2010 ‘paralysed’ our world with a winter playground the likes of which I have never experienced.

After a couple of run cancellations leading up to Christmas I had not been getting my usual exercise for too long. My appetite had vanished as a result and I was not able to enjoy the overindulgences of Christmas as much as I would have liked. Something had to be done. I forged a plan.

Saturday 2nd Jan.
I was all set to run the 16 miles up to Buxton and meet up with friend and family for a meal and (more) drinks, but the sky turned black and snow fell with a vengeance as I was about to leave, so I thought better of it. I got the train instead. I was very glad I wasn’t driving because mostly only pedestrians were moving in Buxton. The snow turned to rain in Stockport but it remained as snow in Buxton.

Monday 4th Jan.
I was glad to get back to work and some kind of routine. The ground was covered with slush, on top of black ice from the melted remains of the pre-Christmas snowfalls, so it was very slippery. I decided to walk for safety reasons, but at least I was getting some exercise.

Tuesday 5th Jan.
We had been dumped on in a way I had never known before. Snow had fallen since 7pm the previous evening and it was still falling. Everything was plastered including telephone wires, which were now 2” in diameter and sagging alarmingly. It was deathly quiet when I emerged from the house, just like it would be on Christmas morning when everyone is still in bed. What sound there was from idling car engines on the main road, was being absorbed by the snow, so I heard nothing. I was glad I didn’t have to drive. I ran. Fresh, dry snow is much safer to run on. The scene before me was breathtaking. Six inches of snow had fallen in one go, something I have never known in my 46 years here in Stockport.

Wednesday 6th Jan.
I took my Vibram fivefingers for a spin today – my first run in them. The fresh snow provided the ideal nursery conditions to break out of heel-strike mode and adopt the forefoot running demanded by them. It felt so good and natural to be in such close contact with the ground, but forefoot running somehow felt less efficient and seemed to slow me down. More importantly, it really tires the calf muscles when you are not used to it. Two miles there and back finished me off and I needed a few days’ recovery before another run in them, or the calf soreness I was feeling would have become a total calf trashing.

Thursday 7th Jan.
Back to the normal running shoes today to allow the complaining calves to recover. The air was calm yet biting when I emerged from the house. The snow was still fresh with not a hint of melting as I creaked my way to work in the deep powder. My legs were all a glow by the time I arrived (I was in shorts as usual). I was informed that the temperature had reached minus 18°C in Woodford, just up the road from where I was. It was still -13°C in our work car-park at 9am! It didn’t rise much higher all day.

Saturday 9th Jan.
I was due to run The Tandem today but the severe weather forced its postponement until Feb 20th. The temperature had remained well below freezing since Monday night and the air had remained calm. The ground, trees and shrubs were still thickly smothered or hidden by at least 6” of snow even at the low levels where I live, where an inch of snow that lasts for a day would normally be regarded as a significant event. Now would be my last chance to run the 16 miles up to Buxton and take in some frozen winter wonderland views.

And so, at 08:45 I found myself jogging up the A6 towards Lyme Park and Disley on the most direct road route to Whaley Bridge. I decided to avoid the countryside route, where progress would be difficult. The roads should be more runnable. The section over the top from Whaley Bridge to Buxton via the track would be a different matter – much more remote and potentially dangerous, so my rucksack was loaded with spare warm clothes, survival bag, first aid kit, whistle, mobile phone, food and drink, just in case.

I made good progress on the roads, which had been well cleared. I encountered the first signs of the easterly wind and blowing snow on the old road from Disley to Whaley Bridge. I expected much worse after Whaley Bridge.

I had not done this route for well over a decade. The last time was when I was just getting into long distance walking. It was great to activate my distant memories again and get to see the route in a completely different - more like unique - way.

The track out of Whaley Bridge had been ploughed and remained runnable for a surprisingly long way, as far as the Whitehall Outdoor Pursuits Centre just past the left turn down to Combs. The snow was very thick and even the gorse bushes were completely hidden underneath the white blanket.

After the Whitehall Centre, where access was no longer required, the scene changed instantly to one of wild, desolate isolation with not a soul in sight or earshot, where the easterly wind and Nature were now in charge. It was like a desert but the ‘sand’ was blinding white in the sunshine. I was in a world of dunes, snow sculptures, drifts, buried features and even a snow cave. I was standing tall, much taller than I should have been, yet I was up to my knees in it. My face was getting ‘sandblasted’ as I looked around at the rare, beautiful sight in utter captivation.

A good mile of serious trudging and post-holing eventually brought me down to Long Hill, the main road that rises out of Buxton. My legs and feet were amazingly dry and warm. The dry powder had not ventured too far and must have remained frozen. A mile's down-hill run brought me into Buxton for my 1-week-delayed dinner date at The Old Clubhouse. Even with all that trudging and stopping to gawp at the views and take pictures, my journey time of 3.5 hours was half an hour faster than I’d ever done before. That’s the difference between only walking and running a bit.

I went to the train station to meet my fellow diners. The railway was buried, save for the two exposed lines in grooves in the snow.

After a quick change into ‘civvies’ and some more comfortable footwear I was relaxing with a pint, looking out on a snowy Buxton scene and relating stories & showing pictures of what I’d seen.

What a week! What an introduction to 2010!!

All 78 of the week's pictures are here.

2009 summary: some ups and some downs.

This concludes my first year's running blog. I have Karen MacDonald of Runfurther to thank for persuading me at the Wye Ultra to start it. It has been rewarding and therapeutic, if time-consuming.

For me, 2009 was another great year of pushing personal athletic boundaries and always learning; learning what my body can do, learning some new ways to fail and learning how not to fail against adversity if the carrot is big enough (thoughts of the Runfurther Grand Slam during the Pumlumon Challenge and High Peak 40). It was also another year of meeting old and new running and walking friends and exchanging stories of success and sometimes failure (the latter on my part at least).

2009 started off pretty well. A couple more 10th anniversaries were bagged on the events (Rombald Stride, Anglezarke Amble) and I'm still surprising myself with more PBs, even on a 10th completion. No doubt the frozen and firm conditions early on helped with some results (The Hebden, Two Crosses Circuit, Rombald Stride). Not many weeks later we enjoyed early warmth and sunshine (Wye Ultra, Starkholmes Stagger, Calderdale Hike, and that only brings us up to April).

The first half of the year brought some really good races with satisfying outcomes:
3rd Jan – The Hebden (PB1);
11th Jan – Two Crosses Circuit (PB2);
7th Feb – Rombald Stride (PB fodder but new, slower route);
14th Feb – Anglezarke Amble (10th completion and PB3);
14th Mar – Wuthering Hike / Haworth Hobble (PB4);
21st Mar – Starkholmes Stagger (PB5);
28th Mar – Kipling Kaper (PB6);
18th Apr – Calderdale Hike (big PB7 and highest Runfurther points (805) this year, probably ever);
2nd May – local 5k Parkrun (PB8);
9th - 10th May – The Fellsman (big PB9 by 1hr 34mins);
16th May – Marlborough Downs Challenge (PB10);
6th Jun – Wharfedale Off-Road Marathon (PB11);
13th Jun – Three Rings Of Shap rings 1 and 2 (fastest times on both rings).

This is all getting very boring and repetitive I can hear you say, but fear not. It couldn't possibly continue, especially since I've been at it for just on 14 years and the big ol' five-o isn't far over the horizon now. I must have been on borrowed time for years as it is. Time to come back down to earth. Here are some not-so-good races with less than ideal outcomes:

27th Jun – Western States Endurance Run.
Retired (timed out) at 62 miles after vomiting blood for 34 miles. Nausea was beginning to set in at 19 miles, already forcing me to a walk.
Lesson 1. If you ever do Western States, drink water between the aid stations and only drink GU2O at the aid stations, NOT ALL THE TIME. In other words, do what I always used to do, until this year. Stupid boy :-(
This was my first Hundred DNF. I learned that a Hundred completion is not a given just by slowing down a bit if it gets tough. Sometimes, medical issues can make it impossible, no matter how slowly you go.

25th Jul – local 5k Parkrun (PW).

28th - 29th Aug – Tour du Mont Blanc.
Retired at 77 miles, drained and devoid of leg strength. I was beyond the restorative qualities of food and drink. I had run on empty for too long on the quest for an aid station with food.
Lesson 2. If you ever do the UTMB, do not rely on the aid stations for food when you need it. Be prepared to use your own for regular fuelling. The aid stations sometimes become the back-up, not vice versa as my mind was conditioned towards.
This was my second Hundred DNF. I was beginning to make a habit of this all of a sudden. Now I would not complete a 100-miler in 2009 when originally I had planned to complete three.

12th Sept – Pumlumon Challenge.
I was just recovering from the lurgy and I would not have travelled had this not been a Runfurther event. The Grand Slam was at stake so 'needs must an' all that'. I felt quite perky on the start line but it didn't last long into the race. My finishing time was virtually an hour down on what it should have been. I earned my lowest Runfurther points so far (643). I was too far gone afterwards to face the long journey home. I crashed out in a local hotel to build sufficient strength to return the next morning.

19th Sept – High Peak 40.
Allow me to quote from my running diary: “I have felt tired, lacklustre and disinterested in life all week. It was a chore to even be present at the start. I was only there through Grand Slam obligation.” I love this event and this was to be my 10th completion out of 10 starts. I was shocked at how negative I was feeling. If you read the blog report (linked above) you will realise how close I was to dropping out and shattering the Grand Slam dream. But I didn't. I came back to finish feeling stronger than I felt last week and grab a near-PW for this event and my lowest Runfurther points (606) of the year.

Taking a more positive line again, the second half of the year wasn't all doom and debacle at the events. A few more PBs came my way. The best one, which must rank alongside the Calderdale Hike for the rewarding feeling I felt, was the Round Rotherham on 17th October. The event had been brought forward a couple of months in the hopes of killing off the run of bad weather we had endured for the previous two years. It worked. Abnormally dry months leading up to the event produced perfect conditions for PBs all round. My time of 9hrs 13mins was a PB by 58 minutes. I never imagined being able to run a 50-mile trail race that fast. Needless to say I was 15 minutes down on my Snowdonia Marathon time the following weekend but I couldn't care because I was still on Cloud 9.

My running year ended with an early enforced taper and cancelled events due to a dose of 'flu (not the 'man' variety either; this was real) then a cold. The first winter snows provided beautiful running conditions for a few last-gasp runs to work before the overindulgences of Christmas.


Some statistics for 2009.
Miles completed – 1,797 (excludes training runs because I didn't do any).
Personal Bests – 18 (where there was a previous completion to compare against).
Personal Worsts – 1 (where there was a previous completion to compare against).
Number of Ultras – 17.
Total Ultras since 1996 – 115.

Looking forward to next year:

I received a pair of Vibram fivefingers for Christmas. Being an habitual 'bare-footer' I've hankered after a pair of these since they first came out in the US a year or two ago. I have not run in them yet but they feel very comfortable to walk in. I look forward to trying them on my runs into work. I may report on them early in the New Year.

The stark realities of the Western States Endurance Run lottery were brought home to me this month. I did not get picked so I will not be going to Squaw Valley next June to put right what I messed up this year. My 4-year habit has come to an end. Well done to all those who did get in. Do yourselves proud on that course.

Stockport 10 (miles). 13/12/2009

It’s been a month since I’ve done any running thanks to the flu after Dunnerdale requiring five days off work and my first ever sick note for such an occurrence. That has been followed by weeks of gurgling lungs, a lingering cough and a distinct lack of enthusiasm for running. Even my plan to run a 5k Parkrun on Saturday (to remind my body what running feels like) fell by the wayside. My final preparation for the rude awakening and baptism of fire was the consumption of a bottle of red on Saturday evening while watching the X-Factor (go Joe!). I had turned into a sloth and I was beginning to hate myself.

On Sunday morning I cycled to the Stockport Harriers track in the cool winter sunshine feeling a little more delicate than I should have been feeling just before any run, let alone a 10-mile road race. I knew a Personal Worst was a certainty.

The weather gods were smiling on us like they always do for this event. I joined the general massed migration towards Woodbank Park and the running track, where I was greeted by the usual carnival atmosphere of gazebos, stalls selling sporting wares and crowds of runners, supporters and spectators milling around. Much to my shame, this was my first visit to the track since last year’s Stockport 10, yet it seemed like only yesterday since I was there.

After a meet-and-greet session of club mates and other runners seen weeks or months before on various ultra events, I joined the throng on the track to await the instructions, count-down and “GO”. The race was a sell-out, no doubt helped by the always excellent friendly support and the (in)famous goody bag at the end. I wonder what it would contain this year.

The first mile through the park and out onto the minor roads went quite well for me, after which there may have been a slight drop-off in my pace. Don’t ask me why, but the fact that I was rapidly overheating (my head was beginning to boil so my festive Santa hat had to come off) and the fact that the other runners slowly began to overtake me may have had something to do with it. It wasn’t exactly a comfortable or pleasurable experience, more like a case of just holding on and surviving to the end. I rolled my sleeves up, which helped a little more with the cooling.

As we approached the first single file coned-off section along the edge of the busy A-road without footpath, there was a back-up in the traffic caused by a car waiting to turn left but unable to do so because of the stream of runners crossing the side road. I immediately felt guilty like I always do when car drivers are inconvenienced like that. (I always envisage seething tempers and road rage.) I glanced behind me and noticed a small gap in runners. I slowed down to allow the car to turn. The runners behind me didn’t take my cue, and then Bob Hope from Emmerdale, who was manning the crossing, shouted: “No no, carry on”. I was overruled and we had right of way. My feeling of guilt did not abate as I crossed the road like a sheep.

A descent and brief climb up the other side brought us to the top of Bong’s Road and a merciful departure from the traffic. I was officially hot and had to strip right there, so I spent a minute removing vest and long-sleeved top, replacing vest, stuffing top in tiny bum-bag and reattaching bum-bag to waist before setting off down the hill. The improved cooling invigorated me and I felt better able to run.

I bypassed the drinks station at the bottom end of Bong’s Road at around the 5-mile point; my hand-held water bottle was keeping me well supplied with water. The Santa hat which I was also carrying did not bother me because I am used to carrying water bottles and route descriptions for up to 30 hours at a time while out running. I was beginning to get a lot of joking from the marshals about the hat, and why wasn’t it on my head? If it went back onto my head I would surely explode. It made me smile. What a friendly race this is.

I glanced at my heart rate monitor several times as I ran. It was showing 182 – 183bpm every time I looked. I wasn’t surprised it was so fast. It had been raised for weeks. If I survived to the end I was now anticipating a PW of monumental proportions.

The major climb up the other side from the river valley wasn't as bad as some of the road runners would have you believe. After all, if it's a road which cars have to drive as a matter of course, it can't be that bad. It doesn't compare with proper footpaths and mountain trails where cars cannot pass. Some of those HAVE to be walked. I kept the jog going all the way, electing to run on the rough verge to keep the terrain as close as possible to what I'm used to.

I was now holding my own compared to those around me. The bpm feedback might have looked as though my heart should be beating its way out of my chest, but I couldn't feel it and all systems seemed to be just under control, so I carried on giving of my best, offering friendly retorts to the marshals' continued humorous references to my hat. We wound our way left and right, up and down roads to the bottom of New Zealand Road and the second and final climb. I shuffled my way onwards and upwards, trying to push my pelvis forward and resist the temptation to hunch my back to improve my posture and maximise the speed and efficiency of my running, but it was difficult because I was so tired from all the incessant running.

The left turn at the top of New Zealand Road did not bring relief. Still we climbed to the next bend, where we entered the park and our route finally levelled off. I could soon hear the muffled, clipped tones of the PA system at the Stockport Harriers track. I glanced at my watch and simply COULD NOT BELIEVE that a PB was almost in the bag. I gave it all I had through the park as I sprinted towards the athletics track on the far side. Perhaps I should qualify that. My “sprint” would have looked like a recreational jog to any sedentary bystander who could not possibly understand.

I entered the athletics ground and heard my name announced in the fuzzy, compressed style to maximise volume without overt distortion (any audio buffs reading this?). Imagine a butch kazoo if you will: “Number 67 is Nick Ham”. Another runner overtook me as I entered the track but I couldn't give a toss. It's normal at this stage when I'm going flat out. I can only give my ultimate best and I have long since realised that my ultimate best falls well short of what others can muster. I live with it and work around it.

Half a lap of the track and no more overtakings brought me home in 1hr 19mins, a PB by 1min 45secs over last year! That got me a top half placing. What a pleasant surprise considering my less than ideal build-up and my time-consuming striptease at the top of Bong's Road.

The goody bag did not disappoint. The principal prize was a very useful runner's technical T-shirt in fluorescent yellow (for the dark nights) by 'more mile'. I've worn it already on my Monday run to work. It's worth the entry fee alone. In order of increasing quirkiness, further goodies included:
A handful of flyers;
A lolly (“Who loves ya pussy cat?”);
A Penguin biscuit;
A Cadbury STARBAR;
A Stockport 10 sticker;
A mini aerosol of Sanex anti-perspirant;
A sachet of Flexitol deep cooling gel for the feet;
A sachet of Flexitol heel balm (“visible results in 3 days”);
A balloon (brand new, never inflated);
The LoSalt challenge with 5 sachets of the stuff (they forgot that serious sweating from serious exercise needs sodium);
A Robinsons Brewery key ring;
A plastic pouch from Leo Fixings containing two plasterboard fixings;
And finally, 'da piece of resistance', a plastic disposable glove with a pinch of dead meal worms and a pair of eyes (in small, paper sticker form) in one of the fingers.
All of the above was delivered in a Sweatshop carrier bag.

I challenge other races to top this. No wonder the race fills up.

Here are some statistics to amuse and entertain:
Distance – 10 miles on road (undulating – hilly);
Time – 1:19:00 (PB in 4 races since 2004);
Average heart rate – 178bpm;
Maximum heart rate – 190bpm.
Compared to Dunnerdale in the last report, which was bad enough, that heart rate is shocking. Call me an athlete? I laugh in polite derision at such an absurd notion. Ultraplodder by name, ultraplodder by design, ultraplodder by nature.

I took a few pictures, but not during the race, you'll understand.

Dunnerdale Fell Race + Vasque Runfurther end-of-year party. 14/11/2009

I’m now back after a good dose of flu, probably caught as I mixed and mingled at Broughton Mills, LakesRunner in Ambleside and Wilf’s Café in Staveley. It was a busy day and this is my belated report all about it.

Dunnerdale Fell Race / 5mi. / 1,554'.

The rain had poured and the wind had blown well into Saturday as I drove northwards through flooded roads to my first ever short, sharp and furious fell race. Dunnerdale had been suggested as the ideal precursor to an evening’s drinking and entertainment. I seized the opportunity and dusted off my ancient Adidas Swoop Mk1s with their worn down studs.

Situated in the far south west of the Lake District, Broughton Mills Village Hall, circa 1927, ancient, wooden and dimly lit by 40W bulbs, was soon heaving to the largest ever turn-out for the Dunnerdale Fell Race as runners sheltered inside to await the cessation of the rain and the 12:00 race start. The rain did stop, and we were sufficiently close to the centre of the storm system for winds to be calm.

As midday approached, we gathered outside on the lane. We were edged back up the road outside the pub, further up from the village hall. There would be no route shortening. The unprecedented crowd meant that we were slightly late setting off. I was in my rightful place towards the back, so the first I knew that the 276 runners were on their way was when the people in front started to move. We had a sedate walking start. I never imagined that on a fell race.

The field soon thinned out and I was overtaking other runners on the brief stretch of downhill road before it became uphill road, then track, then fell. I knew that I could force my pace throughout, since it was only 5 miles and I did not have to worry about the inevitable blow-up and slow-down that would normally be an issue. And so it was that I actually found myself running uphill as well as down. Only the steepest ups forced the shuffle briefly down to a walk.

The anticlockwise route took us via 4 peaks and through 1,554 feet of ascent/descent through its 5 miles. I had my 1:12,500 map print-out with me but it remained in my bumbag for two reasons:
1. I had virtually memorised the route as I had reviewed it over and over again in nervous excitement during the previous week.
2. There were so many people out in front, the views were so clear and the route through the mud was that well trodden, it would have been impossible to get lost anyway.

I pushed up and down the hills and put in as much effort as I have ever done. My steep and slippery descents were less confident than I would have liked as my worn fell shoe studs tore perilously at the soggy ground and I descended, barely in control, with the sound of other runners close behind. I didn’t want to get in the way and hold them up. On the verge of wiping out I was wishing for new fell shoes.

I got overtaken a little, but not too much, on the steep descents. Once onto the final road stretch I pushed as hard as my body allowed as we climbed back up to the finish in the farmer’s field, where I queued for a minute before the timekeepers were ready to register my arrival. I had taken one hour by my watch to do the 5 miles. My flat-out effort got me the expected bottom half finish and resulted in an average heart rate of 176bpm and a peak of 191bpm. The winning time was an unbelievable 39:36. I wonder how fast his heart rate was.

The meat and potato pie, tea and biscuits went down a real treat as I chatted with other runners in the hall afterwards. The queue for the food ended up stretching the length of the hall. I was glad I got in there early.

Fed, watered and warmed, I drove via Coniston (memories of the Lakeland 100) round to Ambleside, where a visit to Ian Barnes’ LakesRunner shop was long overdue. It was popular with the Runfurther crowd – Andy Rankin and Paul Dickens were there, so more chinwagging took place; oh, and try on a pair of La Sportiva Crosslight shoes. Such unaccustomed comfort in a shoe, but they didn’t quite have my size so I placed an order.

A new café is in creation upstairs, which should be really good. Proprietor and rather capable fell runner Ben Abdelnoor will have his work cut out keeping the appetites of all those climbers and runners satiated. He and Ian have already had their work cut out building it, by all accounts.

Here are some statistics to demonstrate the intensity of short fell races:
Distance - 5 miles.
Time - 1 hour.
Average heart rate - 176bpm.
Maximum heart rate - 191bpm.

Vasque Runfurther party.

I drove further round to Staveley and my B & B on the hillside overlooking the village, where I had plenty of time to get cleaned up for the main event – the Vasque Runfurther end-of-year celebration. It was conveniently located a short walk away in Wilf’s Café at the Hawkshead Brewery. A hotpot supper and dessert, a well-stocked bar and a MASSIVE Vasque Runfurther cake kept us well fuelled until past midnight.

Two talks with slideshows were put on.

The first by Stuart Walker described his British Isles Challenge, a daunting solo, 1,400-mile human-powered journey from one end of the British Isles to the other (including sea crossings and 3-peaks climbing). He only had 4 weeks to complete it and he was greatly challenged along the way. What he achieved against adversity was little short of heroic. He did it for charity and, most unfairly, he is still quite a way short of his £10,000 target. So please, anyone reading this, if you are so minded, please consider making a donation. His chosen charities surely deserve it after he sacrificed so much.

The second talk was a hot and cold talk given by Amanda and Andy Heading. For the hot talk, Amanda described her Marathon des Sables experience, while for the cold talk, Andy described his Yukon Arctic Ultra experience – 430 miles in north west Canada in the frozen depths of winter.

The evening was topped off with the prize-giving and spot prize draw, and cake. There was lots of swag to give away from our sponsors. Andy Rankin and Rachael Lawrance won the prizes for the most series points out of their four best races, while Tim Whittaker and Julie Gardner won the prizes for the most points overall. There were four Grand Slammers – runners who completed all twelve races. In order of points they were Tim Whittaker, Paul Dickens, Julie Gardner and me. The final results can be found here.

I washed down a large slab of cake with a large brandy, the clock struck 12 and the evening drew to a close. With several wrong turns I eventually found my way by torch light back up the hill to the B & B, where I dreamed of a most enjoyable running year and a Grand Slam that most nearly wasn’t.

I took some pictures of the evening’s proceedings. That cake must have weighed a ton.