So me and Garry running together in this 37 mile race, visiting the highest summits in each of the 3 old counties: Westmorland, Cumberland and Lancashire.
An early start and not a great forecast but set to improve as the day progresses. We are away at 8am, about a hundred teams entered this year, one of the highest ever entries for this race.
We are steady away, from the New Dungeon Ghyll we are along the Langdale valley then up and over to Grasmere. It is windy, cold and a bit wet as we head along the road before bearing off for the long climb to Grizedale Tarn. From here it is a reverse of the BG descent route from Dollywagon, but we cut off before the top over to the main path.
Good running from here to the summit of Helvellyn, in the mist and the last hundred feet or so there is fresh snow on the ground...it's mid-May ! We get a good descent to Wythburn Church and take advantage of the refreshments; for the next half an hour or so, Garry is unusually quiet - I think he glued his mouth together with malt loaf !
Up the Wythburn valley into the 'bog', the weather does improve and we are making good progress. Across Greenup Edge and then a long gradual descent to the top of Stake Pass and on to the next checkpoint at Angle Tarn. Garry recalls both his and Russ's 'wobbles' in this area in previous races....don't tempt fate Garry, please.
On up to Esk Hause and then across to the second summit Sca Fell Pike, again we are moving well and Garry persuades me to drop back to Little Narrowcove and head down this way to Great Moss. This works really well, much easier ground we remain confident of this despite no other teams heading this way. The run out to Cockley Bridge drags and Garry starts to find it hard going.
We stock up on food at the checkpoint, the marshal's, as I do, seem a little concerned at Garry, he's definitely lacking colour ! He set's off ahead of me, the marhsals ask that I keep an eye on him...we are a team, I would do this anyway. We climb at a steady pace and hit good lines, then the long contour before a short climb to Brim Fell and on to the Old Man of Coniston, our last summit.
Garry is suffering, progress slows as we head back and down to the Three Shires Stone. Down the road and then off left to Blea Tarn and the final descent to the NDG. We finish in 17th place, 3rd MV80 in a time of 8hrs 45mins.
A good day out, Lawrence and Paul finish a little behind us and after serious amounts of food we head to the NDG for a well deserved beer.
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