What I've been up to lately....

Well what exactly have I been up to lately, mmmm.  Okay perhaps not a great deal of actual running, but I am glad to report that I have now recovered from whatever it was that was affecting my legs.  The pins and needles have gone and so has the constant ache when attempting to run.  Not sure if thas anything to do with my new liking for lemon and ginger tea. ginger is apparantly meant to be good for your circulation.  I am also back on the vitamins and cod liver oil.

Kona and I have been out adventuring with map and compass, basically exploring the area where we live in greater detail than ever we've done before.  Kona is becoming an excellent map reader LOL.

Here are a selection of photos from our days out.  Terrain training, mainly off road and up and over hills.

I love Drumlanrig Woods, for some reason I always feel that I am in some sort of fairy tale while there. I was half expecting the big bad wolf and the woodsman to appear along this track.







I have this wee problem that means for some reason I can never just
stick to the path, I've got to go see what's round the next bend, or
I'll see a path meandering off the main path and I've just got to
check it out.  Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't but it nearly
always  results in me getting wet,muddy and attacked by the
undergrowth in some way.  On this day it was brambles and
even now weeks later my legs can still testify to the awesome
destructiveness of the mighty bramble bush.






My next day off saw Kona and I heading for a little village called Tynron,  I missed the turn off I originally meant to take onto the hill because believe it or not I was concentrating on running, yes running up a hilly trail and missed the little arrow on a post.  This proved lucky as this route took me onto the hill past a lovely house with a beautiful garden which I would never have seen otherwise and I'm nothing if not nosy.

 Kona managed to bag another trig point for her Album,

This deer was completely oblivious to our presence, unfortunately her companion in the bushes was not and soon alerted her.  They both bounded away within seconds and were gone from sight, but I did manage to get a quick snap.  I was really pleased to have been able just to watch them for a few moments.
I rather think that may have been summer though, the weather changed next day and has not been as nice since.

Not quite so much  "The Mountains are calling me and I must Go"  more of time to get some hills in the legs again and these are the closest and most easily accessible.  Plus I rather love them.

 Had rather a good afternoon out exploring what should be a fairly straightforward route up through the Glen to the tops and over, but hey this is me and I never seem to end up taking the easy way.

My chosen route was very overgrown,

and after attempting a scramble up some wet rocks, 

I opted for the safer option of going straight upwards instead.

Black Hill's trig point shrouded in cloud.  Kona "bagged" that one last year.  

So I'm not really sure If I've done enough for Lakeland, time will tell.  It's been a funny year, somethings have not gone according to plan, but on the whole I've done a lot of terrain, and I feel strong in myself, my legs have improved and my ability to go uphill is getting better.  It still takes a while but I'm not quite so knackered at the end of it, and once up I'm raring to go.

Here's one or two pictures taken on one of my favourite days of the week "Dog Walk Sunday"

Powillimont

Mabie Forest

Swan Family at Dalwsinton

I am making plans for next year and the year after, there are several things I need to and want to do which although are goals themselves will all hopefully prepare me for what I now feel may be my end goal.  Not completely sure yet, will make up my mind later on in this year, and once my mind is made up I will commit myself body and soul.

A little gentle ramble in the hills.

No, not a cryptic, sarcastic or ironic title, just a truthful one.  A little gentle ramble in the hills, the hills in question being the smaller siblings to the mighty Lowthers at Wanlockhead.

This is the second year I have taken part in the Moffat Mountain Rescue Charity Challenge to help raise funds for MMRT.  Unlike last year I had company all the way round, daughter and Laura (surrogate daughter) didn't pull out within the first mile and I managed to bully husband into coming too.  I deliberately chose this walk (10 Miles) because it was a medium ability level walk which was suitable for daughter and OH.  I'd also been to Green Lowther and fancied seeing different scenery.

Wanlockhead is a strange place, there are days like the day of the challenge where it is lovely and quite quaint but I've also been there on days when it felt like the ass end of the universe, bleak desolate and forbidding.  A place where you would just like to crawl into your house and hide under the duvet.  I've been going there for years as it was on the list of activities for the holiday kids at the stables, once a week I'd drive a mini bus full of them up to the Lead mining Museum, we went that often that my son could recite the guide's spiel off by heart.  How hard  life must of been for the lead miners and their families.

However Sunday started well with a burst of glorious sunshine, and we set off along the road which took us past a lot of the interesting industrial historical bits and pieces which one day I must go back and photograph properly.

The first four miles are flat along the valley floor, but soon the ground starts to slowly rise and once over the bridge you start heading upwards, not a huge incline but enough to know you are climbing, the next mile takes you though a forested area, this is being felled at the moment so next time I go up there it could look completely different.  Check point one came and went and soon it was time to have a spot of lunch.  The girls and I had our paltry picnic stuffed in our backpacks but Billy had a flask and a packed lunch box full of goodies (can you tell who takes a "piece" to work).  I even thought for a minute he might whip a table cloth from his backpack too.

The next few miles were delightful, Laura and I ran all the way down through the forest much to the amusement of the marshal who was hidden behind a gate, we didn't see him until we got to the gate. Chatted to him and some ladies for a while until the other pair caught up.

We were swiftly approaching the hardest part of the day, the bit I glossed over when daughter agreed to sign up.  Laura loved it, daughter however didn't and gave me "daggers" all the way up the long slog to the top of the hill.  The weather by this point was beginning to turn colder and duller and once down the hill we hit the valley floor at the same point as we started to climb earlier, and we followed the same route back in to the HQ.   It was about three in the afternoon but it felt and looked like about nine o clock.   The lovely people from the MRT had laid on burgers, biscuits, cake, tea etc  I was treated to one of the best burgers I've had for years, I'm not a great lover of burgers but this was a really tasty one.   Laura even had two!

I would really like to go back and do this route as a run, it has a bit of everything, dirt track, forest track, open hillside, a long slog up and swift canter down, and I would definitely  recommend it to anyone as a very do-able walk.  I would also recommend joining in with one of these events, they are very friendly and for a fantastic cause, as you never know when you may just be grateful to the Mountain Rescue Organization.

Lakes Mis-Adventuring.

My previous blog on Fetch was entitled Adventuring, so it is fitting to call this one Mis-Adventuring.  Whilst no-one was seriously injured or harmed in any way during the formation of this blog some lovely  people were put under a bit of stress.  More of that later.

Background.
At some point way in the dim and distant past while trawling through things to get my teeth into, things that would involve me getting away into the Lake District for a weekend I came across The Great Lakeland Three Day Event.  I read the information and saw that it was also open to walkers as the cut-offs were generous enough to accommodate them too.  So credit card in hand I duly signed up.  Now I didn't take this lightly I knew I had to learn to navigate so booked one course and then another with Nav4.  I also spent countless hours pouring over my maps, I downloaded old mountain marathon courses from the net and plotted the checkpoints, I got myself out and about with map and compass practising.  I felt I could cope with the terrain and manage at least two days.   So after my Oz trip I purchased the necessary equipment, tent, inflatable mat, dry bag  new sleeping bag, and gathered together everything else I would need.

Friday - spent the day getting ready for the off, dry bag packed and unpacked a dozen times until I was sure it weighed the correct amount.  Decided to travel down during the early hours as it was extremely wet and I wanted to start fresh and not bedraggled from packing up a wet camp.  Arrived at 0600hrs and the event centre was already buzzing, booked in, got my dibber thing and deposited my baggage for transport.  I explained that if I felt I couldn't do it I would withdraw.  Must admit to being scared at this point, everyone looked expert except me but I was determined to give it a go.  

Saturday - spent some time marking the checkpoints and figuring the possible routes for me, I understood that I didn't need to visit all the checkpoints I would do what I could.  Set off up the hill, it was soaking wet, my feet were wet within seconds, I trudged upwards for what seemed ages being passed by loads of people, nothing unusual there at the top of the rise came the first real direction decision which I made and was obviously correct.  The weather wasn't too good but it could have been worse, visibility wasn't great and it's a;ways worse for someone who wears glasses.

Carried on through a right misty part and came out looking down towards Glenridding. I decided at this point to press on for Helvellyn, missing out the first checkpoint, so I headed up to Red Tarn and then up towards Striding Edge (HUGE MISTAKE).

I got right on to the start of the Edge and couldn't do it.  I just couldn't go forward, all I could see was me crashing downwards and being killed on an event, how would I ever live that one down.  So I headed straight down and up over Swirral Edge instead, I looked at it and thought what the hell have I let myself in for, but there was no going back this time, one failure is quite enough thank you.  So I gritted my teeth and went for it.  A lady stopped me just before the top and said "it's so worth it you know" and she was right in just a few seconds I'd topped and the view was magnificent so unfortunately was the wind.  Tried to find the checkpoint dibbery thing, even had a couple of chaps helping me but somehow managed to miss it completely.  Time to press on I knew I was way behind time now so my only thought was to get to the checkpoint at Mill Bridge and bib so they knew I was still moving.  Dropped down and dipped and gave the event centre a phone to say as I was behind time I would miss out Helm Crag and head up the Coast to Coast route which leads straight to Stonethwaite.  This was absolutely beautiful and brilliant walk, I will be going back.   I was making not too bad time, late but Stonethwaite was doable by about 1830 in my estimation, so at the top of valley I tried to phone the event centre again, no luck, no connection. so I pressed on.  Unfortunately this is where the wheels came off big time, I took a wrong turn and headed down the wrong way, I've tried to decided exactly where and I rather think I was headed back towards Thirlmere, I was following a quite wide stream downwards and it was obvious I shouldn't be. Anyway I just had a feeling it wasn't right, so I turned back the way I'd come and found the right route.  Thank goodness I thought, then I realised that I had quite a distance still to travel.  I was in a panic - not actually for me - more for the organisers who I knew would be pressing all sorts of alarm bells by now.  I knew I was OK but they didn't.  So all the way down I kept trying to phone no luck.    As the light started to really fade I saw the and heard the campsites at Stonethwaite and before I knew it I was in the village. A very nice lady asked her husband where the check point was and stayed with me when I phone the organisers from the phone box, she then showed me the checkpoint.  The very lovely marshals came and collected me, I was expecting a bollocking really but they were so nice to me, made me eat pasta and two of the chaps even erected my tent.

Shane the Director had phoned my family so he got them on the phone so I could re-assure them I was OK, which I was.  I've since seen the vid, that Shane made on the second day where he mentions the stressful situation and I am truly apologetic for causing him that stress.

Obviously I pulled out of the event, although I was told I could go on and do a much shortened course. but there was no way I would do that to them again, I couldn't take the chance. So next morning I packed up and headed into Keswick where I booked into a B & B.  Spent most of the day watching the Half Marathon finishers and then went for a lovely meal in The Oddfellows.

Monday - had originally organised with one of the marshals Caroline for her to pick me up in Keswick but she had to go to Wilfs in Stavely for supplies, so I caught a bus to Troutbeck and started walking back to Dowthwaitehead Farm for my car.  Was picked up by Andrew from Inov8 who brought me up to speed with the rest of the event.  I don't think I was the only late one, looking at the results a couple on Sunday were also late and it looks like quite a few people didn't finish either.  In fact Andrew said they shortened the course quite a lot for Monday.   Spent a short time at the event centre catching up and apologising. Spoke to Stuart the Navigation instructor, I hope he wasn't too embarrassed by my failure, because when all's said and done it wasn't really the navigation that was the problem it was my judgement in thinking I could do Striding Edge in the first place.   (I will someday).

So in conclusion - I did have a great weekend, I've met some truly lovely people and I've learnt such a lot about navigation, judgement and self reliance.  I also realise that entering in the first place was perhaps over ambitious, but I also know that if I hadn't lost so much time at Striding Edge I should have finished around the cut off time and given the next day a go. I never felt in any danger at any point, even when I took the wrong turn I was fine, it just added ages onto my time as I had to climb back up again.  So what would I do differently, well for a start I wouldn't try for a three day event, perhaps a two and I would definitely have better contingency plans made.  I need to hone the navigation skills, Jean (sort of chief marshal) suggested that I try some orienteering events which I will probably look into.

Look they even gave me this, I personally didn't think I deserved it but they insisted so what's a girl to do.


I don't regret entering but what I do regret is causing Shane and his team any problems because they really are top people who ran a brilliant event which I would recommend, but not for me next year.  Just don't tell them this but who knows what the future will bring

So it's a case of filing what I've gained from the experience and trying not to be too embarrassed it my failure.    Just to end on a comical note, Kona would not have anything to do with me when I came home, she hid in her cage and turned her face every time I spoke to her and when I brought my back pack in she snorted at it and walked away.  It took several hours and many biscuits before she would come near me.

On the roof of England, all 3209 feet of it.

This year's birthday walk.

Last year my daughter decided that for her birthday she wanted to get to the top of  Ben Nevis, so that's what we did.  This year we thought about a trip to Skye but the logistics of that proved to much for the limited time available so we plumped for Scafell Pike, highest spot in England.  Daughter, friend Laura and I were joined by another of her friends Jax and off we went to Eskdale to stay a couple of nights in the YHA there.   I had forgotten just how far away and slightly awkward Eskdale was to get to so we arrived rather late and in the dark which meant that the girls didn't get to see any of the amazing scenery, which may have been a good thing because when we got up on Saturday morning the sun was shining and Eskdale was there in all her glory for them to be amazed by.  

After a very sturdy breakfast of porridge and bananas we set of for Wasdale.  I deliberately chose the "easy - tourist" route, not wanting to be responsible for asking the girls to do anything too out of the ordinary or anything which may be risky.  As it turned out, who exactly said this was the easy way up?    I had done my homework, read all about Scafell Pike in my Wainwright's guide, checked out the various websites, printed out the maps, checked that we all had the right stuff in the backpacks, first aid kits, waterproofs, spare warm clothing all the usual stuff.  When I head out it's like I'm off on holidays, we were passed by people who had nothing at all, which in my opinion is ok when the weather is lovely like it was on Saturday but why take the chance.  Before I say anything I know fell runners are out there, but hopefully when training they at least take some of their light weight gear with them. Each to their own I suppose but I would hate to be caught out without and heaven forbid need to call out the Mountain Rescue and face the embarrassment of having been ill prepared.

Anyway here are some pictures charting the walk.  I won't give a blow by blow account as I think they speak for themselves.  It was hard, much more of a slog than the Ben, but WOW was it worth it.
Laura has now been christened Nanny Goat Smith, as her ability to skip up hills regardless of the terrain is quite phenomenal considering her inability to walk from my house to hers when there is a car available to transport her LOL.   Jax did very well on her very first ever hill of any kind.  Marissa struggled due to being less fit than last year and also suffering the after effects of a cold, but she made it albeit in a bit of a mood but she still made it.  

We stopped for lunch at the Y junction where the route splits into two, we choose the straightforward way as opposed to the scramble over Mickeldore (that is definitely one for future) we watched several other walkers start to head up that way and I remembered that I'd read about his first ascent of Scafell by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, in the book "Mountains of the Mind" by Robert McFarlane, it's funny that you can read something but it's like it's in black and white and then when you are actually there all the colour floods in. 

The jounrey back down was quite interesting as Marissa and Laura were not speaking, Laura went down first with me following and the other two coming very slowly behind.  When we got to the Lingmell Crossing I felt Laura would be fine on her own and waited for the other two.  Jax was struggling a bit with sore feet, once I'd made sure they were fine I went ahead and joined Laura at the bottom, by this time she had worked it out in her head and was back to being happy.   Once the others came down I offered to show them St. Olaf's but they just wanted to sit in the car, good grief, youngsters eh.  I did my wee visit to the church alone and sat for a few minutes in contemplation, silently giving a sort of thanks.   

I've always managed to find a chappie wherever I go to yap to, and this trip was no exception on the way up I met an older bloke who had been one of the founder members of the Wainwright Society, I met him again as I left the church we had a great chat about Wasdale, Jos Naylor and walking in general.  When I got back to the car, all the girls were back to being friends again.  Woop Woop.

We had a lovely meal that evening in the Hardknott Inn and were all back in bed at the YHA and asleep by eleven. 

We had been very lucky with the weather because on Sunday dawned dull and very wet.  I don't think I would have set out if the weather had been like that on Saturday, not much point really.  

This trip however has made me even more determined to stretch myself further by learning the basics of climbing, so I'm looking into climbing walls so that I can give it a go.  Not sure if I could do it but I want to at least try,

This trip has been useful as training for my Lakeland 50 event, other training is picking up slowly after my month off in Australia.  I have a new road bike, of which I am extremely proud and have entered an event later in the year, so need to get out an practice.  The running is proving to be slow going, I think I just need to stop stressing about it and go with the flow.  I have also been toying with the idea of track work, but it's finding the time to get there..

Right I'm off to check out what hill I can go up next.
#

Baby Steps - learning to navigate

Being sensible enough to realise that it's not particularly wise to venture out into the hills with no navigation skills at all I decided to do something about it.  So I booked myself on the navigation course which was being held the day after the Lakeland50 recce in Ambleside at the beginning of November.  Now being me I also decided to take the opportunity to spend a couple of nights in a B & B so that I could combine the course with a day of Christmas shopping.  Booked a B & B online, always a bit of a gamble, but it turned out to be perfect, just a stone's throw away from the venue and very well appointed.  I was even given an upgrade to a double room woop woop.    

I travelled down immediately after our village craft fair at which I was helping.  Settled in to new home and went out looking for sustenance which I found in a lovely Fish and Chip cafe'.  Didn't think I'd feel out of place as it was quite quiet and seemed to be populated by locals which was in contrast to the more up market eateries which looked like they will full of couples or groups.  Anyway food was lovely and I headed back to B & B armed with some wine and had a nice relaxed shower, drinkie and read of my book bliss.

Next morning up bright and early, lovely breakfast which I couldn't do justice as I was extremely nervous about the day to come ( I know not like me to not be able to eat).  One of the other guests was also on the course so we walked up to the hall together.  I was terrified I wouldn't be able to keep up, cope etc on the course, but no worries as they say in Oz.  The leaders had it all sussed out and we were very neatly slotted into groups according to ability and ability plus pace.  On of my former clubmates was one of the instructors, he led the very good, very fast group.   My group was taken by the very lovely Stuart Smith who's jokes and laid back teaching manner made the whole day a joy. 

The whole day was very hands on , learning from doing rather than sitting being taught.  Almost immediately we were out onto Loughrigg Fell getting stuck into orienting the map, learning the symbols and how to apply what we were seeing with our eyes to what was on the paper in front of us.   As you can see it was a beautiful day which certainly helped. 

Bottom photo shows Stuart demonstrating the correct way to steady your compass.  We had just had lunch at this point, and found out more about each other.  One of the chaps was another Lakeland 50 guy, he was accompanied by his wife who was a keen walker.  One of the girls was a fell runner and Keith in white was also a keen long distance walker who had never learned any navigation as he normally went on guided walks, but was now wanting the spread his wings a bit, so you can see we were all fairly clueless.  However apparently (according to Stuart who could have been using psychology on us) we were doing so well that we progressed past what he thought he'd be teaching us and were branching out taking  and walking on bearings and all sorts LOL.

Walking on our bearing brought us to the top of the hill, now, there's a view.  By this time it was getting on in the afternoon and time to start making our way back down to Ambleside.  Practicing our new navigation skills as we went.  Once back in the hall we made ourselves some coffee and waited for the others to get back in.  I caught up with Jessica who is another 50 person and we had a chat about the recce the day before which I hadn't been able to go to.  She is giving serious thought to what Mark said in his lecture and is planning a re-organisation of her training programme.  Me I'm staying with what I do I'm a tortoise, plodder call it what you will and will probably always be that.  

Really chuffed with my day I decided to treat myself to a nice pub dinner and headed to The Unicorn for a hearty steak pie and chips.    Then back to the B & B for another nice relaxing night.  I did my next day breakfast justice by the way.  Unfortunately the lovely weather of Sunday did not carry on into Monday and it rained and rained and rained which made Christmas shopping a bit of a soggy adventure.  Cut the day short and headed home.  All in all a brilliant weekend.  Thanks to Nav4 Advenutre and Stuart in particular.

On the training front I have just been kicking back and taking it easy.  Heading to running on Monday nights and doing between 3 and 3.5 miles>  Walking with the dogs on Sundays is still going on, we've had some cracking walks of about 5 miles each time.  Managed to get up to Glenkiln a couple of Sunday's ago, somewhere Ive not been in years, but somewhere I'll be back again to very shortly.  I can see navigation practice taking place up as it's not an area I know well so plenty of map and compass practice to be had.

So that's about it.  Very Very busy at work, and also trying to get my SVQ finished to so that can concentrate on plans for next year.

If I don't blog again before Christmas, have a good one.

Not quite that time of year yet.....

Gosh it seems a lifetime away since my last post here.  Time to take a mini stock of things.   I will be doing the whole new plan thing just after Christmas as usual so hence the title- not quite that time of year yet.

I am spending from now until Christmas just kicking back and enjoying things.  No pressure, just relaxing stuff.  I defered my place for Glen Ogle until next year as I just can't get my fitness up in time plus one or two other factors prompted the decision and honestly it's like a weight has been lifted.  I am getting down to finishing my SVQ for work it's all coming together nicely now.  Thank God.

Yesterday I took the mountain bike and the dog and let loose in Ae Forest which is very close to where I live.  It was brilliant, a lovely day, coldish when I started out, but halfway up the first climb I had to disrobe a layer LOL.

 

I headed off on the blue route but at the top of the climb I saw a post which said, escape route to car park, so not knowing how much further blue route when I opted for that.  I have since discover that there's not that much difference in length. (Downloaded 7Stanes map of Ae)so will be giving that a go next. Think I may have done about five miles or so.  Managing gears a bit better now, I suppose it's only practice really.   Kona had an absolute ball, she had plenty of undergrowth to root in and more than enough water for her to splash about in.  I must admit Ae is lovely, but huge, and proably a bit scary if you get lost.  I did have a proper map and compass with me and stuck to marked routes, but well I get a bit experimental at times.   Now one thing I did this time was leave a note of where I was going and how long I expected to be.  So brownie points for me.

 

Kona found a scabby old ball in the car park and was not leaving without it.   I managed to foil her plans though, after all how many scabby old balls does one dog need to litter my house with.   That's Margaret bike on the bike rack there.  A present from a friend and we've already had a couple of adventures.   We entered the Kielder RunBikeRun, bike and I.    It was a lovely day which showed off Kielder very well and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  A lass from Newcastle area and I came in joint last but what does that matter.   It did however show me that I have a lot to learn about biking.

 

So  what's next.  I was about to say not much but I have booked myself on a Navigation course in the Lakes, Ambleside in fact.  Having two nights in a B & B down there and am really looking forward to it.  I have much to learn navigation wise.  Bring it on.   Hopefully will get some Christmas shopping done too.

 

So that's a quick catch up on things.  I have plans in my head for next year, just need to get them down on paper ready for the start of training, but as I said just relaxing now until after Christmas.   When I think about it, it's been a hectic year and as I am not getting any younger LOL I think it's taken quite a lot out of me, more mentally than physically perhaps.  Re-charge batteries methinks.

 

 

 

 





My Lakeland 50.......

Pre Event
Unlike last year I didn't have to work on the Friday, so Billy took the day off too and we left home in plenty of time to get down to Coniston to see the 100 milers setting of on their journey.   I looked for a couple of people I knew were entered, but didn't catch sight of them at the shool, so headed up the road to take some pictures.  It was only then that I spied Flip's backpack heading on up already past me, Ah well. Still no sign of Tony though.
Did the registration thing, weigh, bag check, collect envelope of stuff, Oh wow lovely buff given out this year.
Then went for a walk around Coniston and queued in the chip shop for ages for quite frankly mediocre chips and burgers that they'd cooked when we'd entered the shop yonks before.  I rather think the staff were getting a little frazzled at the edges because of the amount of customers they had had.

Good sleep, up early, breakfasted and up to school for the pre-race briefing and in no time I was ready for the bus.
Found myself sitting next to a chap called Andrew, and we yattered all the way to Dalemain, turns out he follows a former club mate of mine on Twitter (small world eh).  Andrew had a very respectable marathon time and was hoping to do quite well.  (He did, came in at around 12 hours I think).  Dis-embarked the bus and straight into toilet queue.  Spent the rest of the time chatting to Anna, who I'd met last year and have been in touch with on facebook ever since, took pics of the scene and of Jon and the wonderful Otto dog. who's race was cut short because his human suffered badly with stomach problems during the event.

Leg one Dalemain to Howtown.
Standing in the pen ready for the off, I caught the eye of Gaynor Prior, who came across and wished me luck, (long story involving a very lost message).  Now  you've no idea how much that meant and how much it shows that this event and  the Ultra Running community are special.

Picture courtesy of Kristof  Nowicki

The pre-amble round Dalemain was lovely only faffing came when my strap fell off my backpack and I had to spend about 10 mins fixing it back on.  Down through Pooley Bridge and up over the hill and down to Howtown, feeling great, kept sort of company for a while with Pete a 100 man who advised me to take it easy as there was a long way still to go.  He pulled out after Howtown, I did see him coming back the way but it was confirmed when one of his friends mentioned it in a facebook post to me.  Changed socks here as my feet were sponging. Very pleased with progress so far.

Leg two Howtown to Mardale Head
What can I say about Fusedale, it's never going to be my friend I think.  I had company up the long slog though, Kim and I struggled up together, mind I don't think she sat down for a rest like me, she managed hers standing up.   Must admit that once I passed the waterfall things eased and once on the top it was like thank god that's over, but at least I didn't think I was going to die, like I did last year.
Beautiful run down to the bracken, once again I met up with a 100 mile chap who more or less trail blazed the way through the bracken and down over the rough ground for me, all I needed to do was follow in his footsteps.  He was  another of the lovely 100 people I came across during the event.  Amazing.
I found the route around Haweswater rough and hard.  Kim, Laura and Sue overtook me and charged on, goodness me those girls could walk.    Made it into Mardale and all I could think of was Tomato Soup, I'm so glad they had some.   I bought lightweight poles to use this year and can say that I think they helped me, they did save me from going over once or twice on the rough patches and they did help up Fusedale and were light enough to just carry in one hand when not required.

Leg three Mardale Head to Kentmere
Now the strange thing is the Gatesgarth Pass does not fill me with dread like Fusedale, I just took it easy, had a few breathers and made it to the top.  Laura and Sue once again breezed past, allowing Kim to take her time.  It was here that the weather changed for the worse, driving rain and gusty wind.  I was getting quite blown about and was pleased to get down the other side and out of the worst of the wind.  The girls were ducked down in the lee of a dyke waiting for Kim, who would join them soon. The track was extremely rough, it may have been like this last year but It was dark when I came along here LOL.  Up through Sadgill Woods, no wrong turns this year, just a long slog up the hill.   Once again Kim had been slower than the others on the hill but still managed to overtake me on the road down to the Kentmere bracken stage.   I ran along the road mainly to keep her in sight to confirm I was going the right way, found the style and ran down through the bracken, slipping and sliding most of the way onto the firm track which leads up to the Kentmere checkpoint, I was still running when I got there.   Had lovely rice pudding and tea, sat for a while and chatted to one of the chaps I'd been meeting off and on, had a bit of a rest but decided to crack on.

Leg four Kentmere to Ambleside
Garburn in the dark again.  No problems up and over, just an extremely rough descent, had a bit of a panic that I'd gone too far along the track, but it was Ok as I soon recognised the place where I fell arse for tit last year, then in no time I was out onto the road through Troutbeck and up Robin Lane, straight through kissing gate and down the track which leads past the farm to Jenkins Wood.  Met up with yet another 100 runner, this time I was very relieved as I wasn't too keen on the scary woods on my own.  He was having a bit of a wobble and was also a bit worried, he said he knew it was happening and that it would pass but it was still a bit scary for him.  I offered coffee sweeties but he had coffee beans LOL, much better.  A group of about four or five 100 people came along and we all stayed together until Ambleside.  Imagine how I felt coming through Ambleside in the dark with a group of amazing 100 runners.
It was here I met Greg, Tony from last years brother who explained why Tony wasn't on the start line of the 100, badly wrecked feet from some sort of African adventure were to blame.
Stayed perhaps a little too long here, but it was just so inviting in the nice warm, food filled, cheery shop.
Once more I was here with Laura, Sue and Kim who left about 10 mins before me. I was not to see them again until the end.

Leg five Ambleside to Chapel Stile.
An almost uneventful little leg, I'm glad I know this bit quite well now as I was completely on my own in the dark for all of it.  Once I hit the road section I ran all the way down to Skelwith Bridge and quite a way along the flat section to Elterwater.  Up to the cave, turn down the slatey path, over the bridge, up past Wainwrights Inn. The church clock was chiming 4 a.m. when I passed the Inn, very pleased with progress so far then it was
down walled lane and ooops, not up main flaming road Susan.  How the heck I managed it I really don't know I'd read the instructions, watched John Kynaston's vid. and even switch on the GPS, but I still got lost and spent ages backtracking and still couldn't find the checkpoint.   Well not until you've guessed it two 100 runners came along, I was relieved to know I just hadn't travelled far enough down the track to spot the lights.   What an oasis of calm, didn't however avail myself of comfy sofa.  Apparantly they had been expecting me ages ago as the girls had said I was just coming in behind them by about 10 mins.  The checkpoint was very quiet, one chap was sparked out on a sofa and another chap was waiting for the rest of his party.  Had some coffee and soup and then headed out into the soft light of dawn breaking.  


Leg six Chapel Stile to Tilberthwaite.
Although my legs felt like lead when I left the checkpoint they soon good back to work and made good time along the next stretch, even the hill before the Blea Tarn  wasn't as bad as I'd remembered.  Round the back of the Tarn was where the hard leg sapping stuff really bit me, this section was rough and wet and where it wasn't rough and wet it was rough and boggy, some of the step ups were almost too much for my wee legs and I didn't get high enough in the bracken to come out exactly right for the dibber point, so had to trudge uphill, by the looks of it I wasn't the only one though.   Onto the road and past the NT house, up and over the public footpath to Tilberthwaite.  That checkpoint looked miles away along the road, made it though.
Soon others were coming in, one chap wanted to give up, but the combined bullying of everyone at the checkpoint ensured he didn't and he finished.

Last bit Tilberthwaite to Coniston.
No getting lost this time, I knew exactly where I was going, mind you I did have company, but it's amazing what you remember.  That rocky bit you have to climb over scared me a bit because all the others were up and over and gone, what if I fell backwards, they wouldn't miss me I bet.  I made it silly goose.  Cold wind and rain was now the order of the day.  Now I'm sure someone measured this section wrongly, it's much much more than 3.5 miles really.  I know it isn't, just feels never ending, and then there's the descent, eeek not as bad as last year, not as tired at this point. The chap who wanted to quit was having problems here so I overtook and carried on.  Thank Goodness down safely to the road.  Once past the Miners Bridge I decided I better try and run so as not to take even longer, so I ran into Coniston, walked over bridge and then ran all the way to the finish.  I was so pleased.  Unfortunately my phone conked out coming over Blea Tarn so Billy had no idea I was home.   A very tall man guided me into the hall, where I received my cheer, my T. Shirt and my medal.   Hobbled off to tent to surprise Billy.   Then insisted on going back for my free meal.

I finished 1 hour 20 mins up on my time from last year and to say I was well chuffed is an understatement,


I've now read nearly all the blogs written and can understand why they reckon they take nearly as long to write as to do the event.   I can't really find the words to express how I feel about this event.  I was afraid it wouldn't feel the same and that to do it again would somehow ruin my memory of the first one, but it didn't each has it's own feel about it.  The route may have been the same but the conditions underfoot and the weather were much different, so was the company kept and fellow competitors met along the way.  What did remain the same however was the spirit of the event, the friendliness and approachability not only of the organisers, but of the really great runners.  I will be back.