Saturday 31st August 2024 – The Grisedale Horseshoe Fell Race
Race report by Shutters:
This was the 3rd Lakes race in the 3 race series and is approx. 10 miles long and has 5000ft of ascent. Starting in Glenridding and visiting Birkhouse Moor, Catstye Cam, Helvellyn, Grisedale Tarn, St Sunday Crag, in short it is a beast of a race.
I ran this race last year on a hot day when i was not as fit as I should have been. I struggled with cramp from the top of St Sunday Crag to the finish which is basically a 2000ft descent, a 1000ft ascent, a 750 ft descent followed by a flatish 500m trot along side a river to the finish. I stumbled/crawled into the finish after 3 hrs and 49 minutes, 4 or 5 from the back of the field and the one thing that kept me going over the ridiculously steep last climb was the thought that next year it would not be as hot and I would be fitter.
Fast forward to this year and I didn’t feel much fitter after having July off from running due to over-doing it trying to race Tony at Aggies Staircase at the end of June, but hey it couldn’t be as hot as last year, could it. Anyway on the day it was as hot as last year and I was feeling rather nervous on the start line as I wasn’t sure how things would pan out after last year, the section from St Sunday to the finish is the most testing section and if ur nor fit enough there is no hiding place.
So on Saturday I arrived at Glenridding with the wife in tow, I had unwittingly booked this race on the very weekend of our 20th wedding anniversary when we had already booked a night in Bowness, don’t know how I managed that, must have got my dates mixed up or something, anyway a compromise was that we stayed over on the Saturday night after the race and then went on our pre-planned overnighter at Bowness on the Sunday. This turned out to be a masterstroke of planning on my part as after the race and had checked in to the Ullswater Inn, showered and then went out to rehydrate, sat outside the Travellers Rest in the sunshine wi a San Miguel, i might have forgotten about my aching body briefly, very very briefly.
This years race was organised by our very own Tony Marlow and what a great job he did, he also had support from Josie as Tail Runner, John Smith as number checker ont finish line and Christine who was chief Tuna Butty maker. As i said the weather was glorious and we were treated to some great views all around the course and this was captured by Olga a Preston runner who videod the race, i have included the utube link below, if u have time have a butchers, it really does show why the sport of fell running is absolutley brilliant, from fantastic people to fantastic views.
The race itself – i set off with Sharkey near the back and after the flat 500m out section along the side of the river we started our ascent up towards Birkhouse Moor, there are a series of steps taking u upwards, its like going up the stairs at home but for 40 odd minutes. I looked up from time to time to check who was up ahead and took a few pictures looking back down towards Ullswater,also drinking plenty and having some salt tablets which was part of my plan to stave off the dreaded cramp. At the top of the climb the path levels out and there is a runnable section past Red Tarn before the climb up to Catstye Cam and the 1st CP. After this u do a 180 and return down from Catstye Cam towards Swirrel Edge where i was just behind Mark Nutter from Clayton, we were about the same pace and not wanting to get too carried away i held myself back and used Mark as a pacer to keep me in check.
I had a good climb up the rocky section to the Helvellyn ridgeline and again took some pictures and admired the view, Helvellyn itself was pretty busy. In the time it had taken me to take the pictures and take in the view Mark had run off into the distance so i had a little spurt and dug in to reel him back in, infact he had caught a couple of runners and when i arrived there was a definite group of 4.
We descended carefully down towards Grisedale Tarn and met Olga who was videoing the race before we started the climb up to St Sunday Crag, its a 1000ft climb and we walked most of it until we reached the ridgeline then we ran/walked to the actual summit of St Sunday and the next CP. The run down to the valley floor from St Sunday is a 2000ft descent on steep, rough long grassy/uneven ground, it really takes it out of ur legs as you are constantly braking. A quick trot over the valley floor before the last climb which is 1000ft, very steep and with the sun on our backs and very little wind so it was hot, hot, hot. Although my legs were sore by this point i moved quickly upwards overtaking a few runners, the last descent was where the cramp started, the old calf cramp was there or there abouts for most of that descent and the little group i had been with slowly pulled away.
At the bottom i broke into a proper run as i knew i could beat 3 and a half hours. And so i did 3:28.
It was one of the most memorable days i will never forget, i started out feeling apprehensive but ended up enjoying most of the race taking in views and chatting to fellow runners, it was only the last descent that really troubled me, a massive improvement from last year where i really questioned if i could do this type of race ever again. At the finish was John and Christine and some much needed cold water followed by Tuna butties. A great race that i thoroughly enjoyed.
The icing on the cake was then going out and having a few drinks and some food with Kathryn on a lovely late summers nightin Glenridding.
Absolutely brilliant, roll on next year!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxCWLC4tGDE&t=29s
