Race Report by Checkers:
Today 3 Intrepid Lostock runners took to the hills/Mountains of the south western Lakes. Me,Mark, and Sharkey. On a bit of a random day weather wise. Showery with low cloud, high winds on the tops. Not cold.
I have done the long Duddon twice before. So in theory should have known the route back. However It’s never that straight forward?
With only 50 runners in our shorter race. The field quickly spread out. Me being a much slower runner these days. I had already resigned myself to being on my own at the back. The out run climbs about 300ms using the quarry track then contours along steadily climbing on a good runnable trod until you get to the wall corner then you make a sharp right straight up to Dow Crag. I was very lucky not to miss the first CP as I had completely forgotten about it until someone shouted me. 😮 Along this section being on my own for so long I was having doubts about my route choice. Do I go to right and higher? or left and lower? I stuck to left ,this payed off as I soon found fresh footprints 😄. As for the climb? This was horrible considering we climbing up the breast I thought it would a bit firmer. It was soft and boggy with sporadic rocks just to inconvenience you. The top eventually arrived? Now it was really windy and the clag had got thicker? Now it was also very rocky with boulder fields to go through. I staggered around like an old man 🤔 taking a pic of one of the faster runners from the longer race. Who complained about going astray. He just bounced over the rocks. Now for the easy bit? 🤔Just follow the ridge down to Walna Scar pass. Really high winds now. Had to be careful not to get blown down the wrong way ? As there is a great big cliff on one side?😮 As the wind was west to east. As I got to the end of ridge the slope became more grassier. Much better for descending. The only trouble was it took me away from the top of the pass so had to contour my way back. To get back on track. The trod to White Pike is simply the best great for running on😄. I discovered here that I wasn’t last 😄 Now for the trek across what is no man’s land?😮 including the descent off White Pike? Which is just horrible 😒 This is every man for himself area no trods no path no lines to follow. Just a jumble crags and bogs. The only good thing was that we could see where we going😄. I came off White Pike on the left. This meant I stayed higher and could see runners over to the right. In this section you just don’t know wether or not you have taken the best route? 😮 Just keep going with your head down 😄 what ever will be😄 I think I did ok I could still see the other runner behind me. I was still not last😄. By now more of the runners from the long race were joining us ,this improved my confidence. Feeling more like I was in a race😄 We all arrived at Caw roughly the same time. Now just straight down to the finish 😄??? To begin with this went well 😄 ?? Then without realising it I found that I had veered off to the left a bit more than I should of😮 And found my self heading for the wrong wall corner. Had to get my map out as I knew I couldn’t come back a different way as there was a control? on the correct wall corner. Or so I thought? I could have winged it😮 As no one was there. Urgh. Anyway I did finish last😒 some body has to 😄 The person who beat me was vet 70 and he won 😄his age cat. These Lake district runners are a different class. The good thing is. That I still can do it and enjoy it. And not come back exhausted.
