The school was already busy as we rolled in with an almost
tangible buzz of expectation in the air. Many of the LL100 entrants getting
their food and sleep topped up as best they could. Tents up quickly then off to
register with full kit in a Coop bag to be checked. I always pack it after kit
check as pointless doing it before and I know it all fits as most of my longer
training runs are done with full kit plus a bit!.
Registration navigated, weighed (83 kg) so back to the tent
before watching the LL100 start. As usual lots of people running up the first
hill out of Coniston, lots of people who will have felt it later and wished
they had walked – next year I will no doubt be one of those going too fast up
that hill with Adam. Time for food and a pint then more food and watch the
early race progress before bed. Susie got her head down early but I couldn't settle eventually falling asleep sometime after 3am (dong dong dong dong, what
oh, snore, ziippp uh) for a very disrupted and poor sleep but hey-ho, that is
how it goes: time for breakfast! Ablutions done, kit checked, briefing listened
to and laughed at, bus ride endured so time to get in the toilet queue for one
last squeeze. Stretch, chat, kiss Susie, wish her luck then dib in and head to
the front end of the race and wait in anticipation of what was to come.
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| Dalemain before the start |
10, 9, 8, 7 (relax), 6, 5 (breathe), 4, (gulp), 3, 2, 1 and GO...
We were off on the lap around Dalemain, a couple of guys had
a sprint race for a 100 yards or so entertaining the crowds cheering us all on.
Settling into a nice gentle pace on I already felt the heat so was looking forward
to the gentle breeze forecast for later and getting up to the higher points… Towards
the end of the loop as we headed from Dacre back to Dalemain a lot of runners
cruised past me, it was hard to resist upping the pace to stay with them even
though I knew it was very early and the flats are where I am weakest. Cheering
on all the LL100 legends as we passed them who were 17.5 hours further into the
race than us, we made our way to Pooley Bridge and the first little climb and
first bit of walking. Steady, steady, onwards and upwards, still no breeze so a
quick dip in the first stream to cool down then off again – no affect as the water
just warmed up and stayed on my skin.
From the stream to the first checkpoint I passed about five
runners taking advantage of the gentle downward gradients to assist in the
forward progress, the views across Ullswater were stunning as always. Dodging
the “bullets” we entered Howtown checkpoint, quick fluid and food replenishment
and straight back out towards my favourite bit (no honestly) up fusedale over
high and low kop then down to Haweswater. Once again the views were stunning. Still
no wind on the climb up and the usual method of wetting my buff and neck in the
streams to cool down was having no impact with the still air and humidity high.
I eased back a bit to lessen the heat impact before dropping down to Haweswater
and my first slight twinge of cramp... Not good, I don’t usually cramp and this
early in a long race was not a good sign.
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| Descending to Haweswater |
I upped the fluid intake, eased back
a bit more and ate my chia charge to help get some electrolytes back in. Luckily
there are lots of streams from where you join the path by Haweswater and
Mardale Head and the water on buff and neck was beginning to have some impact
(or so I managed to convince myself). A quick turnaround at the checkpoint and a
diluted soup (faster to drink), then up Gatesgarth, bang on target time.
Keeping it steady up and over I was feeling OK but the temperature was still
high and air still and I couldn’t get the fluid in any faster than I was with
sweat pouring out. Even so Kentmere checkpoint came into view and I was still
bang on schedule. I couldn’t resist counting my steps from the sign that said
500 steps to the checkpoint (I counted ~ 230). A couple of rock and roll smoothies,
some crisps, jelly babies and flat coke then go. By now I was in 4th
having passed another LL50 runner a couple of miles before Kentmere but all was
not good…
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| Descending Garburn pass (coutesy of James Kirby) |
The legs were not feeling great on the way up Garburn pass
and I was finding it hard to pick up any kind of pace with the legs spasming
and sudden uncontrolled sweating breaking out. Keeping Marco Consani’s advice
in mind I slowed it right down and tried to get more food and water in thinking
that would help but the heat had done its damage by then and the LL50 as a race
was over. For the majority of that section I was reduced to walking with some
gentle jogging, yes as a race it was over but as an event it was not. I just
needed to keep putting one foot in front of the other, drink and eat and get to
the next checkpoint and as long as the medical team were happy for me to
continue I had plenty of time to get to Coniston. The sub 8:30 was a distant
memory but goal one: “Enjoy it” was still there. Using the rest of the section
to regroup mentally and refocus on the new goal, I made my way to Ambleside,
cheering on all the LL50 runners as they ran past and even managing a gentle jog
through the cheering and uplifting crowds in Ambleside. So the first part of the LL50 was over: LL50 part one: The good the bad and the ugly
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| Dalemain to Ambleside |
Medic!!
After dibbing in at Ambleside, I immediately asked to see
the medic as something was clearly not right and I wanted to get it sorted and
avoid any real or long term issues plus make sure it was safe to continue. The symptoms
of muscle spasms plus excessive sweating, I knew to be heat related with an associated
risk of dehydration. Shortly after sitting down, the shivers started and my
temperature measured 34.1 – probably wasn’t that low as I was coherent and stable
but it was definitely low! Puffer jacket, sleeping bag, foil blanket, hat and
gloves with copious hot tea, soup and crisps over the next couple of hours saw
me gradually recover and my temperature rise almost every half hour: 35.1, 36.1,
36.1 then 36.6. Phew I would be able to carry on when Susie arrived and finish
the race with her. At one point another runner came in overheating and needed a
fan and ice to cool down we looked an odd pair!
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| The odd couple at Ambleside |
Once my temperature was back to normal, I got my kit ready
for when Susie arrived so I could finish the race with her. When she saw me at
Ambleside she asked “how did you get back here so fast?” as she thought I had
finished then come back to the checkpoint to cheer her on, if only although if the
race had gone to plan possible!
The best of times
Setting of on the last 15.5 miles together we decided to try
and get to Chapel Stiles without using our head torches which we belligerently
did arriving in the dark to a vibrant happy checkpoint and a warm fire – don’t
sit down!
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| Amblesdie before the last 15.5 miles |
Quick rest, head torches on and off we went once more with only 10
miles left to go and over five hours to do it to still be within 16 hours; the time
Susie wanted to finish by. Running by head-torch at night with other runners
whose head torches are brighter on uneven terrain with tired legs is tough.
Mucho kudos and respect to all the runners doing large chunks of the race in
the dark. I kneel before the LL100 double nighters! The other head torches
around made the rocks and shadows jump and dance making it hard to see shapes
and depth properly slowing down was even more pronounced. Susie, by this point,
was also suffering from battered, blistered and bruised feet so we broke the
remaining run into small chunks. First thing to get to the bottom of the zigzag
climb before Blea Tarn, in the daylight a lot of this is good running but it is
a different beast in the dark. Cross the road, onwards and downwards past the
Tarn (the one you couldn’t see you know behind those dark tree things?) then
down to the rocky contouring path before the compulsory checkpoint on Wrynose
Pass. Ahead a line of head-torches bobbed away towards Tiberthwaite but no
distinguishable solar light that was the checkpoint was visible yet. Going very
slightly too high (about 20m) we dropped to the higher path and avoided nearly
all the bogs and headed in a straight line towards the checkpoint: breathe…
Not far now but some tough bits in the dark. Another good
path in daylight was again tricky by head-torchat night but we slowly but
shawly closed the gap to the final checkpoint at the foot of the stairway to
heaven. Susies feet were in pieces by now making the progress on an uneven path
very hard and painful but only 3.6 mils to Coniston and 2 ¼ hours to cover the
distance so we had plenty of time. Final regroup and of up the stairs we went. What
for me with my long legs were steep but not too bad steps were high steps for Susie’s
short tired legs. Much swearing, pain, perseverance and bloody minded determination
later we were approaching the hardest bit: the descent to the copper mine path.
Digging deep and pushing the limits of fear and pain Susie and I reached the
bottom with shattered legs and one mile to go from the old miner’s bridge to
the school and finish. Gradually the pace quickened and we broke back into some
running as the stone path, changed to gravel then across the cattle grid and tarmac:
half a mile now… One more bit of jogging then walking to the top of the school
hill getting composed for the finish. Holding hands we jogged down the road to
John Ruskin School and dibbed in together in a time of 15:21:34 joint 364th
– we had done it. My most memorable LL50 so the best of times but by a long way
the longest time out on feet! LL50 part two: Ambleside to the finish with Susie
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| 2015 Lakeland Fifty splits |
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| After breakfast before the presentation: conked out! |
