Three Peaks Fell Race

[AndyA]

Hi Andy
finished in 4:39 which was a PB by 3 minutes but 30 minutes outside my target time. please under the circumstances as the leg gave way going up whernside and it was a war of atrition from there onwards especially the last two miles when i knew i had to dig deep to get a PB. did you run today?

Well done, good run, see what tapering does for you!

I did 3.56, a minute or so faster than last time in 2011, probably because of the new path. I was happy not to be slower as I've not done a lot of longer runs over the winter. No big dramas but a bit hot for me, topless for most of the race!

[jenn_h]

Another first timer's thank you here - marshalling and support was top notch all the way around, I had offers of jelly babies, Haribo (twice), a bit of orange and water too. Couldn't have asked for more Happy with 4.25 too, every other long race I've tried to do this year has been cancelled so I gave up on the training weeks ago!

[Jez Hellewell]

Aha, that was you Andy passing me at a canter going up Ingleborough !

Well done, good run, see what tapering does for you!

I did 3.56, a minute or so faster than last time in 2011, probably because of the new path. I was happy not to be slower as I've not done a lot of longer runs over the winter. No big dramas but a bit hot for me, topless for most of the race!

[AndyA]

. Just one final thing, found the new bit from PYG , quite easy on the legs, but what do we think on here about the new slabs on the Whernside descent ??, didn't like them at all. Quite slippy and that's with them dry -ish .

Yes, they were hard work but I suspect that they wouldn't usually have so much mud on them! I can understand why they are there. Maybe they 'bed in' after a year or two?

Aha, that was you Andy passing me at a canter going up Ingleborough !

Probably, not sure about the canter though!

I put my vest back on near the top of Ingleborough as the wind picked up a bit, then spent the whole descent far too hot, but not daring to pull it off in case I fell! I stopped briefly on the way down to check on some guy who took a tumble (most just spring back up but he was sat there staring at his ankle with his confused face on!) but failed to take the opportunity.

[Rozzer]

My first 3peaks and finished in 3.31. I lost around twenty places from halfway up inglebugger. Cramp started to set in after whernside, went for my last gel at the hill inn but it had burst after an earlier tumble. Trying to eat a mars bar while running took some doing and did nothing but made me feel sick.

I slipped on the stile coming off inglebugger and cramped up so thanks to the Marshall who helped stretch my legs. :-) great race and I thought the encouragement of the spectators, marshalls and other runners was first class.

I ran the first half with Sam Watson and two others from wharfedale. He has to spend half his energy nodding and saying hello as literally EVERYONE knew him. Ha. ;-)

[Starsky]

Well done everyone, some cracking performances that put mine to shame!...

I was feeling fairly optimistic on the start line as I've been running pretty well of late but as it was my 1st effort at the race the plan was to go out steady till at least Ribblehead in the hope that I'd have something left for Ingleborough and the finish but the reality was quite different. I did run steady but felt like I struggled to get going from the off, seemed like I just had nothing in the tank and by the time I reached Ribblehead my legs were already starting to tighten up. Slowly but surely my steady pace became a slow plod and the final few miles home were a real grind. Managed to just about stave off the cramp till a few miles from home when it stopped me in my tracks.

So I've been left with mixed feelings, undoubtedly a great race, very well organised, great support (being a 1st timer I have nothing to compare it to), brilliant marshalling and it's another classic ticked off the to do list but I found it a real struggle but I guess that's the challenge. Yesterday I thought I wouldn't do it again, now I'm thinking maybe as I know there's lots of room for improvement.

For the record my time was 4:43:50.

[quirky]

First time for me. did not think i would make the cut offs so was pleased to scrape in 4.56. great race, fantastic marshalling and a big thanks to the guy who pulled my camper out of the field! Swore i would never do it again...but more training (some training!!) and next year is looking good!

[johnraho]

Well done everyone, some cracking performances that put mine to shame!...

I was feeling fairly optimistic on the start line as I've been running pretty well of late but as it was my 1st effort at the race the plan was to go out steady till at least Ribblehead in the hope that I'd have something left for Ingleborough and the finish but the reality was quite different. I did run steady but felt like I struggled to get going from the off, seemed like I just had nothing in the tank and by the time I reached Ribblehead my legs were already starting to tighten up. Slowly but surely my steady pace became a slow plod and the final few miles home were a real grind. Managed to just about stave off the cramp till a few miles from home when it stopped me in my tracks.

So I've been left with mixed feelings, undoubtedly a great race, very well organised, great support (being a 1st timer I have nothing to compare it to), brilliant marshalling and it's another classic ticked off the to do list but I found it a real struggle but I guess that's the challenge. Yesterday I thought I wouldn't do it again, now I'm thinking maybe as I know there's lots of room for improvement.

For the record my time was 4:43:50.

This is exactly how I felt last year, spent the whole race feeling awful with a steady stream coming past. It took me over an hour to get down from Ingleborough, finished in 4.36 after aiming for 4.00.
This year it was a different race, no expectations other than to enjoy it all. Loved every minute (maybe still not the final descent - so difficult!) I took 53 minutes off my time (3.43) and now looking to next year how to shave more off. It's a weird race, I think because it's so long then the ascents are short but savage. I didn't respect it enough last year but definitely learned a lot for this year so fair play to those first timers who finished so strongly! Can't wait for next year - never thought i'd be saying that 12 hours after I finished!

[Brummy John]

Congratulations to everyone who ran yesterday, it was a great event to watch. We had all four seasons in one day!

Six of us from Rochdale jogged round the course and we handed out harribo, jelly snakes and all sorts. With nearly 1000 runners tough, we soon ran out. We ran about 14 miles and here are about 180 pictures taken along the way. Kevin took quite a few too, and Ian Slater was up there with his top notch camera, so many more to come. Once again well done to all, especially John above and his massive PB! http://racemaps.org.uk/ThreePeaksfel...bum/index.html