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Thread: Sedbergh Hills

  1. #451
    Admin brett's Avatar
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    Parking for Sedbergh Hills Race this Sunday


    Free parking is available for Sedbergh Hills Race at Sedbergh School, Station Road - LA105HG. Go thru the big gates opposite the new Spar shop/Health Centre and park as directed. 3min walk to Peoples Hall.
    From the west/M6 proceed into town past the 2nd garage, on L, the Spar shop is another 500m on L.
    From the east come thru the town past the Dalesman, on R, gates to School are 500m on L.
    There is NO race parking on Howgill Lane or the roads around the Peoples Hall.


    There are toilets available at the School parking - please use them to relieve pressure on those at the Peoples Hall.


    Entry on the day as per FRA Fixtures list: course hard as usual:SEDBERGH HILLS RACE 16th August 2015
    Checkpoints:
    Start/Finish Peoples Hall GR655923
    C1 Arant Haw Summit GR662947
    C2 Castley Knotts summit GR642963
    C3 Stream junction GR647997 closes: 12.40hrs
    C4 Stream junction GR679996
    C5 The Calf summit GR668970
    C6 Winder summit GR654933
    The route to and from the fell is via Lockbank Farm. Route choice after the fell gate is completely optional as long as the checkpoints are visited in the correct order. Although essentially grassy and moderate in altitude do not underestimate the Howgills. Inclement and difficult weather conditions can occur even in August. Navigational skills are essential. Competitors must be able to find their own way round the course – in bad weather and poor visibility following the runner in front may not be an option. Kit requirements apply and will be enforced.

    Checkpoint3-Stream junction above Black Force GR647997 Runners arriving at Checkpoint 3 later than 12.40hrs will be timed out and asked to retire to the finish – the quickest way back is to reverse the race route to west of Castley Knotts and then follow the fell wall back to Lockbank Farm. ALL retirements, wherever on the course they retire from, must report to the finish on the playing field by the Peoples Hall.

  2. #452
    Master Travs's Avatar
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    This was a tough proposition today in pretty poor conditions. Thick cloud, very wet and slippy up there, but it was the visibility which proved to be the downfall for a lot of people. The saving grace being that it wasn't overly cold up there today.

    Didn't feel too bad considering yesterday's hard racing, and settled into a good pace up to Arant Haw summit, probably in about 25th-30th. But the next long section traversing the western flanks of the Howgills, on very narrow trods at a camber, was what I had worried about at the start, I just don't have the technical ability on this type of terrain, and I would estimate I was down to about 50th by the time we hit cp3 and the start of the long "nav" section. Only the steep climbs were keeping me in touch with the large group that had passed me.

    The first couple of cols were found easily enough, but to a man, the large group of 15-20 in front of me took a terrible line off the 2nd col into the valley, leaving them with either a direct climb up and over the Fell, or a tough traverse round the flanks of the Fell to get into the 3rd col. I'd watched this unfolding in front of me and immediately swooped to take advantage, belting a better line off the 2nd col, and then still left with an awkward contour to reach the 3rd col. this was probably the toughest part of the race as I was very much alone, and you always doubt yourself when everyone else goes another way.

    However on reaching cp4 the main bulk of that group were nowhere to be seen, and just 4 or 5 of the better climbers were a hundred yards or so in front. I knew now that the rest of the race was pure effort on a less technical track up The Calf and then the long run in. Picked off the guys in front within a mile, and set about putting some serious distance between us before the downhill section. Surprisingly they didn't come back at me, but I could never relax as visibility was so poor they may well have only been 50 yards behind and I'd never have known.

    Managed to catch another guy heading over Winder and we both took the longer footpath down to the road, rather than any steep shortcuts, it wasn't worth risking a mistake or injury so near the end after all the hard work. He pressed ahead on the lower flanks of Winder but I had something left and hammered past once we hit the road.

    3hrs12. 32nd. I'd have taken that at the start, even in perfect conditions. Given the poor visibility and yesterday's race, I had no idea if I'd be much below 3:45-4hrs, so was well pleased.

    No prize was announced for the Weasdale Horseshoe/Sedbergh Hills double, but looking at the times a lad from Lonsdale was clear winner. I was narrowly beaten into 2nd place by the lady who came 2nd today, after beating her yesterday, she pulled out a decent amount of time on me today. 3rd for me.

    In conditions like today I'd go as far as saying that this race is even moreso "not for beginners" than perhaps even Borrowdale. The smaller field, lack of landmarks, and often no paths, and the tricky nav section, it was a serious test. The fact that 15% dnf'd today shows that.

    It's a fantastic proper race though. One that I really need to do more of to work on my many weaknesses.

    Pete
    Last edited by Travs; 19-08-2018 at 07:25 PM.

  3. #453
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    Sedbergh was one of my favourite races; I did it six times in the 1980’s. Steep grassy hills are what I was strongest on, and I even got a British championship point for coming 30’th at Sedbergh one year! But I don’t recall having to cope with bad visibility at any of my runs there.

  4. #454
    In 2006 I was 3rd V60 (behind the great Kieran Carr and Dave Spedding) in 3.01.33 when it was an English Champs counter and, after a 3rd V60 at Ennerdale, that secured my English Bronze Medal.

    When I went up for my prize the RO Jon Broxap said, to much laughter, "...and 3rd is Graham Breeze who hasn't stopped smiling since he crossed the finish line."

    I have won a lot of First Vet Category over the years but that 3rd place in one of the hardest races in the Calendar to get right was better than any of them.
    "...as dry as the Atacama desert".

  5. #455
    A great race but just never quite felt on it. Think two weeks of holiday beer and ice cream made me lethargic. So got round in 3.14. 30 mins off my personal best.

    Make matters worse, i fell on the last bit of thr last descent. Cut knee open and spent Sunday evening in a&e getting it flushed out and stitched up.

    Thanks to race organisers for a brilliant race, next year I'll do it justice.

  6. #456
    Master Travs's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AJF View Post
    A great race but just never quite felt on it. Think two weeks of holiday beer and ice cream made me lethargic. So got round in 3.14. 30 mins off my personal best.

    Make matters worse, i fell on the last bit of thr last descent. Cut knee open and spent Sunday evening in a&e getting it flushed out and stitched up.

    Thanks to race organisers for a brilliant race, next year I'll do it justice.
    AJF I think you were the guy I was chatting to afterwards by the door to the hall (you had a white vest, and I had a baseball cap on). We briefly discussed the cp3-4 route choices, I think you were in the group in front of me who went a bit too direct off the 3rd col and left yourself a bit of an extra up and down to get back on track.

    I was the guy who was well over to the left of you heading up into the col, and I think I went past you shortly after cp4.

    I got the feeling that the group you were in were all stronger runners than me (including yourself), but the route choice cost you some time and probably a bit of fatigue with the additional climbing.

  7. #457
    Yeh I dropped too early. I thought it was too soon but followed the herd but once near the bottom I knew I had dropped too early so a long traverse to the col. Think most of the others realised after me and also traversed but were a bit behind. No real extra climbing but not getting the benefit of the descending line. Yours was loads better and left you fresher for that long climb.

    The strava flyby of the race is great! A perfect example of the fun of a claggy day with only a map and compass.

  8. #458
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    I think this illustrates how much fun, not to mention tradition, would be lost if you were all following a GPS breadcrumb trail. To my mind at least it is this that sets fell running apart as a sport for the more purely athletic events.
    Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run

  9. #459
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    Quote Originally Posted by bigfella View Post
    I think this illustrates how much fun, not to mention tradition, would be lost if you were all following a GPS breadcrumb trail. To my mind at least it is this that sets fell running apart as a sport for the more purely athletic events.
    Very true. The Lakeland Country Fair Fell Race - from near Torver to the top of the Old Man and back - was held on the same day, and in the clag many went off course on the descent, even locals who supposedly know the route (ahem) - really added to the enjoyment of the day.

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