Black Combe

[gaw]

Black Combe this Saturday - can anyone offer a lift after the race to Kendal?
Thanks
Graham

[Leaf]

Yes, I can. If you still need a lift (and don't mind waiting until I finish the race!) ask a Helm Hill Runner to point out who 'Lindsay' is.

[mr brightside]

Never bothered with this one, it's a lot of climb for me, but i might go over on saturday if the weather holds. There's precious little discussion of the route farther back down the thread, but i'm interested in how far right you have to swing off CP6 to miss this rumoured sea of heather, and whether this heather is in fact too thick to bound through? Also what is the nature of this alleged banging descent down to the finish? If it's a gravel miners track or a fix the fells special it will be torture. What are we dealing with?

[ba-ba]

perfect bearing over mild heather, hit the path corner, smash down the path which is a bit grassy a bit stony but generally a perfect grade for getting a right move on, then a few turns through the fields at the end, wouldn't expect them to be too heavy as fairly dry south lakes at moment.

Classic AM fell race, bit of everything in it. About time someone revised my descent record (sure Holmesy will have done quicker pre-chip timing)

[Graham Breeze]

Never bothered with this one, it's a lot of climb for me, but i might go over on saturday if the weather holds. There's precious little discussion of the route farther back down the thread, but i'm interested in how far right you have to swing off CP6 to miss this rumoured sea of heather, and whether this heather is in fact too thick to bound through? Also what is the nature of this alleged banging descent down to the finish? If it's a gravel miners track or a fix the fells special it will be torture. What are we dealing with?

It's a great race (and Will Ross is a super RO) which because of its location doesn't get the recognition it deserves but if you get the route right it is an event one will remember with pride and affection.

[mr brightside]

perfect bearing over mild heather, hit the path corner, smash down the path which is a bit grassy a bit stony but generally a perfect grade for getting a right move on, then a few turns through the fields at the end, wouldn't expect them to be too heavy as fairly dry south lakes at moment.

Classic AM fell race, bit of everything in it. About time someone revised my descent record (sure Holmesy will have done quicker pre-chip timing)

I noticed you were the DHR holder, but if it's one of those uncomplicated grassy path descents, then the guy with the biggest lungs wins; a bit like Great Whernside. The more complicated it is, then the better it is for me. I'd need to be breaking 5mmp to be on schedule, but i average 6.15mmp on a parkrun which is close. If the weather holds i'll give it a look, but it does genuinely look like one for somebody with a big V02.

[mr brightside]

Ha, here's a good one, there are three numbers listed in various places for Will Ross, does anyone know which of these is him? 01229 869053, 01229 808407, 01229 869005

[mr brightside]

Well, that didn't go too well. When i checked my bearing back at the village hall it was off by about enough to make me think Pen End was the right ridge to aim for, not sure how it got altered. See the below attachment for details of my little detour:

blackc.jpg

The red dots are my route. I got a bit suspicious when i found myself in a boulder field shortly after leaving the CP, but when i got close enough to Pen End to see there were no other runners on it i had to pick i direction. It's a rough old ride down into the mouth of Hallgill, the grass is a bit shelfy and lumpy. I veered right and just stayed high enough to clear Black Crags picking up a sheep trod over the top to rejoin the race route. There was no point in continuing, but i stubbornley refused to quit and totally buried myself all the way to the line. I picked up some nice runnable lines off to the left of the path opposite Townend Knotts, i'd spied them on the way up, but most years the springs will be gushing water so the line will be waterlogged and not a good option.

11mins dead for the split, and i have to say i'm bitterly disappointed. There may not be another year as good as this or as dry as this for many years; i played my cards well and kept my powder nice and dry, but screwed it up in a most disappointing manner. I didn't stay for the presentation; i didn't want anyone recognising me as the guy who'd been asking questions about the descent prize only to go on to run it in 11mins!

[MattPo]

Tough, We've all messed up in a race. I've had a couple of navigational nightmares. Once chasing down a group of runners in front thinking the were going the right way. I caught them just as we all realised we were on our way to oblivion. Oh if I'd got my compass out I would have been in the top of the field. Also got lost by just poor navigation in clear weather in the Winter tour of Bradwell.
There is always next year and valuable experience gained.

[mr brightside]

I've MMap'd my route, it was 1.82ml, with the correct line coming in at 1.72. My pacing was 6.0mmp, a long way off the 5ish i was looking for and further off the 4.85 ba-ba managed on his record year. The area i encountered is actually marked Gray Stones on the OS; it's aptly named, there are a hell of a lot of large grey stones there.