Full Tour of Pendle

That's only 30 mins longer to cover an extra 5-6 miles.

I've walked the 3P a handful of times and jogged it slowly during jan / feb this year (stunning blue sky day covered in snow - definitely one of my favourite days out of the year). Aim to do the race next year. Obviously to date I've not done the race route up whernside which I can imagine kills the legs a lot!

Any idea what the FTOP winning time was this year? 2.10 seems a lot faster than I saw anyone running. First runner overtook me just after CP5 which is only halfway-ish and that was around 12pm I think. I guess a time of 2.45?

I saw 2:29 on the board.

The scramble up Whernside was the first time I've seen multiple runners sitting on the grass with tears in their eyes because of calf cramp, it's a very rapid switch from trail and road running to holding onto rocks with your hands. There were more at Inglebugger, by then they were the only people I was overtaking.

Can't really see how FTOP is harder than 3P. 3P is longer, more climb, harder underfoot. Done both this year in similar kind of shape. 3P time 3:30 FTOP 2:45. Nastier weather I'll concede!

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Originally Posted by IainR

I sometimes doubt some of you have been in the fells. I dropped a power bar wrapper in the 2008 Peris. Going up Garn it blew away and down into Cwm Idwal.....what was I to do? Search in vain for the wrapper?Descend 2000ft searching for that one wrapper?

I also didn't say it was acceptable. But an accidental dropping of a wrapper is hardly a shooting offence. And it wasn't me - I ate one fudge bar and one gel and can post you both wrappers if you want proof..

I run 2500 miles a year, mostly in the fells, I've dropped one wrapper, yet I've carried off a lot if litter, especially off Snowdon...

I find it brilliant that you are all so horrified about 1 wrapper, yet drive 500 mile round trips, pumping Co2 into the air for a friendly fell race...I just acknowledge there are consequences for partaking in the sport I do. The way you lot preach on its like you think you have 0 enviormental impact. Of course you do, far more than just a dropped wrapper.

Have some perspective...

Honestly a great race, great event and some of you would rather harp on about 6 dropped wrappers...

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This is my last post on this subject, firstly I am not blaming you IanR or have any argument with you and cannot understand why you are getting so defensive about this subject and would not expect anyone to go looking for litter dropped 2000ft below which accidentally blew away, that could happen to anyone, these gel wrappers on the FTOP were right by the runners trods had been used and deliberately dropped, and could not have been from one individual as there was various makes, there is no excuse, cold hands feet or anything else, I am not preaching or harping on about it but stating a fact these sort of people are not welcome in the Fellrunning community, as for 500 mile round trips and not running in the hills I personnally live locally and also organise a Fell race on Pendle, there are enough pressures on race organisers from landowners and enviromental bodies without adding fuel to the fire from irresponsable self centred individuals. Who could put the future of this great race and other events like it in jeapardy. End of.

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Originally Posted by studmarks

End of.

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Fair enough. If I was local and a race was causing those scars I'd have more concerns about that, than a few gel wrappers. I'm not condoning the litter, BTW. I saw no litter personally but I bet there were only 20 runners from the main field ahead of me, but there was also the quite large early starting field.

Luckily in Snowdonia we only have 2 areas I know of which are getting excessively eroded because of runners; trod development is an inevitable consequence of human prescence but I do think eroding through to the lower soil layers over a wide area is something fell running should avoid.

Running is quite good in its environmental impact, but we have to be careful not to give the conservation bodies and landowners fuel to be against the sport. Of course people shouldn't litter and its a threat, but so is huge scars specifically from the sport. How can we criticise trial bikers or 4x4's cutting up green lanes yet condone our own erosion scars.

All I'm saying for me, the stand out environmental concern was the erosion on the route. Thinking about it with occassional route changes and flagging such scars can be minimised.

The 3P is tougher than FTOP, which becomes obvious if you equalize things and run the 3 peaks route in winter, in the pissing rain :)

What can make FTOP especially tough is the November weather and runners not putting on extra layers until its too late (as I only too well know)

i was hacked off, was supposed to run it, car was in the garage though due to oil leak, iwas gutted, well done to the finishers though

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Originally Posted by Brotherton Lad

I saw 2:29 on the board.

The scramble up Whernside was the first time I've seen multiple runners sitting on the grass with tears in their eyes because of calf cramp, it's a very rapid switch from trail and road running to holding onto rocks with your hands. There were more at Inglebugger, by then they were the only people I was overtaking.

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Had forgotten about the Whernside climb. I've only walked up but that would be on the proper path not straight up. I imagine the scramble is like 2 FTOP climbs back to back ?

It's over 1300' in about a mile with the steepest part saved till last. You're roughly halfway round the race when you get to the top. Ingleborough is of the same order.

Don't underestimate the 3P at all. I think the stats don't tell the true story. There's many a Garmin says that the ascent is closer to 6000 ft and perhaps the figures only account for the PG, Whernside and Ingleborough.
On the climb of all 3 there are downhill sections so the amount of climb is greater than the base to summit figure. There's conversely also uphill sections on the descents!

The cross country section from PG to Ribblehead must also add a fair quantity of ascent - there's a few digs in there.