Cheeky....I think your name should just be "bother" lose the "nee" bit!! :pQuote:
Originally Posted by Nee Bother
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Cheeky....I think your name should just be "bother" lose the "nee" bit!! :pQuote:
Originally Posted by Nee Bother
I supported a successful AC attempt at the weekend that left at 7am on Saturday, arriving some 23 hours and 46 minutes later.
Weather was far from optimal on leg 3 and leg 4 especially. Clag making navigation tricky.
Well done to Ian, a great effort.
Ken Murphy from Lonsdale Fell Runners made it round. Hats off to him in dire conditions - he started half an hour after Martyn on Friday evening. Congratulations Ken!
I'm Convinced Martyn will be back. It was a pleasure to support him on leg 1 before moving on to help with Ken's leg 2 when the real poor weather kicked in! Bad luck Martyn and fingers crossed for better weather next time.
Well done to all, the weather was unkind!!
Get back in there Martyn, the trainings done now.
Ken
Ade Donnelly set off at midnight and made it in 23:44. I nav'd leg three for him and it was awful, thick clag and rain, which was very heavy on scafell and that long descent. It was a difficult day for a sub 24 round that's for sure.
Well done all that got out there and hope those that didn't make it do so next time.
I navved leg 4 and it was shit! 10m vis most of way, made a couple of errors but didnt lose too much, Ade was awsome on leg 5, great achievement very well done Ade, well deserved!!
Hard luck, Martyn. Hope you get out there and try again, ASAP.
Hard luck Martyn - gutted for you!You don't need good luck to complete a BG, you just need to have no bad luck.You'll be back out there to nail it soon, stronger than ever. In addition, you'll enjoy the experience more in better conditions.Martin
Thanks for all the kind comments. Came back home from Keswick today and am reviewing the weekend's events. I know all you'll understand when I say I'm a bit disappointed (perhaps an understatement), but I've learned a lot and am humbled by the support I received from some truly incredible people. A quick recap of events for anyone interested:
Leg 1 - Rain. Torrential at times, particularly on Skiddaw summit - I thought my knees were going to buckle. Went deep into a bog on Hare Crag, took some effort to pull myself out, lucky my shoes didn't come off. Great navigation from Jules, exceptionally good line up to Blencathra summit, parachute descent, couple of minutes up at Threlkeld.
Leg 2 - Rain and mist. Ace navigation from Andrew McCracken, though the clag was pretty thick. Made a bit of time up here and there, particularly up to Raise and an astoundingly fast transit to Nethermost given the conditions, usually a tough one in the dark/mist. Mark Robinson (Protodoc) and Andrew were a constant support, jamming food into me whenever they could. Saw Ken and his supporters (incl. Jules and Graham who supported me on leg 1) as they were going round Grisedale Tarn and I was starting Seat Sandal. Down to Dunmail a few minutes down, think we lost these on the Dollywaggon descent and Fairfield. Pretty slippery.
Actually started this leg with 4 supporters, but my friend Emma unfortunately had to drop out and Chris Rainbow was unwilling to let her go back down by herself and escorted her back to Threlkeld. I'm told that he had to be restrained from going back up to meet me, so Chris - if you reading this, total respect mate, you're a true gentleman.
Leg 3 - A quick pitstop and up Steel Fell on schedule. Started losing time from Bowfell onwards, rocks as slippy as hell and I wasn't moving over them as fast as I should have. Ken and his supporters overtook me at Great End. Took a hell of a fall in the gully leading off Mickledore down to Lord's Rake, both feet up in the air and flat on my back. Amazingly no damage done. Lord's Rake and WWT slippery, heard Ken's team on Broad Stand as we passed - think we were faster via LR in those conditions, can't have been easy. They passed me again going into Wasdale anyhow. Into Wasdale about 40 - 45 minutes down. Not looking good.
Leg 4 - Fast turnabout in Wasdale (about 4 minutes) and a truly tortuous ascent of Yewbarrow, felt crap. Red Pike similar and by Steeple I was in serious trouble. Credit to Dave A and Alix, Stuart L, Tom Hollins and Andy Gibbons for their kindness and tolerance - I was walking wounded by now. At Pillar I knew I couldn't make it in time and threw in the towel. Tom and Andy ran on to Honister, Dave and the others took a left at Black Sail pass and headed me back to Honister underneath Kirk Fell and the Moses Trod.
When I got to Honister Helen came up the tourist path to meet me and I was truly glad to see her, I knew she'd have been worried. I came down into the car park and was applauded in by some of the best and most generous people it's ever been my privilege to meet, I'm not sure I deserve such marvellous friends.
Anyhow, it would be nice to totally blame my failed attempt on the weather, but that isn't totally true. I also think I got the fuelling wrong and simply didn't take in the right amount of food when it mattered, the extra effort required because of the conditions early on demanded a lot more. Lesson learned.
Several very experienced blokes have told me not to be too hard on myself and go away and think about it before I schedule a rematch. I'll do that, but in the meantime my congratulations and respect to Ken, Ade and Roger for their successful rounds this weekend - I know it wasn't easy.
Writing that must have been very difficult, in time I suppose you will look at it as a positive, but in the meantime...