Today's Training

[Llani Boy]

This weeks RATRun was a gentle affair from the Waterloo at Biggin. Across fields to the 515, one of which near the railway embankment had 50 to 60 rabbits grazing on it. I have not seen so many rabbits in one place for decades!

Over the 515 and up to Uppermoor Farm. Down to Cardlemere Lane and then on to the High Peak Trail at Upperhouse Farm. Along the HPT and then up through waist high barley to the TP at Aleck Low. Back down and across the 515 at Cardle View followed by a short section of the Tissington Trail and then fields back to The Waterloo.

There was a wine tasting evening going on in the Waterloo, yes in Biggin, and no food available so we relocated to the Bulls Head at Monyash where the always good cheesy chips were washed down with Triple Hop Spring Ale 3.9% from Wincle Brewery.
Sat in the Bull we all noticed that our legs were stinging/itching. We did encounter a few nettles, but not high ones, and we then realised that it was a reaction to the long wispy hairs on the ears of barley that we ran through!

6.75 miles, 638 feet in a steady 1hr 3 min on a cool, dry and breezy evening.

[Travs]

Well this weekend has certainly got off to an interesting start....

Yesterday i managed to bash my elbow up whilst "looking after" my two nephews, and such was the pain yesterday that i thought a hospital trip might be in order... however it isn't quite that serious, but still incredibly painful.

So this evening's run out was basically a test-run to see if i could manage to race Ennerdale tomorrow. Starting way out west on the Cold Fell Road, headed up onto Whoap.... one of the loneliest parts of the Lake District at any time, let alone 7pm in a gale. Continued eastwards and up onto the Ennerdale race route at Iron Crag, up onto Caw.... Headed off Caw north down the ridge between Silver Cove and Great Cove.... this was quite troublesome as there was no path on the upper part, and in the gloom all i could see was ominous looking outcrops and crags. Managed to find a tussocky, heathery way down and eventually the path down to Ennerdale Valley materialised. Across the valley floor and round the top of the Lake to Bowness Knott car park.

9.5 miles, 3300ft in a leisurely 2.5hrs or so.

As to my elbow and possibility of racing tomorrow, it was very painful, every time i upped the speed and the blood started flowing round faster, my elbow was in quite some pain. I did however decide i would race tomorrow, but it would just be a case of getting round steadily and safely without racing, rather than pushing for 5hrs which would have been my target.

Alas the race has been cancelled due to the dismal forecast for tomorrow. I guess this is a blessing in disguise for me.

On the plus side... i picked up some of those Adidas fell shoes today, and one of those hideously expensive Salomon race vests (for way less than half price on the bargain rail), and both performed admirably this evening.

[Travs]

The car park at Ennerdale water this morning was like a grouping of fellrunning lost souls, milling around wanting to use up that pent up energy stored for the race.

I met another Coventrian who was off round the course. And another chap who assured me he was only going up to Black Sail YH and back... when i got there he was nowhere to be seen, and he hadn't come back past me, so lord knows what he decided to do in the end.

I set off on the long 8 mile slog up the valley to Black Sail YH, and after reaching there it was decision time... opted to go up Black Sail Pass and drop down into Wasdale. From Wasdale took the old pony route up to Sty Head, which is far easier to stick to in descent than climbing, and resulted in much off-piste action. From Sty Head up the scree misery of Aaron Slack to Windy Gap.

From Windy Gap dropped down onto Moses Trod and then beelined down towards Warnscale and down into Buttermere. From Buttermere the long drag over Floutern Pass and down to Ennerdale Bridge.

29 miles and 7850ft, a very good run out.

Weather conditions didn't seem too bad. The wind was very cold, and looking up to Sty Head i could see "surf" coming off the waterfalls. Was blown almost over a couple of times, it was certainly not great weather for June, but perhaps what can be expected in spring or autumn on the Lakes fells.

Only issue was dropping a metal farm gate onto my big toe, which resulted in near-tears and a lot of choice language... still, it took my mind off my bad elbow, and rather woke me up from the stupor i found myself in over Floutern Pass, where i seemed to be impersonating a staggering drunk rather than a fellrunner, as i rapidly ran out of steam in the final hour.

[haworth hobbler]

7 miles and 119ft of climbing east of York. How do the flat lander get fit for hills?

[haworth hobbler]

7 miles 119ft of climbing east of York. How do the flatlanders train for hills? Off back home.

[Mike T]

The car park at Ennerdale water this morning was like a grouping of fellrunning lost souls, milling around wanting to use up that pent up energy stored for the race.

I met another Coventrian who was off round the course. And another chap who assured me he was only going up to Black Sail YH and back... when i got there he was nowhere to be seen, and he hadn't come back past me, so lord knows what he decided to do in the end.

I set off on the long 8 mile slog up the valley to Black Sail YH, and after reaching there it was decision time... opted to go up Black Sail Pass and drop down into Wasdale. From Wasdale took the old pony route up to Sty Head, which is far easier to stick to in descent than climbing, and resulted in much off-piste action. From Sty Head up the scree misery of Aaron Slack to Windy Gap.

From Windy Gap dropped down onto Moses Trod and then beelined down towards Warnscale and down into Buttermere. From Buttermere the long drag over Floutern Pass and down to Ennerdale Bridge.

29 miles and 7850ft, a very good run out.

Weather conditions didn't seem too bad. The wind was very cold, and looking up to Sty Head i could see "surf" coming off the waterfalls. Was blown almost over a couple of times, it was certainly not great weather for June, but perhaps what can be expected in spring or autumn on the Lakes fells.

Only issue was dropping a metal farm gate onto my big toe, which resulted in near-tears and a lot of choice language... still, it took my mind off my bad elbow, and rather woke me up from the stupor i found myself in over Floutern Pass, where i seemed to be impersonating a staggering drunk rather than a fellrunner, as i rapidly ran out of steam in the final hour.

That is a decent outing. It reminds me of one year when Ben Nevis was cancelled because of the weather - apparently a group of runners did the route anyway and said conditions were "benign".

[anthonykay]

7 miles 119ft of climbing east of York. How do the flatlanders train for hills? Off back home.

I spent three years in Cambridge. At the far end of Grantchester Meadows, there is something approaching 5 metres altitude difference between the river bank and the upper side of the meadow. I'm not sure what the dog-walkers etc thought of the idiot runner zigzagging up and down the meadow.

But actually I thinking most of my training for hills was done in races. I was doing more orienteering than fell running in those days, but quite a lot of that orienteering was in reasonably hilly areas.

[JohnK]

Reminds me of running the Snowdonia Marathon with a group of despondent runners after it had been cancelled due to a storm which had felled trees and deposited plenty of debris throughout the route, but hey we had a good interesting outing and all survived some pretty tough conditions.

[Mike T]

I spent three years in Cambridge. At the far end of Grantchester Meadows, there is something approaching 5 metres altitude difference between the river bank and the upper side of the meadow. I'm not sure what the dog-walkers etc thought of the idiot runner zigzagging up and down the meadow.

But actually I thinking most of my training for hills was done in races. I was doing more orienteering than fell running in those days, but quite a lot of that orienteering was in reasonably hilly areas.

Did you not try the Gog Magog Hills? For a year or so I used to drive over them to get to/from work when I lived in Suffolk. I only ran on them once - surprisingly challenging.

[mr brightside]

The car park at Ennerdale water this morning was like a grouping of fellrunning lost souls, milling around wanting to use up that pent up energy stored for the race.

I met another Coventrian who was off round the course. And another chap who assured me he was only going up to Black Sail YH and back... when i got there he was nowhere to be seen, and he hadn't come back past me, so lord knows what he decided to do in the end.

I set off on the long 8 mile slog up the valley to Black Sail YH, and after reaching there it was decision time... opted to go up Black Sail Pass and drop down into Wasdale. From Wasdale took the old pony route up to Sty Head, which is far easier to stick to in descent than climbing, and resulted in much off-piste action. From Sty Head up the scree misery of Aaron Slack to Windy Gap.

From Windy Gap dropped down onto Moses Trod and then beelined down towards Warnscale and down into Buttermere. From Buttermere the long drag over Floutern Pass and down to Ennerdale Bridge.

29 miles and 7850ft, a very good run out.

Weather conditions didn't seem too bad. The wind was very cold, and looking up to Sty Head i could see "surf" coming off the waterfalls. Was blown almost over a couple of times, it was certainly not great weather for June, but perhaps what can be expected in spring or autumn on the Lakes fells.

Only issue was dropping a metal farm gate onto my big toe, which resulted in near-tears and a lot of choice language... still, it took my mind off my bad elbow, and rather woke me up from the stupor i found myself in over Floutern Pass, where i seemed to be impersonating a staggering drunk rather than a fellrunner, as i rapidly ran out of steam in the final hour.

I think you made the right choice to go round anyway. With a route like Ennerdale it is probably all about familiarity and good lines. Those sort of figures would kill me.