Another great event.
4th place on the pairs again for me (same as last year, I will get a podium one day!)
Took a bad line from CP1 to CP2, went the long way around thinking that running would be quicker than a sharp descent and then a direct climb up over Seat Sandal...very wrong indeed! Recovered quite a lot of time from CP5 to the finish, even managed the fastest time from CP7 to CP8 out of all the short course runners. Lots of experience gained, I bloody love this event!
Well done Calvin....!
For me it was surprising how quickly a bit of confidence came, once I'd got the first couple of cp's ticked off. I recall saying at the start to DanGilbert that I'd be happy as long as I don't disgrace myself. Once the map had been collected I was soon on my own and beset by the usual doubts.... "where is everyone? Has nobody else come this way? What am I doing?" But once on the way to cp3 and heading back up to Fairfield I was feeling a lot happier and knowing the area, could concentrate on the usual task of trying to lose those who were chasing me down behind.
By cp6-7 I was looking at the people in front of me and thinking they took a bad line, and happy to let them go, and even more pleased to come out ahead of them on the other side of Sergeant Man. And the long leg to cp10 was feeling confident enough to take what I thought was an unorthodox route right down the valley (but seems quite a few people went that way in the end).
Certainly need to work on a few things. Had a complete mental block between Easdale Tarn and cp10, after 6 hrs of not really making any mistakes, I completely lost it in my head, the compass just wouldn't seem to work and I couldn't work out why. I was so flummoxed by it that I got the compass back out this morning to make sure it was still pointing north.... it was... I guess just a mental block as tiredness crept in.
And fine navigation at the end of legs needs work... dropped down onto cp1 perfectly in terrible conditions which was very satisfying... but a couple of other legs I got within a couple of hundred yards and then just saw a couple of people coming away from the kite. And cp10 sheepfold I think I stumbled on more by luck than judgement, it was awkwardly placed behind a steep hillside in what was, for me, a very confusing area.
But very pleased to come out unscathed... it could have gone a lot worse...!
Last edited by Travs; 10-09-2018 at 09:39 PM.
Had a similar experience a few years back at the LDMT. 3 or 4 hours in, lost in clag, and I actually convinced myself that the compass was pointing the wrong way and I was right. I realised the error of my ways shortly after but lost loads of time running about 45 degrees offline. Fatigue messes with you big time in navigation events. Lesson learnt.Originally Posted by Travs
Nice one. I also bloody love this event - it is my annual MOT if you like and the one permanent fixture on the calendar. I passed Joss around Steel Fell and thought that is definitely something to aspire to.
I'm hoping to see more route uploads to route gadget as I lost all my time between 1 and 2 as well. Not sure what the best line was here. I half thought about Grizedale Tarn and then contouring in, thought about the direct line but couldn't make out a safe line to the valley so opted for the middle ground - a mid contour which unfortunately took in a couple of boulder fields. Greasy stuff.
Made up quite a bit of time towards the end thankfully but order of the day was to enjoy it, so mission accomplished
My leg 1 was a shambles. Took the direct line, like about 2/3rds of Routegadget tracks. But should have followed the wall (Fairfield Horseshoe race route) into Rydale, ended up slowed in thick bracken a few hundred yards too far left. Then ran too far over the shoulder of Dove Crag, ended up dropping a steep gully north of the control (nowhere near as clear on the map as on the ground). Thought I was south of the control, so scuttled north like a disturbed spider over greasy ground till Dove Crag appeared out of the gloom and I realised I'd overshot still further.
Next leg was little better. Everyone else going high, I figured they'd be hitting bad ground so stayed low which wasn't great, while the high-liners shot off into the distance. Internal monologue mostly swear words! Then realised I was coming out the side of one of my shoes on the horrible descent of Seat Sandal ... But, managed to regroup, and get round and, as ever, enjoy the sheer perversity of it. Not exactly the top 10 finishes of my youth, but hey, still in it!
Great event, my 'must-do' of the year.
Has Routegadget been 'pro-ified'? I recall being able to replay the course, and add/remove tracks for clarity. But the basic version now just seems to show a collective, unchangeable mess of tracks, hard to pick people out.
Last edited by Ted; 12-09-2018 at 10:40 AM.
make sure the 'all routes' tickbox at the bottom isn't checked. You can view as many/few routes as you wish.
Nic Barber. Downhill Dandy
I can't see that option. The only 'All' is to select all courses and/or all runners. If I pick a single course, I see all tracks on that course. I seem to recall being able to click on names to add/remove individually.
If you go on the Results tab rather than the Courses tab you can display individual runners routes.
Ah yes - I had to click the course as well as the checkbox, thanks.
Cheers mate, sounds like you had a great run out too. Very easy to start getting confused when you're tired and it's claggy...not the best mix for navving eh? haha!
I aim to do the Medium and the Classic in future years, although at the moment I'm enjoying the short in a pair. Really good fun and I had a great mix with Helen at weekend - she was very good on the bearings and I did more of reading the land/map itself, a fantastic combo that we hadn't even planned or worked on before. You learn so much in this race, it's fantastic.
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