6 mile run both on and off road. Nothing remarkable, except the first time for a couple of winters that i've needed to wear mikro-spikes.
6 mile run both on and off road. Nothing remarkable, except the first time for a couple of winters that i've needed to wear mikro-spikes.
8.71 miles, 3,556 feet, 2 hours 57 minutes: Wansfell Pike several times from different directions. Overcast, very light snow at times. No wind to speak of. Ground frozen solid, like concrete. Still lots of snow and ice on the steps - would be just manageable going up without spikes, but coming down would be full of risk. Microspikes worn virtually door to door. A dozen others on the fell.
An hour and a half running round Otley Chevin with the headtorch and one friend, Out of the cold rain and up in to lovely soft snow that was laying well. Some of the mud was frozen, but not all, Three other runners met.
7.18 miles, 3,307 feet, 2 hours 41 minutes: Wansfell Pike. Several inches of fresh snow on the top - enough to completely bury the steps in places - down/up/down the race route took rather longer than normal. This morning's HIIT session with about 100 Burpees did not help. Strong cold wind from the north. Sunny at times. Where not covered in snow the ground is not as hard as yesterday. Microspikes almost door to door. About a dozen others on the fell - one couple were looking at a map whilst quite low down so presumably not local.
I'm going to class my local area as the West Riding, which is an older boundary that is much bigger than West Yorkshire. This means I can still run my speed endurance loop from Fewston tomorrow. If I get read the riot act by someone I'll report back.
9.94 miles, 4,459 feet, 3 hours 38 minutes: Wansfell Pike and along the ridge, including twice down/up the race descent to the kissing gate. A centimetre or so of fresh snow fell overnight in town - I thought there would be rather more on the Pike, but there wasn't - I could still easily see my footprints from yesterday. A cold breeze on top, but nothing too troublesome. Mainly overcast with the odd spell of sunshine; in cloud on the ridge. Quite a few about, including several groups who did not know the way, so presumably not locals. Microspikes worn virtually door to door - they were not brilliant today - the snow was a bit too wet and tended to accumulate underneath them - annoying.
Originally Posted by Mike T
Whilst you would imagine this is the case, i've come across many locals (in a variety of UK upland areas) who appear to have barely any local knowledge of the hills...
There was a couple looking at a map at a junction when barely above the main road; a group of 6(!)who took an arduous path off piste, and a group of 4, one of whom said "Shall we ask this chap?" as I passed at well over 2 metres away. Sure, I cannot prove they were not locals, but the chances are they weren't.
I won't comment further, as i took a wrong turn last time i went up there and ended up in what i presume are Stock Ghyll Woods... around that time i also got "lost" while leading my local town parkrun.
Surely Mike, locals would have addressed you as "gentleman"?
"...as dry as the Atacama desert".
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