Todays permitted exercise!

[Mike T]

Actually my plan is to remain loyal to the great southern hope of the fells..... Coventry Godiva Harriers.

I'm likely to be home (Cov) once a month so can continue to train with them, and i want to still be able to race in the excellent Birmingham League Cross Country, not to mention the road relays, nationals, etc. I've also taken up a minor role as a team manager/captain within the club.

I realise i could join a Cumbrian fell club on 2nd claim and there are ways round it, but i really enjoy wearing the famous red & yellow on the fells.

Not to say i won't maybe approach a couple of local clubs for some informal runs.

Ambleside's training runs, both in the evenings during the week, and on the weekends, can be pretty quick at the sharp end, and usually cover a significant amount of interesting terrain. And that pub visit at the end can be its own fun. Visitors are welcomed.

[Travs]

Ambleside's training runs, both in the evenings during the week, and on the weekends, can be pretty quick at the sharp end, and usually cover a significant amount of interesting terrain. And that pub visit at the end can be its own fun. Visitors are welcomed.

I had noticed that a couple of local clubs do the odd weeknight run from Hartsop/Kirkstone/Troutbeck /etc.

(all being well) i'll be located midway between Penrith and Pooley Bridge so could be an option sometimes. I'd be very conscious not to be taking advantage of hospitality from other clubs that i'd have no intention of joining though...

[Mike T]

AAC do visit Glenridding, Hartsop, Kirkstone and Troutbeck, but Keswick will obviously be easier to get to for training sessions.

[Mike T]

10.42 miles, 3,442 feet, 3 hours 12 minutes: Loughrigg trails. Sunny, a strong very cold wind, the ice patches are even more extensive. Good grip as long as the ice is avoided - microspikes not used. Only saw about 10 on the fell.

[Mike T]

7.1 miles, 3,051 feet, 2 hours 29 minutes: Wansfell Pike, with twice down/up to the kissing gate. Sunny, though not as clear as it has been; a very variable cold wind. Terrain remains frozen solid, with extensive ice sheets in places, though this is easy to avoid. Microspikes not used. Saw about a dozen on the fell, and a similar number on the roads.

[Mike T]

10.95 miles, 4,052 feet, 3 hours 15 minutes: Loughrigg trails. Very cold strong wind - even as low as the top of Loughrigg was really unpleasant. Overcast; milky sunshine at times. Terrain solid with ice patches in places but the grip - off the ice - is very good. Microspikes not used. Saw about 20 on the fell, including 7 fell runners - a group of 3 and a group of 4. Of course I see walkers in groups this size - or bigger - most days.

[Mike T]

9.39 miles, 801 feet, 1 hour 38 minutes: Minor roads around Clappersgate, Brathay and Ambleside. This morning's forecast wind and snow failed to eventuate - it was just light drizzle. There were some stretches of black ice on the roads, and the short stretches of grass I ran on were still frozen hard. Not many about, though there was one group of 8 walkers.

[Mike T]

7.27 miles, 3,550 feet, 2 hours 39 minutes: Wansfell Pike, with twice down/up the race route to the kissing gate. Overcast, constant drizzle, no wind except at the top of the Pike - so often the case on this route - not cold. Terrain - surprisingly - is still widely frozen, but with a thin soft wet slippery layer on top; lots of sheet ice still present. Microspikes were invaluable on the descents. Only saw 7 others whilst I was out - 4 of them on the fell.

[Mike T]

11.67 miles, 3,543 feet, 3 hours 18 minutes: Loughrigg trails. Constant drizzle/light rain. Strong but not especially cold wind on top of Loughrigg. At the level I went to most of the ground is now soft, and almost all the ice has melted. The surface is fairly wet, but nowhere near as slippery as yesterday - microspikes not used. Saw about 8 others whilst I was out - including 2 pairs of fell runners.

[Mike T]

10.1 miles, 2,881 feet, 2 hours 43 minutes: Red Screes via Roundhill Farm both ways. Overcast, strong cold wind, no precipitation. Almost all the snow and ice has gone, though there were increasing patches of frozen ground above 2,000 feet, and above this level was in cloud/mist. Very wet, but not too slippery - microspikes not used. Nobody else seen on the fell.