Re: Headless Winter BG
Thank you everyone.
Two breakfasts down and I'm about to move onto lunch, which will consist of copious amounts of birthday cake; Morgan you should have eaten more cakes.
Marvin, leaving Honister I was quite relaxed - 3'45 to go so an easy run home planned. Unfortunately the weather deteriorated rapidly, my pacers had one of those moments and all the margin was used up with a mistake between Hindscarth and Robinson which meant I had 90 minutes to get home. On the hill we knew we had enough time (just) but there were some worried people in Keswick when I failed to show when expected.
Support was mostly Ilkley Harriers with Debs and Stu from Dark Peak (there were two Stuarts)
I'm physically feeling very good - quads are stiff and one blister but I can walk down stairs forwards. I suspect tomorrow may be a different story.
Friday night conditions were more exciting than expected. I was very aware of the front going through during Friday afternoon and evening and was expecting it to clear through by midnight whilst we were still on the safer ground of Skiddaw and Calva. I had a contingency of a delayed start but the forecast was for it to deteriorate into Saturday night so there was no anticipated net improvement in the weather - sitting in the pub in Keswick having tea we were watching the christmas decorations being buffeted. At 2100 the rain stopped and at 2130 the wind died down. It picked up again as we got up Skiddaw (OMM proportions) and made the ascent of Calva easy - I just spread my arms and was blown up the hill. It then died down again as we passed Skiddaw House (I never intended to go near the Caldew even before the heavy rainfall will have swelled it further). The plan was to go with Halls Fell if the weather was calm enough or Doddick if it wasn't - on the summit it was fine so Halls Fell it was. 50 metres down the wind opened up again and we were buffeted on the rest of the descent. This continued through until 0500 before finally relenting soon after Hellvellyn.
By contrast, Saturday was then one of the best Winter days out for a long time - calm, crisp and clear.
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