Three Peaks Fell Race

[DinoF]

Well done, Darren! Don't make a habit of this training thing though will you? The evening race season is here!

[Hes]

That's so true! The first time I did the race, I paced myself and blasted past over 70 people on the descent from Ingleborough feeling strong as an ox and with a decent time (for me). The second time, I tried to beat my splits and overcooked it on PyG and the run to Ribblehead so had to contend with cramp on Whernside and a painful run to Horton. Result - 4minutes slower! (I was doing The Fellsman this year where pacing was crucial).

Edit...I wasn't agreeing with the crushing people's dreams bit DT! Got to love dreamers

I did get carried away mid race but its hard not too when feeling so good
Of course. And I knew more about pacing the 3P after 10 of the things rather than after my first.

But you have to really believe that the race doesn't start before Whernside and that all those heroes dashing past in the first half will come back to you in the second; and that everyone you pass on the long run in from Ingleborough will generate pure joy.

Nothing feels as good in the 3P as crushing people's dreams as you cruise past them.


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[greg_may_]

Few images of the day here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/139956...7651770497238/

17080962460_4bb22cae21_z.jpg

[Rob Furness]

Well I had a nightmare day, looks like the months of working away training on a hotel treadmill caught up with me. I felt flat right from the gun, more or less jogged up PYG and slowly felt my legs easing up in the steady run across to whernside. Hit whernside as planned but couldn't manage to run much of it and the long walk cooled me down far too much. 2/3rds of the way up I decided I was getting dangerously cold and stopped to struggle into my jacket and gloves.

I think about 50 passed me at this point, I couldn't get my arms into my jacket and once I finally managed, my fingers would not straighten to go into my gloves. I gave it up as a bad job and continued with my gloves half on. By the top I had decided to concentrate on getting to hill inn safely and was no longer bothered about finishing, which was fortuitous given that I had to repeatedly stop to sort out the stupid insoles in my Speedcross. I got rhythm going again but it was a last chance effort to stay warm with no intention of continuing.

I dropped out (again) at Hill Inn and after hearing reports of snow on Ingleborough I think it was the right choice. Even wearing all my kit in the minibus I was shaking all over for more than half an hour before any warmth started to return. My fingers were still frozen several hours later.

I've now had one finish from four attempts, granted it was a fairly decent time but still not satisfactory to me yet. One year I will nail this race. I have to, it's driving my nuts!

[fozzy]

I've now had one finish from four attempts, granted it was a fairly decent time but still not satisfactory to me yet. One year I will nail this race. I have to, it's driving my nuts!

Welcome to the club! I've got 4 finishes, but not happy with my times on any of them.

[djglover]

An odd 3 peaks for me. I had been ill and injured in the run up so only done about 50% of the training I wanted, I had had a good stint of training in Nov, Dec and Jan though. I was laid up for the whole week before with a virus I've not been able to properly shake for ages, and I only decided to run the night before. I did have one aim and that was a 1st class time and I knew that if it wasn't on at Hill Inn I'd retire! The reality was it went much better than I'd hoped for and I took it really steady to Ribblehead and luckily missed the worst of the weather finishing 10 mins inside 1st class at 3:30. Well happy with that

[Stolly]

2/3rds of the way up I decided I was getting dangerously cold and stopped to struggle into my jacket and gloves.

Obviously they're different races entirely but the contrast of gear that fellsmanners were wearing at the start of The Fellsman in Ingleton with the gear that the 3 peakers were wearing at the start was massive. The 3 peakers were still by and large in vests and shorts with the odd waterproof whilst the fellsman start looked like an episode of Fortitude (but without the polar bears). I think your mistake Rob was probably not putting the gear on at the bottom of Whernside - Pen y Ghent is more or less runnable all the way so you can get away with it there in poor weather but its only the two plateau-ey bits on Whernside where a trot is possible and its really easy to get cold.

[Fozzy42]

I think your mistake Rob was probably not putting the gear on at the bottom of Whernside - Pen y Ghent is more or less runnable all the way so you can get away with it there in poor weather but its only the two plateau-ey bits on Whernside where a trot is possible and its really easy to get cold.

That was pretty much my mistake as well, by the time I realised how arctic it was I was that bloody cold I couldn't even manage to get into my bum bag, I couldn't even grasp the zip, as my hands were absolutely sodding freezing having taken a tumble in the stream/river crossing

[Rob Furness]

Thanks for that Stolly but I'm well aware of my mistake. It was more of a gamble, the forecast was for the day to warm up as it went on but it got colder instead. At the foot of whernside it wasn't too bad, but the rain started on the way up and the temperature dropped. Hence stopping to put the jacket on.

[ukhursty]

My jacket went on half way up Whernside, it never came off till the finish!

Hats off to the couple of guys in JUST vest and shorts!