Championship Races 2023

[mr brightside]

Good result, travs

[noel]

Well done Travs. Early season champs races are hard to get points, for us mortals. Hopefully you'll pick some up at the later ones.

[Llani Boy]

Cracking race today. Conditions pretty much ideal.... Didn't notice any strong wind, and definitely none of the rain/hail storms that accompanied the latter part of last year's race.

Ran a big pb by 6 minutes, but wasn't even close to the v40 points.... Came over the line a shade under 2:05 but would have needed around 1:58 to make the points.

PB aside, i suffered in the second half today, in particular the final climb, where i was two minutes slower than last year.

Clearly my focus on flat running training is overall having a beneficial effect, judging by the result.... but i don't think i'm quite as strong on the uphills as i've been in past years (which is hardly a surprise)

Hello to Llani Boy, and also Ba-ba at the final checkpoint.

Good to see you at the start Travs and well done. As you say almost ideal conditions for the race and I’m sure that Billy’s record will stand for many years.

I enjoyed the race but found it tough as I couldn’t get my breathing going and was 5 or 6 minutes down on a couple runners I’m usually around. Finished in 2.19 but disappointed with only 8th M60. The 1st M60 got around in 1.59! I did finish ahead of the 1st M65 and as I’ll be in that category in 6 months time I suppose it wasn’t too bad a run.

A great event put on by Mercia and now looking forward to the next race. Phillipa Williams looking a good bet for the Ladies Championship.

[ba-ba]

Billy's time brings it in line with Holmesy's record over the original course - any idea how different the course was to then? I understand that the back end may be the bit that's changed most?

Good to see a strong start to the year. A few people not there for various reasons, but not many, fields were pretty stacked. Looking forward to a trawl of the results in the next few days.

You put a Feb race into the championships hoping for a bit of weather to make it interesting, and it's perfect racing conditions! Good for speciating though, there were a few choice words for me on the last climb up Yearlet - what I was after!

[PeteS]

Billy's time brings it in line with Holmesy's record over the original course - any idea how different the course was to then? I understand that the back end may be the bit that's changed most?

Having done both the old and new courses, I don't think there is much in it in terms of time. When the route changed (to avoid erosion of sensitive sites), I guess an effort was made to make the new course comparable to the old by at least making the ascent and distance the same give or take a metre or two.
Until Ashes Hollow, the routes are the same but the old one went up to Barristers Plain and then directly down to Callow Hollow whereas the new one new one turns right up that nasty little valley and round the back of Round Hill to meet up near the head of Callow Hollow.
The only other difference is after Windy Batch. The old route took in Callow summit which you now miss in a lower line but are forced to take in the foot bridge at the bottom of Ashes Hollow with a CP there. Originally you had free route choice from Callow to Yearlet (I went back via Barristers) but whichever way you go and whether new or old it sorted out the places.

[PeteS]

And a bit late to this thread but well done, Pete. Great time and always good to bag a PB.

[gazb]

I've done both old and new courses and I agree with PeteS. My times were similar and the distance/ascent comparable. The old course felt a more natural flowing route though for whatever reason.

[Travs]

I was about 18mins from the footbridge to the top of Yearlet... and for what is effectively a 1/3rd mile valley run, followed by only a couple of hundred metres climb, it shows how tough the Yearlet climb is.

I lost places to a couple of "rivals" between there and the finish (which is only another 9 minutes flat/down.... legs had just gone.

I don't hold out much hope of picking up points at Fairfield, field will be at least as strong and numerous.... perhaps Chapelfell top might have some promise.

I think its a cracking selection of races this year.

[mr brightside]

I don't hold out much hope of picking up points at Fairfield, field will be at least as strong and numerous...

Just do it with the intention of beating me.

[Travs]

Interesting to read the proposals for a new British Champs format.

Basically...

One-off Short and Long champs race each year. One of the races will always be in England, and the other rotated around Wales, Scotland, NI.