I'm planning to go for Mudtalons next, when my current X-talons give up the ghost (which is imminent, i'll only do my next couple of races in them because they are short and uphill).Originally Posted by Mike T
Main attraction is the Mudtalons seem to have a rock-plate.
Hoping to go for the "speed" version though.
From my experience with the Speed and non speed versions of Mudtalon, they're both great shoes. I use the wide variant. The only negative of the Speed for me is the minimal heel cup cushioning - it meant I had to go back to my X-Talon 260 V2s from time to time because of heel discomfort; the only negative of the non speed version is the tendency to tilt on angled traverses. Both have fantastic grip.
12.75 miles, 3,337 feet, 4 hours 2 minutes: Fairfield Horseshoe clockwise from/to Ambleside, going over all the tops except one - I went to the left/west of Great Rigg - descending the race/east side of the wall, and going down the rock step. Overcast with high clouds; hazy in the distance. Very little sun/blue sky. No rain. A moderate breeze from the south. Terrain dry/damp with good grip. Very few walkers on the fells; 4 runners seen: 2 in the valley and 2 ascending above Nab Scar. The latter 2 were running up that steep slope - amazing.
11.28 miles, 2,909 feet, 3 hours 23 minutes: Loughrigg trails. Sunshine and high clouds, no rain, a refreshing breeze from the south, terrain mainly dry with good grip. Quite a few walkers about, mainly on the Grasmere side of the fell. 1 runner seen in the valley.
I did a long section of run/rest/run/rest etc going up from the caves. I am hoping it does me more good than run/walk/run/walk.
12.43 miles, 3,280 feet, 3 hours 46 minutes: Rydal Round, starting and finishing in Ambleside. Lots of clouds, occasional spells of weak sunshine, the cloud base was at about 2,500 feet, misty in the distance below that. A nice breeze from the south. No rain. Terrain dry with good grip. Not many walkers on the fells; 2 runners seen.
I went to the left/west of the 1st, 2nd and 4th tops after Nab Scar on the ascent, to the south west of Dove Crag, and then down the race side of the wall including the rock step. For a change I stayed close to the wall, so lots of rocks.
It is my understanding that on the Rydal Round it is not necessary to go over Dove Crag itself, as long as the wall is crossed shortly below/after it.
13.12 miles, 3,741 feet, 3 hours 53 minutes: Ambleside - High Skelghyll Farm - Robin Lane - Troutbeck - Garburn Pass - Sour Howes - Sallows - Sour Howes - Limefitt Park - Mortal Man Pub - Nanny Lane - Wansfell Pike - race route descent - Ambleside. Overcast, with the cloud base at about 2,500 feet. Some patches of blue sky/weak sunshine. No rain. A nice breeze from the south. Very few walkers about, though I did come across the AAC Tuesday/Friday walking group - about 10 of them. 6 runners seen.
The race descent from the Pike is still almost bracken free - fingers crossed that it will remain so.
10.34 miles, 2,576 feet, 3 hours 13 minutes: Loughrigg trails, including down the race route from the top to the road at High Close, down through Deerbolts Woods to Grasmere shore and back up to the top via Loughrigg Terrace and the steps overlooking Grasmere. Sunshine and high clouds, a refreshing breeze from the south west, no rain. Terrain dry/damp with mainly good grip. Lots of walkers on the fell; 7 runners seen.
More and more of the trods are now unpleasant or even blocked by the bracken - but of course this happens every year.
Mike, will you be venturing over towards Bowfell/Crinkles this summer?
I note that in previous years you have occasionally ventured a little further than Wansfell/Loughrigg/Fairfield Horseshoe during the summer months....
I hope to Travs - I am a bit put off by all the recent traffic, but I should put that to one side and leave early.
12.39 miles, 3,323 feet, 3 hours 44 minutes: Rydal Round, from/to Ambleside. Sunshine and high clouds, no rain, a lovely breeze from the west, terrain dry/damp with good grip. Quite a few walkers on the fells; 8 runners seen.
I took the same route as on the 20/6 apart from going over rather than around the first top after Nab Scar. It took an extra 15 seconds - 200 vs 215 - I was surprised it was not a bigger difference.
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