The Masters Lounge

[Llani Boy]

I see you beat Billy cartwright at Ilam at the weekend, LB.

I did Mr B.

Nothing to get excited about though. He hardly broke sweat, trotting around whilst returning from injury.

[Graham Breeze]

I did Mr B.

Nothing to get excited about though. He hardly broke sweat, trotting around whilst returning from injury.

Ha ha. Results don't always tell the whole story.

I once beat Yiannis Tridimas to First V65 at Thievely Pike and when I expressed my astonishment Yiannis - a lovely man - said I had beaten him well and fairly etc. But eventually he admitted that he had only arrived back in England the day before after his long summer stay at his house in Greece.

[anthonykay]

The list of people finishing behind me at the 1981 Kentmere race includes K Shand, J Norman, M Short, P Walkington, R Pilbeam, C Donnelly and H Jarrett. I was one of the spoilsports who ignored the opportunity that the clag gave to go on a tour of Harter Fell and the Mardale Waters. Steve Chilton refers to this race in his book about John Wild and Kenny Stuart; John Wild was another one who, due to his inexperience on the fells at that time, didn't realise that you were supposed to go exploring when the cloud was down, and he finished 4 minutes clear of the next runner.

[mr brightside]

I did Mr B.

Nothing to get excited about though. He hardly broke sweat, trotting around whilst returning from injury.

Is Ilam actually any good? I considered it, but feared all the pathless, steep and technical looking descents were actually tourist steps.

[Witton Park]

I once beat Bashir Hussain to the first corner of the Good Friday Southport 4 mile race.

[Llani Boy]

Is Ilam actually any good? I considered it, but feared all the pathless, steep and technical looking descents were actually tourist steps.

It is a good race. All the "pathless, steep and technical looking descents" are just that. Plenty of thistles too. There is a couple of hundred yards of tarmac after the first descent, to get to the stepping stones. After the final descent a path beside the river which looks on the map as it is nice and friendly is far from it. Although flat, very eroded and strewn with slippery limestone rocks. In fact I found it easier to run in the river in a couple of places as the water is/was crystal clear.

See you next year!

[Llani Boy]

Is Ilam actually any good? I considered it, but feared all the pathless, steep and technical looking descents were actually tourist steps.

There are some photographs on the Fell Running UK FB site which will give you some idea of the terrain MrB.

[mr brightside]

Does anyone, maybe LB, know if you can enter the Litton Xmas Cracker without entering the limestone series?

[Llani Boy]

Does anyone, maybe LB, know if you can enter the Litton Xmas Cracker without entering the limestone series?

Yes.

Entry is temporarily closed for the 3 last races in the series. AVTiming was used initially for the series entry/chip timing but the results were messed up at Ilam and I know that the RO was not impressed with their service, as he told me.

I suspect that this is the reason for the temporary closure and a different organisation is being sought. Hopefully entries will re-open soon. I'll let you know if I hear anything.