Mount Famine - Catagory 'A" Fell Race

I have been training quite hard over the last four/five weekends, racing, upping and generally being out on the fells, so i decided to make my way to Hayfield to have crack at the one race i have heard so much about.

Realised i had left the Garmin at home, so nothing to push me on, when i need a push.

Especially the start!



After last min dash from Derby to Hayfield, i arrived at the scout hut, with mu £4 at the ready, seeing some usual faces and friends made the trip worth while.

A little bit of a map review and a 5 min trot to the start, which seemed a little narrow, i soon realised that the race went sideways from the path, form a line facing up the hill and off, up Elle Bank and what a scramble, the chat soon stopped and was replaced with lung busting breath after lung busting breath.

On reaching the top, and undulating trot before a drop into the woods, sharp right and then up onto the ridge and towards Mount Famine, some ups and some downs then a real sharp push up onto South Head.



The first 1.51 miles of the race covers 984ft of climbing...... ouch!



After the drop off South Head, which at this stage i thought i was last, really finding it hard to get the legs going fast enough on the ups, having enough to catch folks on the downs, but the last major climb back onto Mount Famine, taking in bits of Dimpus Clough (picture above) was a real digging in session.

The ridge and drop back to the path for the trot along the road, similar to the finish of the Kinder Downfall, cross the bridge and onto the park.

Felt like i had pushed hard, had a really good session, unsure of time and placing due to no garmin and not having a clue how many runners were in front. But even though it was Solid, enjoyed it, in a strange way!

Results have been published today - Finished 109/116 in 1hr 17min 27 seconds!

That's the MOUNT FAMINE (5m/1850') - Saturday, 14th May 2011 - 11:00am - A/S

It's also pushed me up to 32 in the Dark Peak local league.

Burbage Skyline 5.75m/1200ft

After a really tough couple of days working i decided to make the dash from Derby to the Fox House Inn for this annual event,

After last years 300 plus runners i thought i best get on my way a little earlier, but true to form, it was last min as always,


*Higger Tor - Image from Derbyshire Images

The journey seemed to take ages, just like going on holiday as a kid, are we nearly there yet, on the way then, when you come home it seems to fly by!


*Mother Cap - Images from Derbyshire Images

As i made my way down the road, after parking what seemed like a mile away, i wrote my entry out and queued up, only to find no numbers, after lots of dashing around the numbers arrived and the registration continued,

Loads of regular faces, Stephen Burt, Simon Goldsmith, Daz H, and a huge number of Dark Peakers!


*Getting on with it down the "plummet"

The race started with the little trot up before turning left at the flag and the drop to the stream crossing, with such a large field, it helps me, as i don't go off to quickly and burn up, something that i have a tendency to do, looking ahead i could see the leaders upping the mound, to go around toward to climb up Mother Cap, when i reached this point i had really been taking it easy, a route across the heather, meant that the pace dropped to a walk, due to the numbers.


*Upper Burbage Bride

I had noticed that i seemed to be in different company, not run around these faces before, but then thought nothing of it, the short climb up "Mother Cap", seemed to come and go, and after reaching the top i had some juice left in the tank, so just kept trotting on (from last year i think this climb knocked me for six, as i had started to fast).

The trot across and drop down before the climb to "Higger Tor" i really enjoyed, keeping pace with the runners around me, and also taking a few, reaching the start of the Higger climb, i felt strong and trotted until the fast walk took over, digging in, i reached the top and passed two or three folks, who had nothing left, the trot to the "Plummet" seemed shorter,

I love the Plummet, and flew down this passing a couple more runners, and this added to my adrenalin, the woods and short climb to "Upper Burbage Bridge" was tougher, got my line wrong for the river crossing and took my full weight on my left leg on the jump across, mis judged the jump, ouch, i thought i had dislocated my hip, it made me feel physically sick.

The push up onto the ridge flet better and i just kept my head down, through the technical bits and then for the drop onto the path, not as boggy as last year from memory, remember it being quite tricky! I do like the ridge running, bolder hopping bit, but find it saps the energy out of my legs still!

The longish, drain of the path to the finish and i was catching Michael Arundale, but he pipped me by 1 second!

I finished in 278th time of 1hr and 51 seconds, and from last years time of 1hr 8 mins something i am chuffed with that, even though we had a small route change.

Tigers Todger - 6miles/850ft

A trip to pastures new, a new race and challenge, always good to put a marker down,

Not fully recovered from the Bob Graham Recce, but wanting to stretch the legs i made my way up into Sheffield to take part in this one, never done it before and saw it a great opportunity to see a few folks and have a run out (i also secretly noticed that i could take a trig during the race)



On arriving i saw that this took in quite a bit of road but also took in a long slow climb up the Limb Valley quick dip onto Burbage Moor, round the Ox Stone's and Trig TP5267 and then.... all hands to the lungs!



all out, full on, "tank it" to the finish off Burbage Moor, and down long lane. A really great race and one that i will be doing again, had a couple of great little battles as well, which made the night.



Legs felt ok, could still feel a lot of long descents in them but i am sure i will be ready for my next assault on Keswick!

Set myself a time of 53 mins for this, and finished in 51min 26 sec leaving me in 187/224.

Wirksworth Incline Race - 10th April

Tough week,

On Tuesday i went and did my usual hill reps, i use Jacksons Lane, an old green lane in Milford, speed reps and also i work on reducing recovery time at the bottom,

Managed the 6 as usual and then trotted off along the Chevin, turned and came back, on the final descent down Jacksons Lane, i had a really doggy foot fall and immediately felt my calf ache? Had i torn it was it cramp, felt really anxious about it...

After a hobble back to the car, some light stretching, which was not good, i made my way home, even pushing the clutch made me wince!

Rubbish, after leaving it a day or two i went out to take Jacob for a walk, and it still felt rotten, so i left it until Saturday before even trotting on it...... deciding to leave the Kinder Downfall, a race and route that has become important to me was tough, but let them know so they could use or allocate my number.

Couldn't stay at home, so i went and ran the Wirkswoth Incline Race, not to much of a climb and an all round great race, well run, well supported and some great folks!

So off i went, and warmed up, the weather was great and thoughts were with the guys doing the Kinder Downfall, 30th running of that race, so a shame i was not doing it! Good luck to Steve Shaw and Stephen Burt.

The race started and i found myself trotting up with no real issue, until i reached the old railway, a long slow climb up to the pulling station then right onto tow/three fields up to the Trig Point and turn, a nice bag during a race called "Batemans Plantation"

Running back on the descent i found that this irritated my calf more, but found myself passing other runners.

Finished in 39.13 which is 38 seconds faster than the last time i did this,

All round a great day!

Some photo's to follow.....

1st January 2011 - Holybush Race

A great start to the year and a little late with the blog post for this one. It's a fast blast from the pub car park up the old chesterfield road - which is a bridal path..... The starter uses a 12 gauge shot gun, which really does blow the cobwebs away.

I though the race started at 10.30, but it was 11.30 so i made use of the time and ran the 2mile route, a nice little test from the start, then some tarmac, then fast and furious to the finish.

Unsure of my finishing place, but after looking at the Garmin i managed the 2 mile dash in
15 min 11 seconds, which is not bad!