The RAB Mountain Marathon 25/26th Sept (Alex Pilkington)
Up in the Eastern Fells again …my 2nd visit this year to this area of the Lakes for a Mountain Marathon. The omens where not looking good for me on this years RAB as I was dosed up on Beechams trying to shake off a head full of sniffle and snot. Not doing it was not an option as the RAB is a favourite of mine – quite small and low key and a simple format – two classes: elite - 7&6hr and standard - 6&5hr, both score - which adds in the 3rd dimension (route planning) to the existing challenges of navigation and running. The weather on Saturday was crisp, clear and cold – the views would be stunning. The event started at Bampton, with the start a 30 min walk up the fell, all very simple and easy. The hard bit came when we dibbed and got the map – it went for miles going past Kirkstone and right up to Pooley Bridge, checkpoints everywhere!! It took a while marking on all the active checkpoints (about 30), I planned a rough route that was ambitious but do-able with a number of short cut options if needed, as usual all the plumbs where in hard to get places. The first few and last few checkpoints areas are always full of people, which makes finding it confusing and harder – I always make a hash of the first control, and in usual tradition I did this time - I ran up a hill to soon – only a small hill though which did not cost too much time or effort, eventually I was on my way nicely passing teams every now and then. The running felt good and my legs felt pretty strong, and as usual I tried to keep up a routine of eating and drinking (even though you don’t feel like it!).
After 3hrs in I got to Mosedale Cottage (a bothy), roughly where I reckoned to be and at the start of the fells proper. By now the big climbs started to take toll and my rate of progress seemed to really drop-off, at the 4-5hr mark I had to re-evaluate my route, being at Kirkstone, I was pleased to have got an juicy 50 pointer, but realised 2hrs was not that long to get over to Martindale and get to a checkpoint or two on the way. The fells suddenly seem to feel totally empty, no other competitors and no other walkers around. With these events it is strange how having ‘so much time’ suddenly turns into ‘so little time’, by the last check point near to Angle Tarn (on IHMR route) I had 12 min to do 3km, downhill on fresh legs may be a slim chance, but in my now wobbly state it took me 21 min – 9 min late back bah!, incurring 15pt penalty. The run in was entertaining as I kept getting passed by the same guy, there where lots of paths through the bracken and he kept getting the worst line – it felt to me like tortoise and the hare! Midway camp was in the beautiful and remote Martindale. The usually MM culinary delights where on offer (No Ansley Harriot this time though!). As the last teams came in the results where posted and up dated, to my surprise I was 2nd elite – surely not possible? (first was Steve Birkinshaw – which I was a little way off), I was getting passed by several teams in the 2nd half… so I thought I would be lower placed. (In the morning I found out I was in a more realistic 4th place behind Shane Ohly and then Tom Brunt).
I took a few extra luxuries this year, still managing a 12 litre sac though! I had a warmer sleeping bag (needed as almost a frost!) and a thermarest neoair (guaranteed good kip!) and of course my Haglofs kit, which performed fantastically in the varying conditions. Day two had start times from 7am to 9am, I was off for around 7.25, there was some cloud on the tops at about 600m, otherwise nice and clear. Marking up my map on day two, it looked a right mess - controls crossed out – lines here and there, eventually I had it marked (sort of like a 5yr old would do!) up and had a nominal route planned – a less ambitious route today! Everything felt good after getting warmed up (which took ages for the hands!). The route was kind of a reverse of yesterday, I laughed at the Angle tarn checkpoint - it was on the spur of land jutting in to the lake, this morning it was populated by 3-4 tents, wild camping – little did they know best part of 200-300 people would be running through their camp before 10am! At about 2hrs in, I met up with good friends Charlie and Nick (Ultra Runners), who where a bit lost trying to find a really obvious checkpoint on a stone wall!! Surprisingly they had a similar route planned to me and where going at the same speed so we ended up pretty much doing the remainder the day in a group (Charlie was really impressed with his route and thought it was unfair for me to follow them round!!), but it was good to be entertained by some simple (crude) Leeds humour! They also had a good stock of chocolate as well, as I had eaten all my stuff! We finished in fine style, with a few minutes to spare, managing to use up time to pick off a few low scoring (but worthwhile) checkpoints. After the usual plate of Wilfs/Scotts Bean stew we waited to see the results as the final teams came in, I was pleased to see that I was in second place on day 2, which brought me into 3rd place overall, which I was pretty pleased about considering the difficulties on the first day.
Pleased to finish.... ready for some food!
