Ian Hodgson Relays,
2003
the start
|
Team
1 (30th in 4:41:02) |
Time |
| leg 1 |
Stewart
Barrie
and
Mark James |
After a 25 mph drive along Ullswater
behind some rubbernecking tourists (with steam coming out of
WGs ears!) we arrived at the start with 15 mins to spare. Good
atmosphere, loads of people milling around, then bang! and a
really fast start ensued. Mark took up the pace and I tried to
hang on. The dire weather warnings proved to be unfounded (at
least for our leg) and the first climb saw much shedding of hellys.
I managed to catch Mark by the first summit Hart Crag?) We then
had a a strong run catching a few pairs on the way to Fairfield
and then along St Sunday Crag. We enjoyed some spectacular views
along the tops, then I managed to undo our earlier good work
by turning my ankle as we started the descent. Mark was waiting
at the bottom and we estimated that we lost 15-20 places thanks
to my cautious descending.
Stewart |
1:23:33
|
| |
leg 2
4.5 miles
1000ft
|
Bill
Gauld
and
Robin Morris |
First Km is dead flat- out of the field-
mionor road- main road, , farm road , over a bridge to Side
Farm. After a few wiggles past the farm the second Km is
a steady slow runnable climb to Boredale House on one or
other
of a pair of parallel tracks (we used the upper one). The
gradient is aboput the same as Observatory Road. walk some
short steep
parts up to a flattish areaand over a burn and up a small
valley to a path junction overlooking a ravine.........
Bill Gauld
|
47:38 |
| leg 3 |
Derek
Bearhop
and
John Blair-Fish |
The 3rd leg appeared to be the short straw,
with a significant height gain in our route over the tops from
Hartsop to the Kirkstone Pass. The electronic timing system required
a frenzy of 'dibbing' at the changeover from Bill and Robin,
but JBF and I took the map baton and ground our way past several
teams on the long climb to High Street. Thereafter we enjoyed
a splendid rolling run along the ridges to Kirkstone, finishing
in a plunge down to the waiting Willies and only just beating
a rainshower that had somehow materialised out of a perfect blue
sky. This was a fine well-organised event amidst colourful autumnal
scenery with plenty of logistics to keep anxious team captains
on their toes. And all for a 2" slate coaster."
Derek
|
1:22:10 |
| |
| leg 4 |
Willie
Gibson
and
Willie Mykura |
It was a lovely day as we watched leg 1 and leg
2 start off, but by the time Willie and I headed up Red Screes
it was drizzling and the mist was coming in. It was a hard climb
with Willie M ahead at the start, but I caught up by the top.
We kept in touch on the first descent, but I was falling a little
behind, the next climb was steady and once again I led the climb.
Trying to keep up with Willie onthe last descent was hard, especially
on the rough track, but the great thing about running as a team
is the way your partner
can pull you on to a better time.
It was a good fun run.
Willie Gibson |
1:07:41 |
As we turned off the M6 into the Lakes the fantastic
views of the hills reminded us of just how accessible this wonderful
place is. Running the last leg of the race with Willie Gibson
meant quite a bit of hanging around in the cold wind, but the
sunny weather made it a fantastic event for spectators. Once
we were off Willie was climbing more strongly than me but I caught
up on the downhills, and the fantastic long fast descent to the
finish meant I had the easier time of it, I think. Overall we
picked up more places than we lost and had a lovely run, so we
were happy.
Willie Mykura |
|
waiting between legs |
Andy and Karen set off on leg 1 |
Robin and Bill wait at leg 2 for Stuart and Mark |
Stewart and Mark storm in |
leg 1 goes up the side of the middle hill |
Andy and Karen hand over to Anne and Kate.... |
Team
2 (57th in 5:54:05) |
Time |
| leg 1 |
Andy
Spenceley
and
Karen Meikle |
After
the forecast predicting it would be a dire day on race day,
we
woke up to blue sky and sun, a perfect day for the tough leg
1. I'd run all the other legs in previous years, so this made
my set and it really is a great leg with a steep climb followed
by lots of ridge running as you run from Hart Crag over Fairfield
and St Sunday Crag. The views were amazing and the running
lovely, varying from wide grassy ridges to more narrow aretes
with a few more rocky sections chucked in for interest ! Wouldn't
be so keen to do it in bad weather, though !
Andy Spenceley |
1:53:43 |
| leg 2 |
Anne
Nimmo
and
Kate Friend |
I've run leg
2 twice before, but it was Kate's first time. We set off with
no-one in sight, in front or behind, but knew the Patterdale
Mountain Rescue girls team would be behind us sooner or later!
At the first path-choice a helpful walker shouted 'The others
all went that way!' and at the top checkpoint the marshalls
shared their Earl Grey with us. Now we had Lothian in sight and
followed them to the start of the steep descent. After a slight
route readjustment (courtesy of another kind spectator) Kate
stormed down, pulling me in her wake and leaving two teams behind
us in the process. The sun shone the whole way and the views
were fantastic.
Anne |
54:47 |
It was my
first Hodgson?s relay and on Sunday morning I was allocated
?Leg 2? with Anne. Phew I thought, she?s run this leg before?we?ll
be ok. Along came Karen and Andy who passed over the ?baton?
(map to you and me) and I ?dibbed? out with the electronic
timer device securely fastened around my wrist. The views were
fantastic and the rain held off; unfortunately I took a tumble
on the steep decent and now have a swollen ankle, however it
didn?t stop us storming down the track to Jane and Hilary,
having successfully overtaken two other teams.
Kate |
| leg 3 |
Hilary
Spenceley
and
Jane Robertson |
Anne and Kate came in
just before the Lothian girls & Jane & I set off knowing their
navigational skills surpassed ours if the mist came down so
the object was to get through this leg before the threatening
clouds arrived. Eyeballs out up the rough track. I won't get
to the hill at this pace I gasped & we slackened off a bit.
The climb up towards High Street saw us catch almost catch
two girls, unfortunately I was running too fast to map read
and we followed them when they overshot and we all had to retrace
50 yards.
I was quite proud of my steep descent towards Thornthwaite
Crag - I did keep moving! And Jane was very patient. We caught
the girls up at the top & led them into the checkpoint at the
Cauldale Moor tarn. They took off leaving us on the descent
as the wind & sleet began in earnest. Luckily the navigation
was done. We pushed hard hoping to let Mark & Nick off before
the mass start but just missed it. I felt I'd had my hardest
run for a long time- levitation on the West Highland Way has
its high points but chasing Jane downhill certainly did more
for my lungs
Hilary
|
1:49:07 |
the Hodgsons
were good fun.
Jane
|
| leg 4 |
Nick
MacDonald
and
Mark James |
|
1:16:28 |
|
..and Willie runs backwards with camera as they set off |
the sun had disappeared by the time Mykura and Gibson set off on leg
4 |
Andy quizzes JBF and Derek about leg 3 |
Nick and Mark lead the mass start on the steep climb up the last leg |
Hilary jumps for joy when she sees Andy |
the debrief |
Willie G looking very happy
on the rough descent |
the cattle grid was posing problems
to some runners until Gibson came
up with a solution, or was it that
he tripped and fell flat on his face? |
..but he quickly got up when Nick came in sight! |
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