Coledale Horseshoe
After a glorious week in Keswick the weather broke on Friday night and we awoke to snow lying on the hills down to 350m. On arrival at the Coledale Race we found out the race was to be shortened by descending back down into the main valley after Grisedale Pike then climbing back up to the route below Outerside, thus missing out Eel Crag. The distance and climb was only slightly reduced so still a very worthwhile outing. I love the route of this race and the initial climb up Grisedale Pike is a real test. Snow was still lying on the top half of the hill and I hung on the the coat tails of Paul Cornforth of Borrowdale to the top. The descent was great fun, and exhilarating mix of grass and rock. The second climb was tough, time to hang on again, until the pace picked up to Barrow. Ricky Lightfoot led the field home just ahead of ‘new’ veteran Rob Jebb. Moorfoots Scout Adkin had a fine run to finish first lady, 23rd overall. I blasted down the final ridge to hold on to 16th place, 5th vet. Two other Carnethys made the trip, Douglas MacQueen finishing 104th and Bob Lyons 183rd.
Result: https://t.co/zzEUmoNjGY
Anniversary Waltz/Teenager with Altitude
Once week later and the sun was definitely shining. I went for the easier option of Anniversary Waltz, whilst Jon Ascroft took on the longer Teenager with Altitude. I’d run Anniversary Waltz once before back in 1999 when it was a British Championship. This year it clashed with the Briitsh Champs race in Wales which took some of the good runners away from the Lakes! Thus I found myself reasonably comfortable in the lead pack on the relatively flat mile or two at the start. Once the climb kicked in though, things strung out, and I found myself in about 10th heading up Robinson. We deiverted round to the right to avoid the rock step which didn’t end up being a great route, the mossy ground sapping the legs. I followed a Bowland runner on the descent to Dalehead Tarn but our line to the right was too far over so we lost a bit of time. From High Spy I stuck to my own route and started to pull through on the long flat and downhill section, briefly up to 4th at the start of the climb up Catbells. Phil Winskill re-overtook so I had to try and push hard back down Catbells to the finish, failing to catch him, but a fantastic blast. Finished in 5th, 2nd vet and Jon finished an excellent 4th in the TWA, also 2nd vet. Two great races in two weekends, well worth the trip south.
Results: http://www.anniversarywaltz.co.uk/?p=448 and http://www.anniversarywaltz.co.uk/?p=453
Mark Johnston