SAUNDERS Report from Karen
Pictures from Karen & Joe
Results
Memories from the SLMM by Karen
It was strange arriving on Fri evening and finding the rest of the family already there. Not that they reserved us a good car park space- they parked us in the furthest part of the field that they possibly could! We wandered up to the water and tried to think about where they would send us the next morning. It looked impossibly steep- just like the Helvellyn race.It was nice that it did not rain (yet) and we were so pleased we had time to take the tent down on Saturday am while it was still dry. We had moved up a class again- we’ve moved up every time we have entered over the last 4 years- and the biggest change seemed to be the lack of people on Bowfell course. Sat went OK. We could have made some better route choices perhaps and leg 1 was far too slow but we dug in well later in the day when the weather was foul. No real navigation errors and although there was lots of contouring and not as much running as we would have liked we were fairly well matched as a team. We arrived at midway camp to find Mick and Robyn already in and ahead of their competition- we were impressed! They had also bagged a good spot sheltered between the Nash Van and Joe’s van, so we joined them. It was good to get off our soaking wet gear and the sun came out long enough in spells, for us to all get out and socialise. Sun was wet from the start, but at least it was fairly warm. It also proved to be a better day with less contouring, more running and only one very short but steep climb. Navigation was pretty easy even with the mist down. We saw Jim and Roy after our second control and then saw Pete and Roger much later in the day- they didn’t see us as they were running so hard. An interesting descent to the finish and suddenly it was all over. I like the SLMM as I don’t feel totally wasted at the end so could enjoy chatting, our Wilfs meal and comparing splits with others. We had been worried all day that the ladies we expected to beat us would make up their 40 minute deficit during day 2 and pip us to the post – we were relieved when they arrived and confessed that they were well beaten. So what about next year? Do we move up to the Scafell? Do I do Carrock with Matthew who is now very keen to have a go? I plan to try the Klets course in my own time later this summer. They never seem to have any ladies entered on it, so there is a challenge- could I get round in the allocated time?Memories will be:Robyn SO happy to be in first on day 1 and to keep that lead on day 2.Roy handing more and more food to Matthew on Sun morning- just so he didn’t have to carry it out.Chris wandering round in wellies, Bermuda shorts and a Peruvian hat.
Rowena and I looking at each other on Sat afternoon and just laughing at how totally drenched we were.
Additional Report from Jim
saunders mountain marathon
5/6 July 2008
Five teams entered this two-day mountain marathon which took place in the dodds area of the Lake District and also encompassed much of the helvellyn range.
Karen Nash and Rowena brown stepped up a class to try "bowfell" whilst Mick McLaughlin and Robyn Taylor, Pete Carter and Roger Taylor, and Jim Doherty and Roy Parkinson attempted "kirkfell".
John Carburry and Sarah Watkins were also in "wansfell".
At the start it was nice to see other fellow harriers helping out at the event by marshalling.
Joe and Bob Nash along with Brian, and also the young Nashers Chris and Matthew were milling around probably hoping that their time would come soon to participate in this challenging event.
News from Joe as we arrived was not good concerning the weather forecast.........strong winds and heavy rain, with poor visibility on the tops.
I had a little chuckle to myself as I recalled Robyns last episode in the mist.
Better get the "land search rescue" mustered now in readiness!
Pete and roger were obvious favourites for "kirkfell". Pete had worked so hard in training prior to the event, putting in lots of hard miles, losing quite a few pounds (buying equipment) as well as shedding weight off his body. At half a stone lighter he was really up for this one.
Meanwhile Jim had given up the amber nectar for a month prior (serious physiological discipline) and both he and Roy felt strong coming into the race.
Mick has experience in bucketloads, and long distance is his middle name, but for roger, Robyn and Mick, would last weeks long two day cycle challenge in the lake district begin to tell after a few climbs........ time would tell.
Karen and Rowena had their hearts set on the prize money, and it would be a brave man to bet against them in the female category. Nothing less than a trophy would do for these two expert navigators.
We all set off at different times, and after marking up the maps Roy and I were soon yomping up a very steep climb around the side of little dodd to c/p 1.
The weather soon became as predicted after c/p 2 with massive gusts and heavy rain as we made our way on the main helvellyn track. This was supposed to be a nice summer event, but I suppose it shows that you cannot tame the wild angry weather of the Lake District. That must be part of its beauty. How totally unpredictable and dangerous it can be. And how you must show it respect at all times.
Three hours into the race we bumped into Pete and roger at check point three just below dollwywagon pike, where their route choice to c/p 4 was to go straight over the top and drop down a near vertical scree into the mist and rain.
Roy and I took just one look at the option and decided against it. The drop was too severe and the mist so thick, rising from below and curling over the top edge, you just couldn’t see a thing.
Far too dangerous in our view, so our option was to skirt around past grizedale tarn.
The day was just getting wetter and mistier. Real Lakeland weather, water everywhere.
Next was our worst move going up " low spying how", very steep and getting rock bound for ages, it was more scrambling than yomping (more attention needed in future in studying the map in which a rock section was shown).
Once over the top there were just three more controls to visit with the roots skirting Sheffield pike and watermillock common, before finally in what seemed like an absolute monsoon we finished day one in seven hours and twenty minutes and just stood gloomily under bob Nash’s owning waiting for the rain to stop before putting up the tent.
All the gang where already there, Mick and Robin having a blinder to pip Pete and rodger by a few minutes , -amazing.
Roy and I had our usual large feast, mug shots to start, bean feast, mash and pepperami followed by cake and custard. The wind blew inside and outside our tent that night I can tell you!
People mulled around generally resting and chatting except Mick who once in his sleeping bag mid afternoon,shut the curtains, the lights were out and nobody was home until seven.thirty next morning.
Day two started as it meant to go on-wet, but at least the wind seemed to have eased off.
Repacking my stuff I looked at all the food we had left, (one of the Saunders rules is you must take and carry back all your excess rubbish and food), and all of a sudden the "fairy godmother" Of unwanted food appeared in front of my tent in the shape of a hungry looking Matthew Nash.
Do you fancy a mug shot,"yes please", what about these supernoodles "great" and before I could get out the whole word pepperami a stern "teacher" like voice from the mother of the former Matthew Nash bellowed out from the near by tent "you are supposed to carry all that back with you".
Ahhh well at least we got rid of a few precious ounces. Mental note; next year take less food or do not camp in earshot of Karen Nash (joking).
Back to the race on day two and the other two teams were having a real game of cat and mouse chasing each other in and out of the mist.
Robin decided to throw her map away (technically a disqualification) so best not to tell Mick. Whilst Pete in the apposing team thought he would put in a few extra yards by keeping his head down and running past the damn wall at checkpoint four.
Perhaps he was looking for robin’s map, who knows!
Roy and I decided to contour round hartside and pick up the runable track round glencoynedale, arriving to find a proccession of about two hundred people. It was like the M6 with most people wanting to walk while we were in running mode full of energy after last nights feast.
A steep climb to heckpoint three followed by a drop west to checkpoint four at the damn wall below whiteside. Up then and around the side of rays to the building next to the skilift. Bit of confusion here as when we initially arrived there was only one building in side and no control could be found due to the intense mist. That small feeling of panic set in for a minute or two then the mist magically lifted to reveal the other building hundred yards away with two marshals, tables chairs and cups of tea in hand. Dibbed in and of for the last long leg along the good path over sty barrow dod and great dod, where the mist was really thick here with heavy rain.
Over calf how pike and then a dangerously steep decent to the finish. We were not the only ones going down on our backsides here and ill bet there were a few accidents threwout the day, and an intensely vicious decent on tired clumsy legs and then a gentle run through the last field for a time of four hours twenty minutes.
Tired releaved and happy. Happy that now I can taste the amber nectar again after a months abstinance.
That once again there were no major navigational errors, just incorrect route choice at times and that we had gained two places on day two to finish 42nd
Robin and Mick picked rodger and pete by only fourty seconds over the whole two days, a truly outstanding achievement.
Karen and Rowena, are worthy prize winers and I wonder if they will move up another class next year, as for next year preperation will be well under way to close down those forty seconds. Pete will be after revenge and jim and roy will be after ways to lighten their load.
Hopefully a few more harriers may enter the event, maybe ash and steve( the dream team), maybe the marshals bob joe and brian fancy a break and will show us their years of experience. Could the griffiths clan use that family bond to their advantage or could we see some ladies make an appearance to add that feminine touch, but don’t worry girls you don’t have to ruff it for as rodger said last year " this saunders thing is great, early afternoon finish, few cans of beer, sat around in the warm sun, chatting, no cold and wet mist like that horrid kimm).
Well, not the saunders 2008.
For the record john and sarah were doing well on day one until a hip injury came into the team, and after much deliberation they decided to retire on day one but they will definitely be back next year.
Bring it on !
Jim Doherty
                
And Joe's pictures below
                 
Every picture tells a story! Thanks to Karen (Bob) & Joe for the great snaps.
I'm sure that Robyn will add to the report!
Picture of the two very wet ones found in the ether & added later!
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