Tebay 2007

Robyn and I met Karen at 5:45 pm at M6/M55 roundabout to share a lift up. Already quite cold and drizzling a bit in Preston, one or other of us may well have called it off if we’d been organised enough to have swapped telephone numbers beforehand! But as it was we were committed to meeting up, then having met we figured we may as well go. The weather gradually deteriorated as we headed north, until by Tebay we were enveloped in gloomy looking heavy rain.

Heading to the car park we passed a rather sodden and miserable looking Jim on his way to registration. After parking we sat in the car for a few minutes wondering whether it was wise to actually get out, but thought we ought to at least wander up to registration – maybe it would be cancelled.

Registration had sought refuge in a bus stop, but this didn’t stop the entry forms dissolving into a soggy mess as we tried to fill them out. The bus stop had probably not seen so much action for ages, as 80 odd runners crammed into it to before the start.

A couple of minutes before 7.30 pm one brave runner left the shelter of the bus stop and headed for the field behind it for the start, and the other runners reluctantly followed suit. At this stage most people looked like they were ready for an assault on Everest, wearing full windproof/waterproof kit and woolly hats and gloves.

As everyone was milling around the race seemed to start rather suddenly, with a solitary “GO!” which took everyone a bit by surprise. We left the field, crossed the road and were straight onto a slippery stony track which climbed steadily onto the fell. The track resembled a stream then a river as it continued its climb. All of a sudden the runners headed off in 3 quite different directions, some staying on the track, others heading over a knoll and some others goodness knows where. I asked the person next to me where we should go and he said “Buggered if I know, first time I’ve done this”, so with that useful tip I left the track and set off over the knoll, to arrive back on the track a little while later behind those who had stuck to it! [Throughout the race there were quite a few route choices and a bit of a recce would be a distinct advantage on this one]. I followed a girl who had beaten me in the last few races that I’d done along the track until we crossed a stream and headed off into trackless rough fell for the first climb up Rispa Pike. This was a steepish gradient, but just about doable at a slow jog/shuffle. There was a fast descent over rough grassy fell down to a stream after Rispa. It was quite craggy at the stream so important to hit it at a point that didn’t leave you with a 10ft drop into it – more route choice as people set off in all directions! After the stream it was a short sharp ascent up to Uldale Head – not runnable by me at this stage but still managed to get past the girl I’d been following on the way up. The path from Uldale Head was a very narrow muddy track with a steep drop down to the right, which wended its way round to cross another steam before another grassy climb up to Ling Shaw. I was chasing another girl in a black cag, about 400m in front, and what I thought was Karen way off in the distance. As the track was fairly level I tried to pick up the pace a bit, but although I seemed to pull away from the group behind, the group in front seemed to pull away from me! By the time I got to the top of Ling Shaw I couldn’t see anyone anywhere, so began a fast descent towards the base of Blease Fell, which eventually turned into a very steep slither through bracken on soft mud, leading me to end in a muddy heap on my back. Luckily the slide ended in yet another rocky stream, so I was clean for the steep 473m pull up to Blease Fell summit (although the torrential rain would have washed me clean anyway). This is a vicious climb and as I trudged up a guy in a yellow vest actually ran past me on his way up at quite some pace and soon vanished out of visibility into the murk (those who have done this run will understand how impressive/depressing this was to see). There was a cold cross wind on the way up, which combined with the rain made this particularly unpleasant. From the top of Blease Fell it’s a couple of miles fast gradual downhill run over soft grass/bog to the finish. The problem was, without anyone in sight, working out which direction the finish was in. Eventually the girl in the black cag came back in to view and I managed to get past just before we crossed the road back into the finish in the field in Tebay. By this stage the weather was appalling and it was starting to get decidedly dark. It turned out it wasn’t Karen I was chasing in the distance at all, as she came in just after me for a change! Jim followed about 10 minutes after Karen, then Robyn a bit after Jim, having done a complete tour of the Howgills in the poor visibility.

This was definitely character building (or stupid), but the redeeming feature was the hot showers and free pint at the end. The route would be fantastic in good weather, but is a bit long and starts a bit late for weekday race, especially in these conditions; although it obviously suited someone as a new record was set.

Just a short note to say thank-you for your generous purchase of an entry to the windy, wet, cold, muddy, long (8 miles), steep (3000ft) Tebay fell race last (Wednesday) night. What a novel idea, driving miles in the middle of the week after a long day at work. The last time I felt so uncomfortable was when you made my toenails go black and fall off during the Winter Hill Fell Race so many moons ago.

I thought it was an especially clever ploy of the organisers (who were lovely and encouraging) to start the race at 19h30, forcing me to move as quickly as I could to avoid running in the early darkness of the cloudy night – despite still frozen joints and muscles.

The marshals were very brave to stand out on the distant hills offering quirky comments as I ran by. One particular marshal recognised my eye for the aesthetic and said that he had been watching my approach to his point for a good while, and mine was by far the most scenic route… not sure what he meant as it was exceedingly foggy! However, I think I got good value for your £5 as apart from 3 people behind me, I stayed out the longest. Does this mean I am very very brave, or very very stupid? Probably neither, just very very slow…

I think the cold must have got to Karen and Jim’s hypothalamus, as they both looked very jolly at the end despite the cold, especially Jim, whom appears to be inspired by savage weather conditions and had a blinding run.

You never cease to amaze with your uncanny ability to turn a trip down the motorway back home into a little adventure. Your little plan to help me forget about my frozen numb nether regions by driving at 80 miles an hour in torrential rain with dysfunctional windscreen wipers seemed to do the trick - although I think you might have freaked out those 3 large tankers by pulling onto and out of the yellow lines to coerce motion out of the wiper blades.

Finally, you whipped me out of my gelid and phlegmatic state by causing panic in Karen and my hearts, when, on arriving back in Preston, the car boot refused to open, locking in Karen’s car keys and our house keys… More titillating moments spent in the rainy cold on the side of a road with water dribbling down my back.

My, my, how could I ever repay you for the lifetime’s worth of emotions encountered in one evening?

The weather was foul and I wasn’t very warm but it is a lovely route really- just my running that was rubbish. I will do it again, but think 7.30pm is a bit late for the start. Home at 11.30 on a school night!

& maybe finally, the following is what Jim says about life, the race & everything.

Tebay fell race, 8 miles, 3,000 feet climb. Wed june 13th

Swish swush,swish swush,,swish swush, Swish swush,swish swush.

That was the sound of my windscreen wipers as I made my way up the M6 on a dark gloomy cold winters evening in the middle of "flaming" June.

Spray coming off all over the place from those lorries as they rush to get home sit in front of the television warm and dry.

What am I doing this is ridiculous as I approach the hills rising up on either side of the motorway, looking form map to fell and back again, seeing if I could find what the route could be.

My conclusion, its a bloody big fell, and its a long long way from the summit back to Tebay.

Still, there will be loads of harriers there when I arrive. I remember someone talking about it in the pub the other week, so it must be true, don’t worry Jim they will all be there………. NOT.

Another bad move, was the registration being 200 yards from the car park, so I got soaked before I even got started. This is not getting any funnier.

The harriers arrive in a massive convoy of one other car and three runners. Roger, Robyn and karen. So no points for me tonight. (So when will those "spice girls"- or is it "girls aloud" now, come to a race so I can get some points and not finish last).

At the start I looked around and there were 90 odd other nutters prepared to face the bad conditions.

What is it that brings people out on a crap night to punish themselves over 8 miles of torture.

Ah, I know it was Xfactor and big brother night on tv followed by an omnibus of eastenders

I would rather do 2 fellsmans back to back than sit in and watch that lot.

Race underway on the stony track, Roger and Karen nowhere to be seen, but I can "hear" Robin just behind me.

Fellow fell runners will know what I mean, that you can "hear" Robin rather than see her. It must be the teacher coming out in her. She is said to be good at running backwards to as teachers are said to have eyes in the back of their heads.

It was like that for a few miles Roger and Karen out in front and Robin dropping of the pace behind me.

I knew I had to get some distance, on the climbs between Robin and I, as she would blitz me going downhill.

But the further into the race I got, the further behind she dropped,

Was she suffering. Was there anything wrong.

Here I had a dilemma, should I drop back and help her out in real club spirit, perhaps to be pipped on the last down hill just before the finish, or shall I press on. It is a race after all and I desperately did not want to finish last.

So on and on I went up to the last big climb where I could see Robin just starting her decent at the bottom.

Then a long run home gently descending on a really good running surface, soft and grassy.

The rain was still pouring down as I finished in just under 2 hours. Roger and Karen were already home, then it was too cold to hang around so I struggled in the back of my car to get changed and warm again.

In the club I had just missed the prize giving (why do they never wait for me).

Robyn came in and we all drank our free pint. Yes gordon free beer.

This remember was early June and it was very cold and very wet. Global warming- more like entering an ice age to me.

We all just wanted to get home and have a hot bath.

Robyn did have a bad time after all. She just couldn’t get going in the cold and wet (shes from the Southern Hemisphere you know).

For me, under those conditions I thought I’d had a good run, 2 hours was ok for me.

Other times

Roger 1hour35mins

Karen Nash 1 hour 43mins

Jim Doherty 2 hours

Robyn 2 hours 5 mins.

Tebay is actually a cracking route, over good terrain, soft under foot and very grassy.

Will I do this race next year, well, that all depends on the weather.

Jim Doherty

Thanks to Roger, Robyn, Karen & Jim for these comprehensive accounts of events that evening. Robyn points out that this is a first! The first time that all the competitors have written reports for a race! Well done anyway you lot. I look forward to your Tebay contributions next year!