Preston
Harriers Fell Section
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WASDALE
Report from Mick Mac.
9.7.05
Wasdale Fell Race. AL. 21miles / 9000’ ascent.
This is the toughest fell race in the
calendar, combined with a 29*C temperature, meant we were in for a hard day in
the Lakes. It was also an English and British Championship race but more
importantly it was one of our club championship races. As there was a limit on
the number of runners and people left it to late to enter I was the only Harrier
at the start line. In the sweltering heat many runners didn’t wear any vests
but had to carry full waterproof body cover, map, compass and whistle to comply
with F.R.A. safety rules for long races, as is the nature of things nowadays.
At 11am 238 runners started up the rocky
path towards Illgill Head, the fast lads and lasses soon disappearing while the
more sensible jogged, to pace themselves for the long hard race ahead. You
couldn’t go too slow, as there were various cut-off times on the course, the
last one on Great Gable at 3.15pm.
Once on Illgill Head it’s good running
to the first c.p on Whin Rigg, then a steep decent to cross the road near the
Youth Hostel and pick up the long winding tract to Greendale. In the valley the
heat was almost overpowering and it was a great relief to reach the drinks
station at the bridge. Here everyone drank as much as they could and filled
their water bottles, from here on, the only water would be from streams.
From
Greendale
we now headed up the long grassy slope to the c.p on Seatallan and continue
running through Pots of Ashness heading towards Scoat Fell. At each stream
runners stopped to keep hydrated and cool down. I was suffering but kept moving
heading to the next c.p on Pillar, now back on familiar ground I managed to pass
other runners using the detours from the B.G. round. When I reached Pillar
runners were starting to retire from the race as the heat took its effect, I
wasn’t in that good of shape myself and began to struggle.
I reach Black Sail Pass where more
runner retire and head down to Wasdale, I continue around Kirk Fell to the col
below Great Gable and I am really struggling and in danger of missing the
cut-off time. I now feel worst after 4 hours running today than I felt after 18
on the B.G.R. A determined effort up Great Gable and I reached the c.p with 7
minutes to spare; there were many runners behind who missed the cut-off. The
pressure was now off so I walked a bit and jogged a bit to the c.p at Esk Hause
and on to
Scafell Pike
. Everyone was in various stages of exhaustion and all the walkers had it
confirmed that Fell runners have some part of their brain missing to be running
on such a scorching day in the Lakes.
From Scafell it’s down hill to the
finish, very rocky at first but soon you reach the grass heading towards
Lingmell, the pace quickens and I pass two other runners on the steep decent
down Lingmell Nose. I clip at the last c.p by the stile and run to the welcome
relief of the finish line where I gulp down plenty of water before joining the
bodies spread out all over the ground, I was knackered. Once sufficiently
recovered I joined the others to cool off in Lingmell Beck. Most runners saying
it was the toughest fell race they had done, of the 238 starters, 144 finished
and many big names dropped out.
1st. Simon Booth. Borrowdale.
3:49:05
124th.Michael Mcloughlin.
6:06:22
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