Grey Corries

With most of the snow gone wingman Ord and I headed over west for some ridge running in the form of the Grey Corries. 

A 27km ridge route with almost 2500mtrs of climb.

The route has been on my list for a while as I've seen it so many times from nearby hills and it looked so good.

His only friend

Some amazing running and insane views every where you look. The Aonachs and Ben Nevis to the West, Loch Treig munros to the East, the Mamores to the south..

The climb back onto the ridge after descending right off to get Stob Ban was brutal. We could have done Stob Ban first by staying low and sticking to the good path all the way from the van but this way we got more of the ridge and more ascent, after all that's why we were here, we weren't looking for an easy day!

A small bit of easy hands on clambering over boulders and a few reasonably technical descents on the route but nothing really hard just tough climbs on pumped legs!

Such a good route and so runnable. Weather was mixed but mostly dry with some lovely warm breaks and sun. Need to come back soon for some more ticking. The Treig munros for a start. So much to do here and only another hour past the Gorms..

Total route 27kms/2400mtrs.

Teenager With Altitude Fell race, Lake District (25km/2300mtrs)

A weekend split down the middle with a bad race day and a good training day!

Teenager with Altitude Fell race on the Derwent Fells near Keswick. A tough AL race in the English calendar run by the Cumberland Fell Runners. This race was recommended to me by Dave Kerr who was recommended it by Graham Briffet so I'm blaming Graham for this one! Hahaha

Let's get the excuses over with first.. I had a terrible sleep the night before this and I was lucky if I got 2 hours sleep no joke! I was in a strange bed and did my usual psyching myself out and just couldn't drift off.. Anyway I felt awful at the start line which is steeeeeep!!









It was a very hot day and I struggled from the off. I probably started too fast as usual and blew up a bit but I had spells of energy and at some points I ran well.

Some great underfoot fast running but I just wasn't firing in the heat and felt so bad!

I finished in 4hr 4 mins 52nd/140 overall. A bad day but I just had nothing in me. 

It was a great race looking back and I wish I could've pushed harder but even though I was knackered I did enjoy  it and the atmos was really good before and after the race with a great bunch of folk.

Dave Kerr was also there who did well and was in the prizes in our category. We were also in the same camp site so we had a few beers and some good banter that night!

Dave picking up V40 prize

Me and Dave

REDEMPTION

The next day I was keen to get some more running done at a more leisurely pace and I was particularly interested in some scrambling. Dave recommended Sharp Edge on Blencathra and Rupert recommended Striding and Swirel Edge on Helvellyn so off I went.. 

Sharp Edge Blencathra

Another incredible day to be in the hills with amazing views! The run up to Sharp Edge was excellent with a good path all the way then it was hands and feet for the scramble up Sharp Edge which was straightforward and just what I was after. 

Looking back down Sharp Edge

Sharp Edge

I did a loop here and descended down the other side of the lake and back to the van to get going again and shoot over to Helvellyn

Another lovely climb up onto Striding Edge in blue skies and sunshine! A busy place this one, I had Blencathra to myself (it was 9am there!) but now later in the day and all the walkers were out in force. 

Striding Edge

Striding Edge was actually quite runnable and I stuck to crest the whole way. Most walkers sticking to the lower paths I was jumping around above their heads!

This was the most technical bit, down climbing off the main ridge before the last scramble up to the summit. Still easy but care needed not to tumble off..

Swirel Edge and Catstye Cam

Summit done and down via Swirel Edge, more down climbing and then a nice path all the way back down. I didn't do Catsrye Cam as I was now running out of time and I knew I'd get it at Pinnacle Ridge race.

Some idiot

Pano of Striding and Swirel Edges

What a day and this made up for yesterdays race disaster! I'll be back here later on in the year for the first ever Pinnacle Ridge Extreme race!

Clachnaben hill race (13.6km/690mtrs)

Always great to catch up with the usual local hoods at local races! Especially with most of my racing not being local I see more Lochaber and HHR folk these days..

I last did Clachnaben in 2017 and finished 16th/98 and 3rd V40 in 1:22 so I was hoping I'd smash that time this year.


I started well accelerating up the landy track into the front of the pack before turning right onto the narrow trail as I knew it would bottleneck then I was able to chill for a bit until the climbing started.

Just as I reached behind me to clench my bum, Dave Kerr did his usual and floated past commenting -"checking your car keys aye!?" And that's exactly what I was doing in a sudden panic, what had I done with my car keys!??

The Odd Monster

I tried to keep up with Dave and did until we cleared the forest and up onto Mount Shade then the inevitable happened and he slowly pulled away not to be seen again until from the top of Clachnaben I could see him way off in the distance descending down into the bog along with my chance of 1st V40 hahaha..

RBBI

I had an awesome race though and felt strong throughout. I remember the last time here the end landy track being a real struggle to keep pace but I was flying this time around and it past quickly. Before I knew it I was crossing the finish 8th/82 overall in 1:17 and a 5 min PB! Ooosh!

Reasonably happy with that, not sure I could've gone any faster, maybe could have started a bit slower which might have given me a few seconds but it's just training at the end of the day for what's coming.

Steve Ord last Km

Steve finished strongly 3rd V50 in 1:25 and 17th overall.

Still some winter flab there!