Running out of time

The British Fell Relays 2018 It’s about 10 years since Goyt Valley Striders had a team in the British Fell Relays. Earlier this year it was suggested that we should enter a team again. I can’t remember whose idea it was but it turned out to be a great one. I offered to see if there was any interest.  This year’s event was organised by Ambleside AC and was based in Grasmere. There was a lot of interest from our members - so much so that the committee decided to enter two teams: a Mixed Team (three men and three women) and an Open Team (any combination of runners).  Fairfield from Heron Pike - it didn't look like this on the day! Details were published and it became clear that Leg 1, a solo leg, would take in Seat Sandal; Leg 2, a paired leg would go to the top of Fairfield and Leg 4 would be another solo leg over Heron Pike and would be fully marked. I haven’t forgotten about Leg 3 – it’s a paired navigation leg so having runners who are confident with a ...

Standing at the start at 5:45am in the Doftplatz in Grachen, I felt strangely calm. It was dark but the sky was clear. Our timing chips had been scanned and we listened to the first of our early morning briefings. The countdown to 6am began. Exactly on time, and to the sound of alpenhorns, we set off on our epic four-day, 170km journey through forest, alps and high mountain passes following the route of the Tour of Monte Rosa through Switzerland and Italy.  During the last six months, I had been on several start-lines where I had felt full of apprehension: out of my depth and worried about cut-off times. In spite of this, Mickleden Straddle, Edale Skyline, Big Black Mountain Challenge, Jura, The LAMM, Holme Moss had all been completed successfully. Now at Grachen on the start-line of the UTMR it was different - I knew that I had managed all these races; I had trained by doing long runs in the Peak and some long back to back days in the Lakes. Last year Dave and I had...

A trek to Everest Base Camp Dave, Sarah and myself at Everest Base Camp It was still dark and very cold as we climbed up to the summit of Kala Patthar, about minus 10C and windy. We clambered over the final rocks to see the sunrise over Everest, Nupse and Lhotse. My buff was over my face to give some protection from the cold.  I was breathing heavily; trying to get enough oxygen into my lungs in the thin freezing air and trying to ensure there were no gaps between my hat and my down jacket. I had been wearing the buff continuously for several days and nights:- it had protected my face from the cold, the sun and the dust; it kept my neck warm at night and covered my hair whenever I wasn’t wearing a hat as it hadn’t been washed for nearly two weeks and was sticking up in all sorts of directions. I had also developed a high altitude cold and cough ensuring that the buff was now truly disgusting as I tried to keep my mouth and nose covered… I should have brought two! ...

Last weekend I survived my first OMM. And it was a survival test at times... The OMM is a two day mountain event during which you and a partner (in this case my husband, Dave) have to navigate round a fixed linear course or a score orienteering-type course. You carry all your camping gear, food and spare clothes making your way to a designated camping area at the end of day 1 and returning to the main event centre where you started by the cut-off time on day 2.This year was the 50th Anniversary of the OMM (formerly known as the Karrimor Mountain Marathon) so it was rather special.  The OMM is very popular with 2000 people taking part annually. This year it was to be held in the fells around Langdale.  The start of the second day. On entering, we had to choose a class. There are three linear classes, three score classes and one combined which is a bit of both. We chose the B class which is the easiest linear class. I kept thinking that a score class would be better...