Whilst talking to Joss at this year’s Buttermere Horseshoe, I took the opportunity to ask him if he had any tips for completing his challenge. “Aye lad,” he replied, “lengthen yer stride.”
So with those words of wisdom ringing in my ears, I set a date for early September. Two days before my attempt, I almost called it off due to a forecast of rain, clag and high winds. Delaying it wouldn’t guarantee any better conditions and would only reduce the window for daylight, so I decided to go for it and just deal as best I could with the conditions on the day. As it turned out, the weather (for once) was kind to us.
Leg 1. Pacer Dan Miller. I’d been warned of the price you pay later on for going off too fast on the ‘runnable’ Leg 1. I was even told of some taking a casual 3hrs to get to Kirkstone and then go on to finish sub-12hrs. This advice seemed to occupy my every thought and stride as we set off at 6am in the half-light climbing through the caravan site and on to the fells. The self-restraint didn’t last long however as I arrived at Arthur’s Pike 4mins ahead of schedule! The pace felt fine and with a combination of fast hiking and running to conserve energy and we made good progress across the summits that came thick and fast, spooking a few early–rising wild campers along the way. Leaving Kidsty Pike, we got carried away contouring around the top of the valley and had to quickly alter our course to take in Rampsgill Head! At the final summit Pike Howe, whilst Dan was struggling to record the split with a 3H pencil on soggy paper, I pressed on and took my preferred line descending diagonally off St. Raven’s Edge arriving at Kirkstone a good minute or so ahead of Dan who kept high taking the path along the ridge. It’s a great tradition for previous completers to meet contenders on route and it was lovely to see Rainer Burchett at Kirkstone – I recognised him from a friend’s attempt a few years ago.
Leg 2. Pacer Dan Miller. Dan is young and strong and was therefore good for two solo legs. He pulled me up Red Screes and led the way up Bakestones Moss by keeping to the path. I tried to cut the corner but it was a bad call across the heavy-going open fell. Pulling me back in to line, he got me over to Fairfield with relative ease. Once on the BG route beyond Fairfield, I felt on familiar ground but standing at the foot of Seat Sandal in daylight (normally it’s the middle of the night), I was struck by how big it appeared. I always enjoy the descent off Seat Sandal (maybe it’s the thought of tea with sugar at Dunmail) and once we’d hit the summit Dan let me go, arriving just ahead of schedule.
Leg 3. Pacers. Tash Fellowes, Maria Cook, Chris Usher. I always knew Leg 3 was going to be the ‘make or break’ leg and so it was a big help that all of my pacers were either BG or Joss completers (or both). Sure enough it wasn’t long before I had my first bad patch towards the top of Steel Fell with the second hitting me on the slog up to High Raise. Maybe I’d overdone in on Legs 1 & 2 – who knows? I dug deep and knew, through my training I that I could get through these low points if I just took it easy for a moment, collected my thoughts, took on food drink (that flat Coke was amazing Tash) and listened to the warm words of encouragement from my pacers. On both occasions, my pacers read the signs and without asking, Maria would take my pack, Chris would talk me round and with Tash leading the way with some great lines up Bowfell and off Great End (the way only an Achille Ratti runner can), I felt good again and we were back on it.
Leg 4. Pacers. Guy Illingworth, Bill Beckett.
I knew at Sty Head that we’d lost time on Leg 3 and a sub-12hr finish was unlikely but I felt OK and was determined to give it my all. The climb up Great Gable was pretty comfortable and we made good time although the descent down the slippery scree was slower than I’d hoped. Guy was solid upfront navigating and Bill kept close by, merrily cajoling me along (as only Bill can) whilst feeding me sweets. We made good progress over the rest of the leg, even making up a small amount of time. We took the more runnable line off Haycock, avoiding the scree and boulders to the south with a good run across Pot of Ashness. On the tough climb up Seatallan I started to wonder if Joss would be at Greendale and began to worry that my wife - waiting at the bridge and not being the fell running type – might casually ask him what he was doing and if he was from round here? As we tipped over the 12-hr mark on the final climb up Middle Fell, I told Guy that on my last recce I’d done the final descent in 17mins. “Ah not today Mike” he responded. All three of us hammered it down the twisting rocky path, through the bracken and touched the bridge just 16mins later in a time of 12hr 25min.
Sadly, Joss wasn’t feeling up to it but at least I didn’t have to make any awkward apologies on my wife’s behalf! A big thanks to all my support crew, Dave Troman of Love to Run Coaching and of course, my wife.
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