Some two hours after Adam will have started the Fellsman I found myself imagining myself charging off Ingleborough, hunting down the leading three runners as I was this time last year. After a difficult decision to pull out of the Fellsman, I was surprised that I was no longer frustrated at missing out. I was content: Running comfortably along the road from Seatoller to Seathwaite I was surrounded by the familiar Lakeland fells.
So the first part of the plan had worked: Like the company of an old friend, being in the Lakes had immediately made me content and eased my mind. As good as this Lakeland medicine is, it couldn’t take away the fact that my ankle was still not right. The rest of the plan, a leisurely 8-10 hour day - Legs 4 and 5 of the BG route and at sub BG pace- really would put it to the test and let me determine if I can be confident in my attempt in two weeks time.
Deliberately wanting to be tired at the start of Yewbarrow I ran fairly hard to Wasdale, in 1hr05, but found it very difficult to run comfortably on the rocky downhill sections of path. This was to be the story of the day – on the ups I was very strong and had no pain from my ankle. On the downs I struggled to jog without any discomfort and relaxing and striding out was impossibly painful.
My splits for the run reflect this, I smashed the splits for a 22hour schedule on Leg 4, especially on the significant climbs, but lost over 5 minutes time on the short grassy drop into Honister. The weather had been relatively kind, clouds above the tops and dry but with a constant and biting cold 20-30mph northerly wind to contend with. This allowed me to discover some new trods, particularly a very efficient line to pillar which I hope to find on the day.
Having polished off leg 4 in just under 4hours I sat for 10 mins at Honister to take on some food and cooled off very quickly in the wind. The painful descent to Honister had left me in two minds as to whether I should get the bus or continue and run back to Keswick. I was feeling very down and the prospect of not being able to attempt the BG seemed very real. A chat about my BG attempt with another runner encouraged me to continue, the logic being that if I couldn’t push on now, then I’ve no chance in two weeks, and if my ankle didn’t hold out over the next 3 hours or so then I’d have no choice but to put off the attempt.
The company, and consequential steady pace, of a hill walker meant that the climb up Dale Head was enjoyable, matching a 22 hour BG pace before a steady jog round to Hindscarth, back inside the splits. The flat ground was causing no pain in my ankle so I continued to jog – I managed to ‘Test of Man’ the gradual climb across to Hindscarth into a fierce headwind but marched the grassy slog up the last of the BG peaks, Robinson.
The return to Keswick was new ground for me - I thoroughly enjoyed it. I chose to take the steep grassy drop off the start of High Snab bank, which led to a very comfortable grassy track to the start of the road section which was jogged all the way back to moot hall, finding all the short cuts easily on the way. Just imagining how I will feel running in with Richard and seeing Rosie and all my support at Moot Hall made me quite emotional – I’d better hold it together on the attempt!
Upon arrival in Keswick it was amazing how my mindset had changed, I was now feeling very positive. In the grand scheme of things I hadn’t lost much time on the steep descents, and otherwise I was feeling very strong, especially on the climbs. I was reassured that the 28 miles hadn't seemed at all hard and I was feeling good at the end of it. Mentally I am prepared; The pain in my ankle had been intermittent and manageable, even without any Vitamin I. I know the routes well and have run every line that I want to take at least once, some as many as five times. I know there will be times where I feel like I cannot go on, like last year, but this year I know I will push through them.
The BG is most certainly on!
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