COLEDALE HORSESHOE FELL RACE (9MILES/3000’)

Tuesday, 5th June 2007

 

 

Scenery:                       10 - Superb

Atmosphere:                 8 - Only knew Dave Ward, (Borrowdale), and Paul Percival-Smith (Kendal). Pete, Julie Cruse and Michaela were going to do it, but they all decided to rest after Sunday’s Garburn race. Pete gave me a cheer at the start.

Organisation:               10 - Quite strict on kit checks in the past - 22 disqualified in 2005 after a kit check including Lytham’s Martin Walsh.

Value:                          10 - £5 to enter

Beginner Friendly:        0 - Finlay was thinking about doing it at one time. I don’t think he would have enjoyed it; two parts are more of a climb, than a run! Although he acquitted himself well at Garburn, he needs to do a few ‘AS’ races first.

 

Peter and Julie Cruse celebrated 25 years of marriage today and the four of us were booked into the Coledale Hotel with the intention of doing the race and a walk the day after. Peter and Julie decided to rest after the Garburn Trail race, as did Michaela, as she has one eye on next weekend’s Welsh Castles Relay. Julie and Michaela set off at 1pm and Peter and I set off at 3:30/4 pm

 

Grisedale Pike looked impressive as we approached Keswick on the A66. It always seems to catch my attention. I used to stay at the Coledale when I was a child. I picked up a number at Scotgate Caravan Park and went to meet the girls. They were already well oiled!

 

I got changed and jogged down to the Start. I had bought a map today, (£8.99), as I couldn’t find mine anywhere. I wished I’d gone to the Library and borrowed one. I noticed food was now on the kit checklist. I understood this was only a requirement on long races. Today’s was a medium race. I told the organiser I had all the kit apart from the food and he gave me £1 to get some Kendal Mint Cake from the Caravan Park Shop! (My money was at the hotel).

 

The race started and I set off slowly as I was still a little stiff from Garburn. I counted myself lucky I live in a bungalow with no stairs to negotiate! A few runners set off bare-chested!!!

 

I ran on all the ‘runnable’ bits and was fairly pleased on my run to the first checkpoint at Grisedale (2593’). There was a bit of contouring required on the next section, which has never been my strong point. A few runners overtook me on this section.

 

We then had to negotiate Eel Crag or Crag Hill (2749’) by climbing straight up on steep, loose stones. One or two ladies overtook me here! The second checkpoint was by the summit cairn. We were passed the worse bits now and we headed for the last checkpoint on Barrow (1494’). There was one narrow bit where I felt I was holding up a runner behind and I speeded up as soon as it became a little safer. I started overtaking a few and Braithwaite came into sight. As soon as I‘d passed the last checkpoint I think I must have ‘taken my eye of the ball’ and went ‘a’ over‘t’!! My left calf locked with cramp and I couldn’t get up for a few seconds. I was bleeding from both knees and my right arm and I ‘limped’ 1.5 miles into the finish.

 

I finished in 1:55:15. The organiser commented that the Kendal Mint Cake must have done me good!

 

It was nearly 9pm but still a glorious night. I made my way to the Coledale to get showered. Peter had already ordered me a meal and we had a ‘lock in’ until the early hours.

 

1st Ben Bradley (Borrowdale) 1:11:32

1st Lady – 27th Sharon Taylor (Bingley) 1:30:26 (Record)

83rd Martin Bates 1:55:14

109 finishers and 3 retirements

 

Written by: Martin Bates

Submitted: 7th June 2007

Edited by: Brenda J Earnshaw WRR Editor