The Tour of Helvellyn

18^th December 2010

I had been looking forward to this event for a few weeks as a continuation of my build up to the Lakeland 100. At 37 miles long, it wasn’t the distance that would be the challenge for me – it was the 4 climbs along the route totalling 6000ft in height.

A few weeks earlier my Dad dropped Richard Davies and myself off at the start and arranged to pick us up some 23 miles into the course. This was a great recce of the route and convinced Richard to enter! This was great news as I would have Richard to run with - always a bonus to have Bogtrotter along side in an ultra race. The week before the race Richard informed me he was struggling with an ankle injury, and, on the Thursday before the race, he pulled out - a wise decision in my opinion.

On the Friday night, 17^th December, it started to snow. I went to bed very excited but also worried that I wouldn’t be able to get to the start. Saturday morning 5am - I woke up buzzing, as I always am before a big race, and even more excited as I was hoping there would be plenty of snow. The first glance out the window told me it was going to be a long slow drive. 5.30 am, with porridge in my belly and coffee in my hand I set of with 2” of snow on the road. My first and only mistake of the day fortunately came on the drive out. At Windy Harbour traffic lights I chose to go through St Michaels and onto the A6 at Garstang. This road was littered with Chelsea Tractors stuck in ditches on both sides of the road! It goes to show it’s all about the skill of the driver, not the type of car you drive. I arrived at Askham, the start and registration for the event, where I picked up my number. I had a chat with some lads from Bowland Fell Runners who were asking where Richard was. I told them about his unfortunate injury and asked about their thoughts on the race ahead. I got ready and went to get my registered start time - 9.03 am and the 43^rd runner to start.

This was it. I was off and there were 42 runners somewhere out there to catch up with. 400yds along the snow covered road, it was onto the open Askham Fell. With 42 runners in front, the hard work had been done for me and a path had been cut through the snow which was about 10” deep and still falling steadily. I was in dreamland. I soon picked up the first runners along a path that follows a wall with spectacular views of the lake below. That was two down with 40 more to find.

At Howtown, where the first unmanned checkpoint was, I picked up a lad from Newcastle who was also training for the L100. After clipping our cards we set of for Martindale Common and the first big climb of the day. Early on in the climb the other runner told me to go on. He couldn’t stay up with my pace. Either that or I had bored him to death! The climb up to Boredale House is long and mostly ‘runable’ so it was head down and away I go. I had spotted about four runners up ahead. One was to be caught before we topped out the first climb. Weeks before, Richard and I had found a short way down but it was very steep and slippy without snow and ice on it. I thought ‘what the hell, in for a penny in for a pound’. The other three runners I had spotted all lost out down here - probably thinking, ‘who is that nutter in the purple tights barrelling down a hillside with total disregard to safety?’ Patterdale was the target at the bottom. Got there safely and picked off four more runners on the road to Glenridding.

Here they had a camper van set up as an extra checkpoint and also to let us know that the checkpoint at Swirls car park would not be there as it was too dangerous to drive round. From here on in it is a slog up the road to the Youth Hostel at Greenside where a happy man with a camera clipped your card and sent you on your way up the biggest climb of the day. Sticks Pass saw me picking off a further six runners. By the time I got half way up the pass, where it opens up and you can see the summit a mile or so away, there must have been eight runners spread out along this path. Off I went, giving chase, but didn’t manage to get any on the climb; however . . . as I topped out in thick cloud cover I spotted two just starting their descent. Knowing this was a fast decent down to Stannah Footbridge I just got on with it. Taking about four runners early on, I then caught up with a chap all clad in black with hat pulled down. We both took the brakes off and went for it! Snow was knee deep down this side and the only safe place to be was off the track in the open deep snow – fantastic, exhilarating running as we hit the bottom together.

There was a group of 4 runners clipping their cards and I turned to speak to the lad with whom I had just had great fun descending to find it was none other than Ozzy Kershaw. Ozzy has beaten me on every ultra I have ever run . . . until this day, he-he-he. The group at the bottom also had a lad I knew called Tim Whittaker. Tim has beaten me on every ultra I have ever run . . . until this day he-he-he. From our recce I knew the next bit was on the flat but very bad under foot. I took the lead, only to find that the rest of the group were not with me. This gave me a huge boost and I ploughed on to Swirls car park at the foot of Helvellyn. From here it was a super run on open forestry tracks. I had some Jaffa cakes and gels, (as you do). While on flat terrain I overtook about eight runners through the forest. I was still on a high when I exited the forest.

A group of three runners were at the footbridge clipping their tally cards. I did mine and set off again with people to catch. Half way to Dunmail Bridge I saw three runners running back towards us - they had missed the self clip. I felt sorry for them - this was hard enough without having to retrace your steps and add about half a mile on. I caught the other three runners before Dunmail and the next big climb. This is a climb I had never done before so it was unknown territory. Richard had advised me to go right of the stream. This was a tough, very icy climb and it felt never ending but eventually I spotted Grizedale Tarn. I knew I had to stay to the left of it and there was no track. I followed a path that someone had made right next to the tarn. It was hard going and I think I should have been higher up, away from the tarn. From here it was a descent down into Patterdale to the church. If you have ever done this you will know it’s a long drag. After crossing the river at the bottom I passed a rock face with icicles that were 4ft long! Well, it had been a tad cold recently.

I had not seen anybody for about an hour now and began to wonder how many were still out there. From here it was a trek back over Boredale House. At the foot of the climb I spotted another runner up ahead. Time to give chase! Halfway up the climb we were blessed with the final sun rays of the day. Running in snow with the sun on you is awesome. To witness the sun setting behind Helvellyn was spectacular. To get back up, I took the steep shorter route that I had come down earlier in the day. By doing this I overtook the runner I spotted at the bottom.

With the last climb of the day done I knew it was just a hard slog back to the finish. This was fairly uneventful . . . ‘til the last 2 miles. When I got onto Askham Fell I spotted a runner off in the distance. Visibility was only possible due to the snow and a clear cold sky as it was dark now. I had said to myself that I would be back before I needed a head torch. I didn’t know it then, but that runner up ahead was to be the guy who ends up beating me and stopping me from winning my first ever race by 4 minutes.

Treacherous conditions underfoot, 35 miles and 6000ft of climbing and descending under my belt without a fall – all was good. Then it happened . . . on a flat section . . . BANG, down I went. Bruised hip, brush the snow off and get on with it. The finish line was in sight, just about a mile to go and I was motoring. Down the road to the finish it was minus 7 without the wind chill. I went into the hall and I was amazed that there was only two other runners that had finished. There was a welcome cup of sweet tea, soup, sausage rolls, scones and cake on offer. I felt sorry for the forty runners that were still out there though, as by this time, it was pitch black and bitterly cold.

I got into my frozen car reflecting on the day and how much I enjoyed it. It will be a day that will stay in my memory for a long time. It was the best day’s running I have ever had. And as it happens, thank goodness it’s a great memory. Some of you will be aware that within a week of The Tour of Helvellyn the symptoms of back problems began and I’ve recently been diagnosed with a prolapsed disc. Bring on the surgery and get me back out there!!!!!!

Written by: Pete Waywell

Submitted: 23^rd February 2011

Edited by: Brenda J Earnshaw WRR Editor