As usual we had entered the Brathay Windermere marathon for this weekend. Then we came across this event and we looked it, ferry across Derwentwater to start, all off road, up to Honister, down to Buttermere and then up the Newlands valley back to Keswick. Melanie was keen, but I pointed out that is was a day before Windermere. And then I said, well we could do both ... and as it was some months away and I think Melanie quite fancied doing a double, it was agreed !
It's almost three years since I did four in four days and maybe I was a little overconfident. Melanie had better preparation than me, we went out for longer runs the day after our last three marathons and I didn't manage the last one (half marathon distance) because of too much work. Ah well, nothing else to do but to give it a try.
It was a fully marked course and we obtained a GPS of all three routes (there was a half and 10k), redrew it, downloaded it to our Garmins and we were ready. We arrived at the landing stages at Keswick and there were thirty eight runners (fifty had registered). There are thirty nine people in the results and I think the last person started late. The vast majority of the runners were under forty, male and looked very fast. I could see us being at the back and soon after the start we quickly lost sight of the main field. We did overtake one runner, but I don't know whether he finished. We did come across some of the main field who took some wrong turns, but they soon quickly disappeared again and after the first checkpoint we didn't see any other runners.
The route was marked every 200m with red flags (an enormous effort for so few runners) and we ran down the lovely east side of Derwentwater and on to Grange. Shortly after the campsite at Grange we were presented with a dilemma. The main path clearly went away from the river and that is what I had plotted and downloaded to our Garmins. However there was a flag showing the way alongside the river and further along, another one. Okay, its that way. However, no more flags, so we decided that someone had moved them and cut back to the main path. A little later a group who had gone much further than us along the river and got wet feet, caught us and went onward. Just outside Rosthwaite there were more moved flags. The organisers had warned us this might happen here, so we followed the route on our watches and started the long slog up to the slate mine at Honister and the first checkpoint.
Then it was another slog up the dismantled tramway (it was a clear day and the views were great) and then down into Warnscale Bottom. We had hoped for a runnable descent, but it was rocky and full of loose stones. It was beyond our capabilities to run down that and we got to the bottom with shaky legs from having picked our way down. Then a lovely run round the west side of Buttermere, into the village. It was very warm by this stage and it was starting to take its toll.
Then another climb away from the road round the shoulder of Rannerdale Knots (fantastic views of Crummock Water !) and then a plunge downwards to the road again just past Hause Point and the second checkpoint and halfway. We were carrying two bottles of water each and with the heat and scarcity of checkpoints, I am so glad we decided to do this.
Then we went up into Rannerdale. The organiser said there was a surprise here and it turned out to be thousands of bluebells. I normally expect bluebells to be in woods, but there were none here, they were just out on the fell. Amazing.
We continued upwards alongside Squat Beck and then contoured round Whiteless Breast. Although this was downhill, the path was slanted down the hill so it made for very uncomfortable running, especially for Melanie who had sore ankles going into this event.
Then it was another contour round Bleak Rigg. At the start of this is a steep climb and at this point I realised I was in trouble. I had to stop walking to recover. I have never had to do that before in an event. It was probably the heat with no shade. We had caps on and had re-applied sun cream but the relentless climbing and heat had got to me. Melanie suggested dipping my cap into the becks we were crossing and that worked well. However, at that point my mind was saying to me - it would be crazy to do Windermere tomorrow, you will be lucky to come out of this without heatstroke.
We continued up the totally deserted Sail Beck Valley, no roads, just birds and the sound of water. Just lovely.
Got the top of pass between Sail and Ard Crags and then another testing descent into the Rigg Beck valley. This time there was less rocks, but it was steep and loose rock. I managed to lose my footing once and ended up on my ass, but no damage done and finally it became more runnable and we came to the third checkpoint near Birkrigg. Then some quiet road and southwards down the Newlands Beck valley (between Maiden Moor and Hindscarth) down the east side and back up the west. Then along the base of Catbells towards Skelgill and after that the final checkpoint. Most of this was runnable, but I had very little left so it was run/walk for this section.
Then Silver Hill, Fawe Park, through Portinscale and the Cumbria Way and back to the finish at Crowe Park in Keswick. Seven hours. I have never broken that barrier before ! Definitely the toughest marathon I have done. Beautiful route and I am so glad we did it, but I am not sure we shall be there next year ...
My legs were cramping most of the evening and Melanie's knee was very sore, so it wasn't looking good for Windermere the next day, but I have been like that before and I know a good night's sleep can make the world of difference. Melanie's knee was a little more worrying.
