A round up of the final month of 2024 where I had three events on three stormy days with yellow weather warnings: the Punk Panther Christmas Cracker in a named storm (Darragh) on the 7th, a ‘Run like a Haggis’ navigation course on a ‘standard windy day’ on the 15th, and the Tour de Helvellyn during a storm that surely should have been named but wasn’t, on the 21st. If there is any one thing I dislike the most out of all possible weather conditions it’s wind, and if truth be told I would prefer to stay in bed with with the duvet over my head on such days. And I have had my fill of storms during races this year. Storm Kathleen during the Northern Traverse, terrible wind and rain during the Spine Challenger South, and more of the same on various recces for those events. However, it is no doubt the shape of things to come and isn’t going to improve any time soon, so we must crack on undeterred!
Christmas Cracker – 7 Dec 2024
The Christmas Cracker, staged by my friendly local race organisers Punk Panther, is a 32 mile / 5000ft race from Otley (north of Leeds) via Lindley, Norwood and Timble to Langbar, and back to Otley. Normally the race has a lollipop shape, taking in Round Hill and Beamsley Beacon, but the route was amended to an out and back course leaving out the highest points due to the predicted weather conditions. A 19 mile version was also available, with the turnaround at the Timble crossing. I had run the event once before, in 2022, when the race was still held in a handicap format, whereas now it has a normal mass start.
I don’t know who had invited Storm Darragh to come along for the ride, but he was very much an unwelcome guest! Still, many other races were cancelled, amongst others the Cheviot Goat which I ran last year (and I had half regretted not entering this year), so we were lucky that this went ahead and that there were route options to keep us safe.
We set off from Otley at 07:30 after the presentation of the 2024 Punk Panther awards and a quick race briefing. As forecast, the early morning weather was fine and quite pleasant for running, literally the calm before the storm. I found myself running with a small group of runners doing the 19 mile version. There were a lot of muddy and waterlogged fields to squelch through, but otherwise the section to Timble was uneventful. After the Timble checkpoint I found myself entirely alone and the weather definitely started to shape up into a proper storm. The next section is quite exposed and runs from Ellercar Pike over the moor to the Plantation, where the route joins the road to Langbar. Initially I was sheltered from the wind by the Timble Ings trees, but as soon as I reached the end of the wood the wind hit me sideways on with its full force. Together with the very muddy underfoot conditions this made for difficult going and the wind tried to blow me off the path and into the heather on many occasions. At times it was easier to run through the heather anyway rather than on what should pass for the path as it was all so slidy. Running being an approximate term here as my forward progress was very slow. I briefly stopped by a shooting hut (even though that was marginally off course) as I really needed the shelter to put my waterproof trousers on. Somewhere on this stretch I started to encounter the front runners coming back already, negotiating the terrain with a superior skill which eludes me. I was relieved to reach the road even though it was just as windy. By now my mood had plummeted to somewhere below zero and I was really struggling with my motivation to complete the race, which I must say is very unlike me. I wasn’t enjoying any of it and surprised myself by seriously pondering throwing in the towel at the next checkpoint. If I dislike anything when it comes to weather it is wind, so a named storm really is the pits. My state of mind was made even worse by encountering several of my Punk Panther friends who I would normally be close to (or even slightly ahead of) in the field, who were already on their way back and therefore quite a bit in front of me. I realized I was even further back than I had thought. How had that happened? It shouldn’t matter but it did. They shouted ‘mulled wine and mince pies at the checkpoint’ looking very cheery, I smiled back wanly as that was all I could muster.
I was pleased to reach the Langbar turnaround, which was in a nice sheltered spot, and indulged in a whole mug of warm mulled wine and 2 mini mince pies. I decided that any negative effects of the alcohol would be marginal at this plodding pace and that it might just help my mood. I abandoned any ideas of giving up, which would only have been an easy option if the paramedic had been parked up there (as he often is at checkpoints) to give me a lift back to Otley. But he wasn’t there. And anyway, I knew deep down that of course I didn’t want an unforced DNF on my record. There was nothing really wrong, apart from the fact I was hating it! So I set off for the second 16 miles. The moor section was awful and I found myself shouting into the wind to ‘make this stop’. Darragh wasn’t listening but it was good to vent my fury. Reaching the Timble checkpoint I was starting to feel a bit more positive, less than 10 miles to go now, and no more exposed terrain, just mud. With about 5 miles to go, just past Prospect House Farm near Norwood, I took some paracetamol with caffeine, which did seem to give me a boost. By the time I reached the next road section at Lindley Bridge I felt full of beans and I was even running uphill. I spotted a woman runner ahead of me who moved like she was very tired, initially I considered offering to run with her to give her encouragement but as I drew level my competitive nature took over and after a brief chat I pushed on (sorry!). I was ‘flying’ up the hill, down and up the field at Farnley to join the long road descent into Otley where I managed to overtake another woman (sorry again!), making me 3rd out of 5 women.
I was delighted to see my friend Gill and her cousin waiting to cheer me on at the bottom of the steps into the Riverside Park and then join me at the finish a short while later. It had taken me 8 hours 36 minutes and I was 25th out of 29 finishers. A bit disappointed with my time but pleased to have had a strong finish after a mainly miserable race. I devoured the obligatory and delicious Punk Panther cheese toastie, and enjoyed catching up with several of my running friends there. I was the only and therefore first FV60 and was delighted to receive my trophy. This race experience has been a very useful exercise in overcoming my low points and desire to give up, which I don’t often suffer from and were unexpected. So it was very good training in that respect, as well as more winter miles in the bank.
For anyone looking closely at the photo: yes that is the wrong trophy for a different event, which I only spotted once I got home! Not sure what happened there. The RD is getting the correct trophy sorted for me 🏆 😆
Navigation with ‘Run like a Haggis – 15 Dec 2024
I first heard about ‘Run like a Haggis’ on an episode of the Tea and Trails podcast. Fran Blackett is ‘dedicated to bringing the joy of navigating with map and compass to a wider audience through female-led courses, events and coaching.’ Hearing Fran talk about her business with such enthusiasm I decided to book on a course as I had become quite aware that my navigation skills were in dire need of some updating and refreshing. Before I took up running I did do a lot of hill walking and I have certainly been taught how to navigate with map and compass. I even went on a winter skills course at Glenmore Lodge in the Cairngorms where we had to take it in turns to lead the group (under supervision) in a complete white-out over some tricky terrain. Like a big mountain where you could just fall off the side through a cornice. I remember that experience very well, but not so much the nuts and bolts of navigation. That course is after all at least 35 years ago. Using gps on my watch for many years now has made me lazy and I have had some recent experiences in the hills in bad visibility where I realised I wasn’t really on top of things. Time for some more skills and knowledge input. I booked on one of the intermediate courses. The courses are all held in Hamsterley Forest in County Durham.
There were 3 of us on the course, Karen, whom I already knew from some Punk Panther races, Mel and I. Karen and Mel had attended the beginners’ course the day before. Thankfully Fran had sent clear instructions in advance by email so I arrived dressed in plenty of layers and with spare ones in my bag for an entire day (10 till 4) outside. The temperature wasn’t particularly low but the strong wind made it definitely chilly, and we had been warned that much of the day would be spent at walking pace or stood still so it was important to dress for it.
We started by finding controls on the permanent orienteering course in the forest and using pacing to measure distance covered. We then moved out onto the open ground of Hamsterley Common and covered taking bearings, interpreting contour detail, plotting a route between two points, route choice decisions and relocating yourself after you get lost. After a break for lunch we put our skills to the test by navigating to a series of 7 controls which had been kindly set out for us early in the morning by Fran’s husband. You could choose to walk or run for this exercise and I did jog a bit here and there but it was easy to overheat with all those layers on!
A really useful course that I would recommend to all. And I am determined to keep practising now so as to improve my skills rather than gradually lose them again. I have discovered there are permanent orienteering courses where I live too, as well as the MapRun app which opens up a world of virtual orienteering routes.
Tour de Helvellyn – 21 Dec 2024
The Tour de Helvellyn, organized by Nav4, is a classic winter ultra held on the shortest Saturday before Christmas, and this year it fell on the shortest day itself. It is a 37 mile circuit of Helvellyn starting and finishing at Askham, with around 7000ft of ascent. You need to visit 8 checkpoints in order (most of these are control points only, without food or drink on offer), a route description is not supplied, just the grid references of the checkpoints. However, there is only one logical and expected route, with a couple of minor variations which are down to individual choice. It is easy enough to look on Open Tracking at previous years’ routes that competitors have taken, and download a .gpx file, which you are allowed to use. Still, it is emphasized on the website that this race is for suitably experienced runners and competent navigators only! The route takes a lollipop shape, with a 10 mile out and back ‘stick’ between Askham over Askham Fell, along the Ullswater Way to Martindale and then over Boredale Hause into Patterdale, and a 17 mile anticlockwise triangular loop around Helvellyn going over Sticks Pass (750m), descending to Stanah, along Thirlmere, and up again alongside Raise Beck to Grisedale Tarn and back down into Patterdale.
Runners can set off any time between 07:00 and 09:30, bearing in mind that the checkpoint at Side Farm in Patterdale does not open until 09:30. There is a cut-off at the same checkpoint on the return at 16:30, giving runners 7 hours to do the loop. However, if you are a steady runner needing those full 7 hours it is unlikely that you would reach Patterdale in 2 ½ hours on the way out, it could be nearer to 3, so that eats into your time for the loop. As a result there is some pressure for runners like myself who do not move fast over this terrain. Once you are out of the Patterdale checkpoint for the second time (before 16:30) you can, within reason, take as long as you like over the last 10 miles. I had reccied the whole route (over 2 days) and it had taken me a total of around 12 hours. I had hoped that with a bit more focus and the navigation nailed I might do it in 11 hours on race day, however the weather had other ideas in store for me!
The forecast was terrible, gale force winds and heavy rain. After due consideration the race organisers decided to let the event go ahead, and to run the full course. Now that it’s done I would concur that it was the right decision, it was a very tough day out but it did not feel any riskier than any other winter event in the hills would be. Kudos to all the volunteers and especially the marshals out on the course. I stayed in the Penrith Travelodge on the Friday night, just a 15 minute drive from Askham and I arrived at registration about 6:30 am after quite a good night’s sleep. Thankfully there were a few familiar faces there and it was nice to chat. I had decided to start at 7:00 as I would need all the time available to avoid being timed out. Kit check was efficient, we were given our tracker and the door was opened bang on 7 for those of us (slow and steady) keen beans. The early miles were relatively easy, though it was raining hard and rather blowy on Askham Fell. It was light by the time I reached Howtown. Climbing up Boredale Hause, the pass into Patterdale, we had the first real encounter with the wind in its full force. It blew me clean off my feet twice. It was here that the faster runners started to come past in ever larger numbers, and this continued until we were coming down from Sticks Pass several miles further on. I made way for them descending into Patterdale, and later it was strange to get passed by people running strongly uphill up Sticks Pass. In a normal mass start I generally put myself at the back of the field, and at my end of the race literally no one runs up a hill in an ultra! We had a brief sunny interlude whilst running through Glenridding, it looked deceptively like quite a nice day down there. A few spectators cheered us on. The climb up Sticks Pass was uneventful, though I found it hard going and my legs felt heavy. I had deliberately not tapered for this race, on the contrary, I had gone to my club’s hill efforts session on the Thursday night and ran on Friday as well. This had ensured my legs were already a bit tired, which was the whole plan. Eyes firmly on the Spine Challenger North.
Once we were on the top of Sticks Pass the wind was horrendous, combined with driving horizontal rain. I was bent over trying to stay on my feet. A steep but mainly grassy (and slidy) descent to Stanah, then a couple of flattish miles along a very stony and muddy path with does not bring joy to my soul at all. Lots of people went past me here too. Why do I enter these races? Thoughts of going back to road racing or at least easy trails were going around in my head. After the Swirls car park check point there are a few miles of a good fire track, yay! Fell runners might not like it, but it’s my kind of heaven and I managed to maintain a decent running pace. A bit more muddy path followed and then I turned left for the ascent along Raise Beck. You need to be on the far side of it, and it’s quite a torrent. There is no ford or bridge but at least I found a better and safer spot to cross it than on my recce when it had felt a bit sketchy. My studying of lots of runners’ routes on Open Tracking had paid off. It’s a steep climb up, rewarded by the sight of Father Christmas about two thirds of the way to the top. A stoical John Bamber (for those who do not know him, he looks like Santa already, even without the suit) manning the control point with only an orange group shelter to keep the worst of the weather off him. Along Grisedale Tarn and down into Patterdale. The horizontal rain had returned as I gained height, and this had now turned to biting hail on the higher ground, with the white stuff actually starting to stick to the rocks. Runners came past me again on the descent. I don’t think I met anyone on this event who is a slower descender than I am! Oh well. I was pleased to reach the track and then the tarmac taking me back to Patterdale and the Side Farm checkpoint, running as fast as I could considering I was carrying quite a bit of kit. Not full Spine kit though! People had asked if I was going to take full Spine kit for training purposes but I decided against it as I knew the race would be hard enough as it is, and I had to be able to run.
I reached the checkpoint at 15:53, so loads of time in hand, very pleased. It meant I could at least take a little time for a reset: hot tea with sugar, a sandwich, some cheese. I added an extra layer as I was getting a little cool, and changed my gloves for dry ones. Head torch back on my head and out for the final 10 miles. Once it ticks over to 9.9 it feels like you are almost there! The wind was not quite as strong as it had been which was a bonus. The stony descent off the pass was slow, but then follows quite a runnable stretch along a grass track, then road for a bit. A few miles uphill on the Ullswater Way before the last section across Askham Fell and finally a stony track, then half a mile of road to the finish. Running side by side with another woman at this point kept my pace going (I had been alone for all of the race really, though had had various brief chats with people in passing). I was definitely tired and my legs and feet hurt. There was a lot of internal monologue: ‘only half a mile Petra, that’s 2 laps of the track, it’s nothing, it’s downhill, come on now, keep running!’ We were not the last to come in, but with everyone starting at different times that doesn’t mean much (confusing for the dot watchers!) I was the last out of 148 finishers on the results in 12 hours 13 minutes. There were 8 of us taking over 12 hours though, including 3 women in 12 hours 10 minutes, so I didn’t feel too bad about being last, it was fairly marginal. Additionally, there were 36 runners who either retired, or were timed out at Patterdale on the return. The race was won by Doni Clarke in 5:51, the first woman was Anna Llewellyn in 6:15.
I would rather not have been last, but I achieved my aims of getting round in one piece and to not be timed out. Considering how rubbish I am moving over uneven terrain unless it’s ascending, and that I am really no longer a spring chicken (though I prefer to forget that) that’s a win really. There were actually only 2 women over 60 in this race, the other one being the legendary Karen Nash who is in a completely different league to me!
I was never seriously tempted to throw in the towel, though the thought fleetingly crossed my mind when I was blown off my feet before Patterdale, and also when I saw 2 runners turning round at Sticks Pass. But it felt very important to get this race done. I had deliberately entered it as my last piece of preparation for the Spine Challenger North next month, and I kept thinking that if I let this weather defeat me how am potentially going to cope with a blizzard on Cross Fell? Wish me luck!
The welcome at Askham Community Centre was great despite finishing at the back end of the race. There were still lots of runners sitting around eating and drinking. People all cheered and applauded, and the famous Joe Faulkner soup was indeed as good as people say. Tea and cake too. No medals, but we all received a bottle of Helvellyn Gold (beer).
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