Rudolph-a-rompin', strong wind, and snow in the hills

The title is intended as a catchall to summarise goings on since my last entry.

Rudolph Romp

After my mid-November "seeya lata" to long runs - for a few months - at Rosedale the next step was to keep myself in order for Rudolph's Romp a fortnight later. The Romp is an LDWA challenge that welcomes runners and due to what most runners would consider is an overall runnable course there is usually a large and semi-competitive runner turn out. The field dwarfs that of the inaugural Rosedale ultra - over 400 entrants - and is definitely an event that ticks a lot of boxes: inexpensive, runnable, pretty, food-a-plenty and with enough distance and hills to give all a damn good workout. It's also the most local LDWA challenge to me and popular with my running club.

A relatively inactive week followed the Rosedale with a weekend off from running in London. Lots of walking, dodging through crowds and...... ok a short run along the north bank of the Thames and through Southwark offered a different, but not unpleasant backdrop on a Sunny Sunday morning.

The week that followed was little more than running for fun so that I'd hopefully arrive at the Romp in good shape and with the benefits of recent increasing training and a 40 miler in the legs. Knowing the course and having run the 24.5 mile route in 3:48 in 2009 I had a reasonably hard target to aim at.

Those who know the route will know its almost impossible not to run the second half slower. So after a few small hills I settled into a good sub-9 min/mile pace on the flat trails, paths and tracks to Sancton, which is roughly the halfway point and the major on-route food stop.

After leaving this checkpoint after 1:44 I struggled on the next few miles to maintain a similar pace even with plenty of downhills up to about 18 miles - but I was still steadily passing others. The next small climb really kicked a hole in my pace and hereafter the challenging short climbs of the miles beyond 20 was just a case of hanging on. I arrived back at Brantingham VH after being out 3hrs 46mins. Not quite the improvement on my 2009 time I'd hoped for, but an improvement nonetheless. And in 2009 I was coming off an almost injury free summer.

Blowy days

There came some really windy days in the middle of the next week. On a particularly windy Thursday when wind speeds in the Cairngorms hit 165mph it was a little more restrained in the east, but there was certainly a strong wind as the Thursday night club run set out. The schedule for tonight was Humber bridge reps and we decided to stick with it even though it was already closed to high-sided vehicles.

A strong cross and slight headwind was tiring on the way over as we were exposed 100 or so foot above the river with no wind break around barring the slightly elevated car deck. We hoped for a boost from it back, but just as we got up onto the elevated deck again the near horizontal rain kicked in and wind seemed to go up a notch, but mostly pushing us off the bridge rather than along it. Could feel the bridge subtly wobbling below by the middle and a roar as the wind bashed part of the structure on the, more exposed, east side of the deck.....

.... in summary, a great training run :¬) 


Snowy days

Having experienced a mostly mild autumn and winter I learnt a bit more about the winter effects of the Lake District when at about 8am the next morning Mark's car - which I was in - got stuck part-way up the Honister pass. The plan had been to meet Simon at the slate mine, all jump in one car and drive to Wasdale Head to run a leg of the Bob Graham back to Honister. Simon had got here 30mins earlier and attempted to contact us to warn us as he'd got stuck and had to back down the pass too.

We got off the pass after descending back on foot to get grit and back to Seatoller where we decided to run from the National Trust car park and hit a few peaks in a loop. Not far up the pass path and we were running on ice and snow. Beyond the slate mine we headed onto trail towards Grey Knotts and Brandreth. These two bagged we decided to seek lower ground as a wicked cold wind had started blowing snow horizontally. With any true path concealed under between a few inches and feet of snow we made a best attempt to descend alongside Tongue beck into Ennerdale.

We stopped briefly outside the - shut for the winter - Black Sail YHA to take on some food before a warming walk up to Scarth Gap. At the top we turned right to follow the ridge between Ennerdale and Buttermere, picking our way over snow-covered Haystacks and down to Blackbeck tarn. We then diverted north to take in a Final peak for the day at Fleetwith Pike, before heading down to Honister. At first through thick snow, which would support weight then give without warning making for a good few soft landing stumbles and falls... and a few laughs. Then as we found the proper track to the Slate Mine the snow was great, a few inches thick and crunchy so you could run down with confidence and great cushioning.

After getting back to the cars and over to Grasmere we had a very comfortable night in the annex of the very clean and smart YHA. The guy on reception was endlessly helpful and we took up the offer of a three course dinner, which is highly recommended and about the same price as a single course elsewhere in the village. A few beers ended the night.

On Sunday we were up early for a lovely breakfast and off out towards the fells again by 8:30. We ascended past falls along the Gill then a direct route east up to Heron Pike. It was a steep climb and certainly worked off breakfast! Once atop the pike we joined the track which follows the ridge top north. Passing earlier starting walkers we trudged through thickening snow patches and into cloud up to Great Rigg before a slight descent and tough pull up to Fairfield on a track - now completely snow-covered.

Fairfield to Grisedale Tarn was steeper than I anticipated, not helped by slightly melting snow on top of loose stones it was quite a steady descent. The plan was then to take in the small climb up and down Seat Sandal. But seeing snow drifted up as high as the wall top we decided it would be easier to bypass this peak on the way to the descent along Raise beck to Dunmail Raise. Just on the feint track bypassing Seat Sandal we actually encountered the deepest snow we had all weekend.

After crossing the A591 we stopped for lunch before the steep climb up to Steel Fell. This is on the Bob Graham Round route and I could understand from this ascent why winter rounds are so much harder to take on. At the bottom it felt safe enough, but further up on the steeper crags as we climbed across snow on top of scree it got the heart racing a bit! But we were up in about twenty minutes.

From here it was more undulating than hilly for the miles up until Sergeant Man - though plenty muddy and snowing. Coming off here we headed for the Easedale route back to Grasmere as the light was running short. A bit of slow downclimbing at first was followed by some great, speedy rockhopping beyond Easedale Tarn. This gave us a great finish to a fantastic snow-bashing weekend.

A great end to a fantastic trail running year.

Wolds Wanderer

I had a day off work Monday 8th. The original plan had been to recce the Wheeldale Tandem, which is run this coming Sunday and I'm part of a team for this with a faster runner. I don't usually recce, but thought it polite so as not to keep my partner waiting too long at the meet up point of the two routes 20m in. Rules dictate that he can't start the last few miles until I arrive and we have to finish together. Its supposed to be a tricky one to navigate and takes in some inhospitable parts of the North York Moors.

But, the logistics of this seemed too tricky to do alone so I decided I'll bluff it round on the day. Plan B was a long run along the Wolds Way from Hessle where it starts along a long stretch to another town from where I could bus it back. But I layed in a bit long so figured on route that by time I got there I'd be taking buses in rush hour in smelly running clothes. Not appealing when its two buses and over a one hour journey (even without rush hour delays).

I was already on route when I ditched plan B and decided on plan C, follow the route mostly along Wolds Way as per B, but turn back after so many miles. As this was to be my longest VLSR before the Hardmoors this would be tough whatever I did, so covering the same ground twice shouldn't be a reason not to - mental discipline isn't my fortay. Also, on these country long runs there is always something new to see or something you haven't noticed before. An early highlight was geese flying in V formation low over the humber then turning inland just in front of me, nearly brushing the low trees, superb.

So I plodded onwards on mostly good trail ground with a thin mud coating, rarely horrifically deep or wet meaning I fell into a steady pace between 10-11min/mile. Not to say it isn't hilly though. There are several steady foot hills that are runnable as you venture a few miles from the riverbank into the edge of the wolds. These each rise and fall upto a few hundred feet at a time until you get to Elloughton Dale. Now temporarily off the Wolds way, here there is a steep drop and rise in the space of half a mile - fun in the winter mud - before a steady climb onto the top of the Wolds. Here follows another drop down into Brantingham Dale and terrain that will be familiar to Rudolph Romp-er's. I then followed the Wolds way along the dale road towards further hills and South Cave - run in the opposite direction at end of the Romp. To my surprise in the early miles it started to snow, in a few very weak showers. This refreshed the air but cooled my face enough for the hat to come out. In fact the hat and gloves were to come in and out quite a lot. I remember thinking at the end I probably had a hat, glove or both transition in every mile; I'd warm up in the valleys, cool into the North-easterly wind or on the hills, I'd also usually warm in tree cover - except if exposed to that wind.

With future, unsupported events in mind I was drinking every 45mins and taking on solid food - sandwich and malt loaf - every 90 - almost metronomically, just doing a few mins early or late if I could do it when walking up a hill to minimise slowdown. Climbing out of Brantingham Dale this route shows its teeth with two short, but steep climbs and a drop inbetween. The first takes you up to the top of Ellerker North Wold (see left - taken on a past and warmer venture), a feast for the eyes on clear days with views south east over the flat Humber and Trent estuaries, and down into the tree-lined mini dale that is Woo Dale (see below - picture from Walkingenglishman.com). I was out of Woo Dale again in the space of a few minutes, with a climb up Mt Airey which it isn't sensible to run even when your not running so long. At the top I crossed between the farm and grass airfield. In the summer there is a barking sheepdog here, as well as a giant friendly pet pig, which trots upto you as you pass - moments like these make my day. Today it was cold and both were conspicuously absent, probably indoors/barns. This is the highest point of the route so far, only 400ft, but remember I'm running from about sea-level.

In keeping with the geography so far there is soon another drop to the edge of South Cave. The winding road up to this farm also services about two other houses. It is tarmac these days but very much single track. I hadn't noticed before but suspect the highways agency may have adopted it or something. It now has give way markings and a proper street sign. I suspect it was discussed on a Friday morning as people were anxious to get out for a liquid lunch.
"What shall we call this road going up to a steep hill to Mt Airey farm in South Cave"
"Steep Hill"
"Seconded, now who's getting the first round in??"

I now left the semi-comfort of well trodden trails near villages/towns. All there was from now until I - hopefully - came back this way in a couple of hours were farm houses and a few road crossings. Don't get me wrong, its not exactly wilderness, but its worth not forgetting on a long run if your energy stores deplete unexpectedly early or you suffer "digestive discomfort", your reduced to walking and the weather worsens - which would't take much as it was already cold enough for snow with an ice-cold breeze - you need an escape route! I was ever concious of this as this would be my longest unsupported run to date.

I try not to dwell on the above negativity and look at the positives, I still felt fresh at the steady pace and I was now hitting countryside I see less often giving me a sensory uplift to distract from the cold facts. First the climb through Little Wold Plantation, a sedate dog-walkers paradise. Then from Coomber Dale a drop into the deeper Weedley dale, once a home of the railway. Then follows the longest wooded section of the day, heading into Drewton woods, initially on a flat path but towards the end the climb steepens to necessitate a walk as the wooded walls of East Dale (see left - from walkingenglishman.com) rise before spitting you out into a field. The next way marker after a following a field edge and a short section of single track road, is the old fashioned style High Hunsley Beacon - erected for Golden Jubilee celebrations. This marks todays highpoint at, a not exactly dizzying, 550ft above my starting point.  But the regular elevetion gain and losses so far do mean I've run LSRs in the southern Peak district and Yorkshire Dales that weren't much hillier.

Onwards towards Swindale, another change in scenery, being a shallower sided grassy dale, and the start in a trend of long, steady undulations and climbs for the miles towards Market Weighton. Ironically my planned mileage will turn me back at the top of the last significant climb.
Back to Swindale, having quickly dropped a fair bit of height to around 200ft, I consider slowing down for my 3 hour food stop I see two runners coming towards me at hard pace. In front, driving on, a short, strong, determined runner who I think I recognise as one of the local "hard men" of running - supposedly he runs the 24.5m Rudolph's Romp route weekly in training. I didn't recognise the guy hanging 10 metres back, though he looked more to be "hanging on" than driving on. I said hello in passing but refrained from saying, "only 5m to go mate", figuring any attempts at encouragement - or sarcasm - may not be helpful. With them out of site I slowed to a walk for my 3 hour treat - my reward for progress.

The valley had been warm out of the wind, even the back of my hands had warmed up without gloves. But, I was soon climbing again and taking the bitter wind either face or side on. Up a few muddy paths between road sections and I hit another marked trig point at about 500ft A few hundred yards later I decided it was time to head back. Though I knew I'd been running a fair old time, it didn't feel like it in my legs, but I had in fact run just over 18 miles. I turned around for what turned out to be a good few miles of downhill, flat or very steady climbs, taking me up to the mid-twenties. The journey back through Swindale, East Dale and Drewton Woods right to Weedley Dale was all runnable and overall downhill. I made a very slight variation before the climb out of Swindale, not cutting the corner as when I dropped in, instead running right to the end for a shorter climb out. This is the true route of the Wolds Way but Rompers cut the corner. I think I may know why....

..... Mole hills everywhere..... hundreds..... Ohh my god!!.... had I strayed into the Valley of the Death Moles?! Or is just my imagination giving me a temporary distraction? Either way I wouldn't come down here at night.

The descent back into East Dale was hazardously muddy and steep as always. At least the mud may have offered my quads some protection. I made good progress through the woods, again warming up for some time protected by nature from the elements. As I ran parallel to the old railway track route back up Weedley Dale - Hull-Barnsley line my father believes (though it seems an odd direction) - the first of the many bigger climbs on the return swallows me in its cold shadow. In fact the next few miles contain a succession of walk uphill and painfully quick, run downhill sections. Hard enough on the way out, on the way back this starts to really exact its punishment. Though, frequent "system checks" verify these are good pains - hard-work endured achey and stiff legs, swollen feet - not  the bad pains - potential or actual injuries. You have to differentiate the two or your minds over-active safety mecahanism defeats your body. I've learned the longer you run the more you need to conquer the "demons" in your own mind. Of course training helps to make the miles pass easier, but your mind also needs to cope with hardships both real and products of imagination. I hope I can be strong enough to cope with some of the long day, and night, runs I plan this year.

Miles pass without distraction from man or beast, my 4.5hr food stop has been and gone climbing Coomber Dale and I now know my plan is working as I have food for the one last stop that I will need. I'm not fearing the final few miles or counting down, this is good, though definately getting harder. I keep walking up, running flat or down and my pace holds fairly steady, just slowing a bit towards the end. After my last food stop I get a boost running through the plantation down to Ferriby. Is this a sign of things to come or just a temporary boost from the food and the nice steady downward angle of the hill. As with many runs its not the hills I fear now. When I leave Ferriby for the final stretch along the foreshore to Hessle I know its near another 3m - 2 of which are flat and will see me taunted by the monolithic Humber Bridge, which only grows right at the last minute.

I stop and walk on the flat a bit whilst I sup a bit of energy drink - I'm a bit narked that i have loads left so could have been taking more energy on. Not that it matters, I'm here afterall. My flat pace is now the same as my overall pace. Which is as good as I could have hoped for. No horrific burnout on a remote hill - not today. I pass under the humber bridge, its like a magnificent finishing gantry, a short hill from home now. I get to my front door, stopping the clock on 6hrs and 55mins, a distance of 36.9m, the ascent and descent is in the region of 4800ft, which is quite a lot in an area with no monster hills to speak of. Its a definate confidence booster, this was the condition I set myself on the way towards Hardmoors, if I can do 66% distance ok, I can grind out the rest.

In the closing miles I promised myself a burger and chips as reward. This turns out to be a disappointment, guess I've used up my quota of good fortune already today.