I've just had a brilliant Lakeland 50! This was my 4th time at this race and it's the fitst time everything played out really well. Hopefully I can tap into these notes next time and repeat the experience.
The secrets were an enforced slow start due to crowds and a positive attitude.
I was going for a Lakeland 100 qualification time of sub 16hrs and felt this was a bit of a stretch. I used the race prediction tool at https://climbers.net/race/Lakeland50-2011 to come up with estimates for 15:45. I figured it would be nice to build in a cushion but wasn't planning on religiously hitting these CP times. I laminated it and put it in an accessible pocket. My plan was to reference this at each CP and see whether I was up or down, just as a confidence boost. It would also allow me to prepare mentally how long it would take to reach the next CP. This worked really well. I'd do it again, not with a target time, but with a minimum time.
I travelled up on the bus and met Mich and the kids at Dalemain. Felt super chilled at the start, not under any pressure at all. I lined up at the back of the pen and, with the new start wave system, crossed the start line at 11:43am, in wave 5 of 6. Alex joined me for the 4 mile lap of Dalemain.
Alex has been coming to the Lakeland weekend on and off since he was 4 years old, and since then has wanted to take part. Now aged 15, he got to experience the first few miles. We had such a lovely time, chatting away. It was all smiles and laughs and felt amazing. If only I could have taken him on to Howtown, but it was soon over and with hugs all round I left my family and headed off.
I soon fell into step with Tim and we stayed together until the top of the climb out of Pooley Bridge, when he pulled away. I was really enjoying sticking to a relaxed pace this early in the adventure and hit the long descent to Howtown feeling super positive - probably my favourite section of trail running anywhere.
I soon caught up with Tim and Steve, who were chatting with Billy, an 'old face' from back in the day, and without thought, Billy and I drifted off ahead, chatting away about old times.
Howtown CP: 10.5 miles, 2hrs 17mins (target 2:09)
I saw video footage of 45min queues to get into Howtown in 2021, but this year the queue was tony...just congestion, really. The temperature was perfect and, although I'd been drinking, I hadn't drunk lots, so didn’t bother filling my bladder. I had a couple of cups of water and walked out with a handful of sweets and custard cremes to eat on the climb. I spent about two and a half minutes in the Howtown checkpoint.
The climb up Fuesdale was really busy, with a queue all the way; the line stop-starting in the upper sections. There was a temptation to feel frustrated but I knew this enforced slowness would benefit me later and was doing me a favour. This was the case, and given the choice of starting in wave one, I think I would chose wave three or four in future. I'm sure I completed the course faster because of these early hold ups.
I reached the top feeling great and walked for a while to shake out the legs. Everyone around continued to walk but after a few minutes I broke into a jog down Bampton Common, keeping my Poles out. I passed Jon Morehouse here and we exchanged a few words. I felt fantastic and was absolutely loving this. I kept smiling and reminding myself that you look forward to days like this and remember them forever awterwards, and here I was, actually living it, right now. Such a buzz.
I walked the steeper descets and really used my poles to support my weight. I was very much aware that I had not trained my quads enough for this and allowed the folk around me to zoom passed while I waited for the slope to shallow out. This was another tactic that I think really helped my body stay so strong all the way to the finish.
Poles away for the run around Haweswater, which soon turned into a walk, with long, slow queues. Again, it felt a little frustrating but I concentrated on the fact that I was conserving energy early that I would get back later.
Mardale CP: 20 miles, 5hrs 2mins (target 05:07)
Into Spardale for a quick turn around. The CP was busy and, with me only recently returning to Spartan Tuesdays, I was a stranger to a lot of the Spartans in the CP. Tim C topped up my bladder and I grabbed a couple of sandwiches to eat as I went. I was in the CP for about four minutes.
Sandwiches munched and the poles came back out for the climb up Gatesgarth (I kept them out for the rest of the race). I expected this to take 45mins but it actually only took 35. It was incredibly windy and raining quite heavily. Almost everyone around stopped to put on jackets but I was about the right temperature so stuck to t-shirt. My left quad started firing light warning shots of cramp so I eased back the pace a little and protected it.
Down the other side, I was feeling great. Again, I walked the steep sections, leaning heavily on my poles, and was feeling fantastic along the valley floor. After the climb out of Sadgill Farm, I hit the bleak section where I cried in 2011 and had such a huge smile on my face. I had never felt this fresh and happy at this point in the Lakeland 50. This was amazing!
Kentmere CP: 26 miles, 6hrs 50mins (target 07:19)
Into Kentmere about on schedule and I planned to sit down for the first time and eat some pasta, but a lady I'd been running with said "Oh, I couldn’t eat right now...that would be a bad idea". I realised she was right and although I was planning to eat, I didn't want solid food right now. The CP was very busy. I had two cups of water, a cup of cola then filled my cup with fruit smoothie and left, drinking the smoothie on the road around to the start of the Garburn Pass.
I took the climb steadily and enjoyed the descent. The climb out of Troutbeck was evil, as always, which brought us into Ambleside. The reception was incredible...the best yet and I did well up a couple of times at the number of people lining the streets, clapping, whooping and shouting 'Well Done'. I met Mich and the kids, with a huge smile on my face, feeling super-positive.
Ambleside CP: 33.6 miles, 8hrs 51mins (target 09:38)
It was a quick pit stop - filled my bladder for the second and final time, grabbed a sandwich and a handful of grapes (which tasted like the food of the Gods), then walked through the park with my family.
At this point everything was still very much in the green. My feet had been wet for a long time and felt tender, but there was no chaffing, muscle cramps or knee pain. I put on my headtorch, knowing I'd need it before Chapel Stile, and switched it on as we hit the lovely, rocky single track by the wall, before Skelwith Bridge. At Skelwith Bridge I also put on my jacket for the first time. There was a heavy rain shower, and although I was the right temperature, I was aware that I was heading into night and would probably need it on soon, so it would be nice to keep the rain off.
I slowed down a little here, and people were very slowly pulling ahead, but I didn't care one jot what others were doing and didn’t compare myself to them. My ultra shuffle was faster then my walk, so I shuffled away and paid no heed if folk passed me.
Around Chapel Stile village I caught up with Jake. He'd dropped into a walk but was able to latch on and we ultra-shuffled together down the valley. It was fantastic to have company and I really loved running with Jake. As he said, "If you'd told me eight months ago we'd be running together at mile 40 of the Lakeland, I would not have believed you". He was bang on, and it was an indication of how far I’ve come in the last year.
Chapel Stile CP: 39.4 miles, 10hrs 19mins (target 11:23)
Into the CP, queued for the loo, then sat down with a bowl of meat stew, my first and only sit down in the race. This felt like a much needed rest and I was in the CP for 13 mins.
Jake and I left together and headed down the Langdale valley. My feet were tender and I felt tired, but it was pushing midnight and we'd covered over 40 miles. I remembered to look behind and see the incredible sight of a string of headtorches down the valley.
The zig zags at the end of the valley were over before they started, then Jake and I got into (what felt like) a good pace and overtook a load of people on the superb trail around Blea Tarn. I expected Blea Moss to be a boggy hell, but the route was well marked with flags and was pretty solid.
Jake left me here and I stayed on my 'comfortable' ultra-plod. The climb at the end of the valley was hellish - went on for ever...I swear it was three times the length it was in the past! Then we were into Tilberthwaite.
Tilberthwaite CP: 45.7 miles, 12hrs 16mins (target 14:12)
I ate some melon and was about to leave when I was offered a cheese toastie; probably the most delicious thing I have ever eaten in my entire life. Threw some money in Jacob’s bucket and climbed Jacob's Ladder. I left Tilberthwaite around 1am, so guessed I could take it easy and still be in Coniston for 3.
The climb was okay. I made a point of stopping at the head of the valley and admiring the string of torches coming up behind me. How many times in your life do you get to see something like this? Beautiful and well worth a few lost seconds.
I took the descent quite easily and broke into an ultra shuffle when I hit the metalled road. A supporter was walking ahead of me and my running pace was only very marginally faster than him.
I hit Coniston, turned right and who did I bump into but Josie and Alex! I was faster then expected and by chance, met up with Mich and the kids as they rushed to the finish line. This was wonderful, and I found a new wave of energy as we all ran in the final quarter of a mile through town together. A perfect way to finsh a perfect Lakeland 50.
I finished in 14:38. Beyond my wildest imagination of what I was capable of.
Lessons learned
- Go slow at the start. No, slower!
- Think positive thoughts. Throughout the day I would smile then think about how much better I felt than I had previously at this point.
- The schedule worked. Not as something to follow, but as something to stay ahead of. It made me feel good knowing I was up on time and definitely reduced anxiety.
- The run around the start with Alex was a colossal boost. I thought back to this many times throughout the day and every time it was like a shot of happiness.
