Running a Lakeland Classic Fell race
Last Saturday I ran in a Lakeland Classic Fell Race In Ennerdale. For those who arent familiar with fell racing. It is a self navigation and unmarked race up and down crazy ascents and descents, with several checkpoints along the way (that you have to reach within a time limit). This race was 23.1 miles with 7500ft of climbing. No aid stations!!!! You just carry and find your own water on the route.
The start was at 10.45am along ennerdale lake and the first climb of the race was after 3 mile (and was awful). I suffered a spasm in my left calf and head to keep stretching it. This left me second last at the summit and checkpoint one (still well within the cutoff).
At the top of checkpoint one was a fell running legend (infact the fell running legend) Joss Naylor. I stopped for a quick photo and was now inspired to move on and run the cramp off.
Checkpoint 2 was relatively flat and saw me pick up a couple of places. They was only one climb and that was short and steep (no cramp though).
The run to checkpoint 3 was the toughest when i recced it. However, I had learned some better routes down the scree and up the brutal climb to the checkpoint. Again i was moving forward and managed to pick off another 4.
The run to checkpoint 4 took you past a river and a chance to stock up on water. Then the push up to Green Cable and her 800 metre summit. Again i was moving OK and managed to pick off a couple more.
The next checkpoint 5 was on the top of Kirk Fell and involved a great little run down the scree and a tough climb in the heat to Kirk Fell Summit. Again I picked off a couple more runners and now had the dangerous descent of Kirk Fell.
The descent off Kirk Fell is notoriously dangerous and we were warned about it at the safety briefing. The descent is called Red Gully (and my toes still have the red clay in bedded into them today. I paired up with another runner for the descent and we slipped and slided ourselves to the bottom. Now onto checkpoint 6 at the Summit of Pillar and the last cut off point. Pillar is the highest point of the race at 892m. I struggled in the heat and the climbing and my quads were heavy. I got there well within the cut off and was still gaining places.
Onto Haycock at checkout 7 which involved a tough descent and ascent and a short cut around a mountain (which a few runners missed, so i got several places back). A walker offered me water and I gladly accepted.
Then onto checkpoint 8 along a runnable and flatish part of the course. I passed runners and others passed me, so god know what position i was in. I asked if marshall at the checkpoint “that must be all the climbing down, as we are still 700 metres high?”. The reply wasnt what i hoped for “one tough climb and one descent”. I really wasnt sure if my legs had a climb left in them.
So off to the last checkpoint and it was al lovely down hill, until there it was the last climb and checkpoint 9. I took a few rests on the way up and even more swear words but i got there. It was awesome to hear these words “you have 2 mile down hill to go”
So off i skipped downhill and onto the finish straight. Here i noticed i may get under 7 hours (the winner finished in 3h 30 mins), so i bashed my quads even more and got home in 6h 59ms 41 secs. In 284th out of 315. I will take that.
Onto the mcwilliams ultra round next and then a bloody rest.
The top of haycock 
Meeting Joss at the end. 
Joss at checkpoint 1
Michael wants 2 run further 
Awesome 👏
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