Tour de Helvellyn

I love all Nav4 races but this one has a special place in my heart after using it to complete my 52@52in52 challenge back in 2013. The year of wading through thigh deep floods and a hyperthermic Jon S.  Also it 2014 it was my first race in freedom having just retired. I then missed some years with trips abroad and skiing but do remember the snow in 2017 and using my kathoolas.
This time I was fit and felt that I was recovered from The Hill- all that is except for my foot.

Before the race... sore but running seems sort of OK

It seemed to have multiple issues and this was confirmed by Angela W on Friday evening in the hall. Oh well, the forecast was good so I would see how I got on. Short runs in the week suggested running didn't make it worse so long as the path/ foot plant was predictable.
I slept well in the van and had plenty of time to chat with people in the hall. My plan was to wait until almost dawn so that my the time I reached the fell it was light and I would not need my torch. The good forecast also meant I could just about fir everything in my race vest. The staggered start is good- less pressure to use the toilet and also less pressure to shoot off too fast up the lane and over the first few miles. I started steadily up the lane and was happy to walk a bit. From the fell gate I picked up the pace a bit as I love the grassy tracks on Askham Common. As usual some runners went west on the main path but most went my way. It was now perfectly light and warm enough for me to take off my hat and gloves. Thank goodness I put thin tights on. It wasn't long before I passed John K and then Matt N came racing past me. Leaving the common I was cautious on the lovely ramp; it was too early for me to trust my foot. I then opted for the lower road route and the climb through the zig zags to Martindale church. At least there were no floods this year, just some large puddles. It must be faster that way because I ended up ahead of Matt again- although not for long. The road into Boredale suited my foot today with no sudden or unexpected twists. I felt I was moving OK but looking at my splits compared to carol and Fiona it was from Martindale to Side Farm that I lost most time (about 40 minutes!). I knew I had been slow on the descent over the rocks as I was guarding my foot, plus there was a queue at the Farm but even so that's a huge loss. I took advantage of the queue to eat and set off for Glenridding replenished. I chatted to Derek F for a bit and then Mark S and others as we climbed out of the valley and up past the old mines. I seemed to slow down here and especially so on the steep rough climb through the loose old workings. Then I spotted Tony, Josie etc ahead and that perked me up.

Two cuddly Nav4 Santas

Stuart was at the bridge as usual but with no snow it was on, on. The climb to Sticks Pass took a little longer than I remembered and it was a relief to crest the ridge path and start dropping towards Thirlmere.

The biggest patch of snow this year

Once I hit the fence line the path got steeper and I slowed down again. Barney came flying past shouting Hello but I didn't speed up even for the photographer.

Steep down the Stannah and Thirlmere

Despite this I only lost 10 minutes on the girls here. The next path section is a jumble of mud, rocks and bracken. Time to be careful again. I met up with Albert here. Jim was scanning bar codes on the fell side and then Gaynor was taking numbers in the car park. We had a brief chat.

The Winter Hill Billies- so friendly and always a laugh

The Winter Hill Billy team were all waiting for Albert and others. I grabbed more cheese and some crisps and set off on the forest track. Another 'easy' section that would allow me to run.
I found a good place to cross Raise Beck and was soon on the main path clambering upwards. It was wet but not slippery this year.

Climbing Raise Beck

John B was there dressed as Santa taking photos and Fiona appeared. She was powering up the path and I made a big effort to stay with her. We ran together in the clag past Grisedale Tarn and onto the nasty rocky path.

The trod I need to find

One day I really will check out the valley trod because even if it is boggy I am sure it will be faster for me than the rock. I tried to relax knowing that once we reached the bridge that the path was much better. As we reached the farm land I caught Fiona again, she had taken a small tumble on the gateway gravel. It was fairly easy back to Side Farm. Despite being so slow on the rocky path I only lost 1-2 minutes here. At the farm Howard helped me refill my soft flask with MF and I grabbed some more cheese and crisps to eat as I plodded up to Boredale Hause. One guy came flying past and then jogged all the way to the top! Eating savoury seemed to be working well for me and I felt OK. Fiona needed the loo and this let me get ahead by several minutes but I knew she would be racing to catch me. I made a slight nav error at the top but soon regained the correct path. Once I had negotiated the first rocky section I really enjoyed running down the ramp and then along the first section of lane. Ken S came blasting past and shot off into the distance. I was busy doing mental maths and thinking there must be an error. At this rate I might actually get a PB and slip under the 8 hour mark. Next Martin T appeared and I used him to pull me for the next few miles.  He was always ahead but not by much and when he slowed to a walk I made myself run and narrow the gap again. This worked all the way to the edge of Askham Common where I suddenly tripped and fell heavily. It was so sudden I didn't even have time to put my hands out and so bashed my knee and elbow.  I soon realised that I was OK really and jogged on rather than stiffen up. From the cockpit it is a lovely run back and I could see runners ahead and on the skyline. My foot was sore but no worse than when I had set off. I think it is the fastest  have run from the cockpit all the way back to the hall.

Tony recorded 59km, Albert over 60km. 38 miles?

Yes a very surprising PB of 7.55 (in the best conditions I have had on the route). 1st FV50 and 5th F overall. A good day out. Carol was 1st F in 7.14 and Fiona was 14 mins ahead of me. Adam Perry broke the 6 hour barrier. Awesome.

Several cups of tea, soup, bread and cake and I was feeling better. I applauded all the Winter Hill Billies in and also John K, Derek and Ian C (I managed to beat Ian by 22 secs). A quick change into warm dry clothes out in the van and then some more socialising in the hall. It seemed they had more than enough helpers so we wandered out into the parking field to say Bye to Joe before driving home. I would happily have stayed if needed but it was good to have a shower and my own bed even if a gradually ballooning and stiffening foot did keep waking me up.

It was a bit of a shock to see how much worse my foot was this morning and it took hours for it to gain any sort of mobility. In the end I went for a painful limping hobble to the shop and back. It did help - less ore and more mobile but I cannot keep walking all night!