It's Grrrrrreat!

Rab Mini Mountain Marathon, Round 2

Great Langdale

Up at 5:30. Eat a big bowl of museli
170 mile drive. Drink electrolyte drink on the way, to make sure I start out well hydrated.
Sign on. Hi to Mike and Nick.
Walshes on and kit checked

Dib, dibber and collect map. The map has controls(checkpoints) pre-marked. There are also control descriptions printed on the back. We have to visit as many of these controls, as we can, in 4 hours.

GO!

Leg it, up the footpath that leads to Stickle Tarn. 

Dib control # 18 (Bridge)

Head off piste to # 22 (sheepfold)

Onwards and upwards to #25 (another sheepfold).

Chat with this fella on way up.

Suck down a gel.
Next control #21 (West end of pond) is on top of Thunacar Knott via Pavey Ark.

Navigate/ route plan, eat and drink on the uphills. Something I learned on a Nav4 training course, many years ago.
 I make a fuss of the two Staffies I see on Thurnacar Knot.

.

Stunning views across the Langdale valley at Pike of Stickle #11(between hills) and Martcrag Moor #8 (top of Knoll).

It's a bit Windy.

Down and back up again to #12 (small Summit) on Rossett Pike.
I would like to pick off the control on Bowfell but I am not sureif the 40 points are worth it. It is a steep climb and I am not sure if I will have the time or the energy.
Nah! leave it. Head for #6 (sheepfold, Support SOS point)
Check my watch.The four hours time allowance is ticking away, it is time to head back to the finish, picking off whatever controls I can.

Next #7 (small pond) above Neckband Crag
Down the steep rocky ground to #4 (top of hill). It is difficult and slow going, especially with tired legs.
I bump into Mike on the way down

I spot control #5 (yet another Sheepfold) on the way down. Map and compass are great tools but so is the mk 1 eyeball. Don't forget to keep looking around. Check out the lay of the land and plan ahead.

Mike and I jog along the Cumbria way. Mike is good company and it is nice to run with someone. It helps to forget my tired legs.
Mike heads strait on to the finish, he is running short of time. I head back uphill for #19 (wall corner).
It is only a few 100 metres but my legs a tired, it becomes a slog.
I follow the wall, a sheep trod leads me to a hands on easy scrambly bit of White Crag then down the footpath, past The Old Dungeon Ghyll and a very slow jog to the finish line.

Someone gets a lift, in the air ambulance. I am sure that is cheating. Thankfully it is nothing serious and everyone is ok.

I finish with; 6 min 46 seconds to spare
220 points
10th mv 40+
38th of 140 finishers.

Cool! that is better than I thought I had done, but still 190 points less than winner, Steve Birkinshaw.

Soup and a cob (roll), followed by tea and cake.

Call at Chaple Stile, for a box of Bluebird beer.

Stop at services for coffee and Krispy creame doughnuts. The Doughnuts are to share with Mrs sbrt.

Long drive home.

Drink the Bluebird.

Time for bed.

Zzzzzzzzzz!

More photos here

Thank you to all at Rab Mini Mountain Marathon for a fantastic event.

Thanks also to The great North Air Ambulance and Mountain Rescue