Blobbed it (Early bath)

Rab Mini Mountain Marathon Saddleworth Moor

29/11/15

A funny day out. Being up out in the hills, on a cold, wet, windy day, is what I do for fun. Which is why I surprised myself, by turning around and heading home, for an early bath.

Rab Mini Mountain Marathons are score events. four hours, to visit as many controls as you can. There are penalties for finishing late, the later you finish the more severe the penalty. 

• 1  to  5  minutes late-  1   points per minute
• 6  to 10 minutes late-  2   points per minute 
• 11 to 15 minutes late- 5   points per minute
• 16 to 30 minutes late- 10 points per minute 
• Over 30 minutes late-  All points lost  

The reason I headed home had nothing to do with points. After two hours, I just turned around. Quit, gave up, I had, had enough. My legs were ok. Feet were a bit cold but they have been much colder.

 It was all in my head. Not a DNF, more like, could have done better. Should have done much better.

Could a, should a, would a.  Hey ho! Onwards and upwards.

C'mon, catch up. Late again.

Rab Evening Mini Mountain Marathon 12.6.15                                                                                               

The cheesy grin says it all. This was the BogRock Partnerships first evening Mini Mountain Marathon (MMM) and they did us proud.
Starting from the Old Dog Freehouse. The course planners, planted controls either side of Dovedale and sent us out to visit as many as possible, within a 2 hour time limit.
It turned out to be a great way to spend Friday night, rounding it of with a half of very refreshing, pale ale.

Event organisers write up here  Rab MMM.

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

Edgy

Rab Mini MM 7.2.15

Eastern Moors

A new record for Team Ibuprofen. Our/my first navigational error of the day was a wrong turn in Bakewell. Five miles before the startline. Der! Thankfully this detour meant that we started later than planned, giving the other teams time to leave footprints in the snow for us to follow. No more nav errors there then.

The only other minor setbacks were: the HD card on my faithful Olympus was full( hence no pictures) and the peat bog slush puppy up on the moors. After trudging through slush water and peat for what seemed like forever, I thought my feet would never warm up.

Other Highlights and randoms-

Pea soup, flapjack, bread and butter with marmite :)

Catching up with; Nick, Matt, Ike, Martin and Rich.

My first time on Curber, Froggat and White Edges.

Harveys mapping.

A big thank you to the BogRock Partnership, who have taken over the running of this years Rab Mini Mountain Marathon series. It is good to see Dark and White have passed the Mini MMs on to a safe pair of hands.

Slow but still smiling
Photo by Nick G