Kielder Greys Summit Race

Castles, Crags, Summits, Snows and Bog

The Kielder Grey's Summit race last Sunday lived up to it's expectation, perhaps with a little less snow that forecast. It was a cold and slightly foggy lunch time start from Kielder Castle, sent on our way by Will and his dog. A substantial turnout, given the weather and remoteness of the location, of some 55 runners all eager and variously willing and able to take on the task of 7 and a bit miles, 1400ft of climbing across icy and snow bound bog and fellside in this remote part of Northumberland.

The race was tough, with the long steady gradient along the toll road at the start of the race taking it's toll good and proper on my legs. Then across a couple of burns before climbing very steeply up to the summit ridge, the final part in snow. The route then proceeds across the ridge and a mixture of snow banks, inch thick ice and frozen bog and heather, cold underfoot even though you're running. Feet becoming numb and slippery conditions don't make for confidence down hill either.

Finally back to the forest and the path, track and the route brings you out at the back of the Castle, final sting in the tail some steep steps up to the finish line. I'm done! (for). Strange feeling of satisfaction even though I'm next to last and a time that's not at all impressive. It's a great route, just the Christmas excess and the lack of training in recent months making it's presence felt.

Photos © Of Respective authors. See results on NFR web site.

Training : New Year

Kielder Greys Summit Race

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It's next weekend and the training hasn't been enough and there's something about this aerial photo that looks dark and gloomy and foreboding. Friend said at the weekend 'Oh you'll be OK just do it anyway!'. It's alright for you to say you aren't operating these legs or carrying that extra weight from Christmas excess, or feeling your age! Actually training last week wasn't too bad, yes it hurt but I wasn't comatose at the end. However this weekend hasn't been productive at all. Time spent with daughter before her leaving for two month trip to Ecuador rather than training. Just time for a last minute blast tomorrow evening then legitimate rest for the remainder.

Oh and news fromn the organiser just to cheer me up "Be prepared for calf deep snow on top of three pikes across to grey's pike, a few inches most other places, and some ice! Will make for an interesting race. Clockwise. Route will be marked and dare say there will be tracks in the snow to follow unless you're at the front. See you on Sunday Cheers Will"

Hobbled in Northumberland

Long shadows on the Moor

The mole catcher's invoice

The weather was so good today I decided to get out, outside with a little encouragement from my friend and self styled life coach (you know who you are). Making the most of it I thought a trip somewhere new, somewhere not far away, it was too late to get to the Lakes, where? Allendale beckoned, the Hexhamshire Hobble in early December is a 10.5 mile trip from Allendale over the bleak moors south east of the town.

Hexhamshire Common
in the late afternoon

Allendale, I've lived in and around Newcastle for much of my adult life and I've never been. It's a typical (?) Northumberland market town and about 10~12 miles from Hexham. Parked the car in the square and set off, lunch on the move, and a 25% climb straight out of the town. Some wag walking an imaginary dog coming down the hill said "don't give up now". Damn near did! 25% is maybe only a ¼ in old money but it's bloody steep enough at any price. I walked a while.

MM2

Although I did have the appropriate OS map, I was working from the race 'flyer' a schematic map of the route, I also wasn't paying too much attention to be fair, I missed a turning. What the detour lacked in distance made up for in more climbing, bollocks. Got a good photo though, as I stopped to read the map. The route is bleak, the moor is everlasting all the way to God knows where with little in between. But in the late afternoon sun, the long shadows and clear air it was beautiful. It was 4:30 by the time I got back to the Town square, 11 miles in just over 2:20 not a cracking pace by any means, in fact bloody slow and I'll have to pick it up if I intend to do anything but last on race day.

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Alwinton Border Shepherds Show

Gridlocked

Alwinton Border Shepherd's Show
start of fell race by Rob Stephens.

It's always a good idea to arrive a little early for these show events. They are usually popular, depending on the weather of course, and access to 'carpark' facilities is often restricted after all it's usually just a gate and a field. I thought I'd left plenty of time, the weather didn't look great so I'd assumed that it wouldn't attract too big a crowd at this end of the season and it's way way deep in Northumberland, miles from anywhere. Oops how wrong could I be. Stuck in the biggest traffic jam I've been in for ages. Queuing from Harbottle all the way to the show ground. That extra hour I'd left myself, to change and warm up all disappeared. Changing in the car while on the 'move' (a euphemism for a kerb crawl) and eventually dumping the car half a mile from the showground.

MM2

I'm late but it would appear that they have delayed the start by 1/4 of an hour because of the traffic. So I sign in and get a number, 74. So I'm stressed and I've had little or no sleep for the past two nights what with servers going tits up. I feel as old as my running number. I'm working on the fact that it's a really short race and although steep, so steep I'm told that it's only possible to walk up, and I like running down hill, I'll be fine.

The first 1k was hell, I felt like quitting, really, but not wanting DNF thought last is better than not. Dig in climb up, then the run down, it gets better. The run back, down hill, fast, the last 1k through bog, finish, not last.

Four Seasons

Autumn

Straw

There's a sense of satisfaction
Of a job almost done
Well trimmed hedgerows
Close cropped fields
The last of the summer sunshine
Stockpiled high.