Wasdale Fell Race

[geofpet1]

Correction- Geoff Pett, got all the way in a pw of 6hrs 48 mins. Nearly 2 hours slower than 1994, the last time I did it. Larry and Tom jacked it in on Pillar, we all got there more or less at the same time, one minute before the cut off!!!
Racing hard on Thursday was not a good idea, the heat across the flagged bit to Greendale did me in, could hardly move. Took everything I had to just get through the cut offs, at Gable I was just after the cut off but they let me ( and everyone else) through.

Well done to everyone who finished it, it was incredibly tough out there yesterday

[BARRY BLYTH]

I stand corrected Geof. Larry inferred you had pulled out. I finished in ca 6 1/2 hrs and sat by the tea tent so surprised I missed you. You must have been catching. You certainly woud have got me early on the 2nd lap!

[geofpet1]

Found it incredibly hard, walked a lot but had a good descent off Scafell Pike!! If Id known tou were 15 mins i front may have run a bit more lol!

[Simon Harding]

Well that was a pretty tough day out.

Congrats to everyone who made it round. was not a good day to have to be chasing the cutoffs. Think everyone was suffering by Greendale. Was a long way round from there.
Had usual rough spell from Seatallen to gable but got going for the last hill. That last decent is always fun!

Think I came 8th which was pretty pleased with (not quite 5th Barry).

Seemed to manage to completely miss Digby and only saw Barry briefly at start. Hope u all had good runs. Sounds like it.

[Digby]

Well done all who got round AND to those who started! I quite like hot weather running provided there is plenty of water, which there was. I got round in c. 5h 15m but suffered through lack of training more than the heat. Had an excellent evening out at the Strands in Nether Wasdale afterwards with Tom Whittington and family

[geofpet1]

Great result Simon!! Well done Diggers!!

[Tom Whittington]

I did indeed "jack it in" at Pillar. I just wasn't up for the hassle of chasing the cut-offs with the strong possibility of being timed out on Gable with a long walk home. Great effort from Geoff to carry on none-the-less and caps off to all who finished.

Had a good descent with Larry with good banter with other 'race rejects' followed by a long emersion in the beck at the bottom and a cordial in the pub.

Any feeling of rejection swiftly departed on returning to race HQ and realising how many people had dropped out early on. So my disappointment is more or less balanced with the pleasure that I got so far. There was a great sense of occasion and ample war stories for all involved.

Next year I will no doubt get timed out due to heavy rain and thick clag! Bring it on!

[Simon]

Well done to all who started, let alone finished. Having sampled an excessively hot day in the Lakes last Monday (Old Crown Round recce) I was glad to be required elsewhere this weekend.

Hats to you though folks...as someone who is reassured at the sight of seeing his own breath in the cold, I am seriously impressed.

Chapeau!

[Philip Barnes]

The problem with the cut off time at Pillar is that if you just make it you have to push really hard to get to gable on time. And I should know, 4 attempts and got to Great Gable twice to be timed out!

[BARRY BLYTH]

Top 10 in English champs is fantastic Simon. Your Ennerdale result of 7th must have stood you in good stead. You took a few scalps. Well done.

Not seen any formal results but there are plenty of photos and comments on the FRA forum. Dave Tate who pulled ca 1/2 way said I was 3rd V65 (what I was hoping for) 1st V65 was Michael Crook who has 2 5th places so far in the champs so him winning was good for me.

Barry

[Simon Harding]

Results now online:
http://cfra.co.uk/results/Wasdale2013.pdf

[BARRY BLYTH]

spotted these this am Simon. The early leader dropped a lot of places after Seatallan. Like me I dropped 40 + places. The splits are interesting. Geof Pett was gaining rapidly on the descent from Scafell obviously no blisters to manage. Shasme it doesn't tell the whole story ie all the starters with splits showing where people pulled out or got timed out.

Barry

[Tom Whittington]

Great to have 3rd place confirmed Barry!

I agree that it is a shame they've not included those that dropped out. Putting all competitors on the website would serve to record the difficulty experienced on the day by all entrants ("ooh, remember the great heat wave of '13 when half the field collapsed of heat exhaustion at the feet of Joss Naylor"). It is dissappointing not to have my attempt recorded, which would be then something to aim to better next year (other than completing it of course!).

And of course, how else will the future Bill Smith write my fell running history when I emerge as the next FRA champion!