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Bob Graham Round
Think some people might like to read Andy Kitchin's report of his successful Bob Graham Round last weekend
The Bob Graham Round.
Awake for the last time at 3:15 it feels like I am the only person awake anywhere, then I realise there are bound to be some people climbing Blencathra - midnight starters. By 4 am I've had enough and I get up, thinking it is all a waste of good cool running time, there is a hot day coming, but with a support team set there is no chance of changing the start time. Sunrise into a cloudless sky at 4:46 am and I am taping my feet, sorting supplies, layering on sun cream. Finally a stroll down to the Moot Hall. All this activity is nervous distraction. A few minutes wait, Jon counts down to 5:30 and he, Bruce and I are off. Through the alley by the Golden Lion and a shot of adrenaline makes my heart race, across the carpark and a flash thought of what I am embarking on drains me. I say stuff, nervous stuff but by the time we are climbing round Latrigg I think I'm calmed down. Onto the climb of Jenkin Hill we catch our first rays of sunshine, once we make Jenkin Hill that's it no more shade. Its beautiful on the ridge, a clear blue sky and crystal clear air brings the mountains closer, Helvellyn is no distance at all. Is this good or bad though ? Wouldn't it be better if it looked further and came up sooner than expected? Never mind, this is magical. We run, we chat, we climb, we descend, well I descend - off Blencathra I skip down whilst Jon and Bruce struggle, they don't have 60 hours in the fells behind them. I’m in great form.
There are lots of people at the bridge for the changeover; Kate, Sam is howling, Bethy smiling, Colin, Mark, Rebecca, Ruaridh and of course Quartermaster Rob and leg 2 support Dave and Malcolm. It feels very muddled, I pick up a food bag, suncream goes on, I walk and talk, Kate and Sam (now smiling) shout after me, then we are on the fell again and its calm, new people, new chat, Malcolm is full of beans. Up Clough Head in quick time and on into the blazing morning. There is a good breeze but its not enough to keep me cool and I dip into pools of water to soak my shirt, hair, hat. At Sticks Pass Mum and Dad get a Tour de France experience as we grab water bottles and flash by. Splits are just a fraction off as we progress along the ridge and then the leg to Fairfield feels slow, it is, so is Seat Sandal. I can feel I need some energy but know can’t think of anything my stomach will take. Still, no worries, I was up on time at Threlkeld and this will just put me back at schedule, I'll take a wee break at Dunmail and get some food down, that will set me up for a strong 3rd leg and hopefully some decent gains.
You can really feel the heat at Dunmail. I sit and eat and chat. Again lots of people Dave H. Mhairi, Becky again it feels rushed, but I sit. The guys are itching to go, we go, a steady climb; Oleg, Phil, Doug, me. Margaret is on the top and runs over to take a photo and shout us on. All this support is fantastic. My split is not. I can feel I am going slowly off Steel Fell too, on what should be a fast soft scoot downhill. Slow to Calf Crag. Climbing up the stream to High Raise there is no power; slow, slow, slow then crisis point, stop, start, stop, squat, go, stop, throw. Did I eat too much, drink too much at Dunmail ? - that’s what I think. A gel, a trot, we make it to High Raise and then get moving. There is a strong headwind down to Seargent Man and the boys run ahead to give me shelter. I remember what I read in "A significant other" the further back you are in a chain the less wind resistance you will get, I shout them to form up single file - brilliant! You wouldn't know it was blowing 25mph. Now the pace has picked up a bit there is a bit more chat, I think the guys were probably getting a bit bored, these are the super fit they want to be running hard not sitting watching me puke. Over Harrison and Pike O' Stickle we hit the first hoards of the day and up the banter, Phil has a game, where you just randomly finish a sentence with some outrageous comment as you run by. I drop in my dead man story which works nicely. We're having fun now. At Rosset Gill we rendezvous with Dieter and Sue for another water re-supply. Later I am told that Sue didn't recognise me. Did I look that bad ? I soon feel that bad, grinding to a halt on the rakes up to Bowfell, half a gel and I feel I should move, the guys must be getting fed up, though I think the sun, the heat, the views probably lessen the frustration. I am almost on pace across Esk Pike and Great End, almost, though well behind schedule by now. Then a dead stop just above Calf Cove. Half a bag of jelly babies and a few minutes later we are off and hitting splits for the first time since Great Dodd. This is the section where I thought I would make good gains but am happy just to make basic splits. Over Scafell Pike with a whoop and down to Mickledoor, which is actually in shade and there are Tony and Bruce sitting happy on the rock. A quick bowline, a few moves and I'm up Broad Stand. Phil is waiting and we head on up Scafell in my first split inside schedule for a very long time. Then 899 metres to Brackenclose, all that height gone ! I have slowed again, the jelly babies have run their course. Hot !
This time I sit and talk and take stock. I don’t feel so rushed, I know my targets are gone but also that I have plenty of time. I can tell you what I ate – half a banana and 5 crisps. I need an energy supply but can’t face any decent amount of food, later Mark points out that heat does that to you. Dave, Mark and Colin are in support and in good form, the chat bounces around as I flag. Yewbarrow is a big loss, Red Pike not so bad, Steeple much less; getting higher, getting later, getting cooler. At my Scoat Fell spring the guys don’t seem too impressed but the water is crystal clear. Mark thinks its stagnant ! At some point over Pillar I realise that darkness is going to be an issue, we need to get to Honister by dark. How can I have been out here for that long? At Black Sail the part 2 crew, Charlie and Simon, have left a message with some campers; with no communication and after a 2 hour wait they left so as not to get caught in the dark. I’m relieved that its been a hot day so they didn’t shiver for those 2 hours. I take a Gel, the sun is getting low. I climb Kirk Fell by the steepest route possible because it means I can use hands and arms. I’m also gaining strength as the gel raises my energy levels and the setting sun allows me to cool. Strong to the summit and then I am off, running, really running, running uphill. Quick up Great Gable, then quick all the way to Grey Knotts. This whole section is fabulous, running through the twighlight of a hot cloudless, truly cloudless day. On the final descent in to Honister the gel runs out and I slow. I boot a rock in the deep dusk OW!
No food just strap on a head torch and we go, this is the Ladies’ Leg with Kate, Mhairi, Becky, Rebecca plus Ruaridh and Dave carries on to pack in the miles for his attempt in July. Its pretty much dark by now and sheeps’ eyes shine out in the dark as our head lamps show the way. The last light silhouettes the western fells in rainbow shades – like Everest. It’s a long way up Dale Head with so many false horizons, especially in the dark. Mhairi knows it well and calls the marks, this helps. I slow and stop try to eat, get going again. We make the cairn and run the descent some jelly baby is getting through, a strong walk up Hindscarth, a dead stop at the foot of Robinson. I am close to exhaustion, “ If I fall asleep, give me half an hour” too long without enough energy going in, jelly babies,I eat a few jelly babies, I let them sink in. There is a little agitation around me as 20 hours looks less and less likely. Then I’m up, walking powerfully then running the last gentle slope to the 42nd summit, I mean to say “fourty too” but forget. A round of applause. And we are off on the descent, fast and strong with sugar in my veins. Into the valley, onto the road, on with the racing shoes, keep a good pace and you might just break 20 hours. Run strong, run steady; Newlands, Little Town, Stair, Swinside, Portinscale, the bridge, the path, I’ve never done the path, I stride out, will this path never end ? The bridge, the roundabout, the square, the steps, the end. HA HA, just. 19:58, terrific! Hand shakes and hugs a spray of bubbly from the steps. Sit and talk. So many smiling faces, so many friends. It makes me happy that they have all enjoyed the day, I can see they have. So have I. But now its time to sleep.
I have no idea when I accepted I wasn't going to hit my target time, quite soon after things began to go slow I think. I briefly thought of new targets but knew I'd have to wait and see how things progressed. Finally on Kirk Fell the sun became weak, temperatures dropped, I got some sugar down me and my pace picked up, then I thought 20 hours, by the time I got to Honister, maybe 19 ? But then the sugar ran out again.
Did I think of quitting ? No, it would be rude. The wheels never came off so badly that I felt I couldn't continue, I never felt I wouldn't finish. Stopping because a good time was out of the question would be petulance and totally unfair on all the friends who had made the effort to be there to help me. It would be a disrespect to those who have to work so hard to make the 24 hours. The Bob Graham Round is about completing. I could complete so I should complete.
On Sunday Mum asked me if it was tough, it took me while to find an explanation for the answer being no; when I was running I was running quickly or at least comfortably, I was running because I was fine. When I was struggling it was because I had no energy supplies to run on, it was frustrating but not tough, not a physical battle, it wasn't pain it was just slow. I had time, I had the legs, it never became a battle. I had time.
I enjoyed the day massively. I enjoyed completing the course, because until you do, you have no idea whether you can. I can. Most I enjoyed friends helping and seeing them all enjoying themselves. This was good day, a happy day. My thanks to all my friends for their help and support. They are named above.
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