Lakeland Trail Race and Challenge 19/04/08
After listening to our friends Paul and Andree raving about this trail series in the Lake District we decided to sign up for all four races, as you do after a few beers at New Year! The first one was at Hawkshead last weekend and now I'm raving about it.
Like the Seven Hills there is a Challenge which sets off 45 minutes earlier than the Race. The idea of having a Challenge is to encourage new comers to Trail running to have a go in a non competitive run. Both runs follow the same course, a 15 k donder up and down a couple of hills with a 200m climb in each.
After my (one and only) adventure in a Scottish Hill Race I had confidently entered the Race but after weeks of annoying injuries I changed to the Challenge for this run as I was worried I might end up walking. Our pre race dinner was steak and dumplings, bread and butter pudding and cheese washed down with some lovely warm English beer in the pub on the Friday night.
Saturday morning was freezing cold and a bit windy as we made our way to Hawkshead and parked in a field. We were early so after registering we wandered off into the village to mooch around Beatrix Potter inspired coffee shops and book stores (Peter bloody Rabbit everywhere!). The races start in the Village and the Batala drum band was warming up ready to set us on our way up them thar hills. After a quick jog back to the field to drop off bags in the Marquee we were ready to go. Paul waved us off and the drummers led the way to the start. A short flat bit out of Hawkshead soon turned into an uphill section to the top of the fell, not too bad I thought still remembering my painful experience at Bishophill. My race plan (who am I kidding!) was to run for as long as my legs held out and get as far as possible without letting up on my pace, so if I did have to walk I wouldn't be too far behind. However I felt great. Once on the top we ran along a lovely undulating path which was luckily lined with trees as it was quite windy. We then headed down towards Lake Windermere. I enjoyed this down hill having taken advice on 'how to run downhills without falling over' which was basically, remember how you used to run when you were a kid and have no fear!! (easier said than done).
The route then wanders along the side of the Lake and to the first water station where there was also supplies of Kendal mint cake. Then the thought of having to go back up n over to Hawkshead. The steepest climb came in at 11k which was cruel and aptly named the coffin trail. This used to be the route they used to carry the coffins over from the boats to be buried in Hawkshead. It was quite spooky, dank and heavily wooded (some heavy breathing too but I think that was us runners).
The terrain so far had been everything from rocky to tree root infested but mostly dry. At last the steep descent towards Hawkshead and we could hear the lively goings on back at the field. I had managed to keep going and not get overtaken by too many people so was quite pleased with my 1hr 43 time. I managed to get back in time to grab the camera and catch Andree and David coming in together and Paul not long after, he had done the race in a very respectable time of in 1hr 19 in spite of having cramp. We stayed for the prize giving as we felt we should support the organizers who put such a lot into this event and the crowd was thinning as it was freezing. Less noble was that we knew they had lots of good spot prizes so we hung on til the last and Andree was rewarded with a pair of Puma Trailfox shoes worth £70! The next race in the series is at the end of May and is 10k longer so more training needed.
Report and photos Lynn Hill-Racer* Hanley
(*pronounced Hell-Raiser)results and further info lakelandtrails.org
