Two Rings of Shap 13/06/2015

Iron Man and I headed up to Shap on Saturday for this event.  I did all three rings last year as preparation for the UTLD 50.  We had entered this year as part of the last five weeks' events, in order to continue to maintain distance.

Over the last five weeks I've done 26 miles, 42 miles, 31 miles, weekend off, 42 miles over 5 Saturdays.  I'm hoping this is fair prep for the 100.  I have a game plan, but still quite a few things to get straight in my mind.

We set off at 8am again this year.  The first Ring is my favourite, heading out towards the Lake District to climb over to Mosedale Cottage, then up Branstree to a self clip.  After this a nice run over to Selside Pike (with a view of the nasty run along Haweswater for the UTLD 100), then down the lovely waterfalls of Swindale.  The bridge at the bottom of the valley had been rebuilt, so we avoided the boggy section that got mealiest year, and were at Truss Gap checkpoint with dry feet.  The next up and over was a lot less wet than last year too, so we were back at Shap in good shape, and twenty minutes quicker than I managed last year.

We dibbed in, and then changed shoes (which adds an extra 20 odd minutes to the loop time).  The second loop takes in a lot of fields with long grass to get to the three rivers involved.  First is River Lyvennet, and this year I wasn't chased by cows and the horrid path through the woods was bypassed.  Iron Man had hurt his knee on the Swindle descent and this started to tell by the checkpoint at Great Strickland.  I think the heat had got to him a bit too as he was feeling pretty sickly.

We managed to continue through the remainder of the Ring, not getting lost (having done it last year really helped at times) on the way to the self check at a road junction.  A bourbon biscuit or two here, then onwards back along the River Lowther with its brilliant suspension bridge.

Anyway, we were back at Shap in 12:33:31 after 42 miles and a good day out.  I had a cup of tea and one of veg soup before we got kit sorted and got going home for a beer.


Results for Shap:

2014
Ring One (29 km)  5:05
Ring Two (39 km)  7:25  (12:30 for two rings)
Ring Three (32 km)  7:42
Total  20:12

2015
Ring One (29 km)  4:45:20
Ring Two (39 km)  7:41:22
Total  12:33:31



Three Rings of Shap 2014:

Two Rings of Shap 2015:

UTLD recce Buttermere to Dacre

The family had a weekend at a cottage in Thornthwaite at the weekend, and the Iron Man came up to recce the second "quarter" of the Lakeland 100 route on the Saturday with me. This is the bit we missed because I pulled my hamstring, and as half of it will be done in the dark it was important to have a look at it.  On the day I really want to get this section done in under 11 hours, plus the 9 for the first bit, meaning we hit Dalemain at 20 hours.  Ambitious maybe, but it's a plan.

We drove to Buttermere and set off at 7am.  We were lucky with the weather on the day.  Dry, but pretty hot later on.  The first leg over the tops to get to Braithwaite was nice, a good section uphill followed by interesting down sections to the checkpoint.  We had a drink and some fluid here.  1:54 for this bit.

The next section drags along by the A66, then along bits of railway (all of which I found a little dull) and then sneaks uphill to contour round Lonscale fell to an unmanned checkpoint, then back down the other side of the valley to the Blencathra centre.  Another drink and snack.  2:14 for this leg.

A good bit of down then leads along the railway again until a boggy up section to gain the old coach track around Matterdale Common and eventually to Dockray checkpoint, in a car park a couple of km before the village.  1:59 to here.

The next bit worked through some woods past Aira Force, which needed a bit of attention.  Then up and around Gowbarrow Fell, which was a bit of slog in the heat.  After this was a few boring km on roads to get to Dacre.  Under 8:30 for the whole lot, which is great.  Although, add on a bit for the next couple of km to Dalemain.

Some interesting points in a UTLD presentation by Dr Ian Boardley, available online here.