Borrowdale Fell Race - 5 years older

Last time I did this race was in 2008, I'd just started fell running that year and so was doing lots of Lakeland classics: Duddon Valley, Ennerdale Horseshoe, Fairfield, etc.

Then I managed it in 5h 20m after dropping too far off Great Gable and only just made the Honister cut-off time of 4.5 hours. So yesterday my strategy was simple: don't get lost! Stay comfortable and providing I don't get injured I should get a PB.

I took a compass reading for the Great Gable descent before the start and hung it around my neck, then hoped I wouldn't be needing it sooner than that.
There was good cloud coverage (to keep the sun away) and very strong gusts of wind forecast on higher ground.

There is a short blast at the start (1 min or so) before everyone halts as it bottlenecks for a very narrow footpath for a few hundred yards. As the rocky path widens it gentle starts to climb until it reaches the bottom of Bessy Boot, a steep rocky scramble. People had been rushing passed me after the bottleneck, trying to make for lost time, I kept telling myself that there was a very long way to go and they might just pay for those early sprints later on.

The steepness of the Bessy Boot climb had me thinking that I was not going to make it round this year but after reaching the top (behind the majority of the field) the ground seemed to level out (only a bit) and I started to find my feet. By the time I had passed Rosthwaite Fell and skirted around Glaramara I was actually starting to overtake a couple of folk which boosted my confidence about finishing the task in hand.

The ground was littered with rocks, sharp ones, vertical razor types and loose shale for the majority of the whole route and this was causing problems for a lot of folk at this point as we headed down to Esk Hause and then the steep rocky path up to Scafell Pike. The clag was down and the summit was in there...somewhere.

It was at this point that I got chatting to another runner who gladly explained the entire remainder of the race terrain (I had forgotten almost all of it) from her to the finish. As he passed me I felt good enough to keep up with him, over huge boulders (passing more runners) to the top and follow him off the Pike down the extreme scree descent to the Corridor route and down to Great Gable.

My legs felt stiff at the thought of this next climb and I tried mentally to encourage them to just relax and take my time in order to avoid getting cramp (a common complaint of mine). My informative guide started to leave me going up this one (into more clag) but I wasn't bothered too much as I knew I was making good time for the cut-off.

The climb up Great Gable is almost straight up and I can't remember anything about it other than getting to the top and reaching into my TAC vest for the pre-set compass for the route down. There were a few others wandering around in the mist and I proudly pointed the way finding the path quite easily (just when I was starting to think 'What if the compass has slipped off its setting?').

Off we scrambled, down more loose shrapnel and jagged boulders until the ground started to rise gently and then level out around Green Gable, skirting Brandreth before runners started splitting left and right. I took a left around Grey Knotts, sticking to the footpath but I think it would have been quicker the other way as I recognised runners from behind were now in front as we descended to Honister Pass and the cut-off checkpoint.

I made it with 30 mins to spare (5yrs ago it was 4mins to spare) and I knew that if I could stay focused on this final climb (Dale Head) and really dig deep (without giving too much and blowing up) then I could be in with a chance of beating five hours never mind 5h 20m.

I got myself into a comfortable stride, yes a stride, I actually felt good. My legs felt ok, no sign of cramp, my heart rate was reasonable considering the journey and I was now taking over the odd runner. My earlier mountain guide had warned about the false summits on Dale Head and boy oh boy, there must have been about five of them, and each one brought more runners closer to me.

At the top (final checkpoint) I dropped off following another runner until I could see the tarn below then bounced down a trog made by some earlier runners, it was nice to have some soft cool bog under my hot flat fleet. There was a gentle climb through more damp terrain before coming to a disused quarry and two runners splitting routes: one went right down a rocky slate path and the other was taking a more direct route down grass but moving a lot slower. So I plumped for the rocky path which zigzagged treacherously before meeting the more direct route and surprisingly, I had overtaken that runner.

Once off the rocky path it started to soften with ferns and peat so I let my legs open up as I caught a glimpse of the village through some trees. I started to breath heavily to warn a walker that I was approaching and he stood quite still and shouted 'TRAWDEN' sounding surprised. I immediately punched the air to let him know that I'd heard him and he replied with 'MY OWN CITY', so I punched the air with both hands then focused on yet another rocky path down to the level ground.

A quick look at my watch told me that a sub-5 was on the cards if I could just stay strong on the run in. I managed the styles without too much discomfort and onto the long straight road (yes that is rocky too) where I caught a few more runners (including my informative guide from way back on the Scafell Pike ascent).

I caught two more runners as the road turned to tarmac and snaked through the tinniest of villages and onto the finish field to the loudspeaker calling 'and next we have William Titley from Trawden Athletic Club'.

A quick glance at the watch and its 4.54.03 a PB with 26 minutes skimmed off my last effort. I didn't sit down in case of cramp but ate lots of their jam butties and cups of tea. And I got a 40th anniversary T-shirt. I think thats it?!

Food intake: 0.7 ltr isotonic drink. 5 gels (the no water needed kind). 2 bites of cereal bar, 1 bite of date/cashew bar.

I almost forgot this best part of the story. After I'd eaten my fill of Jam Butties I headed for the car park. An elderly gentleman shouted 'Well done Trawden' so I stopped to chat for a while. I asked him how he'd recognised the TAC vest from just me passing him on the final descent and he said he was from Trawden, and had travelled up that day for a walk and to watch the race.

I enquired about his name to pass on to you folks and it turned out that I had finally met our very own Trawden Legendary Fell Runner...Harry Walker. I explained that my uncle used to tell me tales of his fell running achievements to inspire me to get out on the fells. I shook his hand twice and headed home a happy man.