Helvellyn And The Dodds Fell Race

15 mile 4388 ft

A new race route replacing the old route that used to start and finish at Bram Crag farm, a good 4 miles longer too.

Just over a hundred runners lined up at the start at Threlkeld cricket club, which included 2 club mates Kim Colinson and Andy Tompson.
The route I was very familiar with,  it being the start of the second leg of the Bob Graham round as far has Helvellyn, but missing out Watsons Dodd.
I set off cautiously along the road and wasn't surprised to see Andy Tompson ahead of me  (I think he is determined to beat me soon ) but by the fell gate I had got in front of him and had decided to keep tabs on Chris Upson for as long as I could rather then worry about what was happening behind me.
The climb of Clough Head is never easy at BG pace and at race pace it felt double hard. I had a brief chat with Ben Abdlenoor on the climb but told him I was too out of breath to talk, whilst he seemed to be taking it easy, jogging along.

photo "borrowed" from NFR excellent website.

The top was reached with me just behind Chris Upson. I was determined not to push hard and just relax and apart from some of the wind, where you had to work hard I stuck to some nice relaxed running.
By the climb of Lower man, the front runners were coming back and I was delighted to see Kim in about 4th place, looking really strong.

Helvellyn Trigg reached and I was still just behind Chris, who was perhaps feeling the effect of the previous days race by now, so I put a little surge on to get past him and then concentrated on relaxing again. Andy Tompson was about a minute behind me at the turn, which didn't really surprise me.

I now concentrated on the 2 runners about 100 yards ahead of me and it took up to the return climb of Gt Dodd before I managed to get in front of one of them, where he had slowed down to walk, I still felt ok to run. Got past another 2 runners before Clough Head and then got another 2 on the lower fields to the run in.
Finished 15th, but more important for me, a good solid run rather then a eyeballs out full on race. It was pleasing for me to finish strong.

Kim hung on to finish a fantastic 4th whilst Andy T faded in the second half (but he did do the BGR a week ago)

Mark Palmer was first man and Cath Evens first lady.

Well done to Keswick AC for organising yet another top notch running event.