The Borrowdale race 2011.

Some changes this year, no dance so no marquee therefore registration was in the Village Institute.

Gary Jones, Dave Wiseman, and Frank Shillitoe were all competing in their first Borrowdale. Paul Appleby, Dave Johnson, John Telfer and I had all previously had the pleasure. The race was started from the field rather than the road. Initial rain cleared giving us good conditions, cool and great visibility, unlike back home.

The vistas over the fells were magnificent, clear views to Morecambe Bay and the Solway. The rain had filled the streams and bogs but conditions underfoot were not bad. The stones over Broad Crag to Scafell Pike were just that little bit greasy to really push on, as was the corridor route path. It was a bit misty climbing up Gable but the clag stayed above the fell tops. The rain only really closed in again as I headed back down Rigghead quarry to Rosthwaite.

Gary led the field of elite runners for the first 2 miles and thereafter was with the top pack till Scafell Pike. He remained in the top 20 for the rest of the race and finished in 14th place. Great first race!
Dave Wiseman has shown his real quality recently and ran a great time also.
Paul Appleby , uber descender came past me at the top of the scree run off Scafell Pike and that was the last I saw of him till the car park at the finish!
Frank Shilitoe and I stayed in contact over the Gables and down to Honister. I made the silly mistake of trying to remove a bit of scree from my shoe after the Honister CP and got cramp in both legs.
I got up Dalehead in no great style but did manage to hit the scree run down to the tarn perfectly. The downhill through the quarries was interesting on the wet slate and cramp was never far away.
I finished with a big smile on my face having knocked ten minutes off my previous best for this race.
I was followed in shortly by John Telfer and Dave Johnson.

Race support was provided at Esk Hause and Styhead by a gentleman who knew Peter Reed, thanks for the Jelly babies and water Sir! Joe Faulkner was at Honister to cheer us on as well.

The results can be found at:

http://www.borrowdale-fell-runners.org/images/stories/Borrowdale_Fell_Race_2011_-_Results.pdf

Phil Green