British Fell Relay Champs - Saturday 13th October 07

[Beneficial Dictator]

We have our first team member drop out - John Chapman who was in the open team finds himself double booked / working overseas. so the reserves will be called upon / the list of potential runners extended.

[Beneficial Dictator]

Janet, Anne Farmer & myself will be going for a relays courses reccy run this Saturday 6th Oct leaving Macc at 9.30am. So we have a couple of places in the car if anyone else is interested in coming for a look. Give me a call 07940 952881 or post here. Craig.

[STEVE LOMAS]

I would like to book a place in the car please Craig.
If that's OK, I shall give you a ring nearer the time for precise details. Many thanks, Steve.

[Beneficial Dictator]

Janet & I ran Leg 1 yesterday in glorious sunny conditions. The route is pretty tough in places especially the Leg from checkpoint 2 to 3. We followed the line of the stream ( White Stone Clough ) up to near its head on a very small trod that at times was non existant. A direct line running just out of the stream ( Clough ) cutting was even worse ( trackless heather & bracken & lots of small side reentrants ). Running around in a huge loop on the tracks shown on the map ( through the out of bounds area to the north ) is an option but is more than twice the distance & I very much doubt it is twice as fast.
Approaching checkpoint 4 also involves some trackless rough ground & I think the best line is down the slight spur between the 2 streams shown on the map.
Steve Lomas & Anne Farmer reccied Leg 2 which seemed relatively straight forward but pretty steep slopes in places. Sharpen those studs up !.
Just got the great news that since some teams are dropping out / withdrawing due to not being able to field full teams our Vet Mens B team has now been accepted. So see the team lists above edited to include those chosen for the 2nd Old Six.
Looking forward to next Saturday especially now I am going to get a run myself.
Cheers. Craig.

[warren mason]

I too managed a recce yesterday after watching my footy team unjustly lose to chelski and I echo BD's view that indeed it is rough in places. I recce'd leg 4 which was fine until CP3-CP4 which I may recce again on the day as the route I chose (straight line from bend in path/wall) got very rough with waist high bracken on the lower slopes with patches of rocky ground underfoot which could be difficult to see at speed.

The alternative would be to follow the path round to CP1 and then go straight but steep down the wall. I didn't choose this way as it's a longer distance and seems to go thro a boulder field which could be quite slow on such a steep descent. Alas, by the time I had waded thro the bracken to CP4 yesterday it was dusk and I couldn't see if there was a path or trod which would make this route possibly quicker. I might have a walk up there on the day to have another look unless someone else has tried it already.

The line out of 4 to 5 isn't straight forward easy as it's a blind summit until you get to within 100 yards of it. There's a clear if at time marshy trod south westerly from CP4 along the fence boundary of the woodland to the corner. I think then I'll follow a preset compass bearing from there. The field could be quite spaced out at this time and following might not be a good idea if they don't know the course.

Still I'm looking forward to it even though there could be more walking than running!!

[Beneficial Dictator]

Final Instructions.
Don't forget your kit, listed on my previous team members post, it will be checked before you start your run. Without all of it you will not be allowed to run & the whole team will be disqualified. Also you must wear a club vest even if it is under a rain jacket etc...

I will bring a couple of spare compasses etc... should anyone need stuff.

Full Wind / Weatherproof body cover means a rain resistant jacket & leggings. Lycra leggings / tracksters will not suffice.

You have to carry food a minimum of one good size or two small muesli bar. A Mars bar ie. around 65g in food weight is the normally accepted minimum. You do not have to carry any drink.

I am assuming most of you will have printed off a copy of the map but if you haven't and would like one laminated let me know before Friday 5.00pm & I will supply the neccesary. Again it is your responsibility to be on the start line with a map ( obviously this does not apply to Leg 3 runners where we will run forward & collect a map at the start of the run).

Proof of visiting checkpoints will be via electronic dibbers. I think almost all of you will have used these by now. You dip them in the box & they both flash ( red led ) & beep. If unsure dip twice it will not matter the system can cope with this. There may well be a marshal at the checkpoints also, but not necessarily.

You will need to collect a running number from me ( I have to collect them all for all our teams first thing in the morning ) I will try to stand in an obvious place for us to gather.

You do not have to sign any disclaimer etc... I will sign on behalf of all our teams.

Food & drink will be available you will need to show your race number which will likely be marked or taken from you to get this. I would bring a bit extra food if you are going to be their most of the day.

Transport, lifts would appeared to have just about be sorted but if we have forgotten anyone please call me 07940 952881. Parking is in fields so Warrens Porsche will no doubt get stuck & costs £3 per car. I wiould allow at least 1.5hrs for the drive from Macc.

My predictions for team performances :-

Open Team - Top 20 in category ( excluding the fastest vet teams ).
Vets Men A - Top 10 in category
Vets Men B - Top 25 in category
Ladies - Top 10

We can achieve these results !.

See you all on the day & enjoy your runs ( & thanks for all being so up for the event, we will make a strong presence - no club has more teams than us - even though some clubs are much larger ).

Craig.

[Welsh Harrier (MC)]

Right guys - lets go for it! I've got me map and a stinking cold and I'm going to spread it all over the relays tomorrow.

Gotta get back at some point for the Rugby and it's the first Border League of the season on Sunday (6 miles on the Prestatyn seafront - I run for Prestatyn second claim for this and if anyone else fancies it - 7 races for 6 quid through the winter months can't be bad!!!)

[Beneficial Dictator]

Thanks to everyone who turned out for all 4 of our teams yesterday. Results though not category placings are now up linked from the Bowland fellrunners website.
I have spent some time looking at our results. Timings for each leg for each of our teams are below :-

Leg 1
Open Men 1.29.17
Vet Men A 1.37.25
Vet Men B 1.50.31
Ladies 1.58.33

Leg 2
Open Men 1.02.28
Vet Men A 48.52
Vet Men B 51.49
Ladies 52.46

Leg 3
Open Men 1.12.48
Vet Men A 1.20.28
Vet Men B 1.19.40
Ladies 1.28.57

Leg 4
Open Men 44.43
Vet Men A 49.49
Vet Men B 56.19
Ladies 55.12

Team Category finish placings ( by my manual count back through the results ).

Open Men 35th overall. 26th excluding Vet teams.
Vet Men A 14th
Vet Men B 20th
Ladies 11th

Generally performances only just short of my optomistic predictions in a previous post. But we fielded 4 teams at the event something that only a couple of much larger ( in numbers of available runners ) specialist fell running clubs managed. We are building firmly year on year with our results.

Thanks again to all those who ran especially to those for whom fell running is not necessarily their favoured discipline. Craig.

[BARRY BLYTH]

The individual check points are now shown on the sportident results. Interesting to compare with runners doing the same leg to see how where you went well or not.

Barry