Let's be fair, when it comes to running in the Lake District, heat was the last obstacle I expected to meet.
Every trip I've had to the lakes has invariably ended up in some sort of downpour either side of some cracking, but comfortable, sunshine. So when lining up for my first Sky Race of the year, I hadn't really counted on the 30 odd degrees it turned out to be.
You get the impression from turning up to register that this race has amazing potential to boom. For a relatively small event, they manage to create a brilliant buzz about it. There's a great feeling of anticipation and excitement amongst competitors and spectators alike. The event centre is family friendly, with my two boys and partner happy to chill in the sun whilst waiting for me to haul myself around the route. Ah yes, the route...
I think it's fair to say this race will go down as one of my favourites. It's best summarised as "best of the Lakes." All the good bits in a 35 mile round trip. Steep ascents, magnificent views and jaunty ridges with technical climbs and tricky descents. It's everything I'd look for in a day out.
I had put a bit of pressure on myself with this race, my last race was the Snowdon Sky Race which I kind of eased around having returned from the Sweden Expedition a few days before. So lining up again for Team Rab, I really wanted to push myself.
For a race with such a large ascent, it was surprisingly runnable until the big hills kicked in. There's very few races anywhere that will take you to a summit before throwing you down a technical ridge in the first few miles. If that's not enough, scrambling along Striding Edge comes straight afterwards! The remainder of the race takes you on a tremendous tour of some notable, but less probably slightly less frequented spots in the Lakes.
By mid morning the heat was kicking in, and by the afternoon I was sapped. The ascent out of Kirk Stone Pass to High Street was the hardest thing I've done in any race. No wind, no shade, just scorching mid day heat. The aid station below was a great reprieve (as was the provided hosing down, relief!) but all too soon I had dried out. By now the heat had made my feet swell and my shoes rub, despite never having done so before. Add to that I'd started to feel so rubbish, I'd forgotten to eat my nutrition as planned, so things began to spiral.
The snag with this race was the inaccessibility, so aid stations could only get into certain places, the rest of the way was dipping into, or sitting in, streams and rivers. I genuinely felt fried on the last ascent and slipped a couple of places through complete exhaustion, coupled with messing up my nutrition.
The final downhill coincided with a few more streams, which meant I pushed more to the finish. Just as I started to recognise the end, the route kicked around through some woodlands and another hsort but sharp hill. Then the sounds of cow bells carried across the field from the finish line. Thank god. A 5th place finish, and more importantly, another hose down. By all accounts everyone was sufferring so I was delighted to get round in a good time and place in the top 5. The heat is not my forte.
I've already said it, but I really think the Lakes Sky team are onto a winner here. There's not many events I choose to hang around for so long at the end, usually having to travel a fair way back afterwards, but my family enjoyed the event centre and I was quite happy not to move for a while. Bravo Lake District Sky Trails, a great day out indeed. Couple with a beer and edible medal, it was a fitting end to a hard day out in the Mountains.
Check out LDST home page, the Helvellyn Sky Ultra event and loads of other new races for 2023!
Website : https://www.lakedistrictskytrails.com/
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