w/e 20/6 - And All We Do Is Multiply, Subtract and Divide....

Time's slipping by very quickly all of a sudden. A couple of weeks ago, the BG seemed a long way off. But now, it's fast approaching and the time for training is running out. And helping on other BGs, and seeing attempts out on the fells brings home exactly what I have to do and sets the nerves on edge and fills me with a mixture of excitement, impatience and trepidation.

And it all starts coming down to the numbers.

Every long day out in the Lakes now is checked against the watch. What's the allowed split time? What was my actual time? Take into account tired legs on the day....where can I make up time....where do I need to have extra allowance....which bits suit me.....which bits don't.

I've had to nurse the body through the last couple of weeks as well. The niggle in the knee wasn't going away. I did the exercises the osteo had showed me, to "open up" the knee. I massaged it and put anti-inflamm gel on at night. And I felt some improvement, within a few days.

Due to the knee, and the need to protect my aging body a little, I only got out for one run during the week....a fairly gentle run around the valley. I have to admit as well....part of the problem is a lack of interest in running around Calderdale now. I'm spoilt by trips to the Lakes and Scotland. I want big mountains. I want huge slopes which require 30+ mins of hard effort to get up. That's a good sign I'd have thought? But the gentle slopes and boggy plateaux of Calderdale are just not doing it for me right now.

Anyway, I had biggish plans for the weekend, so no harm in resting up a bit this week.

Friday saw us back on the M6 again, our 13th weekend in a row away from home! Back up to Langdale with a good plan in place for the Saturday.

At 9am, I was off and heading up past the New Dungeon Ghyll, up the path by the waterfall and out to the right of Pavey Ark on a glorious morning to pick up the path to Sargeant Man. From there onwards, it was time to check the split times and see whether I could handle leg 3, which is the key for me, then put in a good effort on leg 4.

Just as I neared the summit, along came a BG attempt...and it was Darren doing the navigating/supporting/pacing (on his own!) with a contender. So I settled in with them over the Langdales so that I could check the route across to Rossett Pike.

Mark was struggling with his stomach, and losing a wee bit of time on each split at this stage. But he descended well and it was a great line across to Rossett Pike on a faint trod, and I know where to turn off the main path now!

Once at the top of Rossett Ghyll, I decided to push on, putting in a decent climb up to Bowfell, way up on split time, picking up minutes all the way to Broad Crag (what a difference dry rock makes!!), then on time to the Pike.

By now, I was running with the stragglers in the Great Lakes Run, and I knew they were heading for Foxes Tarn gully, as was I. What I didn't know was that, whereas I was planning to find my "secret" grassy gully down to avoid the screes, that was where the race route actually went!! So much for "secret"!

Still, it's a great way down, saves much slipping and sliding and, in no time at all, I was in the gully pulling myself up the rocks. The next bit of the race was flagged, turning right up steep grassy slopes at the top of the gully, avoiding the scree path and emerging near the top of the ridge...definitely the way up on BG day!!

I've ruled out Broad Stand, have yet to recce Lords Rake, and have worried about the loss of time going Foxes Tarn....but in fact it took me 35 minutes including stopping to talk to a race marshall.....that's fine!

From there, it's the 3,000ft descent down to Wasdale. I'd intended to recce the scree descent. But that grassy path that keeps descending is, to be honest, perfect for me and, without really pushing it, I was down in Wasdale in 30mins, which is fine. I may have a look at the scree, but then again, I may not!

Down in Wasdale there was lots of activity and it was nice to see Nick, who informed me that Clare was not far ahead supporting an attempt. But first I headed into the campsite to fill up with water, and got some food down me ready for the climb.

Yewbarrow and Red Pike get no easier! Both climbs were tough in the warmth. Both were done up on time though, which is a reasonable sign. And once on top of Red Pike, it was a joy from there, to be out on such a beautiful day, enjoying a high promenade above the Lakes.

I found the trods off Pillar, taking time to chat to another BG contender who was suffering but going to complete in sub-24, went up Joss's gully which was quicker than the nose seemingly, and climbed Gable at what I thought was a very slow speed, but which was actually a fair bit quicker than split (and, yes, I know it'll be very different after 20+ hours!).

I need some help in finding a good route off Gable, I tried to take the grass but got it wrong and ended up scrambling down rocks. Green Gable to Brandreth has more of a climb than I remember, then it was a quick trot out to Grey Knotts and down to Honister, at a decent enough pace, to finish the 2 legs in 9.51 of running time. I reckon I missed about 20 mins by the different start point, but about the same climb....so 10.10 for the 2 legs would have been around my time...add on 20mins at Wasdale, gives 10.30 hours. that'll do nicely!!

Sunday saw us take it easy, on a much hotter day. We had Rufus with us, so we headed to Grasmere and parked up and then went up Stone Arthur in relays. Stone Arthur is one of those hills you end up not doing if you're not careful. It's off the main Fairfield ridge, a drop of about 850 from it. Instead, from the road, it's a steep pull up of around 1400ft in not much more than a mile. The legs were understandably tired at first, but I got going in the end, and loved the views up there.

Back down, tea and cake in Bilbo's cafe (what a great place!), then back home reasonably early for a pint in the Fox to end another great weekend.

Not many to go now. This weekend, I'm heading up for a trot on Friday, leg 4 support on Saturday and then another day out on Sunday. This will be my "big" final weekend I think. The weekend after is the Saunders with Kirsten, then the one after that I'll support Andy...otherwise it'll be time to rest.

So, back to the schedule......checking the numbers.

Total for the week - 34mls & 14,500ft