THAT LANCASTER 5K RACE AGAIN!

Well, we set off from Penrith last night to do the same race again that we'd done at the end of May.
Refuelling problems had been addressed this time out.
El Presidente avoided the 'pub lunch and beers' regime which served so poorly last time out, opting instead for a 3 rasher bacon sarnie with tommy sauce at 12:45, followed by an energy drink just before kick off.
Karen and John, on the other hand, had opted for a late lunch of potatoes vegetables and salmon, and paid the price in the later stages of the race, obviously, the river Lune being a well known Salmon river, the attractions of returning to the sea were a pull against the run to the finish, upriver.
Others had tried the 'stay out late the night before' routine, Mr Walker for one, and, surprisingly, the competitive duo from Pooley Bridge, yet again making things difficult for themselves in a pub night out fiasco which started at 10 and ended sometime after 1:00 am on Saturday morning!
We also took along Mr Lee Savage of the Junior section ( pity us lot when he's actually old enough to be in the Club Championship! More of that later).
Anyway, with a blustery wind likely to be in our faces on the outward half of the race, there was much talk that the hoped for PB's would be impossible to achieve.
The race start was introduced by a bloke in running gear with a megaphone, and we wonderd, would he start, drop the megaphone and run; drop the megaphone, shout start, then run; he just liked wearing running gear, and had no intention of running;in the event he got a sponsor to start the race, and ran in it...
The results: Despite the wind, there were 4 PB's on the night, so Mr M, lots of points to add in

John B: 19:34 - 10 pts
Andy S: 21:33 - 24 pts ( PB)
Andy W: 21:43- 23 pts (PB)
John: 22:29 - 7 pts
Kevin: 22:36 - 21 pts (PB)

and Ladies
Karen: 19:28 - 8 pts
Julia: 22:10 - 22 pts (PB)
Lisa: 25:23 - 6 pts

One name not mentioned in the results above is Mr Lee Savage, who, bearing in mind his age, produced what was a brilliant run, with a time of 17:14, and 7th place overall in a field of experienced racers used to this distance, on his first try at a 5k race! Good job he's too young for our competition!
Anyway, as usual the finishers all got a mug and a bottle of super strength Stella Artois, which Lees grandad was looking forward to drinking later last night - hope you enjoyed it Mike !

Oh, and by the way, not that I'm making an issue of it or owt (as they say in Yorkshire) but this race, unlike others allegedly, in Lancaster, was 5K exactly as advertised!

Running Through Mountains of the Mind

Andy Ramsay and some of the Leg 3 pacers

It's been said that life is really just a series of wonderful opportunities disguised as impossible situations. And as with life, so it is with running. If there was one endevour that epitomised this above all others, it would be the Bob Graham Round.

A 72 mile circuit over the tops of Cumbria's highest fells, it conveniently has the same amount of ascent as that of Everest. The catch is to complete this in under 24 hours. It is impossible, and more so, inconceivable to most. To many, it becomes an obsession. And to a few, it becomes the wonderful opportunity in disguise.

To say that this insanely long run takes it out of you might be an understatement. On a run this long, such a sustained onslaught on your system, your physical ability becomes a mere background to the current of your own thought. The mind (and dare I say it, spirit) are put squarely on the line. Anyone who's read Richard Asquith's Feet in the Clouds will know how it goes.

Seventy six years to the day that Bob Graham first set out in his pyjamas, shouldering a big bag of hard boiled eggs, Eden Runner Andy Ramsay (pictured at right, above) set off to complete the round. Armed with sandwiches (not too posh..no sundried tomatoes round here) and a lot of energy drink, he was guided round the route by a host of Eden Runners with all their hopes pinned in one place. As each leg was completed, the pacers breathed a sigh of relief and handed over their cargo to the next. There was a sense of trepidation as the Leg 3 pacers saw Andy, Robin Gillespie and Dave Owens charging off the foothills of Helvellyn. So much so that some of us decided to start the leg early in case we held him up. It all went wonderfully well, though. Even clagged in summits could not halt the Ramsay machine as Penny's supercharged navigational skills kicked in ("now...at the thirteenth cairn, we need to bear 190 degrees")...

So next time you're in Keswick late at night, and you see someone staggering on their feet, throwing up with a bottle of champagne in their hand, it might not be all that it seems... they might just have seized a wonderful opportunity out of what looks like an impossible situation. They might have just completed a BG.

Fantastically well done, Andy.

Mighty Blencathra

About the middle of last week, Eden Runners went into overdrive on the slopes of mighty Blencathra. At the helm, race organiser Anth 'Legs-akimbo' Labram not only amassed a crack team of marshalls, but ran the race, took photos along the way and also managed to keep a mental note of all the race numbers used, including omissions. A feat that the oxygen-starved amongst us can only dream of...


Our learned colleagues from the Skipton and District Pie Research Institute collecting valuable field data for their latest research project

But there we are. On with the show. Faultless execution on the day meant happy runners, and if that was a measure of success then it was a hit. Standing on the summit, the number of runners that thanked us as they went past was really heart-warming. So too was seeing runners stop to take in the summit views.

Aye, it's a grand sport.

Here's a few action photos taken by Anth on the hoof, and one or two taken by me.

Hair raising running on the tops
Action Man

No time for a sermon on the mount

ONE MORE SHORT RACE IN LANCASTER !

And so it came to pass, after the survivors of the expedition into the mists had dispersed, that three of them journeyed south, in the company of a lady, and the lady was Karen, and she went forth into the wilderness of the forest at Salt Ayre, and returned, bringing with her bottles of ale, with the caps removed. It was a mystery to the travellers how she had accomplished this, and they were filled with awe, and Stella Artois at 5.4% proof!

Anyway, that's enough of the biblical style, on now to the more usual 'moaning Yorkshire Git' style.
This was another short race in Lancaster, but, so far, we believe it was a short race, as short as it should have been, and no longer either. I met John, Karen and Kevin at Eamont Bridge and we cruised to Lancaster in a Merc with blacked out windows, it was like the Reservoir Dogs looking for trouble, and we got it as soon as the starter said 'GO'.

A good flat course saw PB's for John Kevin and Karen, and a time no slower, or faster, than I expected for me. I have learned however, that my Gazza like refuelling prior to the race, comprising a late pub lunch of sausage, mash, peas & onion gravy, all washed down with a couple of pints of Theakstons best bitter was probably not the best preparation - I'm cutting out the peas next time!

Everyone was pleased with their efforts, and I have to say that Karen and John were savouring the thought of giving the 'Marshallmeister' a run for his money when he returns.

The dodgy refuelling continued after the race, but, really what else can you expect when the prizes were a bottle of strong lager AND a commemorative mug to drink it from! We're elite runners for heavens sake, what is the point of providing strong lager at the end of the race, is it to confuse us about the distance ? That second mile marker did seem to come up early, but it seemed a long way from there back to the finish..........................

And finally, the bit at the start about Karens bottle opening skills remains a mystery............

I May Be Some Time: Extracts from a tattered diary found on Blencathra

Can it really be much further?? The last photo taken of the fated expedition of 1908.

Wednesday 27th May, 1908


A foreboding mist swept off the fells as our expedition to reach the uncharted lands of the Trans-Blencathran Mountains began. Several minutes of preparation had gone into this, although it was clear we were not alone in our quest. The expedition of Robin G. Amundsen had arrived before us.

We left the motorized huskies and continued on foot into the barren lands beyond Mungrisdale. It was a shame that Fortescue Marshall had become lame, as his superior writing skills would be sadly missed as we trudged into uncharted territory.

A fierce blizzard blew up and this struck a mortal blow to our team, un-used as they were to the rigours of the high Blencathran Mountains. The strain was beginning to show on Captain Wacker’s face.

‘I may be some time’ he intoned solemnly as he turned back down the track. He was soon lost in the blizzard, and this was the last we would ever see of Titus Wacker...and the two ladies accompanying him. It was a noble act in such desperate circumstances.

We had been beaten to the peak by Robin G. Amundsen, whose husky pulling power had won out over our sturdy pit ponies. The disappointment was almost too much to bear, but somehow we soldiered on and on into the mist.

It was then that Kevin Peary Whitemore announced that he had lost his air glockenspiel some time back, and would it be alright if we retraced our footsteps in order to find it. This was a blow to our morale, but if we were to make it back alive, some sacrifices had to be made. I made the decision to carry on.

Our rations were running rather low as we were a long way from the Mill Inn depot. Stephanie was expiring with the lack of food, as with the impetuousness of youth she had been running up all of the hills. Gillian Shackleton-Dean produced a small bag of yoghurt-coated pemmican that she had been saving for emergencies, and if it weren't for her act of generosity, we would have surely perished.

We were now slowing down so much that Ernest Shackleton-Sharples began to complain that the distances we were covering were too short. There was nothing we could do as we were all succumbing to the pain of running on these inhospitable hills, and besides, my whalebone orthotics were killing me. Even Julia Godspeed-King, whose ability to be chipper in the most trying of circumstances seemed to be flagging.

It was with solemnity that I wrote a letter to Lady Penelope, letting her know that it was indeed both navigational error and misfortune that had lead to the failure of the expedition, and that I was therefore unable to join her on the Trans-Cairngorm Expedition planned for a fortnight's time.

I fear that I can write no more....

The end of the page is torn. We may never know the end of the story...

Super Tuesday

Members of the Eden Tuesday & Wednedsay Evenings Club visited Workington on a fine and sunny evening for their Tuesday outing last week.

Members were welcomed by the acting chair, Mr Walker. Apologies were received from several members, including Mr Peacock and Mr Sharples. Late apologies were also received from the ladies contingent, who were let down at the last minute by A. Bloke, as usual. This meant that only four members travelled, and it was decided to use a car. This was proposed by Mr Saager, seconded by Mr Whitemore, and carried unanimously. Jerusalem was not sung, as the ladies were not in attendance. Instead, an acapella version of 'Layla' (long version), complete with Mr Saager on air guitar, was heard by those listening along the A66 in the warm evening air.

The outing was planned to take in the sights of the Workington to Whitehaven cycleway, starting from the Moorclose Campus. Upon arrival, members were amused by the sight of a phone box being stolen in broad daylight, using the traditional West Cumbrian method - a crane. This caused unease among those fearing for the safety and security of their personal effects, but assurances were received from representatives of the Campus security corps - 'Aye it'll be aaalreet theeor marra'. This set the party at rest, and so the start of the outing was eagerly awaited amongst the gathering.

The guest speaker was a member from Cumberland AC, who gave a slide show presentation of the route, and wished all members well in their exploits. He was in turn thanked by the assembly, who all then left with great enthusiasm, upon his word, to explore the route. Members were free to proceed at their own pace, and indeed most did so. The route proved very pleasant, along a tree-lined pathway which, it is thought, was originally a Roman Motorway. Members looked for signs indicating service stations, but to no avail. Although the evening was pleasant and the company most welcoming, after 3 miles of meandering the party turned back, as thoughts turned to the free food which had been promised. Most returned by the same route, although return progress was considerably slowed, due to fatigue. At the end of the outing, orange squash was distributed, as members compared notes, and traded medical bulletins.

Unfortunately, the outing had taken longer than expected, so it was not possible for Eden members to stay for the comestibles. Some of the members were subject to curfew apparently, and had to beat what is known as 'a hasty retreat'. This caused consternation among those intent on judging home-made scones and inedible preserves, but Mr Saager was eventually appeased using a banana.

A vote of thanks was given by the acting President. The competition for Best Excuse for Absence was won outright by Mr Peacock (who had gone to extraordinary lengths to cover up a one-month driving ban). Members returned to Penrith in good spirits, and thanked Mr Walker, complimenting him on his driving expertise. Upon returning to the Rugby Club, members stood for the National Anthem, but that wasn't sung either. Instead, an acapella version of 'Desperado', complete with Mr Whitemore on air glockenspiel, drifted across the evening air......

Raffle winners were Mr Whitemore, Mr Saager, Mr Walker and Mr Marshall. The next scheduled meeting will be at Lancaster on Saturday May 31st. All are invited.

LWDA- The Running World's Best Kept Secret

I approach the world of blogging (bloggery? blogdom?) with some trepidation as Rhiannon and Alan have raised the literary bar so high with their witty and erudite posts I think it's raised the fear factor for the rest of us. I've decided though the only thing to do is to approach that bar, fix it with a steely eye, raise it high above my head - and then place it firmly on the ground where it will remain for the remainder of this article.

So, back to the world of the LDWA (the Long Distance Walker's Association). And what, I hear you cry, does the woolly hat and gaiters brigade have to do with the cheetahs of the outdoor activities world? Well in one word - "events" as they call them. In rather more than one word can I explain that local LDWA groups from time to time stage a long distance walk as an open event to all comers. You may remember that Sally and Andy Ramsay attended the "That's Lyth"event in the New Year and waxed lyrical about that one. Gill Douglas also took part in that one and persuaded myself and Anne that the spring event imaginatively entitled "Spring in Lakeland" would be a good opportunity to add some training miles to our marathon schedule.


What a day we had! The weather was ideal - cold but not bitter, with a light dusting of snow on the tops and the ground hard enough to avoid foot rot from what would otherwise have been distinctly boggy terrain. The route took us over a mixture of trails and track, with a minimum of road walking, from Ambleside, over Loughrigg, past Elterwater and over the Coniston fells finally dropping into Coniston village via the Coppermines valley. Then we headed back to Ambleside effectively following the route of the Cumbria Way - roughly 22 miles in length with just short of 5,000 ft of ascent. And, as we approached Ambleside on the way home, the snow began to gently drift down on us -it was sheer magic. Sounds tough? Well strangely it wasn't, it was simply an exhilarating day out , in wonderful surroundings, covering tough but not impossible terrain and enjoying great company.

So to whet your appetites here's a list of reasons to take part:

• it's dead cheap to enter - £5.00 if you're a member of the Association and I think £6.00 for non-members. Even fell runners wouldn't baulk at that surely?

• they're really friendly types and don't seem to mind runners joining in their events - in fact I'd go so far as to suggest they are positively welcoming. I would say the LDWA is probably the SAS of the rambling world and therefore have some appreciation of the requirement some of us have to conduct our communications with nature at the speed of lightening.

• they feed you very well and at regular intervals - a considerable plus as far as I am concerned. At each checkpoint there is endless tea, orange and biscuits and at the end there is a real spread and as runners we tend to get first pick!

• it's completely non-competitive - there are usually only about 20/30 runners or so and the rest are walkers (quite quick ones mind you) so there are no place rankings or prizes to be had - very relaxing for us non-competitive types. Despite this you can still enjoy the smug satisfaction of being one of the first arrivals back at base - for those of us that are a bit more competitive

• the scenery is invariably stunning, constantly reminding us of how lucky we are to live where we do.

• you get a nice certificate when you finish. I think mine had a stone wall on it although it wasn't entirely clear..

Interested? Well the next local event is Autumn in Lakeland ( you've got to hand it to these people for their catchy titles) which is being organised by the Morecambe Bay and Bowland LDWA and I believe the entry fee may be a little higher than the Spring event but not by much. The route is essentially a highish circuit of Derwentwater crossing Catbells, Castle Crag, Watendlath and Walla Crag and it takes place on the 11th October. If you're interested you will need to go to the LDWA site and then go to their local groups section where you will find the Morecambe group link which will take you to their website - that's a long winded way of me explaining that I don't know how to do one of those hyper link thingies.


Come on everyone let's make it a bit of a do.

Posted by Julia (aka Speed-King).

The Chipometer

We are, it has to be said, a relatively sociable club. Whilst there are serious runners abound, we still manage to enjoy a good bowl of chips after an evening on the fells, or on the road.

And, of late, it appears that the matter of chips has perhaps become just as important as the running. Maybe it was mental scarring associated with the "Dufton" experience. We'll never know...those that lived through it have the tight-lipped, staring eyes of those who have seen active service...

Whatever the causes, let me introduce the Eden Runners Chipometer. Points will be awarded for technical achievement, artistic merit and of course, production of chips under shell-fire conditions.

For pulling off a chip-feast at a moment's notice when they were about to shut, the Royal at Dockray is currently leading by a whisker.