Harlow Running Club

Fairlands Valley Relays – 20th July

Race Length: 3 Km

PB: 11.31

Course Best: 11.31

Target Time: 11.30

Outcome: 11.36

This race is a bit different to the norm in that it is a team relay event rather than a straight run. The distance is that little bit shorter too! It is all good fun (as far as the pain of 3 Km flat out is), but with no chance of glory as the shorter distance attracts a lot of athletic club types that run 3 Km in 8-9 minutes!

The course is undulating around the lakes of Fairlands Valley Park in Stevenage. Until I raced there, I never realised how undulating being close to a lake can be, but the course does have some short climbs. You start off from the relay box (yes you do have to tag the next runner) and head slightly downhill, a sharp climb brings you to the 1 Km marker, then comes section of gentle winding undulations, but mostly downhill. Just beyond the 2Km marker sees a cheeky short climb then slight drop, before the relatively flat run in.

The plan was to go off hard and keep it that way, but try and relax a bit on the 1-2Km stretch ready for the final push to the finish line and the changeover to runner 3.

I set off as the second runner of the team of 5 just behind our first ladies team. I got in to my stride quickly and flew past her on the downhill. As the downhill ran out, people around me started to settle in to their race pace, but I was still passing people, especially on the climb through 1K and feeling pretty good. I did relax a bit on the middle Km, but was still passing people, although a little more slowly. At the 2 Km point, it was now starting to hurt and on the climb out of the park I slowed, but still managed to pass someone. I tried to relax again afterwards to take one last rest before the final push, except it felt like someone was standing on my chest. I picked up a bit on the run in, but was not winding it up as fast as I wanted, but did manage a sprint to ensure a fast take over. I was thoroughly blown at the end though!

My time was 11.36, some 5 seconds slower than last time, which surprised me as I felt that I had run most of the race much better. Looking back after the event on Sports tracks at last year’s race, I did run the first 2Km a little slower, but made up for it on the final Km. I do not think that I got my pacing too far wrong though as I was NEVER passed by anyone or retaken at the end. 1-2 second/Km slower over 3 KM after is just a blink of the eye.

Week 26 (28/06 - 04/07)

Weight : 12st 1.0lbs

Booze : 10

Miles : Prob around 30

**** RACE REPORT *****

Day 1 Checkpoints

Control Code Grid Ref    Description

Start     100     553 125    Slate Hill

1           116     545 134    Rocky Knoll

2           117     528 134    Cairn

3           113     526 114    Cairn

4           112     506 106    Sheepfold

5           123     504 086    Sheepfold

6           149     532 064    Stream Bend North East most

7           151     525 056    Small Island

8           110     492 074    Stream Bend Southern most

9           102     480 067    Finish Day 1

Well, we started off in beautiful sunshine at 9:27am.. The way this works, is that you pick up

the map from the central race area when you want on the Saturday am, then pick up the

Checkpoint (CP) information (above) at your given start time, mark the map with the CP's,

then off you head to CP1 etc etc.. So, there is a skill involved in marking the map quickly

without making a major error..

Tony & Paul's start time was 9:26am, so they decided they would simply take their time

marking their maps and wait on John and I, and we would set off together as a group of four..

I re-set my altimeter to 285M, and we all headed off on a bearing of approx 330, picked off

CP1, then headed due west (and climbing) to the Cairn (390M) at CP2.. Usually cairns are

simple to locate as they're on a high point.CP2 to CP3 was across some poor terrain, and

climbing (again) to 515M, then initially climbing then dropping to CP4, and having to cross

Mosedale Beck (river) to get there.. CP4 to 5 dropped to below 400M, then up again to 510M..

Smart move on this one was to see the patch of forest due South, and aim to skirt the West

side of it enroute to the sheepfold at CP5, which was bang on the 510M contour line.

Variety of choices to CP6 (400M), but we didn't take the best one (you will find this is a

recurring theme with me..), and we lost time due to poor terrain and unnecessary ascents..

CP6 to CP7 involved ascent to around 480M, then down to 375M again.. CP7 to CP8 involved

more of the same poor terrain to around 590M before a final very steep descent on rocky

terrain from 525M to mid-camp area at 200M..

We got the tents up, despite some strong gusts of wind, got a brew on, and fairly quickly

started on our food rations.. first course for me was a sumptious Pot Noodle, followed by Beef

& Potato Hotpot (dehydrated meal) a couple of hours later.. Tony, Paul and John had crashed

out for a kip, but I had decided to avoid this temptation which meant, by 7pm, my head was

nodding and I was fighting the inevitable, and decided to crawl into the tent, earplugs in, into

the sleeping bag, then into deep (sometimes disturbed) sleep until 6am next morning.. You

realise when you have 11 hours kip, that the body is telling you it needed it !!

Day 2 Checkpoints

Control Code Grid Ref    Description

Start      101    481 069    Start Day 2

1            120    475 081    Ruined Wall Corner

2            156    468 087    Stream Bend Northern Most

3            122    474 099    Gully Top 630M

4            129    483 111    Sheepfold

5            128    510 144    Cairn

6            127    518 147    Path Junction

7            134    531 134    Knoll

8            140    538 115    Track / Wall Junction

9            141    543 111    Stepping Stones

10          168    553 112    Wall / Track Junction

Follow tapes 1200M to Event Centre (Finish)

Weather conditions on Day 2 were drastically worse than Day 1.. Persistent , often heavy

rain, and poor visibility meant different skill set for the day

As expected, the day starts with a fairly steep ascent to CP1 at 450M across rough rocky

terrain, then up and over a peak, thru a specified wall crossing point (many walls etc are

denoted as "uncrossable boundary", with only specific thru points) to CP2. Again, I didn't

select best route to CP3 as the terrain was rocky.. I should have went high to avoid it, and

come into the CP from above, but hindsight is a great thing to have.. It was approaching this

CP that Tony and Paul started to pull away from us, and I told them to go and we'd see them

at the finish.. Anyway, conditions and visibility were worsening as we hit high points on our

way to CP4, and I was relying on the compass to hit Hopegill Beck (river), then follow it down

to the sheepfold, which we managed to do.. Tony & Paul were out of sight by this stage.. CP4

to CP5 was a long old haul where, yet again, I don't think I got the best route.. As we left

CP5, I saw Tony & Paul coming towards us (from wrong direction).."wtf have you been ?" I

asked.. "Messed it up, got to CP6 and realised we'd missed out CP5" replies Tony..

"Schoolby error" I joked.. They mouthed something to me, I think it was something to do with

questioning the whereabouts of my father... Anway, we joined up again at CP6, then on to

CP7.. another poor choice to CP8, where the wind simply kept knocking us off the bearing,

and I wasn't compensating for "over correction". Fairly simple to CP9 and CP10, then to the

finish.

Final Details :

Day 1, 4:33:19 (35th place out of 121 finishing teams)

Day 2, 4:42:42 (43rd place out of 102 finishing teams, 19 teams missed a checkpoint)

Overall : 9:16:01 (37th place)

Tony & Paul finished in 35th place overall..

Summary : Relatively happy in the fact we finished further up the field that two years ago, but

keep regretting some of the route choices every time I look at the map again (with lots of time

to select better routes than the ones we took). It's strange how I can see things on the map

now that I swear weren't on the map during the race !!

Still, every time I do one of these events, I learn more and more, especially on route choice.. I

know I'll always find the CP's, just not always on the optimum line..

Having (badly) torn my ankle ligaments two years in this event, I was very wary of a similar

injury, and was delighted to get through the two days unscathed.. Only to go over on my

ankle the following weekend on a simple bloody training run on a flat forest route !!

My next escapade will be leading Messrs Ambrose and Ayling on 22 miles of the London to

Brighton ultra event (checkpoint 1 to checkpoint 3).. I wish them all the best..

No more blogs from me for a while, I'm off on holiday..

Hope you enjoyed some of the lighter moments..

dg

Midweek League: Welwyn (Race 4 of 4) – 30th June

Race Length: 5 miles

PB: 33.17

Course Best: 33.17

Target Time: 32.59

Outcome: 47th in 33.18

Nemesis Score: -2 (3 runners)

Splits

This was the last race of the series where a good performance could see Harlow RC promoted to division one of the league for next year. Despite never running well here, I was going to run as hard as possible for the team.

The course is 2 laps consisting of a long gradual uphill drag for ~1mile to a short flat section that leads in to a long gradual downhill. The bottom of the course has some cheeky little undulations before returning to a short uphill section back to the start/finish area. I always go off to fast as the gradual up hill/downhill section on the first lap feels easy. Even the start of the second lap climb is not too bad, however come the top of the hill on lap 2, things are starting to hurt! Come the undulations at mile 4… :/ This race is always hot and humid plus allsorts of bugs eat you alive, adding to the difficulty, but it was a little kinder this year.

The start is congested with the chance of taking a car wing mirror in the midriff (and it off:roll:) if you are not careful. Going off a little fast to get position is not such a bad plan as you can always rest on the downhill, but going at 6.05 pace was a little excessive. There was a big group of us including DC (who was having a storming race). I held back a bit on the downhill but as the undulating section came, it was clear I had gone too fast as I was suffering earlier than expected. :/I was striding ahead of race nemeses.:)

I climbed well in to the second lap, but at the top was pretty much spent and getting very hot. I took too much of a rest here as several clubmates and other runners went past.:( 7:20 for mile 3-4! And a lot of this is downhill!

The undulating section hurt even more, but as I turned in to the final 400m uphill, I tried to hit the gas to catch the runner in front, but it just was not happening and he was going away. A look over my shoulder saw AF goes past. Having tried to out sprint him before with disastrous result, I let him go. I was clear of other clubs behind so there was not need to go for it. I switched off for a few seconds and slowed. I looked at my watch and thought shit – my PB was close! :/ Up until now, I thought that it was always going to finish ahead of it given the first 3 miles. I had not realised how much that 7:20 mile had taken out of my time. I tried to find something in the last few metres, but finished with the line with the line marshal calling “18” – 1 second out! Very annoying, but was my own stupid fault.

I am disappointed, but it was hot and humid. The course is also deceptive and going out too fast did not help. I cannot explain my lack of ‘will’ towards the end of the race other than my race confidence is at a low at the moment as I am struggling to do paces for 10K that I have done for an entire half marathon earlier in the year. Taking some positives: I am at the same point I was last year without having done lots of speed work. I have still only just started it this summer. If I want the 40 min 10K, I will have to focus more on it – personal life allowing.

Midweek League: Harlow (Race 3 of 4) – 16th June

Race Length: 10 Km

PB: 40.44 at Harlow MWL (June 2009)

Course Best 40.44

Target Time: 41.00

Outcome: 40th in 40:50

Nemesis Score: 0 (2 runners)

Splits:

Given that I have been running about 30 seconds off my 10K pace compared to last year, my target for this race was to try and improve on this deficit. My course best was 40.44 in 2009, so anything close to this would be fantastic, going sub 41 great and 41.10, an improvement.

I set off reasonably fast (sub 40 pace) as the first Km can be pretty congested and was well up the field. On the 2nd/3rd Km passed the water tower, I reined it in a little to the 4.04 required for my course best. The first lady from Barnet (who won the ‘Stortford 10K last week) and some faster club mates went past and I tried to latch on, but it was clear If I carried on, I would suffer later, especially as the toughest part of the course was coming.

The 4-6K section sees some undulations and a track section where it is hard to get your footing on the mixture of gravel and ruts. The sun is also in your eyes (even with sunglasses) going repeatedly from bright light to shade. I slowed to 4:15’s, but once at the top you are back on to the road home. Here I regained my rhythm and started to think about the finish.

In front were a group of ‘Stortford runners and one from Barnet. Behind was pretty clear apart from a clubmate, AT who was trailing me. I began to relax and recovered enough to start to push a bit on the return leg past the water tower to 8K. At 8K I started to make a concerted push. I was gaining on the group in front and caught the Barnet runner. There was a bit of tooing and frowing, but I knew he was out of it. ;) Given the closeness of the race series between us and Bishops Stortford, if AT and I could pass these runners, it could have a major effect on our score.

Passing the 9Km marker, AT was on my shoulder and I went for the Stortford runners. Unfortunately they had also accelerated and my chances of catching were limited - apart from one. There was a slight chance to get him as I went inside the final 500m, but he kicked. The final 300m saw us break on to the field and sight the finish. I started gaining and thought I may do it, but he had enough to hold the gap. Safe behind (scoring wise) I let off the sprint a bit which I think gave AT the chance to go past me in the closing metres.

I finished in 40th place with a time of 40:50, only 6 seconds outside last year. This is 50 seconds away from where I want to be, but I feel that I am back on track, and if I can get the quality speed/hill sessions in, I should be in a position to chip away at it.

Stortford 10K – 13th June

Race Length: 10K (GPS)

PB: 40.44 at Harlow MWL (June 2009)

Course Best: 40.53 (May 2009)

Target Time: 42.00

Outcome: 9th in 42.10

Nemesis Score: +1 (1 runner)

Splits:

I did not set out to run this race as I have a very busy schedule at home and would normally have run the 10 miler anyway, but I was glad I did. Since I am lacking in speed, had a window between coats of paint and this race is very local, a good blast what the order of the day. (Plus the 10 miler usually attracts the faster runners so there could be a high finish on the cards!

The start line soon saw me wipe away thoughts of glory as 2 faster clubmates were there! One would have won the 10k last year based on his time, so was possibly a reason for him running this rather than the 10 mile as he did last year. There was also a strong team of Saffron Striders, and a faster fetchie I met at the recent fetch mile. :( Chances of top 10 were being reduced…

The course is very familiar to me as it is the same as in our midweek league and is certainly not PB territory due to the 2 tough climbs. The first Km is flat so I headed off at 10K pace towards the front. The 10 miler starts at the same time, so the runners around me were generally 10K’ers apart from the leader who was 10M. The field strung out quickly and I was in pursuit of the slower of the other 2 club mates. Just behind was the lady from Stortford who I went to the line with at the Orion MWL.

The second Km sees you head down hill. Here a woman went past that I have gone to halfway to before on this course in ~20 mins, so I kept her a few metres in front to pace me. Worryingly a group of 3 Garden city runners went past me, but I did not get to see if they were 10K or 10miles. :/ One of the Saffron runners also went past, but I knew the third runner was still behind me.

Km’s 3-5 see a flat section before a long drag uphill. I was climbing OK going though halfway in 20:15. As the climb wore off to the flat, I was starting to lose ground on the woman in front. I could not get my speed back to 4 min/km for the downhill 6-7km which was frustrating.:/

Km’s 7-9 are the toughies due to the big climb and it is always a case of just digging in here. In front I could see the Barnet lady and behind I could see another 2 runners including the ‘Stortford lady, but not the other Saffron man. They were catching slowly, so I knew I had to hold on for the final flat Km run in.

I ideally wanted a sub 42, so I tried to push for the final Km, but the will was not there. I was totally on my own for the run in, with no real impetuous to wind it up for a sprint. As a PB, place or course best was not on the cards and another 10K in 3 days time, I eased up.

At the finish, Vicky said well done and that she thought that we had won the team prize.:) I was 9th, with club mates 6th and 2nd. Two out of three Garden City runners DID do the 10 miler :) and the ‘Striders were 1st, 7th and 11th – we had it by 2 points; :P except when the results were read out Saffron Striders had won!

After the presentation, Vicky and I went up to see what had gone on. Apparently our other Harlow runner had not finished! Vicky had photo evidence of him being well infront of the second placed Strider, with 500m to go – I do not think he would have though “bugger this, I’m going home now and not finishing!” His chip/race number was clearly visible. It seemed that he had not been entered in the race software, despite the organisers having a record of him entering, therefore, when he crossed the line his chip was not recognised. :(This situation has now been rectified and it has been acknowledged that we won the men’s team prize.

In terms of a performance it was not too bad, about 30 seconds off pace. My speed is still not there and I would have loved to have got inside 42 minutes, but I can allow the 10 seconds over.

Tilty Hilly 5 – 6th June

Race Length: 5 miles

PB: 33.17 at Welwyn MWL June 2009

Course Best 33.22 in June 2009

Target time: 34.00

Outcome: in 33.59

Nemesis Score: -1 (1 runner)

Splits:

This is usually a very a tough race due to the climbs and this year the weather conditions were very muggy. When the sun half broke though the haze it got very warm, especially when you were out of the wind, so tougher than usual.

The race plan was to attempt a time as near to my PB as possible and see how recent training had addressed my speed issues as this would be the first comparator race of the summer 5K-10K season. I did not have any club mates to really race in this one, but in previous years I have watched the women’s race develop around me, so planned to keep up with them.

The start is fast downhill, so I tried to concentrate on letting the hill take me, then start to relax on the flat section before the left turn to the first climb. Here I tucked in a 5 metres behind the leading women and closed right in on the climb. A sharp downhill saw them go away from me a little (I should learn to run down hill properly), but I caught again on the climb to the water station.

At this point I was starting to feel the speed, was tiring and started to lose ground. On the downhill return, they stared to go further away with the leader stretching out on the second placed lady. Several men went past (still need to run down hill better), but the next short sharp climb saw me go back past them again. (I can climb :)). I was making no impact on the leading women who by now were well stretched out in front of me. A gradual downhill saw me prepare for the final onslaught that is the hill to the finish - it was a case of just digging in. At the top I turned on to the grass path where a runner started to sprint. Normally I would have responded, but I had no real reason to and was knackered. I crossed the line some 30 seconds off last year’s pace.

I found this race tough and hot but a good platform to build from

Fetch Hard B@*stards Mile - 5th June

These races are completely unofficial and organisd by the internet site www.fetcheveryone.com. They are always good fun events as I rarely get to race over short track distances. If nothing else, this was going to be a good track interval type session to kick start my summer training regime.

Race Length: 1 mile

PB: 5.40

Target Time: 5.39

Outcome: 5.39

Nemesis Score: 0 (potential nemesis overslept - running scared I say!)

Splits: 1.22 1.22 1.27 1.27

 This was always going to be a tough ask as 1 mile flat out on a track seriously hurts.

Initially, I thought that I was going to be running alongside a lady of approximately my speed (although she is much faster over 5 miles – marathon distance). She unfortunately slept in, and the others in the race were either 20-30 seconds faster, or 20-30 seconds slower, so I was also essentially going to be running this one on my own. To get the best out of such a short distance, you need to have someone near you. When I set my PB at the last fetch mile, there were other runners to keep the pressure on. There was one faster, but only just such that you think you can get them. Another would be a few seconds behind breathing down my neck. There was another runner who put a massive sprint from nowhere, beating me on the line, but no doubt enabled me to eek out another second! These things push you forward when it hurts.

Although I got a PB (just), the race did not go as I wanted. I was hurting from halfway and could not put on a final sprint until I realised it was going to be very close.

Race Length: 800m

PB: 2.44

Target Time: 2.40

Outcome: 2.35

Splits: 1.15, 1.19

The first lap of this race went very well. I was hanging just off the back of the faster mile runners, so clearly I had gone off too fast! The second lap was slower, despite a sprint. Perhaps with better pacing, I could have gone a little faster overall; however I did get a very good PB 

Race Length: 400m

PB: 1.11

Target Time: 1.10

Outcome: 1.09

I so hate this distance! You have to go out hard and try and hold it. Get it wrong and your time will be either very slow, or you blow up. It was painful and I had tunnel vision from 200m, but I did manage a power sprint to the line. I won the race too in a PB time. (OK the faster 2 runners sat this one out…;)

100m

PB: 0.15

Target Tiime: 0.14

Outcome: 0.14

Not much to say on this as I am not a sprinter! It was just a case of head down and just go! My time is to the nearest second as there were not enough timekeepers to take every runner.

Midweek League: Orion (Race 1 of 4) - 2nd June 2010

Race length: ~6.6 Miles

PB: n/a

Course best: n/a

Predicted time: (min/mile) based on 1:28.30, Great Bentley Half, February 2010

Target time: (min/mile)

Outcome: 39th in 45.34 (min/mile)

Nemesis score: +1 (3 runners)

Splits:

Other race splits:

I have been a bit behind with blogs recently due to all the non running stuff going on (house move, no internet access, getting nursery ready etc.), so apologies if things look a bit ‘out if date’.

I was looking forward to this race as it was the first Midweek league race on a fine summers evening. I had not run this course before, but it turned out to be a scenic course through Epping Forest. I went in to it feeling under raced with recent training lacking on faster runs. The race plan was to head out easy and just see what happened.

I set off OK in pursuit of DA and AF, but started to drop back just beyond mile 2. I was not feeling that tired, but my legs were not turning over. We came to a steep downhill where the first lady plus some men went past. The lady was roughly my speed having gone to the line in a sprint at Ware Cross country earlier this year, so I wanted to keep up. I knew a big hill was coming but was surprised when the road went around sharp left corner only to continue down. Guess what this means… Then it hit. I climb pretty well so went back past those that overtook downhill. I was gaining on clubmates AF and RS, but it kept on going! It was one of those hills that make you think walking is faster towards the end. I kept up cadence and got back in to stride at the top – at least my marathon training had given me some endurance.

As I approached the final Km, I wanted to push but once again my fitness said yes, but my legs just did not want to turnover. In the closing stages the 1st lady came back alongside me plus a nemesis from the Harlow MWL last year. I had run the last half of a 10K alongside him and managed to outsprint him them, so was not going to allow the tables to turn here. I beat both to the line so I do have some speed when I need it 

Overall I was happy with the performance. I am way off the 40min 10K that I want this summer, but it is a good platform to build from. If nothing else, it was a very pleasant (but hard) run in the forest on a fine summers evening.

Week 25 (21/06 - 27/06)

Weight : 12st 1.5lbs

Booze : 10

Miles : 20

In the jungle, South African jungle, the 3 lions sleep tonight,

‘Cos in the morning, the early morning, they have to catch a flight

A win away, a win away, a win away, a win away, a win away…..

BBC1, 3pm, Football, England V Germany

BBC1, 5pm, Film, Out of Africa

What’s red & white and goes “beep, beep, beep” ?

England’s open top bus reversing back into the garage

Thursday : Eventually found the trail along what looks like on old railway line from Great

Dunmow, heading east.. As you may expect from a railway line, it's flatter than a witches tit,

which is probably just as well because it was cooking temperature wise, with little or no wind

to cool me down.. Out for 31 mins, back in 29 mins..

Sunday : Did an hours run to get to the PH3 Hash group, then a hour with them.. Again it was

cooking, the hottest day of the year so far apparently, and it felt every bit of it.. Up and over St

Martha's twice was a pretty good workout.

Summary :

I'm sort of easing back a bit to avoid injury at this late stage, especially my ankles, which I

can still feel are weak on unsteady ground..

I got all my required kit together for the Saunders, and packed it all away into my rucsac.. The

weight is around 16lbs, which is probably the best I'll get to without spending serious money

on a sub kilo lightweight tent, wafer thin doss bag, and no karrimat etc..

Weather forecast for the Lakes area is heavy rain Thursday night, but light scattered showers

over the Sat / Sun, which should be ok..

I'll probably do one more blog report about the event itself, and how we get on etc, but I think

it's run it's course.. Unsure when I may get the final report drawn up, as I'm due to travel to US

on business on the Tuesday after Saunders - I'm looking forward to a long haul flight with

aching tired limbs.. Even on my return, I'm back for a week, then off to US again on holiday for

the next couple of weeks..

dg

Week 24 (14/06 - 20/06)

Weight : 12st 2.5lbs

Booze : 20

Miles : 18

Breaking News !!!!! England have a new coach...

It will be picking them up from Heathrow on Thursday....

Tuesday : Went off road, without a map, trying to find a trail out by Great Dunmow.. Ended up

doing 10 x reps uphill on a footpath at the edge of a field. Out for about 45 mins total.

Friday / Saturday : Was on a boozy golf outing to Gatton Manor.. As usual my golf was the

spaghetti western version (the good, the bad and the ugly).. The crack was good and the

weather was superb.. Not sure if walking two rounds of golf laden with bag and booze counts

as exercise, but you can be sure I was knackered on Sat night..

Sunday : Was laying the trail for the PH3 Hash today, so set off at 8am loaded up with two

heavy sawdust bags and returned to Landslip Car Park at 10:45am.. Then I ran round the trail

with them, taking various loops and cut offs to get ahead of the pack and ensure they made

the final route back ok as my arrows had been vandalised.. Feedback seems to be the run

was in a great setting, I managed not to lose anyone and the pack was relatively close at the

finish.

Summary :  Only 2 weeks to go to Saunders.. I managed to put up both tents in the garden this

weekend,  but Carol had to help me with the second erection.... Next weekend I'll have to close

out all the requirements for the excursion to the Lakes.. Area for Saunders has been confirmed as

Wet Sleddale, which is near Shap. I've check out how far it is from our YH at Ambleside, and

45 mins should cover the transit time..

It would seem, given the lack of rain in the area, we have a water shortage.. See below extract

from the organisers

"Water will be available at both the Event Centre, and the Mid Camp. There is a stand pipe at

the Event Centre which is mains water. At the Mid Camp, the water is taken from a stream

and is untreated. This water must be filtered, treated, or boiled before being consumed.

The whole area is dry. It is so dry that I have met farmers who have been taking water up to

the fell for the sheep. Many of the streams are non existent at the time of writing. In fact, the

stream through the Mid Camp disappears half way down the field, so I suggest that you pitch

your tents at the upstream end of the it. Also, most of the smaller tarns marked on the map

are dry. If you are looking for a tarn as a navigation check point, it may well be dry and hard to

find."

My usual tactic of not carrying any water and only carrying a plastic cup and drinking from

streams on the way round the course is having to change.. I may have to take a bottle round

with me.. damn... more bloody weight to carry..

dg