NWFPAC Social Race – Lakeland Trails Ultra 14k [in Ambleside]

It was a stunning and very hot day in Ambleside on Saturday, just the day for relaxing by a lake, taking the odd dip, maybe a little paddle boarding, before adjourning to a bar for some liquid refreshment.  For the foolhardy though, before the liquid refreshment bit could be partaken of, we'd signed up to run 14k that started at 1pm.  At least we hadn't signed up for the 100k, 55k or even 23k - sparing a thought for Sian Marsden who was doing the 23k.

Having congregated in the event village in Rothay Park and enjoyed the shade of one of the big trees in the park, we quickly managed a photo before lining up for the start.  Rather than setting off, we were led on a procession over the timing mat and out of the park to a little side street where, after a brief count down, we were finally off.

A few of us had agreed that this was a social race and, as such, we'd run it together.  However, with the first section involving a 2 mile climb out of Ambleside initially on road before onto the trails, we soon split up into smaller splinter groups.  David C had disappeared up the road, obviously used to this sort of climb, whilst Aid and I gradually found ourselves ahead of the others as we climbed the 750ft in that first section.  Aid kindly slowed several times whilst waiting for me to catch him during this time, a pattern that was to repeat itself during the first 7 miles of the 8.6 mile run - never more so than on the descent after that climb where we lost almost all that elevation gain in the space of less than a mile as Aid flew off downhill whilst I was doing my impression of Bambi trying not to fall over.

We then had an enjoyed flat-ish section past Rydal Water where we saw all those sensible people relaxing by a lake, taking the odd dip and doing a little paddle boarding.  After a couple of miles of that section though, the climbing started again and at this point Charles went past me appearing to be hardly breaking a sweat as I was beginning to die.  Thankfully the end of that climb finished with the water station that was in the shade, where we paused to recover and rehydrate.  Unfortunately there was still 3 miles to go, so off we went again.

After a nice gentle downhill section for about a mile, the climbing started again.  This climb was slightly different though as, opposed to the other climbs where you couldn't see the top, this one you could and it showed just how far you had to go.  I managed to haul myself to the top though, where Aid was kindly waiting for me and we started the descent.  However, it was all I could do to keep jogging and conversation was out of the question, so I told Aid to push on and he bounded off into the distance - this was Aid apparently following the physio's advice not to push it!

After a mile of downhill, including a big tarmac section that was punishing on the soles of the feet we were back in the park and at the finish.  Whilst only 8.6 miles long (14k in this new fangled distance measurement), it was stupidly tough.  We congregated again under another tree, with David and Aid taking the opportunity to cool off in the nearby stream.  Looking at my Strava afterwards, there was only one mile where I clocked a sub 10 minute mile, making this one of my slowest races ever - given where we all finished though, that turned out to be not bad in relation to the whole field.

Well done to everyone who ran though as that was a very tough race - a lot of climbing and so so hot.  Hats off in particular to David C and Alex who both finished in the top 10!