Great Lakes Run 2012

Karl Gray at Esk Hause

Results - link to full results on Ambleside website.

1 - Ben Abdelnoor Ambleside AC M 2:48:45

2 - Kim Collison Eden Runners M 2:49:11 

3 - Lloyd Taggart Dark Peak MV40 2:49:37 

4 - Ben Bardsley Borrowdale MV40 2:50:11 

5 - Rhys Findlay-Robinson Dark Peak M 2:53:03 

6 - Gavin Bland Borrowdale MV40 3:02:26 

7 - Simon Bailey Mercia Fell Runners M 3:04:03 

8 - Graham Pearce Pudsey and Bramley M 3:04:18 

9 - Stephen Pyke Staffordshire Moorlands MV45 3:04:27 

10 - Rob Jebb Bingley M 3:04:45 

11 - Tim Ellis Calder Valley M 3:05:12 

12 - Darren Holloway Pennine Fell Runners MV40 3:05:41 

13 - Mark Roberts Borrowdale MV50 3:05:57 

14 - Dave Wilby Ilkley Harriers M 3:06:53 

15 - Ian Nixon Pudsey and Bramley M 3:09:04 

16 - Paul Cornforth Borrowdale MV45 3:10:34 

17 - Mike Johnson Bowland Fell Runners MV50 3:10:55 

18 - Matt Reedy Ambleside AC M 3:11:15 

19 - Pete Vale Mercia Fell Runners M 3:12:23 

20 - Martin Mikkelsen Barron Borrowdale M 3:12:32 

21 - Carl Bell Howgill Harriers M 3:13:09 

22 - Karl Gray Calder Valley MV40 3:14:17 

23 - James Logue Calder Valley MV40 3:14:26 

24 - Tom Brunt Holmfirth M 3:14:52 

25 - Chris Hope Borrowdale M 3:15:56 

26 - Simon Booth Borrowdale MV40 3:15:57 

27 - Steve Birkenshaw Borrowdale MV40 3:20:39 

28 - Tom Addison Helm Hill MU23 3:21:42 

29 - Andrew Schofield Borrowdale MV40 3:22:01 

30 - Richard McGrath Ellenborough AC M 3:24:07 

31 - Sam Watson Wharfedale M 3:24:29 

32 - Matthew Hulley Dark Peak M 3:25:05 

33 - Nicholas Barber Pennine Fell Runners M 3:27:36 

34 - Hugh O'Donnell Ambleside AC M 3:27:54 

35 - Paul Aitken Helm Hill M 3:28:05 

36 - Gavin Mulholland Calder Valley MV40 3:28:13 

37 - Richard Talbot Ambleside AC M 3:28:16 

38 - Paul Barnes Borrowdale MV40 3:28:21 

39 - Chris Reade Bowland Fell Runners MV45 3:28:34 

40 - Lauren Jeska Todmorden Harriers L 3:28:38 

41 - David White Helm Hill MV40 3:28:55 

42 - John Hunt Dark Peak MV40 3:29:38 

43 - Nicholas Charlesworth Wharfedale MV45 3:29:43 

44 - Dave Sykes Dark Peak M 3:30:18 

45 - William Neill Mercia Fell Runners MU23 3:30:46 

46 - Holly Page Calder Valley LU23 3:31:04 

47 - Ben Mounsey Calder Valley M 3:32:47

48 - Jon Morgan Dark Peak MV40 3:33:01 

49 - Todd Oates Ambleside AC M 3:33:41 

50 - Nick Ray Ellenborough AC M 3:34:35
Ladies
1. Lauren Jeska
2. Holly Page
3. Sally Newman

Strange results you think...? Yes well the route was very tricky in the conditions, many got lost and couldn't correct their mistakes for some time, gullys to ascend that were waterfalls, rivers in spate to cross etc etc.

Apparently it was more like team building event from an episode of 'The Office' than a championship fell race......

Find out how it was at Esk Hause 50 mins in. Sports cameramen beware, this is BAFTA material.

An Invitation to A 'Great' Day Out

King Kong Corny, Rob Jebb and MMB on Scafell Pike

It's the Great Lakes Run on Saturday 16 June, that's the first long counter in the 2012 Fellrunning English Championships. It's only 13 miles, but as its 7000ft of ascent weaves its way through the Lake District's rough central fells, most of those 13 miles are rather 'challenging', at least, and completely 'unrunnable' for some. 
But today, and for a limited few days only, you have been invited to come on an armchair recce with some of Saturday's main contenders!
The Race
Let's ask organisers Ambleside to tell us about the race.......

"The race starts in Langdale at Stool End Farm, after an eyeballs-out ascent of The Band to Bowfell, the route makes a high-level summit-hopping circuit of Upper Eskdale, including Esk Pike, Great End, Scafell Pike and Scafell. There follows a crossing of what feels like Middle Earth, forging a path from Slight Side to Pike o' Blisco – fast running over the trackless reaches south of Great Moss. On a clear day it’s magic, but if the clags in then the map will definitely need to be out. The final descent from Blisco is notably steep if you choose to take it head-on."

So that's BOWFELL, ESK PIKE, GREAT END, SCAFELL PIKE, FOOT OF GULLY TO FOXES TARN, FLAGGED SECTION AVOIDING FOXES TARN, SCAFELL, SLIGHT SIDE and PIKE OF BLISCO. So reports of recces taking 8 hours are hardly surprising and yet the records are 2:37:41 (Simon Booth - 2009) and 3:30:36 (Kate Bailey - 2009).

An invitation to come on a recce

But for just a few days only, Fell Running Briefs is inviting you on a recce with, none other than, our British Silver Medalist Ski Mountaineer Ben Bardsley!

Here's Ben, don't be afraid, you can trust him, that's a Codade Horshoe buff he's got on his head, so he must be ok! Ben's meeting up with some friends today and they (like Ben) are top quality fell runners. 

Joining us on the recce are Borrowdale Fellrunners Captain Paul (King King Corny) Cornforth, this year's Grisedale Grind and Glaramara winner Martin Mikkelsen Barron (MMB) and the Jebi Master himself (and last year's English Championship runner up) Rob Jebb. I just hope we can keep up.......

Here we go up 'The Band'

Ben - "Are you ok back there?"

FRB - "I'll catch you up lads, wait at the top"

Now we've reached Bow Fell and we are looking over to Esk Pike

FRB - "Looks a bit rocky to me lads"

Ben - "Just a bit! But just watch Corny and MMB float over it"

Now we're at Esk Pike and looking over to Great End

FRB - "I think I can see a bit of grass I can run on for about two metres"

Corny - "Fill yer boots"

Heading off Great End towards Scafell Pike

OK we're heading off Scafell Pike now!

Ben - "There are some patches of grass here"

FRB - "Just finding them is the problem!"

Heading towards Slight Side

Ben - "Come on! It's good running!"
FRB - "It may be, but my legs have stopped working"

Looking back to Slight Side

FRB - "Surely you've transported us to the Alps Ben, that's beautiful!"
Ben - "Let's hope it's like this on race day"

Coming off Pike O' Blisco

Ben - "Simon Booth knows a good line off here if you can keep up with him"
FRB - "Is it nearly over Ben? I'm ruined, my legs are trashed"
Ben - "Honestly keep going FRB, I've got a treat for you at the end"
FRB - "Ugh, OK"

Back at Stool End

FRB - "Oh super, a bath with Corny, MMB and Rob Jebb - What a treat"

We hope you've enjoyed our recce today, don't forget to thank Ben for inviting us if you see him and good luck in the race! We'll hope to bring you news of the winners, shortly after the race as we know there isn't a lot of phone cover down Langdale.
Entry List
Here's the entry list.