Leg 5

Leg 5: 10 miles, 2500ft ascent, and target time: anytime before 5pm

Support: Adam, Helen, Andrew, Stuart, Chris W, Bro Steve, Dave & Emma, Dennis, Ella, Leechy, Baz, Jonny, Mickey P.

I sat on my chair for the last time with everyone rushing around bring me food and drinks all I wanted was some new feet, Mickey, Paul and Andrew had done a fantastic job with all the plasters but they were sore, I just blanked out that feeling with the feeling of joy and pleasure at what I had achieved so far and I new I would make it to Moot Hall.

I was on top of the world, I was King and it was party time with just 3 peaks to do and loads of time to do it. The run in was great, loads of support, loads of new faces to chat to the climbs soon passed. Its was extra nice to have Dave Aspen along the man that set the seed of my Bg quest all them years ago, before long we were passing the Church to the sounds of the bells ring with joy at our success. We only had the road to do which again passed so quickly over the bridge we went and onto the busy streets of Keswick, luck was on my side again in the form of two police supporters they stop all the traffic for me on the roundabout and beyond that was just fantastic. I hit the doors of Moot Hall again, the last time I did that was 21 hours and 50 minutes ago. Words just don’t express that feeling, two years in the making with some mega days out over the last 9 months.

I think we did about or over a marathon every weekend since Christmas with around 175,000 feet of ascents but it paid off big time. I think if my feet still had skin on them I could have keep on going, we will never know.

Massive thanks to every one that help out over the past few months I could not have done it with that help and support.

Deasey's Bob Graham Round

Leg 4: 10 miles 6300ft ascent, target time, Honister for Lunch

Support team John Leech, Baz, Greg.

People had said to me the hardest thing to do on the round was getting out of the chair at Wasdale, not when you have a Baz’er around, I expected a slow slog up Yewbarrow I also thought around 60mins for the climb. I crossed the gate that was Baz’s signal to start talking to me to keep my mind off other

things and so for the whole of the leg he never shut up endless stories everyone a gem and that’s why I asked him along. Leechy lead the way whilst Baz talked, Greg and I just listened. Red pike was topped and everything was great I was happy. We came off Steeple and I was still thinking about food again, I’ll try Jelly but with my cloves on I drop it, not to be put off I quickly pick it up brushed off the stone and down it went.

The weather could not have been better with clear views all around a gentle breeze to keep us cool and still Baz was telling stories. Over Pillar towards Kirk Fell where Stuart would be meeting us with Morning Coffee, but no sign of him at the foot of Red gulley, what a disappointment no Jaffa cake’s and coffee before the climb, never mind lets hope he is at the base of Great cable, what a nice surprise to see him on the top of Kirk Fell and what a great cup of Coffee we had I afraid that can’t be said for the Jaffa’s, Baz passing me what looked nothing like a Jaffa when I refused to eat it his reply was well that’s the only one your getting you cant have another until that one’s gone.

Great Gable the last big climb of the round to me, it’s a strange fell totally different in shape from any of the fells in the Lake District a massive lump of rock towering up in front of you. As we climb the banter was still going and we soon touched the summit to the sound of Leechy stating that’s a gain of 4 minutes lets enjoy the views with some Peaches so we did, and still Bazer was talking. The last summits passed quickly as we popped out of the last one we could see our support team waiting, it was a fantastic sight so many people shouting and cheering me in, I was on a high, I was living my dream of completing The BGR and we had made just time for lunch.

Deasey Bob Graham Round

Leg 3: 15.2miles, 6500ft ascent, target time: in for breakfast.

Jonny Shaw, Steve Jeffs, Jarvo, Stuart

Leg 3 is my leg, it’s hard but I love it and I was looking forward to it some parts I cant remember, must be an age thing, so this what I can. It was very dark at Dunmail so Jonny 3 peaks, which is what we named him after this leg due to him only topping 3 peaks,had started up steel fell early to give us a target light as naving was going to be a little harder with that earlier start time and me being an hour up on schedule but I trusted my nav men. Half way up Steel fell Steve asked if I was ok ‘not bad’ was my reply. ‘Are you feeling sick yet’ was the next question. ‘Oh yes ‘I said ‘not to worry it will pass soon was his reply and it did.

I’ve done leg 3 many times before in all types of conditions but Steve had us over some new lines and at times I didn’t have a clue where we were. We had a little fumble to find Calf crag but it seam only minutes before we topped out Sergent man. In the back of my mind I built up a cushion of an hour and I didn’t want to lose it but I felt we were going a slow and were losing time. As as I look back know it was a surprise as I have never once considered times and how fast I would be all I had in mind from the very start was to get round under the 24 hour. With the Stickle’s done we had the long trek to Rosset, and it was still dark, in the distance we could see many bright lights coming towards us quite surreal really a large group of walkers out on a night walk. All the time I was thinking about the need to eat, constantly saying to my self little and often. I kept asking for different things but I had over filled my food bag and Jarvo was find it hard to find things he was have to stop then catch up all the time suffering with stomach cramps.

Bowfell was topped we were half way round I was homeward bound and daylight was breaking, to me this was my turning point everything was starting to look a little brighter me included, the next few summits came and went very quickly even the Pike seamed a quick climb. All that was left was dodging the 3 peaker’s then Scafell via Broad stand. We passed the rescue box shouting Tom to announce our approach, out he popped from his bright Yellow Bibby all smiles with waiting rope, a must on a BG attempt. The last summit was done I would soon being having Breakfast with my Queen very soon. The Scree run was done at a very slow pace as I still needed to look after my heels; I just followed 3 peaks Jonny all the way in, my team had done a great job getting me over the hardest leg and now I was really enjoying it.

A slightly different pit crew at Wasdale, Paul had return home to entertain his New Zealanders he handed the roll of foot inspector to Mickey, My Bacon butty was the hardest thing I ever tried to eat it just would not go down but I new I had to try on the other hand the liquids were slipping down very nicely. I had a full change of cloths and was almost ready to go just that butty to force down time up Leechy shouted but I needed to finish my brew first.

Deasey's Bob Graham Round

Leg 2: 13.2miles, 5900ft ascent, target time just get there!

Mickey P, Stuart, Martin, Mark Bell, Mike M

Setting off up the road all my thought’s were, it’s over I’ve shredded my heels and I’ll never be able to run with heels like this for another 60miles, but all these people had come to help I must give it a go. Clough Head was next, going up was easy it’s the downs were I could feel them, time to test the heels again on the downs as soon as I touched the summit I was gone, next second I had Mark on my shoulder slowing me down, Mickey had told my pacers in the a way that he’s best at, not to let me get away again, when Mickey caught up with us he too gave me a telling. Think it was some thing Like this: Dave: ‘we may as well give up now theirs no way I can get round with heels like this’. Mick: ‘get them ******* thought’s out of your head your ****** doing it, I’m in the driving seat from now on and this parcel is being delivered safely to Dunmail I don’t want to hear anything like that again’ Baring in mind this is Mick telling me and I’ve edited most of it. Was this my downer that everyone talks about? No way was I thinking more like leg 4 for that or would I have another downer?

With me well and truly told off, I needed a fresh plan. Get some the pain killers into me was the first step and then think…………………………. what would Joss Naylor do if he was in my shoes, just blank it out I recon or grab the nearest sheep pull off some wool and wrap my feet up with it. No I’ll blank it out, then I need to slow down and try to protect my heels as best I can from here on, I’ll do more grass running and try keeping off the heels as much as possible and just get to Dunmail. Time soon passed mostly by Martin spending most of the night teaching everyone Italian, sorry but he failed with me on that count. Darkness was approaching we would soon need head torches, I was wanting to leave them off as long as I could, even asking Martin to turn his off just a little longer, but as we started up low man they were on. For some reason mine failed, I had fitted new batteries Friday Lunch time and check it at Keswick before I started but it was dead. Luck was on our side, we had spare batteries! But it was having none of it, Martin kindly gave me his Light but running next to Mickey’s light you don’t really need anything else. We continued at a good pace everyone doing there bit picking me back up from my downer then bunching around to shield me from the increasing winds, at Nethermost we split me and a couple of pace topping out whilst some stayed on the path making our life very easy to find it again, we did this again at Dollywagon before long we were at the tarn were we split again. Three of us went up Fairfield the rest went up Seat Sandal, then two headed down early to order me a milk shake.

Fairfield had always been a descent I was worried about because the path is becoming very bare causing me to slip and slide around and its zig zag path giving my knee’s great discomfort, so the descent was always going to be slow but tonight it was extra slow. Seat was done and I was looking forward to seeing my Queen. We started to drop but things seemed different in the dark and we were heading way too much to the left and we kept losing sight of Stuart, he was Naving us down, then a shout from Stuart ‘go far right’ we were traversing towards the path near the beck but I could see the pit crew below us it was daft to keep traversing in my mind so me and Mickey simply head to the lights possibly not the best line off Seat but we got down safely.

I jumped into the van enjoying some bread and soup then that milk shake I’d asked for, all the time Paul was checking out my feet. ‘Pretty good ‘he said with little movement from the plasters he was happy and so was I my DHL driver had delivered the package to Dunmail almost in one piece.

Deasey's Bob Graham Round

It’s a pretty hectic time preparing for a BG, it should be rest time really but there’s so much to do, like work, filling food bags and did I fill them, sorting time cards, sharpening pencils, the list goes on and on. Needless, to say I was up at normal time Friday morning ready for a final kit check before breakfast and the numerous texts, phone calls and good luck emails, whilst checking the weather forecast ever 30 seconds but we did find some chill out time before my brother arrived from Southend for a mid -morning snack (full English), more coffee was drunk before loading the van, how anyone can do a BG from a car boot is beyond me, we had every single corner filled and no floor space left. We were almost ready to go but not before an extra nap, which I found pretty easy all things considered. I woke slowly before filling up again with spaghetti; it was more a case of forcing it in than enjoying the flavours.
Helen offered to drive but I thought it would be less stressful if I drove; we dropped off the dog and picked up Mickey P in Kendal. As we drove up past Thirlmere we were shocked at the lack of water and so we slated the people of Manchester for drinking too much. We parked in the car park behind Moot Hall, next breath everyone had gone and I was on my own and for the very first time I felt nervous of the task ahead of me, people arriving soon put a stop to that. We gathered at the doors of Moot Hall and soon had a strong crowd of well wishers to see me off. I asked Ray to go down the Sweet Temptation passage when we started and as we passed he had a quick look down saying “that’s ok but what are we to do if the Piano removal men are coming up with a piano” a look of disbelieve from me followed. The time soon passed as I chatted to crowds of well wishers, I’m not one who likes a fuss but it was great to see them all. Almost time to go was the cry from the back I turned on my watch only to find the wrong time of day but there was no time to adjust it as we ran so I passed it back for someone else to sort anyway luck was on our side that night Sweet Temptation alley was clear not a piano insight.

Leg 1: Ray Gill, Garden Centre Dave, Nick Gannicliffe, Andrew McCracken (Parachute run) 12.5miles 5150ft of Ascent, target time

Ad Altiora, we climbed and climbed towards Skiddaw passing the small car park and our waiting road crew with the Pacers bags and my watch, I could now tell how fast we were going, too fast! My heart rate was going mental, must just be the adrelin rush of the BG I thought, my pacers were telling me to slow down, which I did! (they may say different), I glanced back a few times to see how Nick G was doing, GC Dave stating if we stop talking your going too fast, with that advice and only deep gulps of breath to be herd I slowed. Skiddaw was soon topped out to the cries of “well that’s the fastest I’ve done that” I needed to slow down but the next section is my favourite on the round with its long slopes and soft grass it seems effortless and easy to gain some time. I topped out alone on Calva, both pacers opting to just view me touching the summit. We dropped off and crossed the heather towards the river at a more of a walking pace, much to the delight of my pacers, picking up the worn trod with ease.
We hit the main path towards Blencathra my feet were starting to cook and I could feel something was not right. We spotted Nick re-grouped then up to the summit, where we were meet by Andrew. He was to be our guide on the parachute route, as no-one else had done it before; we got it right this week thanks to Andrew and a little red hat as our target to a trod. Again this route is fabulous if you like the adrenalin rush, the chute to me is like a white knuckle ride at a theme park, steep grassy descents then the fast and furious scree runs finishing with a narrow track beside the beck, one wrong footing and it will spit you out.
I dropped into Threkeld with one pacer at my side, Ray, passing the industrial units I could feel my feet , they where sore my heels slide back and forth as we went, s##t was my thought had we gone too fast and I’ve blown it?, but I was feeling so strong. At the pit stop I must have had a look of anger on my face, I was cross with myself I had damaged my feet so early on, anyway with an egg butty and a cup of tea with sugar inside me and loads cheering from my supporters, I set out again but in the back of my mind I was thinking it was over, a 2 year plan had been smashed to pieces in a little over 3 hours, I just had to pray that the hard work of my pit crew to protect my heels from further damage would work.

TBC

The Final Weekend

6th June 2010

4 Dallam runners 2 Dogs

The final weekend has been a hard one in terms of wanting to get out and do some running, but getting everything sort seems to have filled my time and there’s still loads to get sorted. The week before I had supported Andrew on leg 1 of his Bg we had blasted our way around the leg finishing some 40mins up on his 22:15 schedule leaving pacers and supporters trailing all over the leg, still feeling very fresh at the end of the Leg I thought I need to be going the same way. So dropped Mickey P, Ju Ju and Helen off at the upper Skiddaw car park, for them to do the leg whilst I drove to Threkeld and I was to have a gentle walk up Doddick fell then meet them on Mungrisdale Common.

The walk up Doddick fell is one of the easiest routes up I’ve done in weeks. The summit was in clag so I didn’t hang around on it I just wandered down to meet up with the rest of the gang as I passed the Boggy area on the Common I noticed a Sheep trapped in their, I pulled it out and off it ran, I reached the rocky area and sat down waiting for them to appear I was becoming a little cold so decided to through on my coat only to find I had Helen’s so that was never going to fit me not wanting to get cold I walked back up towards the main Path doubling back a couple of times just to keep warm. At last I spotted them and we started our ascent chatting about the descent of GT Calva I had tried to explain where we had been the week before, not sure had found that trod but they had found a trod, as we climbed we notice three runners coming up behind us, at the summit we re-grouped and waited to see who the three runners where, it was the Modley BG training team, they too where out to check the parachute route.

The first part of the descent went very well, grassy and steep then a short scree run followed by some heather hopping, that’s if you miss the little trod, then we went wrong we turned right too early so we doubled back to the next saddle before picking up to route once more, we crossed the beck and traversed the heather again towards the second scree run which leads you all the way down to the beck, now it’s it an easy fast path all down pasted the old mine where we re-grouped. I’m a pretty happy with the route I would have liked to do it again but I’m out of time, most of the remainder of the group have decided that there parachute will not be used on there BG attempts.

I’d like to thank everyone who has come along on my training days I’ve had a great time and if I’ve upset anyone please accept my apologize this also goes to my attempt I’m sure I’ll have a downer at some point and if I do take it out on you I don’t mean it really.

I worked out that on our training weekends, since January, we have done around 189,000 ft of ascent, 800miles and 12 Marathons, so the last two weekends of doing very little has been a nice rest.

Totals : Watch has bust had to send it back hope it's here for friday

The Old County Tops

22nd May 2010

7 Dallam runners & lots of others

A 37 mile route, 10000ft of Ascent: Langdale, Helvellyn, Scafell Pike, Coniston Old Man, finishing back in Langdale.

My partner today was Mike Smith. The morning started about 15 degrees above what we have been used to running in so the day was always going to be a hard one. With the rucksack filled up with Water and some food I was ready to go. The first few miles were hard it seams to take me a good few miles to settle down and get into a rhythm, the pace was pretty fast well over the normal Bg pace and with the sun beaming down I new that I should not push it too much through Grasmere and up to Helvellyn, everyone seamed to pass me going up and at that point I didn’t think I would make it round. Things picked up a little bit on the final climb to the summit and I was feeling a bit better after the refuel stop at Wythburn.

The next target was Scafell Pike we progressed up towards Greenup Pass before aiming for Rosset Crag dropping over the brow mid way up and into Angle Tarn. After a quick refill of Water we pushed on as we reached Esk Hause I was feeling down again we had to stopped for a moment to try and force some Peaches down as we did a BG attempt passed us a chp called Seb he looked ok and was going well, he finished his round in a little over 21 hrs well done a good effort on a hot day I wished him well as he went, Peaches done we press onward and upwards in the saddle below Scafell Mike passed me some Ice, a great little pick me up before we reached the summit. We doubled back dropping off to the right and the long drag to Cockly Beck, with a cut off time of 3:45 I thought we had no chance of making it and I was starting feeling bad for letting Mike down so I down A Can of Red Bull which kicked in pretty well, we headed straight towards the checkpoint over some small crags whilst all the other teams ahead of us went the longer flattish way around, as we got nearer I switched my watch to Time of day we had very little time left there was around 3km to run but no checkpoint in sight we must be close. We passed a couple of teams in the wilderness area but down the rocky path the pressure was on to get to that checkpoint but time were running out. That rocky path seamed more like Tarmac to me I was able to spot the smoothest line twisting and turning, ducking and driving as we steamed down the path, I glanced up to see a team ahead they kept to the nice grass path we could not afford to do that we had to cut across the bracken and a straight line in, someone had walked back up to say we must keep running to make it in time, I glanced at my watch 3:44:30 sec so close to being timed out.

Cockly Beck checkpoint turned out to be like a F1 pit stop we should have been out by 3:45, the marshal must have been in the sun too long also he gave us 5 minutes to refuel, I just laid down on the grass whilst the service crew filled up the water bottles and pushed Egg butties, flapjack, malt loaf and Tea into me before pushing out again. We had made it to the checkpoint in time no one ask if we wanted to carry on good job we did. We pressed on passing looking up we could see a good few teams ahead some teams trying to refuel and take a few moments rest on rocks other slowly climb toward The Old Man Summit. It turned out we were the last team to summit The Old Man meaning loads of teams dropped out behind us.

Mike was feeling it now we climbed to the first ridge before resting and more refuelling in the shade under some rocks just what we needed. We traversed towards the Summit our sprits lifted at the sight of the other Dallam teams coming back down, I thought they would have been long gone but they too had all been having a hard time one way or another. It was an even bigger surprise to see Ella cheering us on. We dropped into the Three Shires Stone to perfection, seeing as I’ve never been over that way before Mike doing a first class job of naving us in. After more water, orange juice, flapjack and Kendal Mint cake at the last checkpoint we passed an other team on of them looking pretty down, we slowly ran down the steep road pass before turning left towards the Langdale’s again passing more failing teams as we went. It was the most welcome of sights seeing the finish line in the distance we had around 2 miles to go cutting across above the camp site before hitting the final road section of around 100m as we approached Ray spotted us, we had almost caught him.

We regrouped at in the finish area chatting about how hard the day had been and how each team had struggled at some point of the day, John leech had stormed away early only to fade and vomit near the end, as had Steve Jeffs, stormed away, then he too suffered with the heat of the day, Ray’s partner had suffered also they had to walk most of the way from The Old Man. As I looked around at some of the other teams, their was a lot of sad looking people hobbling around, being sick and even one chap passing out. Not sure how many teams started but when we finished 24 teams had dropped out of the race.

Overall a very hard day Bob was looking down on me for the last time in training, he had one final test for me The heat. It saps of all your climbing power, its stops you from eating easily, It makes you drink more, your feet cook so you keep dipping them in the becks which make them blister quicker and worst of all, but not so much at the time, all your bits rub. I think I passed the heat test, I had to fight to keep going at times but I was able to push on when we were running out of time, then when loads of others were fading I was feeling strong again.

Totals: 37 miles, 10100ft ascent, 11hours 26 mins, 3.3mph ave speed