8th May 2010
The Billy bland challenge is a race over the Bob Graham course each of the 5 legs is done as relay with two different runners per Leg passing a batten over at the road/checkpoints,
Team Captain: Ray Gill
Road team: Dawn Gill, Lyn Jarvis.
The team:Leg1: Steve Jeffs, Mark Bell. Leg 2: Stuart Hurst, Mick Pearcy. Leg3 John Leech, Dave Deason. Leg4: Ray Gill, Andrew McCracken. Leg5: Richard Jarvis, Andy Leadmen.
Not an early start for me this week doing leg 3 I left the house at around 8am picking up Leechy and Dawn at the filling station on the Kendal by-pass arriving at Dunmail Raise with plenty of time to park up behind Ray’s car. Leechy jumped out to take a look inside to see if Ray was asleep, no sign of him, where can he be? Maybe he has gone up the fell to see the Leg 2 boys in few good 5 mins later and Dawn went for a look. But wait a hand appeared in the window Ray was in the car after all hidden under his sleeping bag in the boot of the car. We sat waiting, drinking coffee and eating cakes, we chatted about the route up Blencathra on our Armrest Map each of us taking turns to point out route on a black piece of cloth Leechy re-programmed the map to explain his route at Caw on Wednesday night, the VW armrest is an invaluable piece of kit that should be taken everywhere a map may be needed. I tried Mick’s phone a few time but no answer, what time would they appear? Then an answer they were close, time to get ready. We watched as Stuart and Mick appear over the hill. They passed the batten over, the famous Dallam Batten that Ray had loving made the week before had been lost on the second hill this meant a new batten in the form of a stick would be passed which changed shape and size on each leg, in the excitement Leechy set off just in the nick of time I stopped him from getting run over on the busy road.
We climbed well up Steel Fell, then pushing the pace along at a good 4mph,we were flying along so much so I made a boob on the final ascent to Calf Crag this cost us 30sec doesn’t sound much but at Billy’s pace he would be half way to Sergeant Man with that kind of advantage. With our loss behind us we were racing along just fine, only being slowed slightly by the head wind up to Raise but with dry ground and the wind behind we soon regained the 30sec lost through Thunacar. With the Stickle’s behind us we had the long drag to Rossett and the welcome sight of Shinny waiting with Jelly babies and Water. Bow Fell was another good climb but from now on we had the rocks to deal with skipping over them as best we could, I had thoughts of how Billy crossed them would he have stumbled along like us worrying that we could slip between the rocks snapping an ankle at any time or is he just lighter then me making him so much better balanced. The climb to Great End is very enjoyable now with the extra cairns we built which are to Leech’s liking. The climbed to Broad crag had me stuck mid stride my trusty Mudclaw’s were feeling the pace, the rubber was dropping off them as fast as Jesson Button sheds rubber from his F1 car. The Pike was busy yet again making our ascent and descent a little tricky next we had Broad Stand the very reason me and Leechy had been moved to leg 3. We popped up onto the big slab to the sight of two chaps, Leechy jumped up with ease, always easier when dry, whilst he did I ask the older chap, on the lower levels, if he was ok, ‘No’ was the reply they were out walking and climbing and he was not happy about going up Broad Stand he allowed me also to pass so he could see how to climb up, I hope he made it up ok think he would have being roped up and all. Last summit was done only had the descent to Wasdale left and find a new batten which we passed over to Ray & Andrew in a time of 4hrs 46mins, a little slow than Billy light foot Bland.
We had Lunch at Wasdale before driving around to Honister to meet the Leg 5 team. As we drove up the Buttermere valley with it’s dramatic hills dropping to the still waters below we spotted John Hodgson enjoying an Ice Cream, he came to Honister for a chat as again we sat waiting for runners to arrive so I decided to make an early start up Dalehead a little after 6pm so I could have an easy climb before the racing pair arrived. I looked back to see them climbing well so time to take off the coat and pick up the pace again I kept them at an even distance behind me. Richard was not sure of the best line off Robinson but they did a great job and were soon running down the road towards Keswick, well done to Andy he step in late and did a great job of bringing the team home in a pleasing time of 17hrs 16mins.
Overall it was good to run hard on leg 3 stripping well over an hour off my target time but well off Billy’s time, it was also good to carry on and complete leg 5 in around 2hours on tired legs giving me a feel of what to excepted in June.
Well done to all the Dallam team
Totals: 28miles, 9600ft ascent, 7hrs 09mins 3.9mph ave speed
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