2006 Race Report - September 10th

Sunrise at 6.30am, as the light dawned, the mist hovered on the lake, all was calm. Early morning dew twinkled on the grass and the birds sang.
Triathletes rise at 7am, as the first arrived, the marshals rubbed their sleepy eyes, all was frantic. Early morning panic set in and the wibbling began.
Race start at 9am, 396 wetsuit clad triathletes entered Ullswater, led and flanked by canoes, swam a 1 mile course around the lake. The water was cold and clear and mirror like, in fact it was the flattest thing the competitors would encounter all day. Watched by hundreds of spectators lining the banks, the fastest swimmer, Jason Howell, made it out in 19minutes 19seconds followed about a minute later by Alex Starling.

First lady out of the water was Alison Smeaton in 21mintues and 6seconds. The crowd gradually moved away from the water and up to the transition area and out onto the road as the bulk of the race exited the water and set out on the bike. Before long there was a continuous stream of cyclists heading out onto the main road and off onto the bike route. A short stretch along the side of the lake gives the legs chance to warm up, before the first climb up to Matterdale. Thanks to the highways agency for providing the race track surface once you reach the top of this leg which takes you quickly down to join the A66. Mainly down along the A66 is the perfect opportunity to start refuelling then down on the tri bars and eat up those miles. The road through St Johns in the vale is twisty and scenic, this gives way to the A591 into Ambleside. The slog up Dunmail Raise is worth it for the swift descent on the other side taking you through Grasmere and on to the outskirts of Ambleside. Then there it is, Kirkstone Road, aka the Struggle. 3 miles of almost relentless 1 in 3, reducing even the most fit of cyclists to their knees! Once again the support was tremendous with crowds of about 200 lining the road from the top, whistles and hooters sounding and yells of encouragement, Alp D’Huez style.

Col de Kirkstone reached it’s downhill all the way to transition, or almost as one competitor found when his chain broke at the bottom of Kirkstone Road, and he managed to freewheel/run with his bike all the way back in! By this point in the race the legs should have just about stopped screaming from the ascent on the bike in time to start the run. Fairly steady away up past the campsite and onto the fell, then a long slog up to the hole in the wall, with brief sections of “level” that you can run along. Plenty of marshals and lots of walkers out enjoying the fine weather gave runners a boost as they made an ant like procession onwards and upwards. In previous years with the dull, misty weather, Red Tarn looked dark and forboding, this year runners were hoping for a second swim leg in it! I don’t know that anyone actually did, just continued on the final fingernail gripping climb up Swirral Edge to the top. I say top in the loosest of senses, please don’t misunderstand me into thinking that this is all the climbing over with. Several competitors were fooled that way by insufficient preparation and negligent map-reading and boy what a shock they got. A steady descent takes you to onto Lower Man with a small climb here, but it is the climb back onto Whiteside with it’s false tops which really disheartens you, still, once over that it really is downhill all the way! Fell runners come into their own on the descent, skipping past the cringing road runners, who get temporary relief at the bottom of the zig-zag path as the gradient eases slightly for the last two and a half miles, past the Youth Hostel and even more distracting past the Travellers Rest, back into the village and the FINISH!

The first past the post was Marc Laithwaite, in a time of 3hours, 36minutes, 22seconds, hotly pursued for the whole of the run by, Ben Bardsley, in a time of 3hours, 37minutes, 26seconds, Ben also had the fastest run split of the day with a time of 1hour 18minutes 59seconds. Third place went to Ashley Norie in 3hours 42 minutes 54seconds, by only 6 seconds from Matt Cullen. Fastest bike split was posted by Mark Cullen with a time of 1hour 47minutes 48seconds. In the ladies race Louise Hanley, who had taken over the lead coming in off the bike, held onto first place in a time of 4hours, 21minutes, 31seconds, followed a minute later by Heather Dawe, who had again made up the ground on the bike by putting in the fastest ladies bike split, of 2hours, 7minutes, 39seconds, and despite having the fastest run of the ladies on the day, of 1hour 45minutes 23 seconds, Rebecca Cash came in third with a time of 4hours, 24minutes and 20 seconds.
The warmer weather didn’t inspire faster times, the course records for both male and female set in 2005, by Richard Hunt and Kirsty Hewitson, still stand at 3:29:56 and 4:18:30.
The longest time record was set, with Jane Clayton, coming in 9hours, 29minutes, she had a fantastic race, walked up the struggle and down the other side as it was too steep and did a fantastic PR role on Helvellyn, by talking to everyone on the way about what she was doing. Jane was absolutely determined to finish as she was raising money for Cancer Research UK, in memory of a friend who died recently. And just to add to her quest Jane was still recovering from a recent bout if pneumonia.

From an organisers point of view I have to say a massive “THANK YOU” to all of the marshals who had an intense couple of days, Alan Rose for his entertaining commentary, West Cumbria Raynet Group for their enthusiastic radio information and consequent safety cover, Ambleside St John’s Ambulance for patching up those that needed it, the race sponsors, the people of Glenridding and Patterdale for being so welcoming and friendly and all of the competitors for acting so responsibly towards an event that demands respect and to an environment that needs to be cared for (no litter complaints). And finally for those that witnessed the valiant, but very distressing, efforts of the competitor whose legs finally gave up just as he entered the finish field and had to be taken to hospital. He is fine and was allowed home after a check up, but it may take a little while for his horrendously blistered feet to heal.