Starting on Saturday 8th October (but not necessarily finishing on the same day) it's pretty clear from the Lakes in a Day website and accompanying fly-through that this is one of the more difficult ways to spend a weekend. In spite of stunning weather (always something of a gratefully received treat in the Lake District) the event still proved to be as tough as they come. Steve himself taps into just how much of a physical and mental challenge such things are:
"The real kicker was the descent to the tarn from Helvellyn and subsequent re-ascent of Fairfield. We could see Ambleside from there but it was like someone was towing it away at the same speed as we were moving towards it: it just never got any closer. Like many a newbie - I gather - I'd expected to be a half marathon further on by nightfall but was instead only just leaving the Ambleside checkpoint, which of course meant even more navigating in the dark and sections that you just couldn't run - even if you felt like it - due to rocks, tree roots etc in the woods alongside Windermere. (Incidentally, the owls were on great form scaring the hell out of you with their calls and occasional half seen wing rushes.) The last real low of the event was leaving Windermere to go to the final checkpoint at Finisthwaite, which looked nothing on the map but was largely uphill and took an hour. I eventually arrived at Cartmel at gone 3.00am on Sunday morning."
Steve's time of just over nineteen hours betrays the severity. Just awesome!
