DARK PEAK NEWS Winter 2012 - Dark Peak Fell Runners

Dark Peak News Winter 2012 page 44but the final route to the second control wasdebateable: did you go for the steep descentdirect, or take the easier but longer diagonalroute? My own route from there to the finishwas a mess, as I set off on the track and thenleft it for a direct rougher line. Certainly notthe best way, but it got me in fast enough toclaim the trophy and I was well chuffed withthat. A fine morning’s sport.Roger BaumeisterJim Orrell bushwacking across BleaklowJurassic Fell Race – Axe to ExeSunday 1 April 2012 (BL 20.1m/3999ft)At the end of February, my daughter Bethand I both came down with pneumonia. Shehad two weeks in the Children’s Hospitaland I had three days in the Northern General.We both recovered and during the next twoweeks off work I planned my running rehab.The first run was at two weeks: the Saturdaymorning run from Endcliffe Park up PorterClough. I managed to run to the end of ForgeDam and back having been left by everyone.What would have taken 30 minutes tookan hour. I just had no go in my legs. Thefollowing weekend I did a slow five hourEdale Skyline to make sure I could get roundand then raced it the following weekend ina time which surprisingly was comparableto my previous one, going down and up toRinging Roger rather than round.The following weekend I took the girlsdown to their grandparents in Somersetwhilst Jenny worked. I had seen in the FRACalender a race that ran from Exmoutheasterly to a place called Seaton via BudleighSalterton and Sidmouth, along the SW coastalpath. I stayed with friends in Exeter the nightbefore the race but still had to get up early todrive my car to the finish, arriving narrowlybefore the coach left to take us back to thestart. The day was bright and sunny but theEsplanade at Exmouth was quite windy. Inthe sun it was very warm but the breeze wascool. This should have provided a dilemmain what to wear but as I had driven to thefinish I had made my rather hurried decisionson clothing and footwear as I left the car.There was one other northern vest, Huw fromAmbleside.The start was slightly surreal: 100-plusrunners charging along the seafront past allthe dog walkers. What was to follow waseven more so. After the Esplanade the routeclimbs onto the cliff top in tight single trackginnels, to the Geo Needle at OrcombeRocks, then runs through a series of holidaycamps and a firing range which provide themeat of the navigational difficulty. Havingtraversed the first headlands you graduallydrop to Budleigh Salterton and run at leasttwo miles along the seafront. Here I realisedmy choice of X Talons was a bad one. Trailshoes or even road shoes would have been farbetter. Once you’ve dodged the Daily Mailand Telegraph reading retirees of Budleigh,a half-mile detour inland to cross the Otterestuary brings you to a lovely gradual climbto the top of a stretch of ochre cliffs.