What do we get up to!

Saturday 9th March 2103, witnessed me ( Darren) and Clare out in the wilds again. This time it would be different!! We would be trail running the ‘Howarth Hobble‘….

Friday – I prepared all my home made veggie juices ( care of Jason Vale ) for the weekend. These would help replenish the bodies good sstuff post race. I also packed Oats, Blueberries, Banana Gluten Free nutty bread, free range eggs, Chia seed, Flax seed, I’m sure there’s more but I forget. 6:30pm we set from South Cheshire for the 2 or so hour drive to Yorkshire and the Howarth YHA.

After a nice drive with through thick fog, and a bizzare route choice by the sat nav we arrived at the Hostel. A big house overlooking Howarth, we were allocated a very large room for the princely sum of £19 for 2, this persuaded us to book an extra night for Saturday so to save the long drive home with sore legs.

After an early wake up alarm call at 6am , we headed to the kitchen for breakfast and put the final touches to getting ready. I suffer from a condition I’ve called ‘pointy toe syndrome’, which kills my socks with my big toe wearing the sock after only short races. So I wrap my big toe in a strip plaster and Zinc oxide tape, I also had to strap up a blister on my heal with Zinc oxide tape.

Loo Q

We drove the short distance to the registration at 7:45am, picked up our number and soaked up the pre-race atmosphere. The Loo queues were huge, pre-race nerves i think!!! We headed to the high street for the 8am start outside the Fleece pub with 500 other runners. Then we were off..

Howarth Hobble

The course is very runable, but still, I’d plotted the route on printed out mas from OS getamap, highlighted the route on the maps. We headed up towards Top Withens of Wuthering Heights fame, passed the derelict building in thick mist, wind rain and snow. Following other runners, we manged a steady pace. Under foot was a mixture of re-claimed flaggs from mills of the past, track and muddy paths across streams and styles.

After 8 ish miles we hit the first Control (check) point Widdop Reservoir. It was a nice sight in the rain and cold day. We grabbed a handful of biscuits, topped up our 1/2 litre water bottle, wished the marshals well and headed off across the dam wall.

A few runners around today

Following the pennine way for a while we focused on the running, placing one foot in front of the other. I wasn’t very sociable during this particular race, I wanted to achieve a target time I’d secretly set before the start of 7:30 ( 1hr 30 minutes faster than my first and only to this point, 32 mile race), so i was ‘in the zone’.

The next control point was on a top of ‘Long Causeway’, the marshals here must have been cold, with no shelter and horizontal easterly wind, rain and snow. A couple of biscuits and off we trotted, past very active wind turbines on Cole Clough, for a short 1 mile road section.

Trail running around the Howarth Hobble

We headed off road again and through a very, very muddy path behind Stiperden House farm, then on to the Stoney Lane control point. The control was busy, providing Donuts, Hot Cross buns, hot water, biscuits and ‘Hot Dogs!’. I resisted the hot dogs, but couldn’t resist the Donuts :). Clare had been challenged for the first section of the race with an unusual lack of energy. After taking on board a hot cross bun, the engine was stoked and it wasn’t long before she was back to her normal mountain goat fitness.

With a short navigation test, we revisted the map and with a ‘it this way’ shout from fellow runners we headed down to Todmorden. Crossing a busy main street, a very steep, but short climb towards the control point at Mankinholes. Now this control point had a bottle of whiskey, next to water and biscuits! We resisted this and opted for a few biscuits and walked for the next 1/2 mile eating scones, Oh I forgot to mention these 🙂 Then a short run then a steep climb towards a misty top of ‘Stoodley Pike‘ with its monument hidden in the mist. A fast muddy downhill run followed ( this was fun) to Hebden Bridge.

Stoodley Pike

The next control point involved a steep work/run to the lovely cobbled village of Heptonstall, then down (again) to the last but one control point at Horse Bridge. The pack we were running with divided at this point and along with another runner, me and Clare headed off first. We were around mile 22-24 and the wall was hit!! I took on my first and only Gel, which helped and restored my energy, carrying on along the old pack horse route passed Hollins hall and below Shackleton Moor to the last checkpoint at ‘Top O’t Stairs. We spent a little too long here and we set of up the short sharp tarmac section of the road to Lane End, picking up the track again.

I suffer from a touch of Raynauds syndrome, which is a reduction in circulation to the fingers. With this in mind I try and buy the best, waterproof cloves, so i bought a pair of Seal skin gloves prior to an aborted attempt on the Tour du Helevellyn ( another story ). For whatever reason , and only appears to be me, these gloves fill up with water, which they did at mile 10. I just put a pair of liner gloves on. Now at mile 28(ish) the feeling my fingers had gone. I shouted to Clare that she’d have to help me (like a baby) put a dry pair of mitts on. This was amusing as Clare had to unzip my bag, I managed to take my wet gloves off with my teeth and Clare shoe horned on my 15 year old mitts under my water proof cuffs and we were off with drying and warmer hands.

After a couple of miles we dropped out of the clag and things got a little warmer. We passed other runners by the small reservoir below Windle House farm. At this point i tried to un-zip my water proof as things were starting to heat up and I was getting little claustrophobic in my zipped up hood. This was even more amusing as I couldn’t grab the zip in my mitts and wasn’t prepared to stop or even walk to take my gloves off. Panic started to set in, like when somebody used to sit on you when you were at school ( this is the main reason I didn’t play Rugby 🙂 ) the zip un-zipped..

We were now only a few miles away, possible 2, or may be less from the finish and it was at this point I took the first look at my Garmin in the whole race and was amazed that it showed 6:58 – I thought to myself ‘we can do this’!!!

We picked up the pace with tired, but strong legs and ran with determination to get within my target time. Running over Pennistone Hill, we had the last cold shower of snow of the race and it was down hill. Before I knew it we were back in the centre of Howarth popping out from behind the church. Down some slippy steps to the school and the finish line. The Marshall’s took our number and I’d already taken my gloves off to stop my Garmin…..

7:14 – we’d done it…!!!! 33 Miles – 4400ft

Now it was here we could feel good and proud, replace my wet and cold base layer. Have a nice home made Veggie stew, cup of Tea and some home made Cakes ( all donations going to the school).

Howarth Hobble Done

Spring is in the Fells

Darren What do we get up to!

The weekend started with a bit of luck.

As a surprise and Christmas present from Clare we were aiming for Wasdale the home of British Climbing and a Saturday night stay at the Wasdale Head inn. We’d attack the Mosedale Horsehoe on the Sunday so that was it, weekend goal set..!!

This still left something to plan for the Saturday whilst driving to Wasdale? As it was my weekend Clare left it in my hands to choose what we could do! I thought for a while…. Now I’d always wanted to climb a small mountain called Blackcombe. It’s the kind of hill where you pass to travel to the western lakes to tackle some of the more famous and bigger tops and admire from the car window.

That was it Saturday was set – a run/walk up Blackcombe it was then or was it? As luck wold have it a post from Pete Bland sports in Kendal popped up on my Facebook saying they’d be at the Blackcombe Fell race, on the Saturday! after checking the Fell Running website (FRA) we found that indeed there was a fell race – so we’d enter as on my bucket list was to run a Fell race in the Lakes. Last year I bobbed around the Keswick 1/2 marathon after guiding a group around the 24 mile Yorkshire 3 peaks the day before.

Balckcombe

After a 2 1/2 hour drive we landed on the field which was being used as the car park. The weather looked good, but the hill now looked very steep, especially as we’d be running, climbing, crawling to the summit, then back down the other side and then back up again ( must be mad). We registered at Silecroft village hall, bought a new pair of la Sportiva trainers and headed back to the car to change. I faffed around for 45 minutes, after deciding which top to wear and had a pre-race pee (nerves). We then lined up at the start with 150 other , thinner and fitter runners from various clubs around the UK. 12 midday the whistle was blown and we were off.

I’d say I hit the first climb, but in fact it was only one climb all the way to the summit at 600 metres or 1970 feet. It wasn’t long before my lungs were exploding going from pretty much sea level to near vertical climbing within 4 minutes can’t be good for you (can it?). The fitter among us ( including Clare ) started to gain pace and distance. I felt like I was going backwards and started to have heated discussions with the little voice in my head ( you’re not fit enough, you weigh to much, you’ve not done this before, STOP, go back, you can’t do it) you know what I mean, don’t you :). You then have to kick the little voice. I just kept thinking of a post-it note my daughter Ellie had secretly left on my computer monitor and it’s still there now. It simply read ‘ Never enter a race if you won’t finish it !!!!!!!!!! By Ellie (10)’ – I kept moving, placing one foot in front of the other, as other runners passed me I just kept moving , upwards.

I then set a GOAL – to finish and to finish before the last place.

We hit the summit in thick mist, the kind you can only see you hands in front of your face. It was time – to get the ma and compass out…!!!! I took a bearing and took a bearing again as I didn’t believe it the first time and headed off hand railing Blackcombe and Whitecombe screes on my right. It wasn’t long before the mist cleared as we dropped I saw 4 runners in front of me, I didn’t know I was currently last, but i knew if I overtook these runners I wouldn’t be. i used this new motivation to keep moving and as the ground leveled out I took up speed and passed them and headed to control point 3 on Whitecombe ( Blackcombes little sister).

Then a steeeep descent to a stream junction observing the mighty climb after crossing the stream. Then the Steeep long climb started back up towards Blackcombe’s south summit, before a long run down ( lots of ups and downs today). With the other runners still behind me motivation kept me going. It wasn’t long until we hit the mist again and I tried to navigate from memory towards the south summit, but I kept thinking of a phrase I’d used whilst delivering a runners navigation training day ‘ Take 30 seconds ( to read a map) to save 60 minutes ( having to find where you are when you get lost). Now to get my map back out I’d have to stop and the other runners will be gaining on me. Dilemma I stopped.. 🙂

To find out where you are on a map in zero viability and no land marks you can use the ground to aid you by taking a bearing down the hill ( fall line) and to my surprise I was right on target. I could hear other runners behind me, like a horror film with a werewolf chasing you I kept on moving and landed right onto the final control point. whooo.

‘ Never enter a race if you won’t finish it !!!!!!!!!! By Ellie (10)’

Then I shot of in to the mist , heading down hill and fast. It was fun, I had to cross some snow and slid down like a big kid we all are. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw another fell runner, this fell runner had passed me 40 minutes before when we were heading down to the stream junction. I stepped up the pace and to my amazement I left him for dust ( well wet soil anyway). Then a minute or 2 later i heard a thud. I swung around and saw the runner performing a somersault. I stopped and shouted back to him to see if was OK, he was, so I shot off. With momentum I carried on running down, jumping dancing of the rocks along the path, troughs and mounds. I could see the finish line and being congratulated and supported by the remaining vol enter marshals, I crossed the line to be met by Clare who’d finished some 13 minutes before me ( she’s more the mountain goat).

Race done in 2:24:32 and 1080 meters of ascent. Happy with that..!!!

A damn hard run

Darren What do we get up to! darren hunt, everest, kilimanjaro, marathon, Running

Sunday 6th January 2103 saw 8 Mow Cop runners line up on the start line of the Trigs race. An 16 mile race across the expanses of Cannock Chase in Staffordshire. Now I’ve spent many an hour over here on my mountain bike and as a young army cadet sergeant but never ran it, but knew it was going to be tough.

The race got under way just after 11am, with around 130 runners from different clubs scrambling for a good running line. As we ran further runners went there own way as this was a navigation course, and you’re under you own devices, map and compass at the ready. The aim is to get to 4 Trig points in the quickest time possible! Our navigation choice was to stay low level along sherwood valley until the climb towards the first trig point, which is close the old rifle range. The day started to warm up ( or was it me) as we moved quickly up the first climb, aptly named bugger hill ( for obvious reasons) by my brother who bikes over here a lot than I do. It was warming so much that I removed my Rab long sleeved top and just wore my vest. My legs and lungs were on fire at the top and a run turned into slow jog. We hit the first Trig point .

With great encouragement from the marshal’s from Mercia Fell running club and my brother, Paul, who was following us on his mountain bike we headed of towards on the next very long leg to the railway crossing and the climb to Trig No2. We started running with a group of around 5-6 other runners, including a Mercia runner who we followed ( easier than Navigating yourself ) . We were all pretty evenly matched and kept changing position, then a great down hill section approached and love these, so off I shot. We had 2 mins to take on some water and cross the railway line and busy main road.

We then set off along a forest fire track which was ok until an incline were I just lose my legs. We lost the other group, crossed the road and headed up towards Trig No2 ( i said it was a long way )… We passed other runners on the return leg from the Trig point heading in the opposite direction, we saw 2 of our club mates Damo and Andrew, they said only 10 mins to go, but it was up hill and that was it. Now I’m OK walking up the hills and mountains as a Mountain Guide and instructor, but running is an art I’m destined to crack in 2013. We felt we were moving more and more down the field with less and less runners behind us – Damn. Well this was only ever was going to be a Training run..wasn’t it?

We hit Trig No2 and headed to Trig No3. Down a muddy path until we hit the main forest trail, then up again – yes you got it I walked, albeit quickly (ish). Now we are at mile 11 and we run along a main road to the next trig, dibbed in and took a marked short cut. During the next 20 mins or so was a bit of a blur ( well that was my excuse anyway ). We took , sorry I took a wrong turn and ended up 25 mins behind and for good measure added an extra 2 mile. Still – a great navigator can and has the ability to relocate 🙂 – this area of the chase is a little like the Bermuda triangle as another runner from Macclesfield harriers had the same thing happen to him too…

Still onward and upwards! and it should have been downwards if we’d taken the right path, still never mind these things are a test.. We hit the right track and headed down very quickly, feeling the odd twinge on my right calf. Passing mountain bikers and families we hit the Railway crossing and took on more water.

Then we headed on towards No4 Trig, our final one at Glacier Stone, which i think is that highest place on the chase. But before long we hit the nice down hill from earlier, but this time it was up! Now at this stage I’d had an energy gel and healthy cereal bar and was starting to flag – mile 14. The track leveled out and we ran with 2 guys from Nottingham. My brother was with us too, as he’d met us coming down the previous track, it was a slow run as this was the furthest I’d run since July when we completed a 33mile ultra. Having to dig deep and keep focused, even though you could hear the clock ticking and the sound just gets louder.

We soon passed day trippers and families out for a leisurely afternoon and headed back to the shrub land. Crossing the valley we climbed up aiming towards Trig N04. We ran up a path , then across to what I thought was contouring – Wrong. Now at this time we were about 4-5 mins in front of the guys from Nottingham having taken them on the down hill and not stopping on the up’s. This little oversight meant they were now 5 mins in front – Damn. Still we scrambled our way across the heath and shrub, dropping my left foot into a hole and hitting the floor trying not to twist it we arrived on the correct path.

10 mins or was it 30 mins passed ( well it felt like 30 ) we made it to the final Trig point. Yipee. We then carried on towards Milford and Home. The downhill towards the old railway sidings were full of families, dogs and push chairs, but we ran down as fast as we could only to see the 2 guys from Nottingham about 2- mins in front. Paul who met us again at the top by trig No4 said you can get them…

Now I have No idea where it came from, but I gathered speed, then more speed, my legs were moving fast, running straight through the mud and puddles – now when running it hurts, and when it does you often put your mind some place else! Sometimes to hide the pain, sometimes to find the motivation – now don’t laugh – I imagined I was in the 10k Tri-athleon race with the Brownlee brothers ( a far cry I know, but it worked for me 🙂 ). I took the guys just as we started to climb 300 meters from home, all i could hear was my long suffering girlfriend Clare saying ‘ why did’n’t he run this fast way back there?’ I noticed somebody else running behind me, I turned hoping to see Clare as I would let her finish first, but it wasn’t, it was one of the guys from Nottingham – so in Mow Farrah style I kicked in to a sprint finish .

It was damn hard we did 18.5 mile in little less that 3:29 – and we were 4th from last! Not the best time in the world ( winner did 1:43) but a damn good training run over 1800 feet of ascent.

Hers to the next one.

Have fun and go try something different

Darren

Day 2 to Namche Bazar

Darren What do we get up to! darren hunt, everest

Day 2 of the trek to Everest Base Camp.

Had no Internet connection yesterday at Phakding lodge so unable to post a blog.

Yesterday started with a very early start and a 30 min flight to Lukla. The airport is set in the mountains and runway looked like 3cms long when we approached to land! The plane lands going up an inclined runway, which was interesting 🙂

The trek to our first nights accommodation was awesome, the views of 6000 meter peaks was just out of this world , the views got even more inspiring with each turn of the path.

The path we share with horses, yaks and porters carrying some of the heaviest packs on there backs I’ve ever seen, how can your knees take it?

The day finished with a very nice meal in the Phakding lodge.

Today (tuesday) started at 6am with a warm water wash from a bowl , then a breakfast of oats and toast. our team of 8 and 6 porters and Sherpas set out for today’s long walk and 800 meter climb to Namche Bazar . After crossing metal foot bridges which we share with horses and yaks over 200 meter drops, we stopped for lunch just before the last 600 meter climb.

The climb was slow due to the lack of air, it was warm, but soon clouded over and started to rain. After a 3 hour climb we arrived at our lodge hotel ‘ hotel Tibet’ for lemon tea.

The Internet connection is slow so I’ve had to blog from my iPhone ( phew) .

Heading to bed soon ready for a dry day tomorrow. We will climb to the everest view hotel and then descend back to Namche which will aid acclimatisation.

Everest Base Camp – Kathmandu

Darren Nepal, What do we get up to!

A good morning from a sunny Kathmandu 🙂

Up bright and early to post this quick little blog and quick video. The journey over was long, but went very quickly. Not much sleep last night as very excited to be here, a dream being lived. Have a great day and have fun.

Juicy Mountain

Darren What do we get up to! darren hunt, everest base camp, jason vale, mountains

Everest on Juice

Everest with no Juice….

I’ve been a little concerned about the kind of food I’ll be eating when out in Nepal. I love my veggies and love my veggie juice even more so the thought of 3 weeks without scared me. So what did I do to quash the feeling of no juice? I did a ‘ google’ to see what kind of food I’ll be eating out in Nepal, in the tea houses and the lodges and was pleasantly surprised. Although there will be no ‘juicing’ available unless I take my Philips 1861 I will follow the Veggie diet, which is pretty much staple on the treks anyway, although meat is available I’ve heard scare stories where Imodium plus is required ;).

here’s a good link – http://food-nepal.com/recipe/R008.htm

The underlying diet is based around, from what i understand, a rice and lentils, although i hope there will be some greens, I love my greens..!!!!

To help with endurance and the physical activitiy undertaken I’m going to take my trusted Chia seed and Wheatgrss ( hopefully I won’t have these taken of me when entering Nepal! )

mmmm I suppose I better check ‘google’ again.

Monday – Packing for Everest

Darren What do we get up to! Ben Nevis, darren hunt, everest, everest base camp, kilimanjaro, Mountains in mind, Namchee Bazaar

Be sure to know where you are.

Everest in less than a week. Next Monday we’ll be trekking to Namche Bazaar en route to Everest base camp. I’ve started to pack my kit in my bag ready for the off and it’s all a bit exciting. The all important list as been written so I can be sure everything is packed, and of course I don’t not to much stuff. When we plan things I find it helps, all a bit of a nightmare though as we often put this simple task to one side and we just go do it, so it can be a bit overwhelming.

I thought it might be an idea to plan the trip with the summit (end) in mind, normally it would be a summit or a climbing route. On this trip it will Everest Base Camp, so I’ve worked back from there. Firstly it will be cold and I’ll be camping! So I started with packing cold weather gear, Duvet jacket, Smart wool base layer, ‘long johns’, gloves, Hat, primaloft jacket and nice thick socks. Also I’ve packed a nice warm 3 season sleeping bag, with insulated inner I used on Kilimanjaro and various cold wild camps in the UK.

It’s only when you start to plan we realise how much more there is to do. However we get added motivation when we start ticking off the tasks.

Next on my list……

One week to go

Darren What do we get up to! darren hunt, everest, everest base camp, kilimanjaro, Money exchange kathmandu

Only one week until to go, until we head out to Nepal for a trip of a lifetime. Can’t wait! to see the Himalaya and all the mountains in the greater ranges. One of the little things we need to do is sort out the spending money. We can use USD or Sterling to exchange in Kathmandu, normally at the hotel, airport or in Bureau de exchange in the city. On the trek though we can only exchange USD.

I’ll transfer some USD onto a pre-paid card so i can withdraw at the ATM in Kathmandu and take some Stirling. I’ll Budget 7$ a day for tips, 15£ a day for sundries, presents , water etc.

Other considerations are for drinking water. The higher we travel to base camp, the more the price increases, I’m told around 2.50£ per litre. We can boil the water at tea houses and drop a sterilisation tablet in to kill any bugs .