YKH Racing Round Up- w.e 6th March- Black Combe Fell Race, Slawit Slog, Norton 9 & parkruns.

Please send race reports / results to :  ykhracereports@gmail.com

—Slawit Slog 10k.

11th & 1st Lady Christie Mollart  54:52

—Cambridge Half Marathon

—Black Combe Fell Race.

Black combe fell race – report by Tom Ratcliffe
The last time a group of Knavesmire decided to race the Black Combe fell race was 6 years ago when it
was an English Championship race, the clag was up and it was some of the toughest navigation
conditions in the Lake District.
This time the weather couldn’t have been more different – the sun was beaming across the whole of the
Lakes and the summit of Black Combe, normally surround by clag, was visible for miles. The memories
of Knavesmire fell runners lost on Black Combe started to fade as we got closer to the start of the
inaugural race of the Lakeland fell running calendar.

We crowded around a sun baked start line with rumours spreading from one fell runner to the next about
the first gate being a bottle neck and therefore a speedy start was required. Then the race began and it
was Pete Walker’s red bag leading the sprint to the first gate. We crossed a little stream, went through
the gate, across the quiet road, then up a muddy, slow going farmers field as the steep then winding
climb to the top of Black Combe began in earnest.
It is a peak which towers over this south-west corner of the Lake District. A quick glace around you (if
you have the energy) and you are greatly rewarded with expansive panoramic views over the Irish Sea
and the silhouettes of Isle of Man and the Scottish coast emerging in the far distance.

Pete, myself, Ewan and Rose all made steady starts. Rose pulled away towards the top, skipping across
the terrain, unfazed by this towering peak and reaching the summit plateau as the first of the Knavesmire
clan. Jessica and Rich Purser (back in the colours of yellow and black) were also a few places back. It
was tough going and I could imagine Chris G, Andy and Petra with grimaced faces as the mountain
grew.
Once summited, the descent came – it was fast and grassy and then boggy. It then flatted out before a
steep bank down to checkpoint 4, which was followed by some ankle testing contouring and another
sheer decline where patches of rock started to appear from all sides which suited many of the hardened
Lake District descenders.

It was then the final climb of the day back up to nearly the summit of Black Combe (as if once wasn’t
quite enough). This climb seemed to go on for what seemed an eternity – I could see Rose in front and
Ewan was creeping up behind with Pete also in pursuit of us. It would be a Knavesmire battle to the
finish. False summit after false summit went by and you wondered if you would ever see the penultimate
check point. Eventually it appeared and a fast descent down off this arduous peak was required.
Heather, then grass then windy track, then muddy farmers field and then, hidden round a corner, the
finish.
On this final descent, Rose was chasing some of the fastest women the Lake District has to offer (with
the winning lady breaking the ladies course record by 8 seconds). She came home in a fantastic 5th position.
Performance of the day has to go to Chris Gregory. He rolled his ankle half way round and still made it
around this difficult course in an excellent time.

The Chapman Gibbs’ came in looking very happy having successfully made it round in one piece and
then we all shuffled across the road, the farmers field and the little stream to get a pie, have a quick dip
in the chilling Irish sea and tell stories of a sunny day out on this far western Lake District fell.
Many thanks also goes to Ursula and little Beth for their incredible support.

42nd Rose Mather 01:30:06   5th Lady
47th Tom Ratcliffe 01:31:19
65th Ewan Sewell 01:34:07
69th Peter Walker 01:34:48
93rd Richard Purser 01:42:59
124th Jessica Slater 01:48:53
162nd Chris Gregory 01:59:33
199th Andy Chapman Gibbs 02:16:51
205th Petra Chapman Gibbs 02:20:03

—Haweswater Half Marathon.

281st Pam Anderson 02:26:31

—Norton 9 mile Road Race.

337th Nicholas Stafford 01:32:56

—Ilkley Moor Fell Race.

173rd Phillip Chapman 01:02:34 ( 01:02:17)
249th Matthew Page 01:12:02 ( 01:11:38)

94 members of YKH participated in this week’s parkruns:

—York parkrun.