Loopy Latrigg

By Glyn

A mix of personal stuff with italic snippets from the KAC gang, surnames have been omitted to protect the innocent, please note there are many people within the club called Craig, James and Jacob.

Backdrop: Friday 29/07/22 was the start of my neck radiculopathy problems. I had been for a jogette around Derwentwater pond and things in my neck were not right. I then got stuck on the M6 in an eight-hour travel nightmare to the commonwealth games. My Garmin/Strava feeds are barren for 9 weeks, I lived on cycles of ibuprofen/paracetamol and the drug of choice, Amitriptyline 50mg. The condition is debilitating, i must find the position of least pain and stay in that position until the combination of alcohol and amitriptyline kick in for as long as possible to numb the pain. Ooops, my GP is going to read this. Stabbing twisting pains in my right triceps brachii that I wouldn’t wish on anybody.

Strength & conditioning/cycling work restarted end of September and I have gradually built back the running. When the 5 race winter series from Kong Running was announced I decided to take the plunge and register for all 5.

A physio friend thought I was mad to try and get back to race fitness within 8 weeks. What do bloody physios know anyway? I had a setback 5 days before the race, I was too enthusiastic at a local S&C class and got some shooting pains into my right hand. I was close to tears with despair.

A poem from Jenn:

Going round and round

Feeling the ground

Under my feet

Congealed muddy peat.

 

Breath and sweat

Trying to forget

The sea of pain

From the racing game

 

A bloody stitch

Ripe and rich

Unpractised limbs

Like too many Pimm’s

 

Stir the fell running troops

For lovely Latrigg loops

Beholding that unwavering view

Then bit of craic with a brew

 

Race day came, quick pop on the scales, now 1 stone 1 pound lighter than 5 weeks ago. I am dieting with Mark. The sun came out and everyone except Ryan was in vests and shorts. Ryan has a very low-fat content, bit like one of my salads from the last month of starvation and he would freeze without another layer.

I opened my bowels pre-race more than I would like to admit…. anon (Mark)

I fishfinger waxed my moustache, shape definition for those that care, movember in full bloom and warmed up for 20 minutes. Birthday boy John was lurking in the field, very focused, he obviously had a plan to win the race. Everyone else was sunbathing and spending their cash on the new route map. I do love a good map.

The new maps had the start & finish at the junction of Brundholme Road/Spoonygreen Lane. The new club secretary elect, decided to direct folk to the false start…very anon (David)

The plan was to jog the course, last year was just over 58 minutes, so add on another 10 to 15 minutes. Lorela and I made a jogging pact, this seemed a good plan. Craig was jet lagged; he was happy to jog along also. Rachael May and Jacob were drinking hard at the HNW, I thought they had warmed up for the race by completing parkrun. I was wrong, they were Loopy spectators. Craig zoomed off at the race start and was never seen again. There is a prize for knowing what HNW stands for and is!

Was it really a win for Jonny? The only MU23 entrant… anon (Big brother Mark)

Andrew lost his fell race cherry and loved every single moment of it. Lorela and I kept him a couple of hundred yards ahead all race, then flew past him on the Latrigg descent. That will teach Andrew to borrow shoes from Jacob. Younger Jim peeps also ran his first Kong race, awesome work.

Poor Rob, given false data from Mike at the top of Latrigg, re: “you are the first vet”. Little did he know, Mr Hebblethwaite had snuck in a birthday and romped home 3 minutes and 31 seconds ahead… anon (good data find Matthew)

It is a huge pleasure to be part of the non-competitive KAC M50 class in #fellracing. Guy and Jim led the monster crew. Mark, David and Ivan all within 29 seconds of each other. Chris, myself and Andrew majestically keep the running real.

Look at the beast himself, Jim M70, a role model for all, still stonking out fab times in his seventies. It is always a pleasure to catch up with Jim pre and post race.

I slipped at the gate after strict instructions from the marshaling crew to slow down… anon (James)

Note for men’s club captain: My Dad was a WWII evacuee from the Northeast and spend his younger days in the lakes, he remembers the steam locomotives throughout the region. He lived in the Conishead Priory grounds, which was a rehab centre for injured Canadian service people. The trains changed at Tebay.

I finished Loopy six minutes slower than last year, descended far too quick for the rehab plan but have suffered no ill effects. Thanks for the company Lorela and for the downhill speed section with Lindsey from Netherhall AC.

Rehab plan: Sale Fell race on 26/11/22 hosted by Cumberland Fell Runners then the next Kong Running winter series race Stybarrow Dodd on Saturday 10/12/22.

I think I have found somewhere to hold the KAC Christmas party… anon (Craig)

Sportident results show 33 KAC members entered, only 28 maybe 29 on the team photo organised by Debs. Who are the missing crew?

Onwards and upwards

Love Glyn

(Photos by Ben Challis)