Langdale Half Marathon - 24 Oct
Report by Neil Dring
Five Ripon Runners ventured across the Pennines to take on the challenge of reputedly the toughest road half marathon in England. We were greeted by low cloud, heavy rain and a biting north-westerly promising a tough morning! Even I would have struggled to describe it as my usual “ideal running conditions” and one of the group even stopped off in Ambleside on the way to buy a rain proof top. But then no visit to the Lakes would be complete without a new waterproof! And the glorious burnt oranges and golds of the trees and bracken on the whole route more than made up for it.
Starting at The New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel the route makes its way to the head of Langdale before turning and climbing suddenly, steeply and (it seems) unrelentingly over a mountain pass and then aggressively undulating to Little Langdale with fabulous views (even in mist) of Blea Tarn and across the valley.
After dropping down to Skelwith Bridge we collided with our next mile long steep climb up past Loughrigg Tarn to the top of Red Bank followed immediately by a steep quad-busting descent down the other side and then a quick “flat”(ish) 2 mile section to the finish.
Water, water everywhere! Within half a mile our feet were drenched after plunging though a shin deep freezing puddle. Good job we enjoyed it so much because it was to be repeated regularly on the route and in many spots we ended up running through mountain streams running off the fells straight across the road.
And some fabulous performances too, making it just the best day out!
John Chatwin had an amazing run to finish 10th overall and 3rd MV40 in 1.35.09.
Anneke Imeson finished 4th FV40 in 2.02.58.
Ben Imeson was 5th MV40 in 1.45.49 and Mark Ryder 6th MV40 in 1.49.33.
Neil Dring came in 6th MV55 in 2.00.21.
Can’t wait to run it again next year. My favourite race of the year, no doubt about it. You might have guessed!