Helsby three peaks challenge

[ed]

After coming up with my new route and looking forward to another crack all week, I'm sure you can imagine my joy on Friday when the snow fell. Anyway, I'd planned to do it on Saturday morning so went for it anyway. 2 degrees at the start and snow still everywhere, and then it started raining about 10 seconds after I started!

To cut a long story short, there were paths disguised as rivers in Delamere, mud everywhere, wet trainers the whole way round, and I'd say it would probably make it into my top 3 toughest runs I've done!

Just about made it into the sub-2 club with 1h 59m 58s, so if I can do that in those conditions I'm still hopeful about 1h 50m, but WHY DIDN'T I START THIS WHEN THE WEATHER WAS BETTER!!!

Ed

[marshallini]

Good run Ed, Sub 2 in those conditions is excellent.

Did my first run in a week today, everything seems ok now. Cram some training in in the next week and if the advanced weather forecast is accurate I'm looking at a Christmas day attempt.

[ed]

Glad you're back running.

Irrespective of weather forecast, I'd have though it would still be pretty boggy in a lot of places, but that just depends on the route you take I guess. I'm not sure I'm going to get the sort of time I want for a few months now, until it all dries out.

I'm happy with most of my route now, but oddly enough it's the bit between Frodsham and Helsby I'm least happy with at the moment. I do Frodsham - Helsby as my final leg, and getting up Helsby Hill at the end is awful, especially when I knew how close to 2 hours I was! I might have to consider starting at Frodsham and doing that leg first, or going anti-clockwise from Helsby, or changing my route at the end. I've always though that it was best to get some quick miles in at the start, but now I'm not sure if it's costing too much time at the end.

[stever]

Right, so that's the winter record established. Well done Ed!

Entirely arbitrary rules for winter round - within two months of the solstice with genuine winter conditions - snow, ice, hard frost. You can't just wear a santa hat. All agreed?

[Adair]

Great effort Ed! 14.2 is significantly shorter than the route I ran with Jayne, hmm, shows she can up her record too then!

Finally started running again after a wonderful rest of three weeks (although I had done some biking at weekends in between)

Feeling fairly refreshed and have a week off work so once the Christmas pudding has gone i'll have a good go at this, although it seems there is still lots of choice to have.

Hadn't gone anywhere near the visitor centre either?

Enjoy your Christmas and New Year all!

[Dave D]

Trying to get back into running despite other looming commitments!

I ran the H3PC on Tuesday in an anti-clockwise direction with the aim of doing a 'real' loop. So I couldn't run on the same stretch twice or cross my previous path!

I took it easy whilst taking photos, dodging the Delamere Dismantlers of Doom and picking the odd bit of litter up.

2hrs 10mins.

Who's going to be first to do the double?

Happy running folk,

Dave D
Delamere Spartan

[stever]

Good work Dave, so that's the 'loop record' established. Double sounds like a challenge for a proper Extreme Athlete, if you know anyone?

We also have an F50 record - Rachel did a round with a few mates for her birthday.
helsbyrunningclub.wordpress.com/2012/03/06/rachels-celebratory-run/
finishing with champagne on top of Helsby.

[Dave Spartan Douglas]

I did the double on Sunday morning. 30.02miles in 4:30. Very dry in places (roads) and very wet on others (tracks).
I recon I could do it faster but won't be rushing back to it soon!

Dave D.

[marshallini]

Well done Dave. I don't think anyone will be challenging that (or even attempting it, I know I won't)

[marshallini]

I had a go at the 3 Peaks this morning. Frodsham start, anti-clockwise "real loop".

Mar 9, 2012 13:24:45 GMT 1 @Dave D said:

a 'real' loop. So I couldn't run on the same stretch twice or cross my previous path!

Was looking for a sub 2, but was very doubtful as from the White Lion in Alvanley I was knackered.

Didn't look at my watch until I'd finished so was more than happy to see 1:57:41.94.

[stever]

Nice one Chris. Anything Sub 2 is pretty impressive!

I did a '4 Peaks Challenge' a couple of weeks ago, adding in Primrose Hill on the other side of the main road from Eddisbury. A very leisurely 3h-ish - there to be broken!

[marshallini]

After running this last week I went back and had a look at the maps and tweaked my route a bit, recced it and tweaked it some more and ran it again this morning. (Frodsham start/finish, anti-clockwise, real loop)

1:47:21.45

Fastest time I can find is Dave Douglas's - 1:49:38, so maybe a new challenge record?

[Ian Land]

Well done Chris excellent run

Reckon you have the official record now and one that will take some beating.

Looks like I need to rethink my strategy for regaining the record. Maybe wait till the end of the year so I can have a crack at the V50 record. Alternatively I could look to extend Steve R's 4 peaks route to 5

[marshallini]

9:20am on an overcast Friday morning at The Frodsham War Memorial. Helen Owens was about to embark on her first attempt at the Helsby Three Peaks Challenge.

She enlisted Chris Marshall as a navigator and the pair set off in a anti-clockwise direction towards the first checkpoint, the trig point atop Helsby Hill. 30 minutes and 3 seconds later they arrived.

It's a fairly straight forward route as far as Manley Common, then it gets more tricky with a myriad of lines that can be taken through Delamere Forest. Luckily we where heading into the forest just as it stated raining and the trees would provided some cover. It's a bit of a slog up Old Pale but Helen is still going strong and the rain has stopped and the central stone is reached in 1 hour 29 minutes 28 seconds.

When I offered to guide Helen I thought she was capable of completing the challenge in under two and a half hours, although I didn't tell her at the start.
Leaving Eddisbury Hill I still thought sub 2:30 was on, 1 hour to run the last 6 and a bit miles, no problem. The Frodsham start was picked as it is an easier run in to the finish(?) having no hard ascents, just (lots of) steady climbing.
Still full of running Helen pushed on towards the end and arrived back at the memorial in an outstanding time of 2 hours 28 minutes 59 seconds and a new female record???

Helen - Never out of breath and looking far too fresh at the finish.

[ianland]

Excellent run Helen and congratulations you now hold the official female course record.

Superb tactics as well employing the current male record holder as support crew.