The Yomp - 23 miles

The Yomp is a brilliant 23 mile fell-race/hike for all the family, with half and quarter versions available. It starts in Kirkby Stephen whenever you fancy dibbing out (hello leisurely breakfast!) and follows a great circular route. Team Support were released from pasta-cooking duty to jog/hike the Full Yomp and boyfriend Andy was sprinting off with the aim of sub 4-hrs. I'd say our legs weren't fresh after Jura the previous week, but Karen Nash managed to slot an extra 5 miles in before making it to the optional 8am mass start after doing a little race called the Hardmoors 110 (only 113miles!) the weekend before!! So our legs were really great! I'd achieved my best ever fell race result of 5th place last year and was hoping to equal or better that, and my time.

The weather was perfect, the route was relaxing after Jura and the fellow Yompers were very pleasant. The downhill from Nine Standards is my favourite part - a brilliant, gentle, swooping descent with excellent views. I temporarily hovered outside a sweet shop selling slush puppies 200m before the finish, wondering if I should buy one now or later, and wondering what puppies had to do with partially-frozen water in the first place. This pause cost me several places, leaving me with joint 9th female - oops! It's amazing how close the times can be when we've mostly dibbed out at seperate times, so we're not chasing each other, it's really hard to judge! But I was happy to skim 6 minutes off my time, maybe another 6 next year :-) And I went straight back down to the slush puppie shop :-)

Team Support did very well (I'm a bit worried that Father Bear might actually beat me one day!!), Andy got his sub-4hr in 10th place and Karen pumped out a 2nd place after all that!! Sunbathing on the grass was enjoyed by all, as were the multiple visits to the tea-lady and the finishers sandwiches :-)

Aaaah :-)

Team Support showing the V60s how it's done!