Lakeland 100

26-28 July 2019

105 miles (169 km); 22,493 feet (6,856 m) of ascent

The route starts and finishes at Coniston with a circular tour of the Lake District taking in Seathwaite, Eskdale, Wasdale Head, Black Sail Pass, Buttermere, Braithwaite, Blencathra Field Centre, Dockray, Dalemain, Howtown, Haweswater Reservoir, Kentmere, Ambleside, Chapel Stile and Coniston Fells.The route consists mainly of paths and trails.

On the Thursday record temperatures were recorded making it hard to think or walk let alone run. It was still hot when the race started the next day at 6 pm sapping strength and energy. There was no respite at all during the night and the hot and humid conditions slowed progress. During Saturday there was some welcome relief with some light rain which kept stopping and starting. With all the false starts I removed my waterproofs just in time for the rain to come down heavily but now soaked I felt invigorated and was able to move more quickly than before. However, at the Dalemain checkpoint it was fairly packed not leaving much room to have a power nap and I was well behind my planned schedule. A niggling injury and being behind my planned timetable persuaded me to DNF at that point. Sitting on the bus of shame heading back to base I reflected that I could have finished but not in the time hoped for. Maybe I should have pressed on getting closer and closer to the cut-offs towards the end and maybe finished? However, that would have exacerbated the injury and possibly led to cancelling other ultras coming up.

Starters: 461

Finishers: 265 (256 within 40 hours)

Retired: 196

First Man: Rory Harris; M; 21:27:05

First Lady: 22nd overall; Anna Troup; Trail Running Association; FV40; 26:19:27

David Harrison: 30th; Dark Peak Fell Runners; MV50; 27:11:29

Steven Jones: DNF; Dark Peak Fell Runners; MV50; Dalemain - stopped at 19:33:50

The finishing rate was 57.4% (55.5% for a finish within 40 hours).

Lakeland 50 selected results:

Starters: 881

Finishers: 824 (823 within 24 hours)

Retired: 57

First Man: Jayson Cavill; Team Montane; MV40; 7:55:42

First Lady: Bethan Male; (Joint 21st overall); Brighton Triathlon Club; F; 9:26:02

For the Lakeland 50 the finishing rate was 93.5%.