Fairfield Horseshoe

Another very pleasant day in the Lakes. The sun shone again, all five occupants of Dr Sykes’ family-mobile were content enough with their results (once we’d factored in the passage of time since we last ran this race) and props to Jenny for back-to-back second FV50, to Penny for a creditable return to Lakeland racing after some considerable time, and to Anna Hoogkamer for sneaking into the top ten women, despite a very nasty tumble on the final descent. Nick K, also returning to Lakeland racing after a ten(?) year hiatus, had the honour of leading the quintet of fifty-year-olds home (just putting that out there to see if Dave is reading this).

Indeed, it was hard to tell whether Dr Sykes was more disappointed that he’d been beaten to the finishing line by Dr Caddick (he was playing his cards close to his chest) or that his own rather painful tumble (‘I heard a couple of cracks and figured that’s a bunch more cartilage gone in the knee’) had clearly been trumped by Anna’s acrobatics - ‘I looked down and could see my knee was sliced to the bone’. Sadly Anna neglected to get photographic evidence for the DP injuries photos page - next time please Anna (or, then again, perhaps better not to repeat the feat in a hurry).

A motorway closure between Lancaster and Preston on the return journey precipitated a rather convoluted detour through the Forest of Bowland, which at least meant we were able to clock up a full-house of mid-life conversational topics. Teenagers, GCSEs and mobile phone response times; memory, eyesight and injury recovery times; the joys of being out in the fells, however rubbish our results; and retirement envy. It would be breaking the Carshare Code of Confidentiality to divulge which two passengers (one this week, one last) are considering early retirement over the next couple of years, but suffice it to say it isn’t me.

Oh, and whilst I did feel a bit queasy shortly before we left the motorway, I’m pleased to report I otherwise made a much more speedy recovery than last week. Must have been the welcome restorative couple of pints in the Badger’s Arms before we set off what done it (thanks Nick and Dave).

[PS. Also seen on the fell, a resplendently bearded Rhys FR, and in the car park beforehand with a grin even bigger than Spike’s last week, Dave Lund, who despite not actually knowing where the start was - and he is now a member of the organising club, Ambleside - still managed a fine third MV40].