{"id":1118,"date":"2013-06-16T03:40:33","date_gmt":"2013-06-16T03:40:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dpfr.org.uk\/wp_dpfr\/?p=1118"},"modified":"2013-06-16T19:51:40","modified_gmt":"2013-06-16T19:51:40","slug":"","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dpfr.org.uk\/wp_dpfr\/1118","title":{"rendered":"DP women’s Billy Bland Challenge underway"},"content":{"rendered":"

And last but not least … not entirely sure of the time on the final leg – Nicky will no doubt give us all chapter and verse in due course, but it’s somewhere between 1 hour 40 and 1 hour 43.\u00a0 At least 10 minutes quicker than Billy B, and equals or betters Dallam’s men’s record for the leg set in 2011.\u00a0 That’s all, folks.<\/p>\n

… and now for a bit of time travel … <\/p>\n

7.04pm.\u00a0 That’s a new record in the bag – 16hrs and 4mins.\u00a0 Huge congratulations to all involved.<\/p>\n

7.10pm.\u00a0 Actually, I think I prefer the tracker to the webcam.\u00a0 Can’t one of you run back with it to meet Helen and Pippa?<\/p>\n

7.03pm.\u00a0 Well they’re all at the Moot Hall now eating fish and chips and awaiting Helen and Pippa’s arrival.\u00a0 Give us a wave, girls.\u00a0 You can see it all as it happens here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

6.55pm.\u00a0 Relieved to report Lynn has stirred and is headed for the chippy.<\/p>\n

6.52pm.\u00a0 Clare reports she and Kirsty ran leg 4 in 3hrs 28mins, which is another leg record … and only 8 minutes slower than Billy Bland.\u00a0 The trackers in the car now, mind, so suggest y’all get on to the Keswick webcam now to keep eyes peeled for the returning hero(in)es.\u00a0 I’ll be back with the link in a mo.<\/p>\n

6.42pm.\u00a0 Looks like they’ve hit the road.\u00a0 Not too long now.<\/p>\n

6.23pm.\u00a0 Last year, Helen, Clare and Rachel Horn ran 1.48 for the final leg, and were thus the only leg to beat Billy Bland’s own split times (a remarkable 1.53 for the final leg).\u00a0 The men’s record for the leg (subject to any relay completions this month) is held by Dallam at 1.43 … wonder how close Helen and Pippa can get to that then.<\/p>\n

6.02pm.\u00a0 The tracker’s woken up … Helen Elmore and Pippa Wilkie appear to be in the col between Hindscarth and Robinson, which puts them more than an hour and a half up on schedule, and the team on schedule therefore to complete in something under sixteen and a half hours … which would really be something else.\u00a0 More soon.<\/p>\n

5.05pm.\u00a0 Well, either she’s been stopped by the Cumbria Constabulary, is visiting a tea shop near Loweswater, or else the reception at Honister is dodgy.\u00a0 Previous experience suggests this final explanation.\u00a0 We’ll be hoping to hear more news by about 6pm.\u00a0 In the meantime, I’m still a bit worried that Lynn may remain stuck in her tent.\u00a0 Either that, or there’s a ‘no speaking to the press’ news blackout in operation.<\/p>\n

3.12pm.\u00a0 Confirmation from Nicky, en route to Honister by road, that they took approx. ten minutes off the schedule for leg three.\u00a0 That means 4hrs 30 mins, give or take, and it’s three leg records in a row.\u00a0 Kirsty Bryan-Jones and Clare Oliffe now in charge of the baton.\u00a0 For those who fancy a bit of alternative entertainment, the tracker is now making its erratic way by road in Nicky’s van to Honister.\u00a0 Any chance we can get her banged to rights for speeding?<\/p>\n

3.02pm. \u00a0At the Co-op in Crookes buying cat litter. No news out of Wasdale yet. Perhaps they’re following my lead and have gone for a pint at the Wasdale Head Inn?<\/p>\n

1.31pm. \u00a0Just descending off Scafell summit. \u00a0They’ve picked up another 10mins by the looks of it. Tracker likely to fizzle out at Wasdale. Time to potter back from the pub. Hopefully by the time I’m home there’ll be news that Lynn’s stirred from her tent …<\/p>\n

12.59pm. Col below Scafell Pike and gaining.<\/p>\n

11.49am.\u00a0 Looks like they’re at the foot of Billy Bland’s rake, approximately an hour up on the overall schedule.\u00a0 My lips are currently sealed as to what that schedule is, of course, but if you get yourselves down to the Norfolk Arms in Ringinglow, I might be persuaded to spill the beans.\u00a0 Like all good hacks, I never reveal my sources (except when offered free beer).<\/p>\n

10.59am.\u00a0 Tracker indicates they’re just coming off Harrison Stickle, which means they’re holding, perhaps marginally gaining upon, the record schedule.\u00a0 Bearing in mind last year’s wet weather conditions, and Jenny’s liking for Lakeland rock, my guess is we might see them nibble into the schedule a bit more over the second half of the leg – but I suspect there’s not quite so much slack in this leg.\u00a0 The schedule aims to knock 16 mins off last year’s record split.\u00a0 Dr – the Beast – Dave, is roping up on Broad Stand; 40 years young and no doubt leaving Grandad Sykes minding the kids, so the perfect Father’s Day for all concerned.\u00a0 Meanwhile, back in sunny Sheffield, your correspondent is trying to drum up support for a rendezvous at the Norfolk Arms … or may be the Nag’s Head.\u00a0 Time to get the running kit on.<\/p>\n

10.09am. \u00a0Brought to you by the wonders of modern technology, you can now follow Jenny and Nicky’s progress on leg three via this link<\/a>. \u00a0It may be that the GPS tracker is behaving a bit oddly, or it may be that Nicky’s not quite got the full hang of the technology (always gratifying to be able to document her weaknesses), but either way they were last recorded somewhere just beyond Calf Crag, maintaining the advantage calved out over legs one and two. \u00a0If you’re really interested, you can also follow a backlog of pointless training and navving in and around Upper Hopton and the Langsett Moors. \u00a0Your correspondent is finally raising himself to go enjoy a Father’s Day breakfast, possibly courtesy of his best beloved daughter, but more likely not … back soonish.<\/p>\n

10am. \u00a0Shocking allegations of financial inducements to leg two runners. It’s not entirely clear who offered the topshop vouchers in the event of them smashing the leg two time, but Heather tells me they’d “… better not be lying”. It could get ugly yet.<\/p>\n

9.32am. \u00a0Changeover completed, with Jenny Caddick and Nicky Spinks now on there way up Steel Fell. By my reckoning, that means Heather and Jude took a whole hour off last year’s leg time which, notwithstanding much improved weather conditions, is pretty gob-smacking. \u00a03.05 for the leg, give or take – Billy Bland took 2.44 and the men’s relay record currently stands at 2.58. \u00a0Still dry, with cloud free tops.<\/p>\n

9.29am. Jude and Heather sighted coming off Seat Sandal … if Ruth can be trusted to distinguish runners from sheep this year, then that means they’ve absolutely decimated last year’s leg two time.<\/p>\n

8.59am. I’m assured there’s no truth whatsoever in the rumours that errant members of the road support have been skip-sifting again.<\/p>\n

8.33am. \u00a0In response to my request for an interview, Lynn offers “Yay. Not sure if I can get out of the tent though now!”. I think this is a comment on how her legs are feeling rather than evidence for Fergie-like tendencies, but you can never quite tell with these cycling types …\u00a0<\/p>\n

6.27am. \u00a0Through Threlkeld, with the baton passing to Judith Jepson and Heather Marshall; the much improved conditions from last year clearly suited Ruth, Lynn and Debbie – that’s a whopping 32 minutes they’ve taken off last year’s leg time, which also means (subject to any results posted earlier this month) that R, L and D now hold the women’s record for leg one on the relay, making it a full house for the DP women after last year’s record breaking run. \u00a0Great stuff, folks.<\/p>\n

3am. \u00a0They’re off – Ruth Batty, Lynn Bland and Debbie Smith carrying the baton; the wind’s dropped and the clouds are clearing. \u00a0What’s less certain is whether they’re also carrying the “three tubs of chocs” which the women’s team picked up at Buckden Pike yesterday for winning the Yorkshire championship. \u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

And last but not least … not entirely sure of the time on the final leg – Nicky will no doubt give us all chapter and verse in due course, but it’s somewhere between 1 hour 40 and 1 hour 43.\u00a0 At least 10 minutes quicker than Billy B, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":452,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1118","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dpfr.org.uk\/wp_dpfr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1118","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dpfr.org.uk\/wp_dpfr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dpfr.org.uk\/wp_dpfr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dpfr.org.uk\/wp_dpfr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/452"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dpfr.org.uk\/wp_dpfr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1118"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dpfr.org.uk\/wp_dpfr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1118\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dpfr.org.uk\/wp_dpfr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dpfr.org.uk\/wp_dpfr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dpfr.org.uk\/wp_dpfr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}