Great Lakeland 3 Day #GL3D – Day Three

Posted on May 5, 2015 by talkultra

The tents shook, lifted off the ground and were drenched with repeated gusty storms during our ‘interesting’ night in Little Langdale. I was surprised to see everyone still smiling on the final morning. But hey, that’s the GL3D. It’s such a friendly even and as one runner said, ‘You wouldn’t want good weather all the time, it would just be boring!’

The morning remained ‘claggy’ and the wind on the tops was relentless. I have to say, waiting around in the early hours for runners to arrive was a real test of nerves and my hands ability to function with a windchill of a reported -10. But I was greeted with continuous smiles, plenty of thumbs up and a repeated, ‘You must be mad being up here in this weather and this time off the day?’

However, the sun did arrive and as the runners descend off the tops and made their journey back to Ravenglass through the valleys of Wynrose Pass, all of them were rewarded with some beautiful typical Lakeland scenery and stunning weather.

What rain?

What wind?

It wasn’t too bad….

Cold, no it didn’t really get that cold.

Funny how we forget and block things out!

Now then, where is the cider?

Images are available to purchase at iancorless.photoshelter.com

Great Lakeland 3Day™ 2015

Posted on April 27, 2015 by talkultra

The next Great Lakeland 3Day™ will take place on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th May 2015 in the Lake District and the Event Centre will be in Ravenglass. This is a very beautiful and remote corner of the Lake District National Park providing access to the western fells of Cumbria.

The GL3D™ is an adventurous three-day mountain marathon with a unique, relaxed and friendly atmosphere that attracts both runners and long-distance walkers. Over the years the event has built up a dedicated following of competitors who enjoy the challenge of three long, consecutive days in the hills.

Competitors simply enter the event, and then choose whichever course they prefer on the day: they can choose from either an Elite, A, B or C course. All competitors still share the same overnight camp. The C Course is specifically aimed at walkers and slower runners. The event is all about having fun and if you are new to navigation races, GL3D can provide a great introduction.

The emphasis is on long mountain journeys and not complicated navigation. Expect spectacular scenery and enjoying an amazing mountain experience over three days.

Competitors start and finish in the same location and are triangular – just three days apart! Overnight equipment for each runner is transported between each camp therefore allowing participants to travel faster and lighter.

Competitors should be prepared for 6 to 12 hours on the hill each day, be competent mountain runners or walkers with the ability to navigate and be totally self reliant. The first day is generally a little longer and the last day a little shorter. The friendly nature of the GL3D™ means that many solo competitors join into informal groups to share each day on the hill. Although some competitors race, there are no prizes, just the respect of your peers for finishing!

The relaxed atmosphere of the event is best summed up in the flexible starting arrangements; each morning participants simply pack up their kit (which is then transported) and set off between 0700 and 0900. The faster competitors start last, whilst the slower competitors start earlier. Tea, cakes, hot water and beer are provided for free at the end of each day. Hot water is available both mornings and evenings.

Check out the race website HERE

The race is organised by the team at OUREA events HERE

Fancy an extreme challenge? Take a look at the Salomon Glen Coe Skyline race HERE

200 RUNNERS PREPARE FOR THE 2014 GREAT LAKELAND 3DAY™

Posted on May 1, 2014 by talkultra

For the third successive year the Great Lakeland 3Day™ has sold out and this May bank holiday weekend will see a record 200 competitors setting off on a three day mountain running journey in the Lake District.

The location for the 2014 GL3D™ Event Centre is at Pooley Bridge at the North Eastern tip of Ullswater, and this is where competitors will be arriving on Friday night for registration. Pooley Bridge is one of those quintessential Lake District villages surrounded by water and mountains and it is a fitting staging post for the adventure ahead. Where precisely the Elite, A, B and C courses go from there is a closely guarded secret but in the best traditions of the Lowe Alpine Mountain Marathon, the competitors have been promised a surprise on the first morning. Race Director, Shane Ohly explains further, “The LAMM has a deserved reputation for surprising competitors on the first day with an unexpected change of venue or logistic and I wanted to embrace this idea for the GL3D™.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6zXY4LsAyQ

The Great Lakeland 3Day™ has earned a reputation for being an informal and friendly event and the new C or ‘Cafe Class’ course embraces this ethos. Ohly continued, “New for 2014 is the C Course, which is specifically aimed at walkers and the slowest runners and features checkpoints in cafe’s! Because we allow competitors to simply enter the event and then choose their desired course on the day we can’t be certain how popular it is going to be. However, the record number of entries suggests it’ll be very popular indeed!”

Despite the relaxed atmosphere the Great Lakeland 3Day™ remains a formidable challenge with the Elite course covering 130+ kilometres with over 8,000m of ascent in three days. It promises to be a grand tour of some of the best Lakeland ridges, summits and valleys. The early GL3D™s aimed to cover about 25 miles on average each day and this is the distance that the organisers now aim for on the A Course. Usually the first and second days are slightly further/harder than the last day to help participants get away at a reasonable time after the event has finished. Race Planner Charlie Sproson from Mountain Run has planned the 2014 event and his summary optimum distances and height gains are shown below.

	Day 1 (optimal)		Day 2 (optimal)		Day 3 (optimal)		Total (optimal)
	Distance (km)	Height (m)	Distance (km)	Height (m)	Distance (km)	Height (m)	Distance (km)	Height (m)
C Course	24.1	1,183	22.4	748	19.5	968	65.90	2,899
B Course	31.3	1,590	34.9	2,129	26.7	1,201	92.89	4,920
A Course	40.0	2,373	46.8	2,883	29.2	1,765	115.94	7,021
E Course	46.2	2,738	50.9	3,264	36.0	2,052	133.02	8,054

Former GL3D elite winner, artist and author, Heather Dawe who recently published the widely acclaimed Adventures in Mind has kindly provided two prints for the fastest male and female on the Elite course. With Heather’s connection to the event, it seems like a fitting way to recognise the effort of the leading runners.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3guq1rPZdQ

The GL3D™ is sponsored by Lowe Alpine and supported by Climbers Shop, Joe Browns and Harvey Maps