Sunday 1 July 2012

Midnight Kinder Killer Attempt

Kinder Killer Route Profile

The Full Kinder Killer Route, we started bottom right ACW
Graham fancied a midsummer midnight run and I'd always fancied the Kinder Killer and fancied one last 8hr+ run before the Bob Graham mid July. Sorted!

Well, cutting a long story short Graham and me were having a great time - setting off from Edale YHA at midnight and heading anticlockwise up Jaggers Clough. It was classic stuff - very hard underfoot and lots of water around mostly staying dry though. A few meanders on the route off Crookstone picking up a new section (to me) to Upper Ashop. We were not really on a path for the next bit to Blackden but it felt great as it was very hard, tussocky and rain in our faces! The climb up Blackden Clough was again a new climb (we'd crossed it many times but never gone actually up it) and seemed beautiful with lots of waterfalls and some occasional scrambling. On the top again then just before Seal Stones we headed down and very soon I went over on the left ankle.

As a fell runner, going over on the ankle is about as regular as a puncture on a bike. Within 5 seconds though I knew this was more than a normal sprain. After 5 minutes I could still barely walk which didn't look good.

Thoughts went immediately to my Bob Graham attempt and I felt worried. As the walk down to the River Ashop went on, things didn't get any better and I now knew that my Bob Graham was in jeopardy.

Writing this now the day after my ankle is massive. My legs huge and my foot is too with the foot and ankle being red.  I like to be realistic about things and realistically it will take a miracle for me to be doing the BGR in 2 weeks now. It looks impossible. Just gotta speak to my pacers now....

3 comments:

Derby Tup said...

Alan, don't panic. I've no idea what your taper plans were but if you can ice / rest the ankle with maybe some cycling then two weeks with little or no running shouldn't be a problem. Good luck

Alan Billington said...

Thanks - I've never had one half this bad though. I wonder if it's a torn ligament or something ? I will find out tomorrow I guess at the physio. Thanks for the optimism - I need some of that at the mo!

Derby Tup said...

Ice is your friend. It always amazes me how quickly it can remove swelling and inflammation if applied regularly. I guess if it's a torn ligament then you're best putting off the BG until it's healed properly though