"Venturi Effect: The speedup of air through a constriction due to the pressure rise on the upwind side of the constriction and the pressure drop on the downwind side as the air diverges to leave the constriction"
Last weekend's race was the usually aptly named Fairmile fell race. A gem of a race in good conditions, it traces a horseshoe on the edge of the Howgills. These giant, prismatic beauties are rockless and treeless, so unfractured sunlight can glide across the green flanks. A compelling set of hills to run on.
It was nothing like that on Sunday. At the foot of the hill, there was a biting 20 mph wind. Waiting for the start, the runners circulated in much the same way as overwintering Antarctic penguins do. Quickly, I found myself on the outside of the group. As we fluttered our way up the steep climb, 20 mph became 50 mph. There was novelty value in feeling frostbite inside my mouth... for a while, at least...then a frostbitten stomach, as layers flapped wildy in the storm. I couldn't help noticing that the experienced runners were trussed up more securely than a pile of cling-filmed baps.
I think all runners were accounted for at the end, which is the main thing.
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