Embrunman 2009 - race report

3.30pm on Saturday 15th August, the 3.8km swim and the 186km alpine bike ride have been completed and now the moment of truth, Would my recently damaged calf muscle survive any running at all let alone 42kms? A year of preparation had come to a grinding halt 10 days before the Embrunman Long Distance Triathlon when after just 3kms of a gentle training run I ended up hobbling and barely able to walk. I'd torn my Soleus Muscle in my right calf very badly, things were not looking good.

Almost as an afterthought I texted a friend who was a sports physio, his reply came back almost straight away, he was on holiday, but he contacted a local sports doctor who was able to see me the next day. It was a long shot but I thought after so much effort that any help was worth a try. Trevor is a doctor at the cutting edge of sports medicine and he suggested some autologous blood injections, basically taking some of my own blood and immediately injecting it into the damaged muscle. I was of course a bit nervous about somethign that sounded a bit like doping, but this technique is above board and just a way of speeding up the body's own repair mechanism. Two injections over 4 days, and a visit to a sports physio at least gave me some hope of attempting the event. However I was still barely able to walk at the COLT club training swim 5 days before the event.

From embrun

Wednesday saw myself and Alistair plus our support crew (Emma, Matty and Alfie) head out to Embrun, getting 5 of us plus two bikes and camping gear into one hire car was the first challenge, and after an hour of repacking we drove out of Geneva airport and after a night with friends near Grenoble we arrived at Embrun, a small town that for one weekend becomes the centre of attention in French Triathlon.

From embrun

What makes this event different from any other long distance triathlon is the brutal 186 kms bike ride over the 2300 metre COl D'Izoard close to the French Italian border. That alone would be enough for most fit cyclists, but the ride also takes in two other major climbs and many other shorter hilly sections that add up to over 3100 metres of climbing, in potentially baking hot summer weather. Especially brutal is the 350 metre hill that weaves its way above the town just 8kms from the end of the ride. What makes this event special is the amazing support all around the course, and the many sections of closed roads that allow you to ride the alpine roads without oncoming traffic. It's as close as you can get to feeling like a rider in the Tour de france, which often comes over these roads.

From embrun

Of course the day started much earlier, at 4am we sat outside the tent eating rice pudding and drinking coffee, not talking much, both in our own little bubbles of contemplation. We thought we were perhaps a bit early, but on arrival at the transition (we had left our bikes in place the night before) the floodlit compound was a hive of activity. We both rechecked our equipment and handed in our food bags for the Col D'Izoard pick up and the half marathon pick up points.

From embrun

From embrun

"Your the Brits" a cheery voice greeted us. It was Simon who had entered the event last year but failed to complete it because he overslept and had arrived just as the swim was finishing! (He was allowed to do the run and the ride, but that must have been very frustrating!). Simon told us that Embrunman was a really big thing, you are almost revered by the spectators and the locals even for attempting this event. Simon was the only other UK based rider attempting the course this year, apart from Stephen and Bella Baylis of course, both expected to be challenging for first places.

SWIM 3.8kms

5.50 am and the women set of and we walk down the blue carpet towards the lake. Being hardened to cool (freezing?!) British waters the 22C waters of the large boating lake felt very welcoming and the red flashing lights of the lead boat was to be the moving target for the 1000 swimmers in the main field. After some grim experiences in UK events being trapped in the middle of a flailing pack of competitors I decided to hold back and swim on the very left of the field, and this proved to be a perfect choice. I could "sight" on the many canoeists shepherding us around the flashing beacons on the buoys and got an amazingly clear swim, only having to tread water around a couple of sharp turns, and only one kick in the goggles. The darkness ebbed away and a bright band of sunlight hit the peaks to the East of the lake. Being able to concentrate on technique rather than survival was great and although I'd never previously swum 3.8 kms in one go, the finishing ramp was within sight after what seemed no time at all. Perhaps the warm water helped but the normal heavy legged feeling was absent as I walked up the ramp to great applause and headed into transition. Forcing myself to concentrate I really had to make sure that I set myself up well for the long ride ahead. In a sprint event I take less than a minute to do the swim/bike transition, today I invested 8 minutes in preperation, and headed out into the long shadows of sunrise ready to tackle perhaps the the most ambitious bike ride of my life.

Swim 1 hour 17 mins

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BIKE 186kms (3200 m ascent)

Despite still being 6.30 am the temperature was already around 22C and the initial loop of 40kms with 600 metres of ascent saw everyone riding with high spirits and excitement. Surprisingly, there were a number of road side casualties with punctures, broken gears, etc.

From embrun

My pulse rose to 155 pretty quickly (88%) although I felt like I was taking it pretty easily, I knew I'd settle down to an easier pace but initally just rode on autopilot and enjoyed having fresh legs and amazing views, almost every house and "hameau" (hamlet) had groups of cheering suporters even at this time. The first return past Embrun was through a corridor or cheering supporters, amazing! Now the long approach to the Col D'Izoard. Being a much better cyclist than a swimmer I was now gainign places, on flatter sections sometimes overtaking large groups of of ten or more in one fell swoop - very satisfying! Every 20kms there is a main feed station, so you can take on fresh bottles of water, isostar, or coke, as well as a wide selection of food, I chose water or isostar and bananas, and consumed energy gels from my top tube bag avery 40 mins or so.

From embrun

70 kms into the ride and Simon recognised me as I caught him up on the spectaular Guillestre Gorge section, we chatted a while and I took some photos of him much to the amusement of the other riders around. Simon had completed the swim in around 1.08 hours and from now until the very end of the race we would trade places.

From embrun

On the gentle incline I left Simon behind for a while, the Izoard was now beckoning and sections of hairpins on the appraoch roads led onto some steep long straight climbs in the full midday sun. A slight tailwind meant there was no breeze and again I was struggling to keep my pulse within reasonable limits.

From embrun

Only when the first hairpin of the main climb arrived was there any relief, the sudden turn into the breeze was a great relief and the gradient of the hairpin bends was far more friendly.

From embrun

Suddenly you emerge from the the treeclad slopes into the barren moonscape like environment of the last few kms. Even more cheering supporters here, "courage", "Chapeau", "allez", every rider getting superb encouragement from th. appreciative spectators. Just before the final summit hairpins the road descends a little way through huge rock pinnacles and giant scree slopes, A statue to Coppi and Bobet at the roadside reminds you of the history this col has. Now it's time to soak in the feeling of elation at reaching this high point at 2350 metres, but there is not enough time to appreciate it all as the feeding station demands your attention. I hear my number called out and my food bag is handed to me whilst I exchange my drinking bottles and stuff yet more bannanas into my pockets. From being in sight of many riders on the slow ascent your are now stretched out by speed on the descent. Even though I am used to steep descents the unknown road demands my full attention, though my GPS shows upcoming bends which is very useful to avoid overshooting some of the more severe switchcbacks. The 15km descent takes just 15 minutes, and with no oncoming traffic (like 90% of the ride) this is pure pleasure, although the slight headache from overheating meant I had to concentrate on drinking steadily to rehydrate. It was somewhat of a shock to ride through the deserted streets of Briancon and then head "down the valley" into a desicating hot headwind.

From embrun

In many ways the toughest part of the ride was yet to come. The route back from Briancon to Embrun involved several long climbs and descents up and down the valley sides, along narrow traffic free roads. Increasingly I saturated myself with water from my water bottles, which I refilled at every opportunity, the hot headwind now really starting to sap my strength. Next came the technical descent to a small airfield where the pre-race brief had warned of sharp turns and gravel, then a short length of main road where huge queues of traffic were being held back by police and volunteers. Embrun came back into view at the 180 km point, but still a final climb awaited, sharp hairpins taking now tired riders through the houses above the town. Really great support here spurred me on, with a cooling hosepipe, and even a watering can offered by the locals, and finally a enthusiastic bugle player announced the top and the final freewheel for 4kms back into transition.

I'd put thoughts of the run out of my mind pretty much, but now the moment of truth was approaching, would I be able to complete 42kms, in the heat of the afternoon?

Bike 8 hours 3 minutes.

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Run 42kms (400 metres of ascent)

Back in transition after a great welcome it was fairly quiet, the field now well spread out. A couple of volunteers offered me a massage, so whilst sat down in my chair getting items ready my legs were receiving some welcome treatment! Once changed into running gear the moment of truth had now arrived. My ploy was to change my running style to avoid straining my calfs, so I'd inserted 2cms of extra padding in my running shoe heels and was aiming to run flat footed rather than on my toes. Exiting transition the winning male was running towards me just 1km from the finish, (he would soon be 20,000 Euros better off). The first of 4 loops around the swimming lake went OK, with no signs of any problems, and gradually I settled down and forgot about the calf and thought more about the seemingly endless run. Breaking it up into segements seemed the best "mind game" and without a watch to remind me of the minutes and seconds I tried to just keep a comfortable pace and posture, and soak in the support and atmosphere. Children held out their palms for you to touch them as you passed, "Embrummen" are really held in great esteem it seems and once when I dropped my sunglasses at a feeding station a young helper instantly found them and handed them back to me with an amazing sense of urgency! Simon passed me once again whilst I was fiddling with my camelback, and shortly I caught him again and exchanged brief notes. 10kms came after an hour and eight minutes, I was happy to settle for that. Next I counted a third of the route completed as the temperature seemed to soar (probably high 30's air temperature, but feeling hotter still in the full sun). Even some of the French competitors were flaking out by the road side, some with medical crew on hand. A medical support crew on one section asked me if I was OK (did I look ready to collapse?). I asked for some sun cream, but they didn't have any. The three leaders in each class had riders in front of them on bikes to prime the crowds, but the support that I and every other competitor got was just as amazing. Unofficial water and food stops were also welcome, some with huge buckets of cool water in which to fill your hat before drenching yourself others with cold sponges to shove down your neck. Oddly going downhill was the hardest bit due to my thigh muscles, already tired from the bike ride now having to power me around the run (the change in running style causing this transfer of load). Still I was moving and soon I was approaching 21kms and the return past the finishing line to collect a token neckband to indicate I was on my second lap.

From embrun

My second 10kms had slowed a bit to 1 hour 12 minutes, but being on the second lap was a huge boost. On the run I gradually sipped isostar and water from my camelback I also consumed more bananas and rice pudding, but the sheer volume of energy gels, bananas, and fluid now consumed seemed to cause my stomach to go on strike. I had to remind myself to drink more, to avoid overheating. Suddenly I heard a friendly voice from behind me, Simon had caught me up again and he had support from his wife and son who were riding some of the sections along side him. His wife then accompanied me for most of the last section as Simon had support from a local marathon runner who volunteered to run with him. Once again I changed places several more times with Simon but the presence of someone to talk to made the kms pass far more easily. Even though my legs felt at times as if they were ready to collapse under me, I just knew I must not stop or I'd seize up and that would be it. So passing feed stations I walked and grabbed for items rather than stopping. Just 10kms to go now and I was pretty sure I would make that, even though I'd slowed to 1 hour 16 mins for the last 10 kms. At times I barely seemed to be shuffling, but my pace actually held up over the final sections around the swimming lake once more. Some runners on this section were heading out without the neckband, they still had the full run to go. I was also thinking of Alistair, despite seeing Simon on many occaisions, I had not seen Alistair since the start (I had started the bike ride just a few seconds before he finished the swim), I hoped that he was still going strong. Not far now, just a couple of kms, then the run around the transition area before the final stretch of blue carpet and the finish line.

From embrun

Emma, Alfie and Matty were there to cheer me on along with hundreds of other supporters. 14 hours and 30 mins after starting I had made it. Over the line my medal and finisher's teeshirt were thrust into my hands and I staggered around barely able to think what to do! I saw a chair and tried to sit down, This I found impossible as spasms in my thighs prevented me lowering myself down even a few inches. Then I saw Laura, one of the officials who spoke English and who we had talked to the day before. She seemed surprised to see me (you have finished alreadY?!) "Go for a massage" she said and pointed the medical tent where a welcome lie down for a few minutes and a massage really helped.

Run time 4 hours 58 mins

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Daylight faded away as I waited with Emma for Alistair, the other COLT member. Figures appeared out of the darkness to rapturous applause.

From embrun

Then there was Alistair, looking good up the final few metres, meaning we had both completed our first ironman distance race well inside the cut-off time.

From embrun

All too soon it was the next morning and we were making our way with tired legs to the crystal clear waters of the swimming lake, to cool our aching muscles and compare our experiences before a lakeside coffee and croissant. There was a lot to remember!

From embrun

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TIMES

238 GBR V2M E135667 PHILLIPS Thomas CITY OF LANCASTER TRIATHLON

Position 387 (approx 850 starters and 681 finishers)
Overall time:14:32:53.31
Category position: (VET 40 - 49) 138
Swim time: 1:17:22
Swim position: 691
T1:: 6:33
Bike time: 8:02:37
Bike position: 359 (+275 positions gained)
T2 approx: 10 mins
Run approx: 4:56:23
(I wasn't given a time for T2 so these are estimates)
Run position: 470 (+29 positions gained)



239 GBR S4M E135674 SHAWCROSS Alistair CITY OF LANCASTER TRIATHLON

Position 570 (approx 850 starters and 681 finishers)
Overall time: 15:42:29
Category position: (Senior) 323
Swim time: 1:24:56
Swim position: 797
T1: 7:39
Bike time: 9:08:03
Bike position: 695 (+68 positions gained)
T2 approx: 8:26 mins
Run: 4:53:27
Run position: 391 (+159 positions gained)


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Thanks to Iain and Trevor for healing me so quickly!, Sports Physio in Milnthorpe, the support crew of Emma, Matty and Alfie for being so patient, Jill and Paul for a stop over on the way down to Embrun, and of course to Barbs for allowing me to put in so much of the required training time over the previous few months.

SLIDESHOW (SOME PHOTOS TAKEN DURING MY BIKE RIDE, MUCH TO AMUSEMENT OF OTHER RIDERS AND SPECTATORS)




VIDEO FOOTAGE TAKEN DURING MY RIDE

Via Ferrata in the Ecrin Alps

The Bridge at Durance - Via Ferratas are fun as well!

It was my first experience of a via ferrata and the ease of movement over the vertical rock faces linked by exciting traverses and fragile looking suspension bridges were certainly a big thrill. Via Ferratas (paths of iron) were originally developed by the Italians during the last war as a way of scaling the rock faces of the dolomites and othwer areas without detection. One can imagine secret hideaways and stores of armaments in inpregnable positions in the Mountains.

Via Ferrata at Vigneaux

Since then there has been a gradual but steady increase in their popularity as a leisure pursuit in their own right. In more recent years there has been a dramatic increase in their numbers as villages and tourist areas have seen their potential as a wasy of luring summer tourists into the ski resorts.

The Briancon area alone has 20 to 30 routes of varying dificulty, certainly enough for a couple of weeks holiday. Some can be combined with walks and mountain summits to make a full day's outing.

The basic techniques are very easy. Just follow the continous cable and keep clipped in at all times. You can make up your own "lanyards" using a friction plate or buy ready put together kit (which do seem rather expensive). All these kits do is provide some shock absorbing capacity in case you fall and load your harness with a heavy load. You do risk internal injuries, broken pelvis, etc without this equipment.


You also need a helmet of course and stout footwear.

The easier routes are an ideal way of introducing children annd beginners to moutaineering/climbing and it is of course possible to rope people up as you would on a climb if they are short of confidence.

Some of the more recent Via Ferratas have amazing cable bridges, Tyrolean traverses across exposed gorges, climbs up the slides of spectacular waterfalls and even routes up massively overhanging walls via ladders where you have to face outwards from the rock face!

There are many guidebooks available as well as free guides produced by the tourist boards.

A day in the Ecrin

View towards the Bar des Ecrin

The jagged peaks of the Ecrin lie betweeen Grenoble and Briancon. They offer great mountaineering possibilities away from the overcrowded aeas in Chamonix and elsewhere. The main peak in the area is the Bar des Ecrin, a 4,000 metre plus peak of great beauty. We chose a route on the other side of the Glacier Blanche (the main glacier running up to 'The Bar') called Pic de Neige Cordier (peak of the white snow maker?). A pleasant walk up the popular footpath to the mouth of the Glacier Blanche took us from the valley floor near Ailefroide to around 2400 metres. Then it was a case of following a slightly rougher path past a mountain hut until we found a suitable bivouac point near the Ecrin Hut. Some well constructed previously used sites just above the edge of the Glacier proved ideal and about 6 hours after setting off we were settled down in our sleeping bags and makeshift shelters after a quick snack and drink. We watched the moon set and the amazing display of stars commence as we drifted of to sleeping in our lofty position.

At 4 am we awoke to the amazing spectacle of tiny dots of lights bunched together in lines making their way up the edge of the Glacier and towards the Bar Des Ecrin. We had a hot chocolate and snack before setting of upwards first traversing the edge of the main glacier ourselves before heading up a smaller ice slope and towards our own objective. Day dawned with the pink glow of sunrise illuminating the huge 1000 metre face of The Bar Des Ecrin, but we were glad to be on our own and not amongst the large guided groups heading up The Bar. Several 100 metres of ascent brought us to a rocky col and we were unsure of the way on. Piles of precariously balanced rocks seemed to guard the route we thought we had to take. Eventually we worked out that our route lay up a more amenable although still potentially dangerous ridge. 45 minutes of scrambling brought us to the tiny rocky summit with great views in all directions including in the far distance Mont Blanc itself and even The Matterhorn.

5 am - walking up to the Col at Sunrise


Scrambling up the Ridge

Enjoying the Summit Views

After absorbing the great panoramas we roped back down to the col and then retraced our steps to our bivvy site whilst watching climbers tackling the jagged ridge to our left. 6 hours later we were trudging back along the valley floor towards a welcome cold beer and sat discussing the pleasures and efforts of the previous 24 hours.

Gouffre Berger Cave Expedition

Berger 2007.

The Berger cave is a 1000 metre deep system with its entrance high on the Vercor plateau South West of Grenoble. We were joining up with a UK team comprising mainly of members of the South Wales caving club and we had up to two weeks to equip and clear the cave.

Wednesday

I flew in to Grenoble to meet up with Dick, Sharon, Matt, Alistair, Emma, Lee and Paul (the mad local Englishman whose house we were staying in.

Thursday

Today we had to walk into the cave in showery, thundery weather to leave equipment and camping gear ready for the weekend. The walk in is about 45 minutes through woods and across limestone pavement to a vague valley which is the location for the entrance to this 1000 metre plus deep cave. We met up with the current 'watch' team and a couple of French cavers who had been adjusting the new underground radio system.

Next job was to pitch our tents on the flat bare limestone parent to leave our equipment in until our return the next day.

Friday

Soon enough we were making our way up to base camp and fully laden with enough supplies for a couple of days. We had with us water, food and other bits and pieces to make our stay comfortable whilst we manned the camp and took records of comings and goings, messages via the Nicola phone system. Careful notes on peoples entries and exits, departure and arrival at the camp one phone as well. We also had a short trip into the cave to the first main chamber of Cairn, about 70 metres below the surface.

Saturday

The days main job was to take the bags with our main expedition food in well into the system to ease the start of our main trip. We left these at the bottom of Gontards pitch which is about an hour into the cave. Sharon and Dick came along on the 'reccy' as well.

The days other event was watching Paul and Jules on their epic 24 hour challenge from the bottom of the Berger to the top of Mont Blanc (cycling 100 miles in between the deepest cave expedition and highest peak in Western Europe). This was a real eye opener for Lee!

We also changed our plans in bringing our trip forward a day due to possible storms on Monday. So now Sunday was our departure date, we were to be the last team down and to start the removal of ropes on our return from the lower parts of the system.

Sunday

And so our big day arrived. We welcomed other groups who were also aiming to reach the bottom before we hopefully made the very bottom and started de-rigging. Alistair and Lee set of slightly before I set off with Dick. At first we were traveling through familiar territory down the sections known as "Ruiz", "Holiday Slides", and "Cairn". We were traveling very light weight and so progress down through the Meanders and the impressive pitches of Garbys, Gontards and Aldos was quick. Within an hour and a half we were entering the massive spaces of the master cave. Only my extra bright laser torch could penetrate the darkness here, allowing glimpses of the huge walls and ceilings that dwarfed us. A huge inlet on the left called Petzl Gallery was soon passed and after another short pitch the amazing site of people way in the distance at camp one allowed us the understand the enormous proportions of this part of the cave. Walking down "The Great Boulder Slope" felt like walking down a mountain side at night. 300 metres of descent over a boulder strewn slope brought us to camp one where several people were organising photographic equipment for some shots of "The Hall of the 13", not a separate chamber but a group of impressive formations, possibly the most famous in the world?

We stopped for some food and drink. Alistair assumed the role of cook and handed out cups of French onion and asparagus soup which we gladly consumed. We left a few bits of food for our return before heading on past the amazing formations of "The Hall of the Thirteen" taking a few pictures on the way. Our route continued past amazing flowstone and huge gour pools (like enormous natural dams) and then down more calcite slopes, small pitches and a past an unusual formation called I think the Elephants Do Da, which made a huge noise like a significant waterfall, but in actual fact was just a small jet of water falling from a tube into a calcite bowl. We stopped at this for a while before carrying on down through more great forests of stalagmites in the Salle Germain and Salle des Treize. A large calcite slope brought us to Le Vestier, a small doorway that lead on to the canals (Les Coufinades).

The canals run for a 100 metres or so and have to be traversed via ropes on either side as some of the pools are deep enough for full immersion (which would be pretty unpleasant). A final Tyrolean traverse over a deep pool and we were past the canals and onto further pitches including the famous Cascade Claudine with its original scaffold pole which allowed the first explorers to descend the drop out of the water. Another small pitch called Topographers marked the subtle change of the nature of the cave as the rock got darker and darker and our torches made little impression in the still huge passageway. Around another bend in the passageway some tiny lights in the distance brought into perspective the size of the Grand Canyon, this massive sloping chamber that we were in would take us down to Camp Two via steep slippery paths with in situ ropes.

We had agreed to stop at camp two for some food and a rest, and we also stopped for a brief exchange of experiences with the couple coming out. Whilst we were eating we heard another couple coming up the ropes, this was Ben and Bridget who were the last couple out the bottom cave before we were to de-rigg the pitches below camp two.

There were still 200 metres or so to descend vertically and this included three significant sections which were The Grand Cascades, Little Monkey and Hurricane. Standing at the bottom of these pitches and watching the other members of the team descend through the spray and the darkness brought home the sheer scale and also the remoteness of our location far below the surface of the Vercor Mountains.

Beyond Hurricane the cave followed narrow channels with small drops and a climb around a small wet pitch until after wading through a deep pool we arrived at the end of the cave (although with a boat a further 100 metres is possible). Here the water depth increased, the walls narrowed and the arch shaped ceiling came close the water. Divers have attempted making a connection through to further passages without success. It is believed that the "missing passage" between this point and the Sassenage caves less than a km away are probably submerged fissures with no way through.

We took photos and chatted briefly before starting our exit. Unlike a mountain trip our return was all uphill of course! Rope bags which are easily lowered down the caves many pitches and carried down the boulder slopes have to be carried, hauled and lifted back through the system with great expenditure of effort. Plus many of the ropes are now wet which means they are at least half as heavy again!

I feel fortunate to have had the chance to be the last out the bottom pitches. Climbing up the thin ropes in the spray lashed caverns the inky blackness of the Gouffre Berger seemed to chase me up the ropes. Even with all my head torches turned on I could see no more than a couple of metres below me.

Removing the rather worn rust bolts as I went the cave was left in darkness once more before the next expedition came to challenge its depths. We still had the job of getting more ropes out the cave and of course now carrying the ropes we were collecting. Dick de-rigged the Grand Cascades, a huge series of water chutes were our ropes clung to the side wall in a spectacular position. A dropped helmet by one of our team in a deep pool reminded us of the caution we still had to take. We were now starting to also feel the effort of nearly 18 hours effort and on a few occasions quite minor cuts to our hands resulted in the rather grim spectacle of blood soaked ledges and equipment. We returned eventually to camp two with 4 heavy tackle bags and enjoyed noodles, hot chocolate and cereal bars. All too soon though it was time to continue and we knew the journey through the canals was going to be tough even with just two extra tackle bags we decided to carry on with (the other two bags we would have to leave for other members of the team to collect later in the week.

Retracing our steps gave us a different perspective on the cave and in the Grand Canyon section we even took a different route up the steep muddy slopes which proved to be easier than our outward choice. The pitches of Topographers and Claudines followed and brought us to the canals (Les Couffinades), which despite the bags seemed shorter and less intimidating than on the way out, partly because we were perhaps less worried about getting wet now. Hauling the bags through on the fixed lines was hard work though for sure.

Then the ascent of a huge flowstone cascade marked our return through the Vestierre and back into the huge passageways and pitches leading up to camp one. Our pace now had slowed to what seemed a crawl and a time check showed that it was now nearly 5am, over 16 hours since we left the surface. Mistaking the red rope of a new extension series for the Balcony pitch delayed us slightly but coming up last up the Balcony pitch I found myself following climbing up past blood coated rock and re-belay. Lee had caught his knuckle on behind his rope jammer and a deep cut was enough to way mark the next part of the 'trail' in red until we located a bandage to stem the flow.

5.30 am marked our return to camp one and the sleeping cavers stirred and vacated two of the spaces in the makeshift foil tent. Dick and myself tried out the emergency double skinned foil bags that Alistair had provided us with, unfolding from a pack about the size of a paperback book these provided enough warmth to snooze for a couple of hours whilst the previous occupants of the camp made their way out. Lying back with a view up the great boulder slope a caver using a carbide light was moving slowly out of the cave and lit up the immense upper chamber with a warm guttering light, a unique way to doze off!

I must have slept but it didn't feel like it and at 7.30 we stirred and decided to make some breakfast (hot chocolate and biscuits to follow on from an earlier can of rice pudding). We left the camp behind in darkness and then had to climb up the 300 metre high Great Boulder Slope and eventually up to the junction with the entrance series. I was glad at this point to find my foot jammer that I had dropped on the way out, without it my climbs up the ropes would have been much harder. We took a look at the Petzl Gallery passage before heading into the smaller passages that would take us back to daylight. 200 metres or so of jummaring and the tiring traverse of the meanders and we were at the entrance pitch. The smell of wood smoke and fresh air was vibrant and intoxicating after so long underground. Although it was just 25 hours it felt like days since we set off on our journey. Sharon and Emma were there to greet us on the surface and the sunshine and cups of hot tea were invigorating.

And so our trip was over. Well not quite actually. We had still to return to assist in the removal of ropes from the cave. When we arrived to do this the ropes had been brought back as far as Aldos pitch. The day was wet and the forecast not good, and on our walk into the cave the three of us who were to start the job today were concerned about the amount of rain falling in that it might affect the retrieval of ropes from the bottom of the Aldos pitch which can become impassible at times due to the sheer volume of water.

Dick volunteered to go down the pitch and tie on all the loose bags whilst Julian and I set up a hauling rig at the top ready to hoist the 5 kit bags (which must have weighed 80 kilos or more) up to the top. This was achieved with great satisfaction and with the gradual arrival of more helpers the ropes were eventually all removed and back on the surface. This was a very tiring 7 hour trip and with aching shoulders and tired legs we walked back over the Sornin Plateau with our rucksacks full and appetites for caving and adventure well fed.

Times

camp one from surface 1.31 hours (rest 39 mins)

camp one to camp two 2.49 hours (rest 1.23 hours)

bottom of cave (psuedo syphon) 1.50

total to bottom 8.13 hours

return to camp two?

return to camp one (rest 4.42 hours)

return to surface from camp one 3.25 hours

total trip time 26 hours (6 hours rest)