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| Start,2,18,22,19,16,20,15,21,4, 23,7,8,14,12,11,10,9,5,3,Finish |
4th out of 160, pleased !
Wow - my legs didn't like that one !
First race in ages, probably all year for fell races so my hopes were not high - perhaps Top 10. Started off OK up the Pennine Bridleway to South Head, bit slow but generally enjoying it.
I started to feel less comfortable going down the first hill though towards checkpoint 22. Tarmac.
It's the general leg tightness / hamstrings feeling short / calves perhaps not stretched that made me feel like I was taking even shorter strides than I used to (and I've always got short strides!)
I noticed I wasn't catching people up as quick on decents as I probably used to but that's not a surprise really with all the cycling.
Blue skies made the rest of the day a joy, but the climb out from Birch Vale up towards Rowarth soon took the edge off that. Ascents were now slow too !
Then came the hard route choice bit - from 15 with 1 hour left do I (not feeling confident about my ever slowing pace!) go for it and head for 13 (25 pts) then be in danger of getting back well late or sweep up all remaining controls apart from 13 ?????
Well, I bottled it and missed out 13. I've just checked my splits again and I was actually at checkpoint 12 with 1 hour to go. Now I think if I'd have known that I'd have gone for 13. Anyway, as it started to pan out I was in line to finish really really early (20 minutes) so I snook in the 5 pointer too which I wouldn't normally do as it was out my way.
I think missing 13 was the wrong choice, but I was not confident in my legs. It's also the first time on a D&W running event where I've not covered the whole of the outside circumference of the course. Well, I am over 40 now !
A great day topped off with a cracking Raspberry scone, jam and cream in the great little Hayfield T Shop with Krish, Helen and Pete Baker.
Results here