Parwich Panoramic 5

We'd been to this race last year - back then we'd come down just for Lewis's race on a perfect summers evening. Parwich is such a lovely little Peak District village, with the village green with the swings n stuff on for kids being opposite the Sycamore Inn - doubling up as the village shop.

I'd read online that there was a BBQ after the race this year - well, that swung it for us! There was also a local BDL league race on the same night - but Lewis's race, the BBQ plus the mens race meant there was no decision to be made!!

"Mixed" levels of concentration on the start line

No messing about on the start line for Lewis!

I cycled there to warm up and got there just as Lewis had crossed the line to take the win - beating all the older kids too who had to do two laps. Well done Lewis ! Chris and Andy had also made the same decision - hills taking the preference for fast n flat for all of us. Chris had done well, bringing the whole family down to race - 2 kids plus Emma - he knows how to show his family a good time!

The race was more undulating than hilly which is probably why the pace seemed very fast from the off - no major climbs to slow the fast road runner types down ! As we approached the Tissington Trail (which we were told was about 30% of the way into the race) I snook a look over my shoulder - and sure enough Andy was there about 15 metres back. Bugger !!!

Clockwise, the Parwich Panoramic sneaks in just 500ft of climb - but it sure felt like more!

Bang goes my chance then of even thinking about relaxing! I had to really push on during this race to keep the other guy sitting on my shoulder from coming past - he was so close he was breathing down my neck! Well, after lots of ups and lots of downs and me opening every one of the many many gate for the guy behind - he only still tries to overtake me in the finishing sprint! I was less than impressed after holding every gate and him not trying to come past. Thankfully I held a bit more back for the final sprint than he did. Phew - 9th place and 13 seconds in front of Andy who I think ran out of his skin.

Lovely BBQ after including a well earned pint with Teresa, Lewis, Chris and Emma. Well done all !

Results here 9th out of 89, so top 10% again
Strava link here

Brassington Wakes Fell Race 2015

Another week, another new local race to me. Again, I've often wanted to do this race but never fitted well in the diary. Now Lewis is 8, I'm more happy to bring him along knowing that if he takes his football, he'll more than likely find other kids to play with in the village. That or play Minecraft on his phone in the van - grrrrr!

Brassington Wakes Race Route, Anticlockwise inc some steep contours out of Hopton!

Brassington Race Profile, noting what happens at 1.7 miles in !

I'd cycled the longer hillier route home with a bit of pace up some hills, so when Lewis and me arrived with Rachel in Brassington I was warmed up enough. Still - I had 15 mins to test out my new New Balance Minimus Zero Trail v2.0's.

I'd not planned on buying any new shoes at all the other lunch - I just popped in to Derby Runner to get some new running shorts. Alas, these grabbed my eye and - having a soft spot for New Balance anyway - after trying them on with them fitting perfectly I had no excuse not to buy them! They're a zero drop shoe with quite a bit of padding and protection - something I'd often fancied and now I found myself owning a pair. Walshes are great - but on the rockiest terrain (aka Paddy Buckley etc) they leave my delicate feet feeling rather jaded. More padding then please !

Around 70 of us assembled on the start line on what was a stunning summers evening. Nathan turned up (ahead of his Peaks Sky Ultra on Sunday) so I left Lewis and him chatting about biking!

Go!

I knew most of the route anyway, so was very wary of the second climb out of Hopton - I remember it being very very steep, then long. Craig Allen was down so I sat just behind him on the first climb, then passing him just before Hopton. I knew we were roughly the same pace so was happy here. It turns out Craig was feeling a bit jaded from a Llandudno half mara (or something). The climb out of Hopton was as bad as I feared - very steep then gradual for ages - all the way past the new wind farms up to the High peak Trail.  I'd overtaken the next runner too by this stage so just had to hang on for the descent through some old quarry workings then down a track, past Nathan and Lewis and back into the village.

The first climb out of Brassington

Another great new race on a perfect summers evening - outside a perfect village pub. I'd promised Rachel that I'd have her post race lubrication lined up for her after the race - and you can see below how much we both enjoyed it!

Results here: 6th out of 78, so top 8%
Strava link here

Some of us enjoying post race rehydration!