Neil, Cee and I headed up to this yesterday. It's a nice wee trot around Bradwell, surprisingly, taking in Lose Hill, Kinder and Stannage Edge. It's also about 34 miles. Anyways, we go into Bradwell with enough time for a cup of coffee, and plenty of time to get ourselves sorted. 8:50, rocked up to the start line for the obligatory briefing. Cee departed off to the second checkpoint in Castleton - her plan was to cut a few corners, and meet us at selected checkpoints - still ended up doing 18 miles or so.
Started off at 9am, Neil got a much better start than me, but managed to catch back up at the top of Pindale. Ran together over to Cave Dale, where I managed to put a little bit of distance in, and overtook a few people hat were a bit nervous on the slippery rock. Into Castleton for checkpoint 3, a quick hi to Cee, and off again to Hollins Cross. Went up the way we come down in the Castleton race - not as much fun that way. Then down the other side into Edale.
Next was up "The Nab", which wasn't too bad, then cut across to the Druid Stones, with Neil still only 100 metres behind or so. Straight off the side of there down to the road, under the railway bridge and up to Back Tor, then up to Lose Hill. Saw Cee again, got pictofied, then up to the top and down into Hope. Small diversion halfway down with an irate farmer whinging about all of us runners, which was a bit of a laugh. Checkpoint at Hope, then off towards Win Hill.
Fortunately we didn't have to go all of the way to the top of that bad boy, merely skirted round the side about halfway up. Over to the edge of Ladybower for checkpoint 8, then back on ourselves down the old railway line. Checkpoint 9 came fairly soon after, where I refilled my water, and re-ibuprofened, as the ones I took at the start felt like they were wearing off. Back off down the old railway line, went slightly past the turn off, came back and then Neil caught me up just after Checkpoint 10. Together up "The Escalator" - a near vertical road up the side of Stannage Edge. Was fairly nasty at that stage, but was the last serious climb. Nicky Spinx, the winning lady, powered up past us there. On to the road, then up the rest of the way to the top of the edge. Hit a rough patch along there, just after a "viper extreme" energy bar - no more of them for me! - then on to Burbage Bridge car park for the next Checkpoint. Mr Whippy was there, and me with no wallet!
Still only slightly in front of Neil at this stage, and it was time to get off the edge. Had a really good run down to Toads Mouth bridge, but a poor route choice cost me a minute or two, and got to the checkpoint just after a lad I had overtaken. Asked him if anyone in a red top had overtaken him, he said, "yeah, about 3". So extremely worries now, pushed hard for the next 2 checkpoints until I saw Cee just after Leadmill Bridge. Asked her how far in head he was, she replied 1 hour 18 mins. What, Neil? No, the leader. Neil hasn't been past. So relaxed from there, felt really good until Stoke Ford, then it was a really long drag up Abney Clough, which should have been runnable, but after 32 miles, wasn't. Up near the top of the hill, was overtaken by a guy who I had last seen taking off into the distance, who had gone really wrong somewhere. He then charged off, and proceeded to go really wrong again, unfortunately he was too fast and couldn't hear me when I tried to yell him back. Over Robin Hood Cross, down into Bradwell and then a surprisingly long drag along the raod to the finish in 6:28 in 20th. Neil popped in in 23rd, in 6:36 I think.
Winner did it in 4:55, which is just plain wrong, but was a really good day out, and was 30mins quicker than I thought I would be.
