I tried counting sheep....turned this way and that....even wore minimal kit.
And still I couldn't sleep: After working last night, trying to sleep during the day wasn't happening. The mugginess was simply, mugging me off.
Decision time, I'm not working tonight so do I listen to my rationale thoughts which say "stay in and relax, maybe give the new Hawkwind album a proper listen". Or do I go with irrational thoughts which say "go to Widdop, you can always catch up on sleep after the race".
Off to Widdop I went.
I've not done the race for a few years and almost forgot about the frantic start as we run down the road away from The Pack Horse pub. Thankfully the road section is short and we soon turn off onto the fells. Once we arrive at the reservoir I'm feeling knackered and thinking a night listening to rock gods Hawkwind would've been a better decision.
Slowly but surely I start to come around and gain places, especially on the climbs. Widdop's the type of course that can be ran for the full duration but still feels like a proper fell race even though there's no hands on knees needed. Some predominantly runnable courses have a trail race feel about them, I don't find that with Widdop. In parts the terrain is very gnarly and challenging, especially over the open moors. It's a tough mid week race make no mistake. The anti-clockwise route offers some fantastically fast descending, really enjoyed the last descent dropping down to the road.
Well done to the ever youthful Ian Holmes and most definitely youthful Nichola Jackson, who broke the ladies course record.
Special mention to jazz loving gentleman George Arnold who completed the race as a veteran 80....proper fellrunning spirit, what an incredible man.
Cheers to Helen on her first attempt at race organisation and what a brilliant job she did. Also many thanks to all the helpers out and about...even the midges stayed away, what a result!
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Originally Posted by Tindersticks
