Here are my snaps taken from Dean Clough, well done to all.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/980116...57664666756388
Great photos Mr Clough, thank you.
Tough as ever today. Managed quite a significant pb. Half an hour quicker than last year, and still quicker than 2016 which was a faster course following the flags all the way onto Kinder. Whilst this should be a cause for celebration, still tinged with a little disappointment after a couple of glaring errors.
Flying up to Black Hill, comfortably in the top 30, and whilst I knew I couldn't hold that position until the end, I decided to throw it away almost immediately by staying too long on the Pennine Way and missing the normal route across Sliddens, resulting in much tracking across some nasty tussocks ground. Only consolation was taking about 30 people with me who blindly "followed the leader".
Picked up again after Crowden and got it just about perfect across Bleaklow, but things went awry again after Snake Pass. I had taken a bit of a lunatic line to Withins Clough, then decided to try and run directly down the Clough, then decided it looked nicer on the hillside above. All this faffing around left me a long way behind the people I had been in front of at Snake Pass, and really fatigued my legs. Struggled round Kinder edge in pursuit of the sub 5 hours, but was never sure I would make it until the last mile down the Pennine Way into Edale.
So plenty to improve on. But a big pb, first big race of the year, and actually managing to claw back a place on the final couple of miles, whilst under a bit of pressure from behind, means I should be relatively content.
Hello to TrevorM. Ba-ba congratulations again, I was going to say hello at the start but you were in conversation. And hello to Mr and Mrs RaceTheSweeper, fantastic running Nigel. I pulled out a gap on Bleaklow, but you hammered me after Snake Pass (as you mentioned, the race doesn't start until then!!).
Pete
Last edited by Travs; 14-01-2018 at 08:54 PM.
Once again a great day out, got very cold in the later stages over kinder, glad to drop down into the valley.
I also went down Withens not sure it was a good idea, I seem to remember it being better going in the grough but it was very mixed. Possible following the flags and then striking directly south (west of Withins) may have been the better option.
Last edited by DrPatrickBarry; 15-01-2018 at 01:56 PM.
At Snake Pass I was two minutes or so ahead of RaceTheSweeper of this very forum. He took the high road to the east, and I was down in the grough. Admittedly I faffed about a lot, but he was past the aircraft wreck and heading up to the fence corner, by the time I crossed the Ashop river. The extra exertion from the crap terrain also wore me down, and I basically pulled myself up the fence onto Kinder plateau (then proceeded to head along the north edge for a hundred yards or so, before realising I was being absolutely stupid!)