Once the fog burned off?? - When was that then??
Many thanks to all the HPM crew. Brilliant!!
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Attachment 5809
Look what we found at High Neb!!
One of the Retford Team left his pack outside the hall at Edale - has anybody found it please?
Many thanks to all the marshalls and organising team - especially the guy at High Neb who made our Girls Night Out.
There he goes - using that n word again...
Sounds like you had a good run Grouse well done!
Thanks Iain we missed you this year, hope you are well.
Aye, well done Muddy and everyone else!
Ever tried this one Steve?
Well done to all... looks like an adventure!;)
Have you warmed up yet Clare? Don't fancy a trot round the Handicap route tomorrow do you?
Well this year's high peak marathon went tits up big style for team Premierquest, a team like every time I've ever done the HPM, that I joined at the last minute as a replacement. My team mates Morgan, Tom and Will were great guys and gave it their best shot but they'd be the first to admit they weren't fit enough and/or done enough training. We pretty much struggled from the off with some aches and pains already coming to the fore on the first climb up to Hollins Cross and a full on cramp attack for one of the team just 4 miles in going up Win Hill. At that point I knew our race was doomed but, although I tried to suggest that at least our cramp attackee seriously considered retiring when we got to Moscar at the 11 mile point, he bravely soldiered on.
As a team though we mainly had to stick with walking which soon meant we were in absolutely last place even though we'd had a 11:20 pm start time. It became harder to keep a steady pace going and what with my navigational faux pas at Sheepfold Clough and us then going way off beam after Cut Gate and totally missing the Outer Edge check point we decided call it a day to bail out there. All the same our trip off the ridge in the fog after that itself was a great adventure and I'd guess we'd done 32 miles by the time we reached civilisation so it was still a fun filled night in the hills. Really frustrating for me though as I have never ever felt fitter going into the HPM.
One day I will actually get into this fricking fantastic event with my own known team - for sure I think I've knocked this last minute replacement mallarky on the head for good having been dragged round as a distant hanger on last time in 2010 and being the only runner in the team really fit enough this time.
Anyway well done everybody else; it was great to see you all as you whizzed past
My wife would like to say thanks to all the organisers and volunteers. She ran with The Equine Behind Strikes Again, and already seems to think she enjoyed it. Her blog is here: http://www.sterling-adventures.co.uk...peak-marathon/
They also had a bit of an epic with the bog monster. Two of them got in chest deep!
Oh, and IanDP, I was the forumite with them last weekend when we met around Swains Head.
Sorry to hear it went bad Stolly, sounds as if you all gave it your best but circumstances were against you.
Haha, no Handicap route for me today sadly, got to work. Shame as it's gorgeous out there!
Did anyone pick up a pair of small black liner type gloves, probably lightly coated in peat and booger, from the foot washing chairs outside the hall please? I'll pay for postage if anyone has found them in their kit.
Just recalled the strangest moment of the night: getting hit very hard in the throat by a passing grouse (not THE Grouse of course) near Swain's Head. I've had many near misses on night runs, but that was the first direct hit.
I remember that now. Things can get a bit surreal on the HPM. The Bogmonster followed you too, all the way over Bleaklow and Kinder and caught you on the run off Brown Knoll.
The fat bottomed girls kept a good look out for the bogmonster from Marjery hill onwards but look at attachment 5809 to see what we found at checkpoint 4 below High Neb!!
with deep trepidation might I bring some worrying news to you all.........
It's that time of year again.....
Entry Form
My goodness, is it that time of year already. I very much suspect my club mates scars have yet to heal enough to form a team.
Still, AGM soon, they might just get drunk enough......
Looks really good. The route sounds awesome!
not too long now before we will know if were in or out... i always look forward to the HPM..
Entry now sent
Tiggers Brown vests will ride again.
I'm hoping to get a team stolly entry off before the deadline.... although my hopes of actually being accepted in are forlorn (its never happened yet)
Right my team's entry has been sent. I'm not holding my breath mind - every time I've tried to get a team through the draw I've failed utterly, with each of my 3 HPM outings being down to throwing my hat in the ring as a last minute substitute. My experiences have been err... 'mixed' to put it mildly with last year's team being a nightmare. I joined the team about 2 weeks before the off, not knowing any of them, and, well, they were just not fit for purpose :) - one team member was knackered and wanted to change his wet socks by the time we got to Hollins Cross (the first time!!!!!). Needless to say we did not finish....
I do hope we get in. Am I right in thinking that the route is taped and little lanterns guide your way? It is a road race isn't it? I think I'll be a valuable member of the team, especially if I wear fancy dress, and we can stop for a picnic and a nap can't we? I promise you won't be sorry that you chose me to be on your team...:thumbup:
ps do I need a head torch? I left mine at running club last night. I've got lots of candles though.;)
From what i understand Stolly, your bad navigation was partly to blame for the poor outing this year. 2 members of that team have completed before with no problems so dont think it was just their fitness. dont really think its fair to be just blaming them and giving them a slagging.. take a look in the mirror!!!
I agree that my navigation wasn't brilliant Phil although we recovered from my major cock up after Lost Lad. Navigation on the HPM is always fun. Apologies I wasn't meaning to slag them off (they were a good bunch and either way we had a laugh) but the two guys who'd completed it before both admitted that they weren't fit enough and the third guy definitely wasn't. We were squarely in last place one third of the way in (before any misnavigation) despite a fairly early start time. The main point I was trying to make is that its a real lottery not getting in with your own team and throwing your hat in the ring as a sub
The guys will be the first to agree they were not in the shape they should have been. you are entitled to your opinion about them and what happend but think that it should be done in a fair mannor. It was in fact my place that you took at the last minute this year. unfortunately i had been working away and had no chance of training for this years event. These things happen when you join a team at short notice. I myself have had to join a team with only a couple of weeks notice and its the risk you take when doing so that they are pretty much guaranteed to be either faster or slower than you. I totally love this event and and am always happy to follow when joining others fo it. I hope you eventually get your own place, i will be doing everthing i can to get a start come March.
Totally agree with all of that. The team last year did advertise though saying that they'd been in training 30 miles a week and they hoped to complete in 12 to 13 hours and I joined them on that basis. I suspect both of those statements were "slight" exaggerations :). All the same don't get me wrong, it was still fantastic fun. I just feel I'm due a bit of luck this time round in getting my own team in. Best of luck with the draw and hope you get in too.
depends on pace. HPM is much slower so stamina over longer time is more important.
I think if the weather is kind and you have a good base then 11-12 hours is steady if you just keep going.
I'd even go so far to say sub 10 HPM is much easier than say a sub 4 Trigger