Indeed - steady pace essential. Also the run off Ingleborough is further than you think - it's a long 5miles. If you've blown, it's interminable!
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Steve my training which got me a sub 4 hours was starting from Strines Inn run up long track to Back tor, fast descent to Ladybower, run all the way round approx 11miles at half marathon pace then run back up from bottom of Abbey brook to Back tor and back to car. total mile age is about 17 miles, two good hills and a long fast quiet section. 3 weeks before I threw an extra climb in up Marg hill but lots of options..
True, its the long bit between Pen-y-ghent and Whernside that sets you up for blowing up on the way up Ingleborough.
There is quite a bit of running to do between the real climbs and I had a battle with myself up the flags on Ingleborough, also the descent in to Horton is a bit of a slog but if you can possibly do a single run with more mileage and climbs in training then you'll find the race easy, although the flat(ish) sections do make it a bit of an odd one to pace IMO
As a frequent runner around the 3 Peaks route (that might just get even frequenter if my house move to Horton goes through :) ) I like to think I know my way round it fairly well. I haven't run the race for yonks (and nowadays it clashes with the Fellsman which I love 'to death' and must do again and again and again in a stupidly masochistic way) but I think my best 3P race time was circa 4 hours 20 - that said I have run (a variation of) the route in 3 hours 54. To aim for a 4 hour finish think in terms of 40 minutes to the top of Pen y Ghent, an hour to Ribblehead, 40 minute to the top of Whernside, an hour to the top of Ingleborough and 40 minutes back to Horton. A doddle then ;)
Mind you when I last ran it on February 15th, in somewhat less than perfect weather, it took me and Gavin 5 hours 30!
I did 3.54 in 2012 & didn't look at my Garmin once. I ran purely on how I was feeling. I don't need the added pressure of chasing times, my goal is always the enjoyment of the race !
Agreed. The reason I mentioned times is that because many people's advice for the 3 Peaks is to not overcook things early doors. That is true but, if you instead end up over-undercooking things early doors, it can be a hell of a job trying to compensate later :)