Bullock Smithy

[old un]

welldone to all some good times done i see i wallked it with a freind and was my first go at the event and enjoyed the first half of the route but for me there was too much tarmac and hard ground and my feet are well and truly trashed ,i dont think id do it again but agree the cp lads and lasses were great and there was cracking veiws to be had weather was good mainly except the showers early hours which the runners will have missed. was sad to see helen pulled out edale but was good to catch up and chat to some forumites over brekkie after their kips. enjoyed the weekend with good company and got a good time on feet exercise as i was after but thats me and the bullock done i think. saw the red arrows too which was a bonus the low for me lonnnng walk down the streets at the end seemed to go on forever with blistered feet

[DazTheSlug]

well that was horrific
really suffered in heat early on
was a few mins down on schedule at Edale Cross, and already starting to feel bad in time for the dread flat run-in to Edale (20mins down)
the climb up Cavedale seemed to go on forever and just seemed to have no energy at all despite eating/drinking plenty
started to perk up slightly as evening approached and temperature dropped, but had stopped thinking about schedule of any description by Miller's Dale
the chill wind on the tops either side of Chelmorton brought me "mentally" back into the game and I worked out that if I pushed a bit I could get sub-15
but having suffered for 7 hours I really didn't want to inflict another 8 hours of suffering on myself, so I just tagged on with a guy who was walking it (really fast) and tried to enjoy the rest as much as possible (although still not much) - the intermittent bright moon and the lights of Greater Manchester as you top out Macc Forest were the highlights
15:42 in the end
now feel like I've been put through a wringer
nobody ask me if I'll do it again.
P.S. the results show over 90 retirements so I guess I wasn't the only one having a bad time out there

[karen nash]

Yes. Some similar feelings. I felt trashed the whole time after Edale Cross and could not really figure out why. Shouldbe used to the heat as we'd been abroad? Did I set off tooo fast with Helen? Beat myself up no end and struggled to find enjoyment. Not a fan of so much tarmac and foot trashing rocky trails. Shame you had to retire Helen - you were one of many. Thanks to those who kept me on track when I admitted to no reccees and no idea where I was. Good to chat- hope I didn't whinge too much. Marshalls were great- thanks.Disappointed with my time but at least it was not a dnf. Managed to loose 3kg?

[DazTheSlug]

Congrats to anybody that finished no matter the time
but special Congrats to SarahB on her sub-12 - AWESOME!

like karen, I lost about 8 lbs in weight

saw fjell_guy on and off throughout - will let him tell his own tale though... :wink:

good to see Luv Shack just before Peep-o-Day - hope my photo comes out OK as think I was still looking relatively perky at that point!

[old un]

A sub 12 is a serious time on that course weldone don't know ho much weight I lost but had a right good go at getting it back tonght.:thumbup:

[Sarah B]

Thank you Daz, I am delighted with my time although a little shell shocked as to how I did it. That was only my 3rd BS but the weather was just too hot and made it very difficult. I'm sorry you didn't make your target but anyone who finished did a sterling job in the conditions.

I think it was hottest up to Edale Cross and saw so many struggling from then on. Like you I was relieved when it started to get cooler. I did some fast walking with Geoff P from MD and in fact we were just as quick as my friend who was running ahead

Karen - I spoke to Julie G afterwards and we both said there is too much road in it for our liking. I dread all the road parts at Edale, MD to Chelmorton, and I just dread Walker Barn to the end. When you're tired and knocking your toes down to CC and up to WB it is not funny either.

Not sure I'll do it again right now as I cannot move and sometimes it's best to leave things on a high - think I have very little chance of improvement on that time. Massive well done to anyone who did it, whether they finished or not.

[sunrise]

Massive thank you to all the marshalls we had a great motivating banter at each check point. My friend Claire and I were going strong for 42 miles, slowed down a bit at Earl Sterndale as had to navigate a little across the dark moorland, then me feet fell apart, huge blisters on the soles and sides of my feet, the last 7miles were red raw pain!! Finished in 15hr 21mins I think. The views, weather, big skies and a low yellow moon skirting behind us was brilliant. Bit of a hobble now, a good way to start a new job tomorrow!!

[Muddy]

Well done to all, what a great day out. The Red Arrows were a highlight, as was the Miller's Dale salty soup, yum.

I got round in 12:29 which I was pleased with given the warm conditions and my failure to have done much long distance work over the summer. Running past my house in Bollington was the toughest bit, with the dread Middlewood way to come, but I'd left my car in HG so thought I might as well finish .

Very well done to the fast finishers, congrats to all who had a go, finishers or not, and thanks as ever to the brilliant marshalls.

[Sarah B]

You did brilliantly considering the fact you hadn't done much training for it - I don't know how you just pull it out of the bag but you do

[Dave Hardy]

I didn't do much proper training for this either and I can really feel the lack of miles and hills in my legs now, I've got some of the worst DOMS I can remember! If I do this one again I'll need to treat it with much more respect.