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?
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
Last edited by Stolly; 04-03-2012 at 10:29 PM.
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.
Last edited by richardd; 05-03-2012 at 12:08 AM.
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!!