I agree. So it’s hardly much Achievement.
My time of 3.30 was around 40 mins behind the course record by Mark Fleming I think?,
Though they do get a bit competitive at sharp end.
Managed top tens in such as the trollers an event I like. Third at the anglezarke amble. Even did 4th at Keswick to barrow one year, having missed the turn in dalton so headed out to black Combe! Third at autumn in Lakeland ( a skyline circuit of borrowdale) . I allowed two guys to come past at the finish knowing I had cut a corner, only to discover chatting they had cheated a mile and climb in borrowdale!
But there’s the rub.
I was a better runner than fellrunning climber , but I much preferred the wildness of such as duddon. Mostly I just like long trots on the fells. Crocodile races don’t do it for me. Pot hunting and positions never bothered me. I’ve not raced a lot. My last was Pendle cloughs ( which deserves far greater popularity than it has)
Hard to do these days: I used to love edale skyline when you could send in the form a fortnight before. Online has made entry impossible.