High Peak 40

So it’s been a year and a day since completing the Long Mynd Hike, a 50 mile race that covers the Shropshire and Welsh borders.  To this day, I wonder how I completed the hike. I do have my theories but wont go into them now.  However it is the only ultra race I have done and finished thinking I could do an extra mile or two here. I still had energy left in the tank to continue a few more miles. Even Helen Skelton told me at the finish that I looked fresh.  Never has this happened again…

So you can probably tell that the high peak 40 become a bit more a challenge than I expected.

I set off to fast, but I thought it was a comfortable pace at the time, I was wrong.  Preparations for the race didn’t really go so well either, having only done the first 15 mile in a recce. I was also struggling with my knee in my previous race (ipstones five) and I hadn’t ran before since then. So with five miles in the bag and some hill reps it wasn’t the idea start to a 40mile hike that include Man Tor, The Lords seat and the tricky work at Cave Dale.  My confidence was blown out of the water before the ship had even set sail.

I went ahead anyway, as my aim for the year was to compete in the run further series.  I felt pretty good hitting the first couple of checkpoints. I even felt good running down some of the downhill’s, I remember thinking that I could be in for a good race as I descended from the Lords Seat, passing about 5 or 6 runners. 

Once the down hill came around into Castleton (Hollins Cross) I hit a stone and lost my balance and rapidly adapted my footing in order not to fall. I managed to avoid the couple walking the hill, I think they were just as confused about me as I was to their movements or dance on the hill. This did hurt my knee due to jarring. It continued to hurt, but I thought I could run it off. Lucky I had the company of Peter who I meet in Bradwell to keep me going, as well as Liz Reeves who was having a good race in the ladies.  They managed to keep me going. I did think about stopping and handing in the towel more than I ever have before. Especially when my jelly babies jumped for freedom on cave dale.

Though I decided to keep going, I thought I’ve done this before in the Long Tour, I do it again. And that is what I continued to do keep going, at a slow pace.

I couldn’t keep up with Peter and Liz and wished them luck and said I may see them at the end. I later saw Lisa and Janson Heath, Lisa was doing her first ultra, and was running well. She passed me just outside Tideswell.  I wished her luck and told her to push on.

Again this is what I did, bit by bit, foot by foot, a left and then a right, a tree and a view to see me through. Then I hit the road, this destroyed me and I lost all energy and time as I had trail shoes on rather than a road shoe. This would of being a better option… Too late now!

I managed another left and right. Steps turned to a walk and then a jog and then a run and then I repeated. Better to finish late than not at all…Maybe in the short term not in the long term. Injury’s are hard to shake off after the half way point… and they stay with you for the weeks after.

I was later cheered by Pete, Tracy, and Liz as I got to the finish. I was pleased to see them. I later saw Lisa and Janson too.

I managed to finish with a time of 8hrs 10minutes in 58th. I found out that Tracy had won the ladies race. Well Done Tracy.

Much fun was had afterwards, looking for a car key that I dropped on route, lucky it was at a checkpoint and it was pickup by a marshal. Thank you marshals, you saved my bacon! And also aided me getting back home and also provided much entertainment for me, Jon and Tracy. Thankyou all volunteers and marshals for an enjoyable race.

Me as Pie Protector 

Tracy and Jon, post race. Well Done to Tracy for Winning the Ladies race

in 6hrs and 21minutes