Everything in the lead up went quite well, with no niggles carried over from the Hardmoors 60 or VO2 max test, and the hernia wasn't really hurting much on the downhills either so I was looking forward to giving it a good test.
We arrived nice and early, I drank my pre-tace Mountain Fuel Extreme and all of the pre race prep went really well (got changed successfully), then we headed into the pre-race briefing. Usual sort of stuff, but was starting to need a wee. We were counted out, and onto the start line. I was having a chat to Chris Perry, when everyone else started running. Mistake number 1!
Off we went, steady climb up a short road section where I tried to weave my way past the people who were more switched on then myself. Managed to get clear a little, just in time to stop for a shirt queue at the stile. My main aim for this race was to beat a club-mate of mine, who was leading our fell-champ series, and he was about 30m ahead of me at this stage.
From the stile, it's a very narrow section until the next short downhill road section. I made my way past some more people, then it's a short uphill to a long, flat path that runs below the edge. And I really needed a wee. Mistake Number 2 (or probably 1, if I'd realised it in time) was not going for that extra wee before the start! It was starting to hurt where the hernia is, but I was closing in on the people in front, so was determined to hold it.
Which lasted for about a mile. Dashed off the track, instant relief, but my target was now a lot further away, and I was stuck behind some people that were travelling slower than I wanted to. The flat bit finished, and it was the climb up to Curbar Edge. I managed to get past the slower traffic, then it was back up to full speed along the edge.
About half a mile along the edge, is a left turn into some fairly heavy going to cross over to White Edge. I make my way past a couple more people, then up to the trig point. From here, it's go time. A beautiful run across White Edge, mixed with some descents, it was my chance to make up some more time on my target up front and I spent the next 1.5 miles at pushing hard.
I was closing the gap, slowly, then it was a quick road crossing, and a slightly uphill drag to Wellingtons Monument. A chap from Stockport caught me up here, he was moving really well. From here, there's just under a mile of quality, fast downhill. I let go, and hoped the hernia would hold. Just as I let loose though, a bloke falls down just in front. On go the anchors, check he's ok, he waves us on. Go time. I spend most of the descent under 5 minute miling, dragging the Stockport guy along with me, making some good time on my target, who is now only about 30 seconds in front of me.
But there's a hill. Stockport guy drops me and I push up the hill, until my climbing legs come back. It's not a steep climb, but after the mad downhill, it's hard initially. There's about 3/4 a mile of uphill, then it's back to the downhill chase. These are the bits I love, the technical downhill right on the edge of control. Or just over the edge of control. Mistake Number 3! I caught my foot on something, and down I went. cracking my knee, grazing my leg and catching my ribs on a rock. Managed to keep my face off a large rock though.
Back up and running, adrenaline flowing, grin at the next marshal and angrily fire myself down the next narrow, tricky bracken laced descent. I'm not quite as close as I was any more, but I still push as hard as I can. There's a short climb, then a fast descent down the road to the finish.
16th place, 1:08:43.
Plan is now to take it steady and hope my ribs recover in time for Windgather, a 13.5 mile fell race from Buxton.
Photo of the leg damage:
Thanks to Mountain Fuel (link here) for the #FeelGoodFuel and to TrainAsONE (Link here) for their adaptive training plan.
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