I am waiting for the full results from last night's race, but I can report that I got through the race almost intact, more later, and won a prize at V60 level.
It was a sunny night as the field set off up the seven hundred feet climb through woodlands and onto the open fells above Haydon Bridge. I felt fairly strong on the climb and was able to stay with the pack as we did the three mile up hill bit of the race.
Climbing towards the checkpoint at the top of the fell I kept asking myself was that my team mate, the slightly younger, Neil Cassidy, ahead? Last year Neil had beaten me by six minutes in this race. Was I really catching him? No, I decided and that is probably the point when I lost the race within a race.
Turning for the two mile downhill sprint for home, I noticed that I was about to cross over some large stone flags which bridged several dried up water courses. Too late I felt my left leg go into a gap between them, snap said my hamstring as it flexed, 'ow' said I, as my ankle hit the side of the gap on its way into a hole. 'Wow', I thought as I realised I had got away without breaking either my ankle, or leg. Last time I had a similar accident (Falstone Falcon Fell Race) I tore my calf, badly.
Putting the accident out of my mind I flew away downhill catching Grace from Tynedale Harriers as we entered the wood. Now if it had been a fella that I was chasing, then I would have got past him on that narrow path through fair or foul means, as it was I did the gentlemanly thing and stayed behind. Emerging onto the road I told Grace that we would have a road race to the finish.
Yes, I know that I should have crossed the line with her, but having got into a sprint I couldn't get out of it, could I?
At the finish I found that it was Neil just ahead of me to take the V60 by just 30 seconds, his 46.48 to my 47.18.
As mentioned above I am waiting for the full results from the race. One of the stats that I wanted to see was how many ladies were in the race for there seemed a high proportion of the fair sex represented. I think that this is an excellent feature of these modern times, particlarly as we were competing on equal terms. It was also enjoyable to be running with so many friends from the fell running world. Is that any type of running attracts nice people, or is that fell running attracts the nicest?
Today my ankle is a bit sore and I have a bruise to show for a near encounter with disaster. I got away wih it, thank goodness and am, hopefully, ready for Race No. 18 the Lambton Run at Lambton Park, on Sunday 21 June 2015.
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