The usual chat is to take it steady and resist pushing yourself until after Greendale (1hour in), or after Pillar ( 2h30) or even until after Great Gable (3+ hrs). So I’m hanging onto a couple of Dark Peakers after only 30 minutes, thinking this is too fast and hot for me, they know the race line, but I’m going to suffer for this. Jasmin has cruised past, and is quickly disappearing into the distance on the heels of the leader. I stick with the others until the checkpoint at Joss Naylor’s farm, and exchange remarks with him about J’s impressive pace over a beaker of orange squash.
Then onward up Seatallan, telling myself not to lose confidence just because the others are moving ahead. A bit later it cools down and I catch the Dark Peakers again, and to my surprise find that I want to push the pace. We tussle round Kirk Fell, over Gable and up to Esk Hause. After four hours effort, we’re trying to be nimble on the boulders by Broad Crag and up Scafell Pike.
I barely register the summit and push on straight down the tourist path amongst the walkers, trying to politely let them know to look out. The legs keep it together, and its with great relief we get onto the grass by Lingmell. I can hear that my now single rival is labouring harder than me, and I try to open my stride as we descend, knowing he won’t give up easily. Then it gets steeper, I can’t hear how close he is, and I can see the finish field 1,500ft below. Quads get a hammering as I push on down, clatter though the pesky kissing gates, focussed on the finish until it arrives…and then the legs can crumple.
Simon Harding (Macclesfield) won in 4h09, then Pete Vale (Mercia) in 4h12. Jasmin was third overall in an incredible 4h13, within a minute of the women’s record. So some unfinished business for her there. I was next in 4h21, not sure if I’ll ever better that, but think I’ll be back all the same.
Full results
Jon Ascroft