Edale Skyline - 2017

Lynne mentioned the other day that I hadn't written anything about Edale Skyline, and I thought I should get a a couple of thoughts down on paper before I totally forgot about it.

I hadn't raced at all between Mickleden and the Skyline, in fact, my training had been somewhat stymied by a 3 week trip to Tasmania. Although it was very cool indeed, and a fantastic laugh, I didn't actually get much running or training in while there. Once back in the UK, it was quite evident that I am not a natural runner as I got nailed on what should have been an easy run with a friend... more on that on another blog.

Me and Ben Naylor at the top of Ringing Roger

Essentially I felt like I was starting from scratch again. Luckily, the time off running had allowed my ankle to pretty much get back to being normal, however the Skyline came a bit too close for me to have got quite back to racing speed.
My first aim was to be in the top 10 out of the field, not get held back on the climb, and just see how the rest of the race went.
The weather was fantastic, so normal AL racekit was needed, as opposed to the significantly greater list on a bad year - so the race weight wasn't all that bad. As I hoped, I was in the first 10 out of the gate, and didn't get held back on the climb. Got overtaken by a lot of people, mind, including Chris Webb pretty soon after the first hairpin, but I just plodded on.

Across the tops I found myself catching up with the guys in front, and retook a number of places on the technical section and was with Chris and Jez as we went to Hope Cross. The new route now takes us down the Hope Wakes route, and we were told to stick to the paths, which we duely did. Other racers, it seems were not given that instruction and bashed through the woods on a direct line, cutting over fences... not entirely cool, and I wonder if more specific guidance may be given next year.

On the climb up to Win Hill my legs decided to say "nope" and I lost a number of places. My ascending is *still* the weakest part of my race, even 5 years after starting to race. Maybe I've got stronger at everything, and yet climbing is lagging behind by the same amount?
On the descent I grabbed a place from Ben Naylor and managed to stay ahead of him on the ascent of Lose Hill. About 3-4 of us were exchanging places and good humoured banter up the hill and across the ridge to Mam tor, but once past the checkpoint, my legs ended up really going "definitely nope" and I lost touch with them as we headed over Lord's seat.

Just before the new checkpoint at the bottom of the hill to Brown Knoll, Lynne was there with a drink, which I was grateful for, and then started the long flagged climb to the Knoll. Those slabs are great, in terms of not wading through bog, but horrendous in that they just keep going. Especially when you have runners breathing down your neck.

A couple of guys overtook me along the Southern edge of Kinder, and I could feel a blister coming on inbetween my toes (grit in socks?) and there was another one waiting to overtake me, who didn't quite have the speed over the slightly more technical terrain towards the end. I then totally lost him on the descent and came in a good minute in front of the next finisher.
20th overall, and 3:25. Not bad, really, but with some serious work to do on my climbing.

Mickleden straddle 2017

Just a couple of thoughts. Started out after about 6k of warm up. Maybe too much? Was fairly far down the field at the beginning and had to fight through about 40 people before being able to open up. Spent about 4km chasing down Chris, so I wonder if I burnt a few too many matches in the opening few km? Was happy going across the tops and was in 7th by the time I hit Slippery stones.

Was getting quite tired down the resers and then had to stop to tie a shoe before the ascent. The ascent was long and hard, couldnt justify walking, but my "running" wasn't really up to much and by then Chris had caught up to me and was neck and neck with me. Up to the top he gained about 10 metres and then I twisted an ankle and had to stick my foot into a bog for a minute before I could get on with attempting to run again.
The descent was long and it was a good few minutes before I got overtaken by a load of chasers. Ended up 13th which is pretty annoying considering without the ankle mishap I'd have easily been top 10. Not sure I'd have managed to beat Chris as I was feeling knackered, but there you go.

Review?

I've just looked at the last blog I wrote- it was a report on supporting Jasmins Paddy Buckley... it just didn't get published, so I'll do that a little later on. A few months late, but whatever.

It snowed last night, and the Spine Challenger starts today. I am not doing it this year, looking back at my blog from the race last year, I can still remember the pain. During the race it crossed my mind what kind of a running year I might then have, whether it would be good, bad or indifferent.
To begin with it was pretty rubbish. I couldn't really string days, let alone weeks of training together. A few races came and went - Teenager with Altitude, helping Jasmin out on her Bob Graham, that kind of thing, but various tweaks and problems came and went.
Through the year I had pre-entered a number of races, but they ended up being a bit rubbish, or I had to pull out and DNS them. My ankle twisted and kept going over through the summer months, and it seemed like I just couldn't keep myself together.

August saw Craken Edge where I ended up pulling a hip flexor which put me out of fast running action for a fair while, and to be honest, I'm still feeling it. I rested for a good few weeks - to no avail, so I trained a little- to no avail, and through into December I just decided to train properly for a few weeks just to see what would happen. Nothing nasty, so I've just decided to ignore it and continue.

To be fair, although that sounds like a litany of bad luck and grumbly-ness, I have had a decent amount of good form. The Spine Challenger was hard, but I was 4th overall, and 1st Mountain Rescue home. I managed another sub-4 at Jura, and in very different conditions to the Spine, I came in 3rd on the Bryce Canyon 50miler... very different extremes of weather and temperature. Not a bad to-do.

This year should be fun- as there is no horrendous winter race to contend with. However, I have just had confirmation that I have a place in the TDS in France at the end of August. 73km and 7000m of ascent. So thats probably going to be the main aim of the year, with other bits and pieces jammed in around that.

The main thing is going to be trying to stay injury free and enjoying being out there.

That's what its about. Being in the hills with friends.