I had sort of forgotten the madness of trying to get from work to a midweek fell race. And that was before I had to organise dog care!
So arriving at Bamford Rec with 12 minutes before my start time (and about 1 minute before they closed the field), I was mildly flustered to then remember I had forgotten my club, and then fumbled my kit before deciding just to run with my car key in the sort of pocket in the back of my innov8 capris (this was a terrible idea). I bumbled through registration, managed a quick wee and a hello before landing next to Lizzie on the start line. Thank goodness for friends who bring good chat!
Bamford Carnival fell race is usually part of Bamford Carnival which appeared to be happening in a curtailed form as the village had bunting and I think scarecrows (or may be some more haggered looking locals?) and seemed very jovial. The race had sold 250 places and, being the other side of the Peaks, attracted a lot of clubs from the Sheffield area. A handful of Chorlton Blacksheep had, however, trotted over the Snake Pass on what was shaping up to be a beautiful clear and warm evening. Actually, they might have come via the Hope valley and the A6, but I actually didn't ask. Everyone was very jovial at the start, a few people wore masks and were a bit nervous in the toilet queue, but mostly, it felt normal.
The race director was setting us off in groups of 30, allocated by race number based on alphabetical order. So you had some fast and some steadier people in all waves. Two minutes between each wave gave you enough time to scramble across the playing field and hope no one over took you too soon ( I was actually in Thornhill by the time the next guys over took me). I was sitting dead last in our wave for a while; I'd headed out on a big run on Monday over at Kinder, then done orienteering on Tuesday followed by a big departmental stand off over work issues just before I left the house and my heard and head weren't really there after the rushed journey. Oh and my car keys were making my trousers fall down. Warm up? What warm up?
The road section runs up past the type of houses I dream one day of living in before turning off the road on to a narrow path. I'd run most of the road but now was mostly walking and throwing myself in the hedge to let the fast people coming through behind get in front. In my mind I wasn't racing and so it didn't matter. This section would have been lovely as it was steep but you could have potentially done it run walk if you had wanted, and still admired the flowers. Suddenly I had caught Lizzie up which was a suprise, though I don't think she was pleased to see me.
As we hit Parkin clough, the course opened out and my legs seemed to follow. Without the pressure of people over taking I was able to get a run on and over take one or two other people. Soon we were overlooking the amazing Derwent Edge and Ladybower reservoirs. It was fantastically clear. You could see several rocky landmarks on the horizon and I wished I had my phone and time for a photo.
According to Strave I did my fastest time from the clough over the hill (though I haven't done it often and the other time would have all been part of a longer run). I was getting over taken, sure, but I was making good pace for me. The stomping steep section up to the pike was a leg burner but I was going!
If you have never been to Win Hill, it offers amazing views over the Dark Peak. Gritsone edges, the Great Ridge and Kinder are all visible, as well as down Hope Valley. There were people at the top taking photos both of the race and of the views. I think the race had crashed a few romantic sunset walks....
The first part of the down hill was very runnable and grassy. I saw Ann a a bit ahead of me, probably a bit too far to catch but I must be making time on her. She always trounces me on the road I would like to point out, and is over 60, and naturally is an aspiration. Initally the path was broad so it was easy for the speedsters to hurtle past but soon it got narrower and steeper and I had to keep jumping out the way to let people pass. A couple of much older women hurtled past me, clearly of lifelong racing stock. I hope I can be half as good and agile as these women when I am their age.
I enjoyed the down hill, even as we pelted back though the heather. I hadn't realised but we actually rejoined the path we had been racing up earlier; it looked very different from this angle! As soon as I realised I really let it fly! My legs found their old confidence and I was actually almost keeping pace as some people came past me as we hit the road. I stretched it out on the footpath that cut of the road corner on the way up and pelted it down the final road to the finish line, clasping my car keys in my hand as I had given up on the pocket! As I entered the field the finished Blacksheep were assembled to cheer me in so I pushed it over the finish line. Lizzie came in seconds behind me.
Somewhere on Win HIll I had forgotten all of the stress of the week. I had forgotten the fact i was in a dirty old tee shirt that shouldn't see the light of day (the pattern has completely worn off) and am far too fat to be fell racing. I chattered excitedly comparing race experience with the other sheep. I had forgotten how much I hate my body at the moment, and how heavty I had felt as I started the race. I looked up at Win Hill and around the valley and felt like the world really was an amazing place to explore. This feeling lasted all the way home, as I admired the amazing views of Snake Pass (which was blissfully quiet), and only came crashing down when I saw the team photo the next day where I loook like an absolute heffalump. I actually cried. I really need to get back in control of my eating so I can lose the pounds. I owe myself that.
But to end the blog on a funny note: as I walked back up to my car, their were two men drinking beer on the drivers side door, I assumed one of them was changing his shoes. I change dmy shoes but he was still there and so I politely asked over the door whether it would be okay to get in the drivers side of the car. He laughed and said sure, and explained he was just changing his shorts. I was mortified! I was having a conversation with a man in his pants! We had a good giggle, I turned bright red, and then to add insult to injury, my hybrid system wouldn't start on the car so I was there trying to get it to start for several minutes. All really rather embarrassing!
Sunset over Win Hill
PS sorry about lack of photos today, I was sort of hoping some one would post a few more but it seems we were all focused on the race!
