I spend a surprising number of Wednesdays desperately trying to leave work on time in order to get to some race or other the other side of Manchester (often the Peaks), battling work and traffic and dog care commitments in the process. So imagine my delight when someone put a race less than 15 minutes from where I work in to the club championship! Winner!
Eddie's revenge is apparently a reference to a chap who briefly ran for Middleton Harriers, set up the course or the event, and then promptly moved south. Its a relatively local affair, being both short and loopy. But that is also part of its charm for those of us in the Oldham area (if only for work). It is a classic fell race in so much as you register in a church hall (a very pretty St Saviour's), wonder up the road without much ceremony, run up and down a hill, and then come back to the church hall for tea and homemade cake served by lovely people whilst some prizes are presented. The difference is the hill is actually an old quarry jus outside Oldham with a load of tracks and footpaths, and the prize table is incredibly densely laden.
So arriving from work with a stomach ache I was at least early and parked easily. Picking up my number I chatted with a few people from Chorlton runners and a few other people I have met through various races, including Kev the local who I attempted to glean a bit of course knowledge off. I was the only female Chorlton Runner running, and managed to look suitably odd in the team photo...
After a minimal race briefing. The road starts on a road up to the quarry and it was a bit jostly on this section as everyone tried to get going and in to position. I was actually quite glad to see a small queue at the end of the road section to go through the narrowing on to a footpath. I really didn't know how to play this race: I am technically on the taper in the run up to the ultra, I had done hill reps the night before but good placement adds a lot to the confidence in the run up to a big race. Continuing to climb the hill on a rocky but well made footpath I didn't exactly feel great and my hamstring and quads gently complained about the ascent. I slowed to a walk with man of the others around me and watched the stronger climber pull away. I knew we were doing several loops, each with a reasonable amount of hill in it but I had been unable to make head nor tail of the map prior to the race!
After the hill came the first descent and I caught sight of the first gentleman climbing back up on an adjacent path, presumably starting the bigger loop. He looked to have a commanding lead and I suddenly started to worry if there was a point on the route I could be lapped.... There wasn't but I was clearly in a bit of anxious mood. This first descent was fairly straight forward and at the bottom Sam was stood with a camera to capture us all suffering as we started the longer climb up for the long lap.
During this climb I lost the little group I had been with and walked a bit more than I wanted. It was along climb with a few steep sections interspersed by sections you could run. It was mostly pretty good under foot but occasionally it got rooty though a tree section, or loose underfoot. In the narrow section we were sort of just follow the leader pace wise but as it widened out I was a bit left behind. We went over one knowl which was a bit shaley, then climbed towards another knowl with a mast on top, and surprise trig point. I shouldn't have been looking but there were stunning views over Manchester, Knowl hill and the adjacent Pennine hills. Despite the earlier rain it had turned in to quite a clear evening and good temp for running.
Now started a very long and enjoyable down hill. It would have been more enjoyable if I hadn't been a bit embarrassed by John from Middleton Harriers (V70?) smashing past me in an amazing show of agility for a distinguished gentleman. The path at the top was wide and rutted and I tried to keep in the top sections of the ruts, as my feet are too fat to go in the dips. We wiggled through a few gates and then the marshal warned us the path was going to get very steep and we tilted even more downhill through heather and trees on a single track footpath. I started to catch the group I had been running with at this point, which was at least some consolation. It wasn't too technical but you had to keep an eye on the ground.
At the bottom, marshals had wrapped the bollards in padding which seemed sensible and I used one to spin myself back out on to the road and round past Sam again to try stay with the group, completely in vain. There was a chaotic crossroads where runners moved in all directions but I managed to straight across and on to the right track to start the final short lap, looking longingly at the finish line to my left.
On the final lap, I *THINK* we rejoined the same track as the first short lap but turned off earlier. It felt more runnable after the steeper long lap and I tried to keep going. Turning off to the left in front of some lovely flag waving marshals though I was glad to have done all the hills now. The final descent was on a relatively wide stony path that started gradual and then got steeper. It was a bit more technical than the first lap but not much and I caught the tail end of my group, even over taking one woman at the bottom. A few of the Chorlton team cheered me at the bottom. Then came a horrible left turn and a sprint on the flat for the finish where the lady smoked in the final dash.
I sort tumbled over the finish mats, feeling clumsy in my chunky Scotts on the flatter sections (I don't think they were the right shoes for the race and I am finding them just a bit rigid at the moment), and not really managing to get a sprint on. There was bottled water but I didn't feel I needed it. In fact i felt okay but probably because I just hadn't managed to get any real speed going that evening! Slight tummy cramps and complaining legs, plus likely just a lack of will to get going, had all held me back a bit. But I had enjoyed myself and been both first (and last) female Chorlton over the line.
We wombled back down to the road as a group of Chorltonites comparing notes and (in my case) chatting rubbish. Back at the church tea and cake were served (swiss roll, milk no sugar) and the many many prize categories were awarded. Several sheep won individual prizes, and the chaps tied with Saddleworth for mens team prize.
All in a lovely evening if a bit of a disorientating and unrelenting course! Category AS but no where near as bad as some in that category. Nice group of marshals and organisers. Good spectator value according to Sam (we passed her three times I think!) who I have to thank for the photos. Not a great performance but hopefully I can put a bit more welly in to Thursday's 5k instead.
No comments:
Post a Comment