Do not argue with coach!
Peakrunners Dark Peaks 30
Before I start... This is an awesome race! It wasn't really very well attended this year, but I'd urge anyone who wants to have a go at a well-organised, good value, tough, enjoyable and beautiful race to get over to the Peakrunners website and enter.
I wasn’t going to do the Dark Peaks 30 this year. In the
week leading up to the race I had a cold and very twangy Achilles’, but it had
always been there in the back of my mind. Despite telling lots of people I
wasn’t going to do it, I couldn’t quite put it out of my mind, and on Thursday
before the race I finally decided to go for it. If I didn’t race I’d sit at
home and whinge about how I should’ve raced and would end up going for a long
run anyway, so it seemed the best option. After all it is one of the finest
long run routes in the Peak. I asked Dave Riley of Peakrunners if he would
accept a late entry and he kindly did, so that was that.
2018 was the third edition of the race, and I’ve done both
of the previous two. The route has changed slightly, though it has kept most of
the same features (a sort of figure-of-eight taking in Win hill, Stanage,
Kinder, Mam Tor and Lose Hill. In 2016 we started in Edale, but in 2017 moved
to Hope and added a flatter section around the edge of Ladybower in place of
the second ascent of Win Hill. I was pleased to see that this year’s edition
was the return of the Win Hill double.
In 2016 this was my first race back from a year in the Alps,
and I felt like I could go uphill pretty well. Coach wasn’t so sure though, he
said my form was wrong and that I was running without using my hamstrings. At
first I was a bit disappointed to hear this: I had spent months loving being in
the mountains, getting out for a few hours most days and regularly climbing 2
or 3000 metres on a long run, so I felt I was the fittest I’d ever been. Anyway,
that year the DP30 took me about 4:40.
 |
| Alpenme |
At the 2017 race, that Scotney chap turned up and I was
committed to second at best before we even started. He shot off at the start
and I never kept up. I reasoned that the flatter section around Ladybower had
quickened the course by 5 minutes or so, and I reckoned my 4:35 was equivalent
to around the same time as the previous year. I put this down to less mountain
time but did concede perhaps that coach had a point on the benefits of
hamstrings, though I still valued my mountain fitness and felt much less fit
than the previous year.
 |
| 2016. Jen is thinking "Marcus will smash you next year..." |
This year I completely messed up my argument by running the
original course (albeit with a different start and finish point) in just over
4:30. The start of the race in Hope Village Hall was a jolly affair, with
runners arriving from all over the UK and lots of faces I didn’t recognise. It
was nice to see some friends from Accelerate Trail Runners too.
 |
| Atmospheric startline photo (Lee seems to be missing) |
After a casual briefing from Dave and a few photos we were
off! Dave’s races are well organised but have a good low-key feeling to them.
This time there would be three checkpoints with food and water, a bit of taping
on the way back into the village at the end (more on that soon), but that was
it. Lovely.
----------------
We set off and there were soon two of us at the front – Lee Parker
and I. I don’t really know Lee but I’d spotted him before the start and thought
he looked fast. We ran together out of the village, then took a wrong turn and
ended up running down the drive of a B&B. I think we both knew it wasn’t
right, but the friendly owner confirmed that this was the case and we turned
around back to the road. It was nice to see all our friends from the start
again, but eventually we were back towards the front. I think Lee stopped to
take his jacket off so dropped back slightly, so I passed the leader on the
lower slopes of Win Hill.
 |
| Lee Parker |
It was great to see Dr Simon on the top, he was as cheerful
as ever despite what can’t have been a particularly warm marshal spot! I was
careful on the descent of Parkin Clough, then saw Lorna and Buddy at the bottom
before crossing Yorkshire Bridge where I saw Dave and some other marshals.
After all that socialising I was ready for some solo running, which is what I
got for most of the rest of the race – from Yorkshire Bridge I climbed up Bamford
Edge, onto Stanage (where Vicky from ATR was marshalling), then turned left to
Moscar. I looked back on the descent and didn’t think I could see anyone, but it’s
always a balance (literally!) to have a satisfactory look while keeping your feet
on the ground and your face off it.
Anyway. Moscar, through the farm with the noisy gates, up
the long climb towards Whinstone Lee Tor and my marshal point from the Lost Lad
race the previous week, then down and along the edge of the reservoir for about
the only flat section of the race this year! At the end of this section (near
Ashopton) I saw Lorna and Buddy again which was lovely. I grabbed a piece of
cake from Amanda’s checkpoint on the main road and set off on the road section.
Peakrunners are an environmentally responsible organisation, so they don’t give
out plastic cups. The kit list required us to carry one, which I was, but I
found I am really not good at drinking out of it while running… After soaking
myself again I gave up, there was probably enough in my bottles anyway!
 |
| Top checkpointing |
Apparently Lee was not far behind me at this point but I had
no idea. As I ran along the road and across the dam I couldn’t see anyone, but
that could be 2 minutes or 20 minutes! I pressed on up Parkin Clough to see
Simon again, then along the edge of the trees to Hope Cross and up onto
Crookstone. Speaking to Lee later on he said he could see me on this climb, but
I hadn’t spotted him (again probably due to concentrating on staying upright).
I ran along the edge, to Ringing Roger and down the zigzags into Edale. At this
point I remembered with slight sadness that we used to finish here, but also
realised that I was running reasonably well. I had taken about 3:35 to this point, with only the Upper Booth checkpoint, the
climb up Mam Tor and the descent from Lose Hill remaining. I wondered if 4:30
would be on and decided it should be.
 |
| 2017 photo, but it's a nice one |
I had only eaten a bit of cake and a gel to here so decided
I should have some more. I’d brought plenty with me, so I declined the marshals
generous bootful of delicious offerings and had something out of my pack. The road
climb up to Mam Tor is strangely enjoyable, I like the way it winds up and the
gradient is just about runnable. I was pleased that I kept going and grateful
to the race medic for his support near the top. I passed a few people riding
then carrying bikes to the summit, then headed along what seems to be called “The
Great Ridge” nowadays to Back Tor (love that little climb!) and Lose Hill (less
so).
Off the top of Lose Hill it should’ve been in the bag: Just
a simple descent to Hope. However, someone had turned Dave’s sign over, so I
assumed it was for a different race and continued down the front of the hill. I
knew I could get to Hope this was and it seemed simpler than spending time trying
to work out the intended route. After a few minutes I realised I was definitely
not on Dave’s flagged route, and that I was extending my run in quite
considerably. I decided to cut right after reaching the road near the Cheshire
Cheese pub. This seemed sensible and I’ve done it before, but I managed to end
up in a field with some horses, then lots of brambles, then a railway crossing!
Finally I popped out on the track we’d run out of the hall on and rejoined the
route for the last 100 metres in to the finish.
 |
| Hoping I haven't messed it all up in the last 5 minutes! |
I wasn’t sure if Lee had nipped past me by going the right
way so I didn’t risk an exuberant celebration as I crossed the line, but Amanda
confirmed that I had been first, which was nice. The time was something like
4:30:20, so 4:30 would’ve definitely been possible without my detouring at the
end!
----------------
I learned a lot from this race… Firstly, you can’t always
tell how a race is going to go and shouldn’t give up before you’ve started.
Secondly, Stu Hale probably does know what he’s talking about, and hamstrings
are apparently worth having. And finally, the start and end of races are key to
overall navigational success!
 |
| With the main man (and a nice hat) |
As well as some Raidlight kit which I will be donating as
Runners against Rubbish prizes I won a great hat from Big Bobble Hats, some
Mountain Fuel and some Accelerate vouchers. Dave soon arrived at the finish and
it was great to be able to thank him and Amanda for organising a cracking race.
Thanks also to all the marshals (including Simon up on Win Hill), and Lorna and
Buddy, for your encouragement and for doing a great job on a bit of a cold day
for standing around!
I wore my Supertrac Ultra RCs, which were perfect for the
mixed terrain and are still going strong after what must be at least 500km of
use. Apart from a bit of tread wear you’d hardly know - they are showing no
signs of being close to the end of their life!
Comments
Post a Comment