Sunday, October 13, 2013

Survived first race since August

I was a bit concerned at the conditions whilst getting ready for the race. It seemed much colder at Penistone Hill than even yesterday (easy 2.5 mile flat run with TLoB around Rivington). However, once the race started it seemed warm enough.

Withins Skyline is a very popular race. I didn't look at the results to see how many runners there were but the last htree years have all exceeded 300.  This had the advantage of making the gentle climb out towards Top Withins quite pedestrian - quite a bit of walking even though the runner in front of me may have been running!

Much of the out course was quite muddy with a few tumbles around me. Once the Pennine Way was reached, underfoot conditions became drier. Approaching Brontë Bridge I could swear I could hear TF breathing down my neck and about to pass me but the run-in from Brontë Bridge suited me so I had the rare occurrence of finishing ahead of our Salford-vested contributor. I felt that I'd left nothing for the finish when approaching the road crossing but was very pleased with my time of 71:11. I would have been even more pleased if that was for 7.5 miles as advertised but my garmin showed only 6.3 miles.

At the prize-giving Horwich did very well : Lindsey Brindle was second lady, Chris Farrell was third overall (I think he broke the course record which has stood for 8 years but so did reigning English champion, Simon Bailey, and he had to settle for second behind Tom Adams) so it was a very high calibre race at the front, Tony Hesketh won the V60 and even I won a prize - free entry to Auld Lang Syne.

Full results and photos/video when they are uploaded to the Woodentops site.

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