Exterminator 16m/4050ft

My last fell race (sniff,sniff) before Snowdonia Marathon. This race completed my series of four long races in the Peak District, one a month since June. Although Belper RR is stretching that a bit, but part of the route made it onto the OS Map OL24.

Of the four, this was the one that I had the least route info about. All I had to go on was the grid references for the check-points and a brief discussion on last years’ FRA forum regarding possible alternative routes from the penultimate (8th) check-point. I’d done some recceing, and could get from point to point, but wasn’t certain of the optimum route.

Thankfully today turned out to be one of the few days this summer when visibility on the hills (for the duration of my race) was good. Early on the locals helped with a few better route choices. By the 5th check-point (2.5hrs in) I was on my own though. The only sighting I had of any other runners was a group of three huddled round a map at the 8th cp. Now given that by this stage I wasn’t going at a blistering pace, none of them seemed in a hurry to follow me.

I made it back to the finish just as they were starting the prize-giving. There were a few spots of rain at this point, so I’ll let them off for not waiting. I managed to get round in about 4hr 10mins (last years’ winner managed 2hr9mins). The drive home was in some of the most horrendous rain I had ever driven in. Very grateful it hadn’t arrived earlier in the day!

I’m off to the South of France next week to top up my Vit D levels. So not out thurs/sat.

TF