Goodbye Edale

A disappointing, but not unexpected ending to the Edale Skyline race on Sunday, brought to an end an association with the event dating back to 1995 with a best time in 1998 of 4hrs 16 mins and including one age group win.

It was a glorious day on which to bow out of the event, but after being timed out on the last three occasions enough was enough and I shall have to find an alternative challenge. As TF will agree it is a tough route with a tough cut-off time at Mam Nick and with nearly half the route along the southern edge of Kinder there is a lot of peaty bog and a fair amount of gritstone to sap the strength.

The cut-off time requires a pace of 13 minutes per mile; my time to that point was 2 hrs 41 mins at a pace of 14 mins per mile, requiring a minute per mile improvement over the first 11 miles just to beat the cut-off. Not much chance of that.

So its back to the drawing board for future plans. The only super long races left are Duddon, probably, Borrowdale, maybe, and Pendle, still worth a try. As I wasn't last and didn't get timed out in last summer's 30-mile Downland Challenge that event is still pencilled in for this year.

LDWA events now start of look even more attractive as their non-competitive nature is more suited to the older fell runner. Next Sunday is Spring in Lakeland and may affect my Saturday plans. At the moment I am planning a brief appearance starting at the UTUP.