That's Lithe (sic)

Living up to its reputation as an excellent and popular event the LDWA That's Lyth walk/run was blessed with perfect winter weather, cold but windless and with the ground frozen as hard as concrete.

Early pace felt good and I was sure I was going better than last year, especially when I caught Trevor Dibben who was always a valued and reliable supporter on our long challenge runs. Being short of training miles his intention was to run the first five and walk the rest, so when he was still with me at the first checkpoint (7 miles) he was obviously calling deeply on his reserves.

I left him to enjoy the tea and biscuits and forged on only to have him catch me up an hour later on the steep descent through the trees off the first escarpment and leave me to my own devices. The same thing happened at the next checkpoint because the next descent saw us together again as we descended to the valley floor.

From there a mostly tarmac run leads to checkpoint three and proved the breaking point for TB who decided to walk for a while as I forged ahead to NLN's cosy Cote Corner cafe where my Hobble partner was dispensing tea, biscuits and a progress report on the leaders who had passed by more than an hour earlier.

From there we had another limestone escarpment to climb before the final drop down into Kendal. The company of a young lady who claimed not to be a runner (doesn't that sound familiar) but was running strongly kept the pace moving along till she left me approaching the racecourse.

The early euphoria about the pace proved to be unfounded as while I felt good a check with last year's splits showed little, if any, advantage. By NLN's checkpoint there was a mere 26 seconds difference!!!

However a strong last leg was entirely responsible for the 13 minute improvement over last year. A good finish is always an encouragement to take into the next phase of training.

Stats were: Distance 23.61 miles: time 4hr 53mins: pace 12min 25secs per mile; climbing 3142 feet.

Congratulations

To NLN on her milestone birthday (that makes her half an antique, but which half?)

and to EtU for his improved run at the Garstang 10K.