Wasdale 2010!

Lots of excuses:-

High winds

Low Cloud

Rain

Delayed start ~ got cold

Inov8s were a bit worn for the wet conditions

Trained too close to the event ~ out with JtE and Botters on the Thursday

Body not used to no alcohol since preceding Sunday

Lots of other folk timed out ~ 46 (27.5%) of the 167 starters failed to finish, including such notables as Peter Ferris and JtE's nephew Paul 

The winner, Ben Abdelmoor of Ambleside ran a full hour and 8 minutes slower than Billy Bland's 1982 record of 3:25.

But ~ the real reason, apart from age and lack of inherent ability, was that I hadn't done the work. S'pose I could blame it on you lot for not having given me enough encouragement...

Knew it wasn't going well when I looked back, halfway up Illgill Head to find I was in last position.  Shortly after, the rest of the field disappeared into the clag. I was 5 minutes over the first cut-off time on Whin Rigg, but allowed through and after a poor descent I reached Greendale bridge after the feeding team had dispersed.

By then I had decided it wasn't worth continuing (using the boxing vernacular "to save myself further punishment") and managed to catch Joss speaking to a neighbour and asked him to phone through my retirement.

Must get fit for the Smithills Res Challenge ~ still on for Thursday 26th August?