The squad run

Saturday's outing was a great contrast to the previous week, all but traces of the thick snow blanket having gone to leave a few treacherous patches of ice which on at least one occasion had the Tooth Fairy dancing more like the Sugar Plum Fairy.

The squad of TF, NLN, T'Y, EtU, and myself followed much the same course out as last week, up through the Chinese Garden, Two Lads, Quarries, Right of Way Stone, all reached appreciably faster than last week, and on the way we met EYJ by prior arrangement. Coal Pit Lane took us up to the Mast and then down the diagonal to Georges Lane.

By this time T'Y had left us to return to the Lower Barn and EYJ had turned for home. From Georges Lane EtU and TF followed the Winter Hill route to Ammunition Corner while NLN and I took the easier, if slower, route down the Sheep's Back. From there we cut across to Lead Mine Valley with NLN and EtU opting to cross the fields while once again I took the easier track with TF who left at the bridge to return solo to the Lower Barn.

Minutes later NLN and EtU arrived and we all agreed that time was running out and followed TF back to the cars.

With the second detour NLN clocked 12.5 miles compared to 12.11 on my Garmin which recorded a total time of 2hrs 51mins 51secs at 14mins 12secs per mile with a total climb of 2146ft.

All this was a good prelude to the Longridge Christmas pudding race where TF gave me a much harder race than I had wanted. Our exploits are well chronicled elsewhere, suffice to say that in order to catch TF (who had pulled well away from me on the earlier slippery ascent) I had to complete the sixth mile in 6mins 54secs with seventh in 7mins 1 sec to lead by a very narrow margin. It can only be a matter of time before she show us all the way home on the roads.