ToP 16.8m/4830ft

I wasn't especially looking forward to this one as I was going into it the least prepared of all my ALs that I'd done this year. I'd only managed 2 proper weeks of training since Langdale so the hope of a sub 4hr finish went out the window. Disappointed, as I felt this race much suited me now that I'd got to wearing my Mudclaws for longer races. Hey ho, can't complain to much, still running though.

So then the process of deciding what was the new realistic target. Well definitely fitter than 2009 despite the lack of quality training recently, so felt I should be on for beating that years' time of 4:37. Only 7 mins from 4:30, a bit more of a round number and makes the maths easier. So 4:30 it was with 4:36 as a back up. I also researched times from 2010 and compared what people did for Langdale that year and T0P, times across the board appeared to be slower for ToP ranging from 10 to 20 mins, obviously there were the odd outlyers that ran T0P quicker, but few and far between.

Saturday dawned, looked out the window and sunshine and blue skies. Fantastic, no worries for route finding. Good chat with the usual crowd before the off, and you'd never guess who'd left their tags in the car! Living up to his moniker he managed to retrieve them whilst RO was completing his pre-race spiel. Off we went, only 4 mins late this year.

Can honestly say I enjoyed (nearly) every minute. Couldn't have asked for better conditions. Got a little stressed just before the drop down to CP 4 as I couldn't remember how long it took between 3 & 4, in the end cleared the cut-off in 1hr40mins. Having got that far with no ill-affects it was just being sensible, ward off any possible cramp and keep moving forward at a steady pace.

Was 'enjoying' that much that felt happy enough to strike off on my own along the top path whilst everyone else was taking the diagonal down to the bottom of the last climb. I don't think it cost me any places but was difficult to tell as the others had appeared to shuffle their order. Passed a few more on the last climb. It was only on this climb that I began to believe that a definite sub 4:30 was on. But a tired body does funny things to your ability to do sums on the move. Having a 30 min past the hour start didn't help. 2/3rds way up it finally dawned on me that 14:00pm in the afternoon meant 3:26 race time! In 2009 it'd taken me 30mins to get to finish line from the Trig. How close to 4hrs could I get?

Got to the Trig 3:38, brain was in gear now, motored to cp11 3:48. Knew sub 4hrs wasn't likely, but might get 4:10, 4:05 Langdale time 4:04:31 even. Feet were complaining, forgot there's a bit of up on that last track.

In the end 4:03:03, what a race. Even more determined to get under 4hrs now!

No final results up yet but winner was Carl Bell (Howgill Harriers) in 2:21 (he won Langdale this year in 2:09:13). By all accounts followed the 2nd place runner all the way round until just before last check point, then took 3mins less to get to finish line!

I'm sure EtU will fill you in on his race, only gave the game away a little to confirm he started on time, just!

TF