More on yesterday's Hobble

See below for a comprehensive report from TF so I'll endeavour to add rather than repeat. Entered on Monday, 7 miles on Winter Hill on Tuesday and by Wednesday I was full of cold, sneezing all day with a runny nose - prospects didn't look good. I seemed to recover enough so picked up Geraldine and headed off to Haworth arriving in plenty of time (almost an hour before the start, TLoB). Weather forecast was very good so a bit miffed that we had so much drizzle in the first couple of hours - at least it was warm enough for me to run in shorts and gloveless.
I tried to hold back, aiming to average 14 minutes per mile for a 7:30 to 7:50 finish. I didn't want to suffer like last year. Then Albert came past and after a few minutes FSS also, so I pointed out to Geraldine that may be we were going a bit quick, although we had started nearer the front than normal. The first two miles were completed in 19 minutes, Brontë Bridge in 24 minutes and Top Withins in 46 minutes. From then on, I settled into my more traditional downhill pace, slow, and got more sensible as we headed to Widdop Reservoir, arriving in 1:30, so we must have been visible to TF. First biscuit stop at CP3 (2:41) and then hot dog at Stoney Lane where TF had a lightening pit stop and zoomed off into the distance whilst I walked stuffing food down me.
Along the Calderdale Way I began to suffer with my right calf and right leg in general so had to get the medication out and struggled until we reached the road. A big group passed us so by the time we started the steep climb up to Mankinholes there was a big gap in front of us. Reaching the top of the hill, the reason for the gap became apparent - they'd obviously been having a tour of Todmorden and were now behind us!
Just after Mankinholes (4;15), a couple of lads from Essex came storming past us on the bridleway. I managed to catch them on the climb to Stoodley to find they'd started 30 minutes late, hence their relative speed. For the rest of the route they continued to overtake us, after numerous excursions into the beautiful Yorkshire countryside. On the final occasion, with five miles to go, they were very unsure whether they should pass us but by that time there were runners visible ahead. We seemed to make good ground from Heptonstall although I had my usual difficulty in descending from Top Of The Stairs to Leeshaw Reservoir.
I can't find the results for my first Hobble completion which was either 1986 or 1987, 25 years ago, but I seem to remember completing in 7:25, so to be 5 minutes quicker after a quarter of a century is good enough for me, and although I'm sure Geraldine could have gone a bit quicker, I don't think I held her back too much.
As I didn't suffer with my knee, I'm looking forward to the sciatica going - then I might be able start running at a reasonable pace for a reasonable distance.
Two Crosses in two weeks time, but I'm helping out rather than running - but could end up walking as a sweeper. And next Saturday JtE has kindly agreed to show my the finer points of the route to Old Adam and from Round Loaf - we'll be doing it from UTUP.