A few personal thoughts while waiting for the results of the Tour of Pendle. Congratulations to Matt who presumably won the over 70 category and also apologies to him for missing making contact after finishing. He may well have received his prize and left for home by the time I finished.
After a determined start which got me away from my customary position at the end of the field I passed TF, Matt and EtU and PM by the start of the first climb and resisted the temptation to run much of the initial ascent of Pendle. Consequently the usual site of the first checkpoint came up a couple of minutes later than planned. Movement of the checkpoint to avoid erosion put about 9 minutes on the first leg but the footing was initially much better.
Then came the long rocky narrow path to the ridge where everybody and his dog seemed to go past me as usual. First past was EtU then Matt and both disappeared into the distance. No sight of EtU at this point and he latter admitted missing the turn up to the ridge.
By the climb up from CP3 Matt was back in view and I passed him just before the top. A heavy fall just after the stile allowed Matt past and initially aggravated an old knee injury the pain from which soon wore off and gave no further trouble. I followed Matt to the top of Ogden Clough (the worst descent in the North) and had again closed the gap until two or three more tumbles on the slippery slope left me bottling out and letting Matt stretch out a big lead.
We had both followed runners who led us to far to the right and several who I had passed on the preceding climb had now closed up.
Once across Ogden Clough Matt was disappearing off the radar and loud conversations from behind indicated EtU was gaining ground.
CP5 was an opportunity to see who was behind. Where had EtU gone?
Another long climb and still gaining places led to the next abysmall descent (well it seemed like an abyss) and on the next climb the wind strength increased considerably and rain was driving in from the side.
Stumbling along to the drop off poin in the heavy mist, I went too far and by the bottom, after a stop to don cagoule and wooly hat, EtU having made a better route choice had overtaken and was already on the climb. We were soon together and I relished the challenge of the last climb until traction became almost non existent. The Innovates just wouldn't grip on the combination of wet moss and sheep dung and EtU disappeared into the mist never to bee seen again --until the finish.
TF who had started to narrow the gap, was not far behind us on the last climb and had closed up by the last stile on the run in which she made unnecessarily hard. I contemplated a sprint finish but conceded I might not win it. So we finished together. Congratulation to TF on an improved run, all the more commendable with the distance added by the detours.
.JPG)
