This year I opted to do the half tour of Bradwell, rather then the full tour that usually cripples me. The half is 15/16 miles long and takes the first part of the route from the full tour until you get to the Hollin's Cross and then it goes across the ridge until you join the route on the full tour. Then the Half goes back to start/finish line on its own route once you hit the car park checkpoint near Lady-bower reservoir. And this is the bit I didn't know, as I didn't do a recce.
I arrived just in time to get myself sorted and also meet up with Janson Heath who was running the full tour along with Frank Murphy. Lisa, Janson's wife was also there. Myself and Janson were running for Team Raidlight, though in separate races.
Janson started before me, so I never saw what happened in his race, he is a quality runner and has improved dramatically over the last year, he is winning races, and getting on the podium more often than not. He has a really good training plan and sticks to it. He also completed the Bob Graham round recently. Here is a link to his running exploits.
http://jansultra.wordpress.com/
As for my race I started off really slow as I didn't want to burn out, and I hoped that I would have enough energy to be able to make it to the last part of the race with a bit in my legs. Well that was the plan. However once I hit the top of Cave Dale, just outside of Castleton I decided to pick up the pace, purely because I love the route. The climb out of the village and up to Hollins cross took its toll and my legs, as they became a bit heavier. At this point I was running somewhere around 12th with a group of 5. Myself and another runner let them press one, as they were pushing hard. after the down hill section through the woods before the reservoir, I felt tired and feared the worst for the cramp in my legs. I decided to ease off a little and I then got caught by another runner.
I got to the car park, had a little break and studied the map a little, and carried one and managed to catch the runner that had just passed. We than got to a folk in a path and we were both unsure of the route due to an extra footpath in our location... He went one way I went the other. Lucky I went the right way, and then carried one. Just before the finish I came across the three that had made a break half way through the race and decided I had to push my legs. They had made an error in their map reading, I hadn't. We also got caught up by Dark Peak Runner. Still not taking any chances I carried on looking at my map, and decided to keep an eye on the dark peak runner, as he would hopefully have locally knowledge. He did, and then it become a fight to finish line between 6-7 of us. I tried to push but got cramp, and had to slow down. Lucky the three that got lost somehow managed to take the wrong turn into the finishing straight so I managed to finish in front of them.
I finished in 7th for Team Raidlight in 2:21:22
Janson Heath finished the full tour in 15th for Team Raidlight in 6:06:14
Photo by Nick Ham
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