An Ultra of only 50k distance but with 7000ft of hills sounded like a weekend challenge. My aim was not to come last as there were a heady mix of international runners and sponsored pro athletes interspersed with wiry northern fell runners. 197 started. It was a humid 27 degrees in Buxton and the environs. Essentially this was a 50k with some big climbs, over Shining Tor, Axe edge, Ramshaw Rocks, The Roaches, Shuttlingsloe and Burbage Edge. Throw in a bagpiper at Grin Low and you get the picture.
There were 9 checkpoints on the course. Only 3 were manned water stops. The rest were self clip markers at trig points. Failure to clip resulted in a 30 min penalty per clip for missing the peakWrong clip in the 6 boxes. A DQ. I thought the cut off times were generous but only 68 finished out of 197 starters. My friend from datchet dashers, a sub-3 marathoner was DQd at the final CP for being 8 mins past cut off.
It’s the hardest short race I’ve done. I’ve realised I can go uphill quite well but on climbing, scrambling and technical rocky descents I’m like bambi so will need to practice jumping like a wiry fell runner across Eridge Rocks or High Rocks.
1st male- Andrew Tuckey 4.32
1st female – Beth Pascal 4.52 and 4th overall
1st TWH – Rob Jones 6.56
Only 73/197 made the 8 hour cut off.
Overall a superbly organised race by Raidlight and the Skyline people. Very harsh on the cut offs but you can see just why they do it.
Rob Jones (representing but not wearing a deckchair)