On Why I Run

While running a pretty tough but rewarding 15km loop recently I got thinking about why I run. I was never a sporty type at school, and would more than often be found in the last group to be picked for football teams, staying in front of the ball in Rugby to avoid having to take part, and falling in ditches in an ultimately failed attempt to get out of cross country.  When we got to sixth form and could do off site sports I chose Golf in the summer and Squash in the winter, mainly because they were a fair distance away and we went via McDonalds.

Looking back on it if we had some coaching in P.E. I may have gotten into it better, but no one told me how to run.  That may seem a stupid statement to someone to whom running comes naturally, but there was absolute zero guidance on body position, stride length, cadence, or any of the other things runners obsess over. It was simply a case of those who had natural talent joined the teams, those who were of a driven personality type pushed themselves, those who enjoyed sport had fun, and the rest of us resented both the unguided physical exertion and the mocking and humiliation we attracted.

Anyway, that was then and this is now. The first run of my adult life was on January 1st, 2014 as a result of seeing Kelly D try and get as many people out for a New Year run as possible. I had recently separated from my wife and was trying to work out who I was again - nothing was off the cards.  I was reconnecting with people I knew 10 years previous, this was happening, so I gave it a go.

I ran 2.19km in 16:07, with an average pace of 7:21/km.  It was awful - the ground underfoot was slippery mud and I was totally unprepared for it, walking in places because when I tried to run my feet went from under me. I ran three more times that month, getting up to 6:52/km average pace, and then stopped.  I can’t recall why, but apparently I restarted in June 2015 with a 4.68km run in 29:18 and managed to run once or twice a month with an aim to get a 5km in under 30 minutes which I achieved in October. Through 2016 I was very lax again and it wasn’t until I moved back to Sheffield in December 2016 that I got into it properly with Hillsborough parkrun just down the road and the encouragement of Liz. The rest is history, and you can read more about it right here.

Back to the original question: Why do I run?

It goes without saying that exercise is good for you, and I knew I needed to do more of it.  Over the years my weight had crept up to over 13st and my waist to 34”, I remembered having a 30” waist and losing weight had the added benefit of making climbing (which I had also got back in to) easier.  Exercise was only part of the game, I also had to adjust what I ate. The weight slowly came off and I got to 11 stone and a 30” waist (weight has crept up a bit since but waist hasn’t so I assume it’s gobe to muscle somewhere).  My general fitness and stamina are also much higher which I’m really happy with, and has had additional benefits for swimming as well as the aforementioned climbing.

But this isn’t the only reason. Running is physically hard, and walking could have delivered similar benefits with less wear on the body, though it would have required more time.  Running also gave me something to measure myself against, especially with parkrun.  I’m not an ambitious type when it comes to comparing myself to other people, but I do like to track my own progress and see improvements.  Seeing my times come down quickly at parkrun was a real boost, and the community of Strava made it easy to track how I was doing when I went on runs by myself, and soon I was adding in more runs whenever I could - including the work running club. I still surprise myself with things like signing up to the Amsterdam Half Marathon though.

Running is also a brilliant way to get out in to the countryside, or the urban landscape you otherwise wouldn’t explore.  I’ve run many KMs along the rivers and canals around Sheffield, I’ve entered races which have taken me up dramatic hills in the Peak District, and I am lucky enough to live near some beautiful spots like Rivelin Valley, Loxley Valley, Upper Don Valley and with a bit of effort the Peak District itself. The run which inspired this post had a fairly tough climb taking up most of the first half, but it rewards you with stunning views in every direction across the peaks, even when you turn back and face the city it doesn’t dominate the landscape, instead nestling in the hills for which Sheffield is famous.  I was taken with just how lucky I am to live near here and was very grateful for it.

But (and well done if you are still with me, I know I am quite a verbose writer - largely because this is as much for me as it is for you.  Hopefully this section will help make this clear) there is more to it than that. Something much more important.

You see, running is good for the head.

Well, for my head anyway - I know everyone is different.

I said earlier that I was trying to work out who I was again, and one of the things I have discovered is I am a lot less mentally resilient than I thought I was.  The precise details are for another discussion, but I am prone to prolonged periods of introspection and self doubt which manifest in anxiety and despair, and I needed to get a grip on this as it was leading to destructive behaviours.  I was drinking too much, and I wasn’t looking after myself.

Running at parkrun gave me a regular commitment which meant I was more likely to do it rather than find reasons not to.  I’ve discovered that I am far more likely to do something if I have told other people I am going to do it as I’m far more inclined to let myself down than I am others, and running as a social activity meant I also got the support and encouragement of my friends - people who are massively important to me and to whom I owe a lot of gratitude. Being able to return that by running with people and offering then encouragement and support is equally as rewarding.

It turns out it goes further than this though, and that’s why the run which inspired this post was entitled ‘Resetting mind and body’. Getting out on to the roads and trails turns out to have a really valuable benefit which I had not foreseen.  It takes a while to get there, but after several kilometres you hit ‘the zone’ where the running has become second nature, you are moving easily and efficiently without having to think too much about form, function or the effort of making your body move; all of these things are occupying your brain to some extent but not fully, and I reach a state where I am able to attain clarity of thought.  Maybe it is the fact that your heart rate is already elevated and your breathing intense, but things which maybe cause anxiety and confusion when sat on the sofa become easy to think about logically and analytically with objective analysis. When I find myself on the sofa fretting and sinking into a spiral of negative thoughts, getting out on a run will at the very least distract me, and hopefully allow me to figure out what is causing these thoughts in the first place and how to address them. I can only assume this state is not dissimilar to the state people seek to acheive through meditation, maybe one day I shall try and find out.

So yeah. I run because it makes me feel good, and feeling good is important.

2017 Dark Peak Trail Run - Short Course (12km)

So, having done the White Peak Trail last month it was only rational to enter the Dark Peak Trail too. Described on the event info page as "A longer trail running event on the footpaths, tracks and trails within the ‘grittier/higher level’ surroundings of the Northern/Dark Peak District" it sounded interesting, and I signed up the day after the White Peak Run in a bout of post race enthusiasm. As the race got closer I studied the race profile more, and realised it was 2km of relatively flat trail, 6km of relentless climbing to gain 261m, then 2km steep downhill and back on the same 2km trail as we set off on. Target time for a Silver band finish was 1h05m - 1h20m which means a pace of 6:40min/km to 5:45min/km, looking at that hill I figured a gold was not going to be achievable but a silver should be comfortable.

Race week approached and I had not got a decent run in for a while but managed to stretch my legs on a 10k hitting a pace of 5:49min/km (on the flat) which gave me confidence for the race. Also in this week I received a message from Kelly D asking if I had space in the van for the trip over to Hayfield. I assumed he had a friend looking for a lift over but no, he had decided this event would make a perfect taper run for him in advance of the Round Sheffield Run. Kelly is quite a bit faster than me but as he was tapering opted to run with me, so we discussed strategy and went for a fairly simple one - try and run the flat bit on the start at around 5:30min/km then see what the hell brings - slow up, fast down - then once back on the trail give it all you've got left. The other thing the week before the race brought us was hot weather, and I was praying for it to break at the weekend, I would even have welcomed rain.

That didn't happen. We left Sheffield bright and early on Sunday morning and you could already feel the heat in the sun. By the time we got to Hayfield at 8:30 it was already scorching. We got registered and sorted race numbers etc, then watched the long course starters depart and listened to their briefings - extra water stations had been added, conditions were dry and dusty. As expected kit rules were restricted, this time I did opt to leave my waterproofs behind but still took my pack for water supplies, having been cunning and frozen the bladder before setting off. Waiting for the start it was beautifully cold against my park, I shall be repeating that idea.

Time for the off!  As it is a dibber timed race there is no mass start, people instead starting on an individual time.  Previously I have ended up right at the start of my wave as other racers seemed to be reticent, but on this occasion there were many eager racers jostling to start and we ended up several people back.  The first 200m were quite narrow and twisty, dropping down steps and over a single file bridge before going up the steps on the other side, through a housing estate, and then on to the trail proper.  This meant that pace was very low and as I run to an average pace for the current km I was trying to get back in to the target zone when Kelly pointed out we were going much faster than planned (his Fenix 5 is better at instantaneous pace than my Forerunner 405) and we were running under 5:00min/km. It felt good, so we agreed to try and stay just above 5 minutes.  The trail was wide, smooth and flat and well shaded by mature trees - this was feeling OK! Kilometre 1 went in 5:26, k2 in 4:57.

Across a road at the split point we had been well briefed on, then we take a sharp left and start the climb.  A brief flat road section at the top and we reached a switchback where we also had to stop at the checkpoint to dib in, sapping all momentum.  This was the start of the hill proper as we took on Over Hill Road. We soon climbed out of the trees and into searing heat, slogging up the road.  There were many many false summits, and it seemed to go on forever.  It was feeling OK though and and we were actually maintaining a decent pace, between 6 and 7 minutes per km. I was taking on water in small sips all the way up, and at some point I decided to take on a Wiggle Mocha caffeine gel but the running was so hard I couldn't stomach eating anything.  Eventually I managed to find a bit flat enough that I could take it on and wash it down, and on we went.  After the face I discovered that at some point on this climb my heart rate hit 198bpm which is the highest I have ever pushed it in a race.

 As we got higher we were treated to beautiful views over towards Manchester, and after about 25 minutes of hill we passed the drinks station, neglecting to stop as we both had ample water with us.  Just up the road from here we turned hard left off the road and onto a trail.  The gradient here ramped up significantly, hitting 20% at one point then settling back down to around 10%.  At this point I was wiped out and had to resort to walking for a bit while my heart rate recovered, my breathing calmed down, and I lowered my body temperature. I was determined to start running again before we ticked over the 7km mark, and thankfully the gradient had calmed down by here.  In the final push up the hill I decided that I wanted a Tour de France style summit marker at the top as a reward, and then over the crest of the hill appeared... a summit marker!  I let out a laugh and relief flooded my body as we started on the downhill stretch.  The terrain was still quite technical, far more reminiscent of the Langsett 10k than the White Peak Trail Run from last month, but we got some decent speed up.

With 2.5km left to go the trail joined a road again which made speed easier, and then it was down a narrow wooded track back into the blissful shade of the Sett Valley Trail.  We tried to keep the pace high, accelerating past the 1km to go marker, and soon we could see trees and cars - the end was in sight.  Spurred on by this we hopped back across the bridge and into the field, running fast for the line, stopping the clock at 1h13m - Silver it was! At this point I had nothing else on my mind than sitting in the shade and pulling my shoes off.  The remaining water from my pack went over my head - ok it was warm from being against my back but that was lovely.


Duly cooled down we harvested the buffet, got our official results, and faffed around with the standard tasks of notifying friends we had finished safely and with a decent time, downloading and uploading GPS traces, and catching up on the activities of others as well as applauding racers over the line.  We'd started in the first wave of the race but there were not many people back when we crossed the line, and few if any people overtook us once we hit the hill - surprisingly no-one overtook us while we were walking though maybe people had availed themselves of the drinks station. Eventually all runners were home, and we looked at the results. And then looked again. We'd finished 13th and 14th out of 83 runners, which was 4th and 5th in class (Male 17-39). I'm still blown away by this, it's my best race finish and I'm not sure how I did it but the official results confirm that I did.


We drove back to Sheffield for a delicious breakfast of bacon and eggs courtesy of Liz, and reflected on a brutally hard race on a scorching day - temperatures of over 30 degrees centigrade were recorded.  So, what's next?  An easier one this time, the Greno Chase but I do keep looking at the Accelerate Gritstone Series and especially the Salt Cellar Fell Race.

2017 White Peak Trail Run - Short Course (10.5km)

You may recall that we entered this race after the Langsett 10k in March, on something of an exercise fuelled adrenaline and endorphine high while recuperating in a coffee shop. Liz and I opted for the short course at 10.5km, and Kelly went for the longer course at 25.7km.  Since then Andy and Paul have also signed up for the long course, so we decided to car share with the 5 of us to reduce costs and environmental impact of the journey over.  With Andy starting at 9:10 we decided to get there nice and early, which meant an eye watering 5:45am alarm call for me to meet up with everyone and get in the car for 6:30.  As it happens we had a nice smooth journey through the peaks and arrived in Ashbourne at 7:30 just as long course registration was opening, and with plenty of parking still available although rather frustratingly the machine didn't accept cards or new £1 coins, we weren't the only ones scrabbling around for change to make it work!

The long course runners got registered and we killed time until short registration opened at 8:45 with the standard routine of toilet breaks and kit changes, faffing with packs, taking jackets on and off, etc.  Once again weather conditions were favourable with no rain forecast, minimal wind and high cloud keeping the sun under control, so kit rules were relaxed but I elected to run with a full pack anyway.  Time passed swiftly though and soon Andy was on his way to the start.  We followed shortly and were there in time to see him set off, and then 20 minutes later Kelly and Paul's start group were off and Liz and I had 10 minutes for final stretches and preparation before it was our turn to hit the trails.

The short course followed the Tissington Trail to begin with, diving immediately into a tunnel which was a rather surreal experience.  The path is a very popular walking and cycling route and as such is wide and smooth, and being an old railway line it followed a very steady constant gradient apart from one dip where a bridge has been removed.  We were going against the gradient so for around 4km we were doing a constant uphill at about 2% - not necessarily enough to really notice, but enough to make it feel harder than it should. We reached the checkpoint surprisingly quickly, turning off the trail at Fenny Bentley and headed towards Thorpe.  It was nice to get off the trail and get some variety, and we got some very enthusiastic cheering from local children which kept us enthused.

Approaching the split where the long course runners head up towards Alstonefield through Dove Dale there was a 10% downhill which I couldn't resist, so I pegged it down the hill and then slowed to wait for Liz - at which point a passing runner assumed I had missed the long split :D.   Leaving Thorpe we turned off the village roads and ran across fields towards the River Dove and I excitedly exclaimed "Proper Off Road!". I really enjoyed this part as it got a bit more technical with steep downhills on uneven ground, thick slippery mud, tree roots, and numerous gates, hurdles and styles.  These slowed us down a bit, but by this point we were grateful of the break.  Once the land levelled out a bit we decided to take it steady, knowing a hill was coming which we needed something in the bank for.

Another cracking photo from Chris Meads Photography

Coming towards Mapleton was the only time I we were confused about the route as the arrow pointed vaguely at a field, but thankfully there were some men metal detecting in the field who pointed us in the right direction and we soon spotted another blue on yellow arrow and knew we were going the right way.  Across the road, down a track which initially looked like someone's drive, and there was the hill.  Another great crowd out to cheer and support and all my plans of running up the hill with Liz were out of the window and off I went, trying to slow down to allow her to catch but by this point there was a lot of walking going on, some of whom were going faster than my running.  The top didn't take too long to find, and a couple of lambs running side by side in front of us kicked us into gear and off we went again.

There were some nice downhills, and some steep downhills, and then a flight of steps - the last thing I wanted to see - but these led back on to the Tissington Trail which meant the end was in site. a 1km to go board confirmed this, and in no time we were back at the tunnel.  Liz had suggested I go for it at this point, but I was happy running with her.  As soon as I got in to the tunnel though I sped up.  I really couldn't see anything, completely lost any point of reference, and just kept accelerating.  It felt good! Bursting into sunlight I could see the finish line and decided that it was time for a sprint, full pelt over the line and stopping abruptly to dib in to the finish box.  Watch time said 1:09 but I knew it was a little bit slower than this as I had heard it auto-pause at a few points.  Liz was over the line a few seconds later, post run hug and congratulations, and we headed in to the hall.

Dark & White Events know how to treat runners right, and in the hall there were hot and cold drinks and all the foods you want after working hard - cake, crisps, biscuits and sausage rolls :)  One of the great things with these events is the instant results, and I got my official time of 1:11:27 which put me in the Silver time band, exactly where I wanted to be.

 A few stretches and a bit of refreshment later, we go outside and wait for the other runners to get back from their longer run.  Kelly wasn't sure how he would do - he had been aiming for under 2h15 but has been suffering with a cold lately, but we expected him to come in between 2h15 and 2h30, with Andy likely to be around 3h based on past experience. Kelly was over the line first out of our group of runners on the long course, with a time of 2h27 but looking utterly destroyed by it.  Just as he was about to head to the hall Paul turned up, so they went to refresh while we waited for Andy.  At 12:09 we came around the corner, sprinting his heart out, and just crossing the line under the 3 hour mark at 2:58:34 which is no bad show.

After some more stretching, refreshing and cooling down it was time to head for home via a pub for lunch. We ended up at the Bentley Brook Inn for a very satisfying carvery and dessert before heading back home.  The Official Results were already online by the time I looked, and have me at 47 out of 98 overall, and 9th out of 10 in my class. That'll do for me.

So, what's next? Well apparently the Dark Peak Trail Run hasn't sold out yet.  Short course is 12km and I'd be up for that, I'll be running it on my own as the weekend after is the Round Sheffield Run and all my usual partners in crime are doing that, but I may well have signed up by the end of the day...

Trail Kit

As I mentioned in my report on the Bradfield 5.5k  I have encountered the world of the compulsory kit list now I have discovered trail running.  This actually came about when we entered the White Peak Trail Run when sat in a cafe in Stocksbridge immediately after the Langsett 10k.  As can be seen on the Event Info page the following gear is compulsory:

•  Running shoes that in the organiser’s opinion are fully suitable for the type of off-road terrain to be encountered (NB no flat soled shoes allowed).
• Waterproof jacket
• Windproof leg cover
• Other waterproof & warm body cover appropriate for the prevailing weather conditions.
• Sufficient coins for telephone calls or a mobile phone.

Event officials will disqualify anyone who in their opinion does not meet the above compulsory equipment criteria.

OK, running shoes I can do (and have even bought some new shoes since so am doubly OK).  I have a waterproof jacket,  but it isn't a running jacket, and I have no idea what they are getting out with "windproof leg cover". More importantly, I have nothing suitable to carry this in, the extend of my carrying capacity when running being a smartphone sized running belt.

I don't like wearing a waterproof jacket at the best of times, so the idea of sweating inside one while running was especially unpleasant but I thought that if I am going to have to get one I should get one designed to running so I have no excuse come the inevitable wet days.  A little bit of drizzle is fine, but for heavier rain I'll probably want something a bit better - but I didn't want to spend a fortune on it if I won't use it much.  I figured that a cheap pair of waterproof trousers will do as much as anything for windproof leg cover. It's worth bearing in mind at this point that this gear isn't necessarily for running in - when you are trail running in the hills you NEED to be able to keep warm and dry if you run off course and get injured as it could be a long time before someone finds you (on that note: make sure people know where you are going and when you expect to be back, and have a means to contact people. It can very easily become a case of life and death if you are not careful)

So off I headed to Decathlon again to give them yet more of my money, with the inevitable shopping list:

• Kalenji Men's Trail Running Windproof Jacket
• Kalenji Run Rain Men's Running Jacket
• Quechua Waterproof Over-Trousers
• Kalenji Run Wind Men's Running Jacket
• Kalenji Men's Running Trail Bag

I ended up with the trail bag, the waterproof overtrousers, the Run Rain and the Run Wind.  For the jackets I was going to buy Medium as they seemed to have the best fit, but when I started moving around in them they were a little restrictive so I got the Large instead. So far I have not had need to wear the waterproofs but have worn the windproof jacket before and after running sessions. It packs down really small which is handed, in a pinch you can carry it on your hand using the elasticated strap.

The bag however was my biggest concern as I had never run with a bag before.  I can get the waterproofs and the windproof jacket in the back without having to expand it, even with the water bladder full.  So first chance I got then I loaded it up and went for a run.  With 2 litres of water in it despite having been careful to get the air out it was still quite sloshy and there was a lot of weight to it but drinking from it on the move was not a problem.  The little pockets in the bottom of the shoulder straps are really handy for putting keys and money in, and there is also a nifty phone pocket inside so you don't lose it amongst all the other gear. There are also two very simple but effective chest straps to minimise movement.

Next time I took it out I left the bladder at home and instead ran with 2 drinks bottles in the holsters on the shoulder straps.  This was a lot more comfortable than the full bladder, but was rather noisy.  This was a nice long 12k run incorporating some decent hills to make sure it was a decent test. Come the Bradfield 5.5k and it was time for my first run with a mandatory kit list and I decided to run with 1 litre of water in the bladder to see how that went.  As it happens they relaxed the requirements due to fine weather, but I ran with the bag as planned anyway.  With a half filled drinks bladder I barely noticed the bag was there and even though I only took about 4 mouthfuls I was grateful to have the drink with me.

All in all it seems that yet again Decathlon have managed to come up trumps again with really well priced affordable goods to make trail running accessible to more people.  You can spend a lot on what I don't doubt is quality gear, but certainly for the level I'm running at this is superb kit for the money.

New Shoes! Kalenji Elio Feel Trail

I decided that after payday I would treat myself to some new shoes as since taking up running I have worn a pair of cheap trainers I got for going to the gym over 10 years ago, and a pair of Magnum Uniform Service Trainers I picked up off eBay originally to use as approach shoes when climbing. I don't really think about my feet at all when I am running on hard services so I probably keep the Magnums for now when I am running on the roads, but I have noticed a bit of slipping and sliding in the mud so thought I would look at dedicated trail shoes (trails are more fun anyway).

I popped to Decathlon after work as it is convenient and their budget own brand gear is rather quite good for what you pay, with a shortlist of four:

1. Kalenji Elio Feel Trail
2. Kalenji Kiprun Trail XT6
3. Asics Gel Kanaku 2
4. Kalenji Kiprace Trail 3

I was focusing on 2 and 3 on the list as I was after an aggressive tread pattern, the Elio Feel wasn't as extreme and the Trail 3 was very similar to the XT6.  When I got there I couldn't find the Kiprace Trail 3 so that was quickly ruled out, and the Asics Gel wasn't doing it for me - there was not as much to the sole as I expected.  I tried the Elio Feel Trail on and was surprised by how comfortable and light it was, and I really liked the way the sole flexed. I then tried the XT6 on and it just felt wrong, which I figured out to be the 9mm drop rather than the 6mm drop.  If they had the Trail 3 in at this point I would have been looking at that as it also has a 6mm drop, but it wasn't there so I couldn't.  After a little mental back and forth I decided to get the Feel Trails as they were cheap and even if they do not tick every box for me on trail running I can always upgrade later safe in the knowledge I will get plenty of life out of these.

Yes, that is my cat's leg. She wanted to be in the picture.

First impressions: As I said they are light, 270g in size 8.5.  The soles are very flexible but seem to have good grip, and a feature I found odd at first but seems to work is the fact the tongue is built in to the shoe on one side, and the other side held captive on elastic.  This seems to help with positioining and stop it slipping to one side.

Of course I couldn't wait to get them on my feet and get them muddy.  I actually spent all morning wearing them and they are super comfy.  Anyway, the opportunity arose and I decided to go and noodle around on Loxley Common as it has a good variety of terrain and I know of some slippery muddy banks in there...

Out on a run then and I start off on tarmac. They feel grippy and fast, and I can already see that if those don't work for me off road I will use them on road.  They have a bit of cushioning in the heel in case you do heel strike, but I found myself naturally landing on my midfoot. When I hit a hill I could really feel the flex helping, allowing me to dig in and drive up the hill on my toes with high turnover. Hills turn out to be something I'm ok with which came as quite a surprise.

After about 1km I turned off up what was a very muddy path last time I took it.  It appears to have dried out quickly in the recent fine weather, but I was still able to feel great grip on loose dry mud and on dry stone, very useful for those technical trails on top of the peaks.. Done as teep bank and then straight up the other side I felt no slipping and was very sure footed, and then hit an undulating section with plenty of mud - not ankle deep peat on top of the moors, but certainly thick gloopy brown stuff.  Again no hint of slipping.

It was then on to a section of uphill loose fine gravel which was no challenge before a great fast downhill section on hard dry soil and gravelly paths.  Still feeling sure footed I had the confidence to lean in to the hills and take them at speed even on the steep twisty sections, being rewarded with a best ever mile (7:37) and kilometre (4:37) on what was supposed to be a gentle run. Back on to the roads, and a final push for home trying to keep my pace under 5:00/km (don't forget that sub 25:00 Parkrun target...)

Am I happy with my purchase? Yes, yes I am.  They shall be getting a thorough workout at the White Peak Trail Run and if needs be there will be updates over time but for now I recommend them to people looking for an entry in to trail running on a budget.

Peakrunners Langsett 10k Trail Run

My first foray into trail running.  I am not really sure how I got in to this - I signed up in January off the back of the Resolution Run which had an unexpected muddy uphill at a time when I had never run 10k and my target for the YEAR was to do a 10k.

My plan for this was to run with Liz, and this time actually stick to it - it was new territory for both of us.  Kelly was on the same course this time, but likely to be going much faster than us as was Andy who had joined us for this one.  On the day were we both uncertain about what faced us, Liz somewhat apprehensive about the hills and me again being annoyingly perky (hey, it's a skill!).  We somehow managed to bag the last space in the Langsett car park, and appreciated the warmth of the barn for registration and the inevitable hanging around.

And then we were off. Fairly standard gravel trails to begin with, my legs were really not ready for this but we were doing a nice steady pace and just covered the distance. After the first kilometre it started to get interesting, hit a very steep downhill where fear of (a) knackering my knees and (b) falling over and suffering severe injury meant I took it gently and slowed down.  And then it was 2.5k of uphill which was really rather hard going, some were walking but I didn't want to stop running in case I struggled to get going again - this wasn't really a problem as I was going the same speed as walkers.

Once the uphill slog had finished we were up on top of the moors, and running through glorious mud.  It was wet, it was slippery, it was sticky, it was GREAT FUN! At one point I lost my feet and ended up face to face with the stuff but picked myself up and carried on.  People fell from time to time and those around them always made sure they were ok and encouraged them to keep going, really was a fantastic atmosphere.  We eventually found a downhill stretch that wasn't muddy, but it was so rocky that you had to watch every step and couldn't really let go and fly.

At one point we passed a marshal who gave a reassuring "It's all downhill from here... Well, almost"; at the bottom where we rejoined the reservoir we discovered why he added the caveat as we ran in to the woods and while watching out for roots zigzagged uphill again before finding the road and stretching our legs a bit and getting the pace back up to sub 6:00/km. Crossing the dam was particularly refreshing before a final cruel uphill to the finish where Andy and Kelly were there to shout "encouragement".


Over the line, official result 1:15.55 (60th out of 79).  Two slices of cake and a cup of coffee while we wait for the prizegiving, then off in hunt of breakfast.  We manage a cup of coffee in Stocksbridge but are too late for lard so head off again, but not before signing up for the White Peak Trail Run in May - did I mention this was addictive?  Still needing breakfast we went to our favourite post Parkrun haunt - the wonderful Pie Parlour Sheffield to finish our recovery.


This was a really great event organised by Peakrunners, I'll be back next year and am on the lookout for other events by them - really tempted by the Dambuster 10 but I am not free that weekend.