This year I am again on Leg 2, but not with Rick as I have been the last two years; he's running well, too well for me so only Craig can be his match. I'm with John Bagge, we have both recce'd the route, albeit separately, and have run together before. I think it will be a good pairing.
We arrive at Hartsop early and have plenty of time to get organised, Shaun and Mark are on Leg 1. They run well and we are soon off. The mist Is down and it looks breezy on the tops. The track gets harder every time, it is relentless as is the grassy climb which then follows.
This takes it out of me and where John is able to pick the pace up on the more steady ground I struggle. I dig deep and work hard to the summit of High Street. The visibility is very poor and it is windy but we are confident of our route and don't need to refer to the map.
A good decent into Thresthwaite Mouth and I am climbing strong to the tarn, with John staying with me. I think we pass a team or two here, having been passed initially on the track. We hit the tarn perfectly and are then joined by an Ambleside team who approach from a different direction. I expect them to pick up the pace and leave us behind but we stay with them, then overtake them and then pull away.
We run strongly to the finish, it turns wet and the final descent is nasty, as is the injury John sustains when he tries his best to impale himself on a gate.....I though I was going to either carry the gate still attached to him or prise it off of him !
Garry is at Kirkstone waiting for us, but Billy still has his big jacket on....come on guys ! We, as a team, do fantastically; Garry and Billy run really well, as do Craig and Rick. We finish 18th overall and are 3rd Vet Team. Our Open team come 5th and at one pint were leading the race. Ladies come a credible 6th.
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