Dark Peak Trail Run

Another weekend, another race. This time it was a Dark & White Event's trail race taking part in the Hayfield area. As usual with their events there were two distance options,of 25k and 12k. I'm not ready to race 25k yet (although I'm working towards running that distance) so I opted for the shorter route.

The start times were staggered, common with D&W's runs, and as you could choose your start time I set off at 9.50, which was the second from last time slot. We had 'dibbers' on our wrists and had to 'dib' them into a box at the start and finish as well as part way round, which gave us our times. I usually try to dib last, so that I'm towards the back and not under pressure to set off quickly.

The start/finish line was to the rear of the scout hut in Hayfield and the route set out across a river and onto the Sett Valley Trail. This disused and converted railway line took us away from Hayfield on the flat,which was a welcome warm up before the trail headed upwards. I was running at a steady comfortable pace, I had already recce'd the route so knew what to expect. Soon we were climbing on tarmac, quite a steep hill which was made worse by the heat (it was quite hot!). I had already passed a fair few others and kept on passing people as I climbed, still at a steady pace. Tarmac turned to stony farm track (a restricted byway) and the steepness lessened as the views improved (they were good anyway!), in fact I could see the sweet factory down in New Mills where I work. After about 3k of steady climbing we left the farm track for a short stretch of tarmac (where a drinks station was located) which in turn led to bridlepath. Now the terrain started to get tough, stony in some places, steep in others, always heading up, and for the first time I was overtaken. To our right lay Chinley Churn, but the route carried on heading north back to Hayfield. Once over the highest point (426m) it was downhill fast back to the Sett Valley Trail. I passed quite a few others whilst descending (and got overtaken again), my recent downhill practice coming into play. Back onto the Trail I caught up with and overtook the chap that overtook me on the bridleway climb (the other one got away).

I finished in a time of 1:12:21, putting me in tenth place overall (out of 84 finishers) and second in my age group. I'm very happy with the way I ran, my tactics were to start steady, keep a good pace on the climb without overdoing it and to enjoy a fast downhill. I'm sure that I could descend even quicker with practise though, something I shall be working on in the next few months.

I came home with a bottle of wine, a beanie hat and a touch of sunburn. A good day.
(All landscape photos taken on Thursday's recce.)

Paul.