On the start line I noticed that probably 60% of runners where wearing road shoes. I soon found out why... there was a LOT of road in this race. My knees and ankles are pretty swollen today but my muscles feel fine. I really took a pounding on the road sections, which seemed to go on for miles (and probably did!).
The major difference with this race, compared with Edale, is that you don't have to use your brain. Which shouldn't necessarily be a problem for me! The terrain was easy going, you didn't really need to concentrate on foot placement and you didn't need to navigate. Due to the many road sections I found that I was running at a very steady rhythm, a constant ankle and knee bashing rhythm. All that was left was to ponder the distance yet to be covered and pain in my joints.
Despite recent weather, we were greeted with near perfect running conditions, possibly a little too hot in the valleys. I really enjoyed the parts around Mam Tor and Castleton village. It was if we were being taunted as what fells we could be running on!
So, somehow despite very little training (last run of any real distance was in June, 16 miles in the Lakes), having very little sleep due to finishing a night shift on Friday morning, I managed to get round... it's all in the mind!
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