Of course, I arrived there far too early, and sat and waited for 2 hours for the actual Marathon to start. Given the delays seen the day before, I wasn't taking any chances !
Little by little, the other competitors started to arrive, and my friends Ian & Dave from the Wheelers Trike Team eventually arriving so we could assure each other of our lack of fitness etc. Signing on was easy and then it was a case of waiting for time for a warm up to come around. By 10.30 we were warmed up and stood somewhere around three quarters of the way down the field waiting to pass through the narrowed start area.
The first mile of this race gives a false sense of security as it's flat and on good surface. Within a mile though you can see what's coming in the distance - and the first climb is also the hardest on the entire course and when you see what else is ahead, that's saying something. I ran the whole thing though first time round - choosing to keep moving even though it was in slow motion. Some suddenly very steep parts indeed. Then there was just no rest, the undulations just kept coming and some of the descents were just bonkers - run able but difficult to stop myself braking on the way down. The climb out of Skelwith Bridge is a particular bastard and the descent from that.... well.... that would hurt on lap 2. 1st lap done in 1:55, so initially thought that a sub 4 was on overall, but that disappeared up the first climb of the second lap - my legs just didn't have the bounce back ability to tackle the really steep stuff and it was actually quicker to walk. Descents hurt, steep climbs hurt, and it was really race management that got me round. 2:14 for the second lap and 4 hrs and 9 minutes overall. A very good end to a season that has been frankly exhausting !
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