7miles/2000feet Cat: A(hard) M(medium distance)
1 Chris Steele Borrowdale FR MO 47.43
50 Dave McGuire Hyde Park V40 58.40
*220 runners completed the race.
A train ride up the Leeds/Carlise line to Ribblehead, a carb fuelled lunch of chilli con carne at the Railway pub and a 5/6 mile bike ride into a heavy head wind and lots of rain accounted for the pre race warm up inorder to arrive in Ingleton.
The race was part of the Ingleton fair which included a stunning bird of prey display. Likewise was the race, particularly upon reaching Ingleborough summit. Luckily the wind aided climbing the peak as it headed east back toward Ribblehead on the trail path direct to the top. The strong winds helped keep my balance once turning back down some very steep fell which almost brought on the feeling of vertigo going over the initial edge – where the view back down felt like you were looking down on the world with crystal clear panoramic views.
As usual I got caught by the experienced down hillers but overall I had a good run back to the finish. The climb was a very tough, direct 2000 feet also made tiring due to the bike and the midweek fell race at Widdop all there in the legs. I rounded off the day by biking a new route back down to Settle (10 miles) and another train ride back into the Leeds cityscape.
