Ladybower 54km
I had some marshal credit to use with Run Through and also had a 50km on my training plan for today, so a trip out it was!
Runners enjoyed a very sunny day out in the Hope Valley which practically sparkled in the fabulous conditions after a chilly and foggy start.
From the start in Hope the route took in a climb up to Hollins Cross and on to The Great Ridge, along to Back Tor, Lose Hill and the plummet down the other side. I’d not been up there since February’s Winter Half Tour of Bradwell so it was nice to see it not covered in ice and snow. On through the woods to Ladybower also taking in Upper Derwent and Howden reservoirs. Up on to the moors to Derwent Edge and Whitestone Lee Tor followed by the technical descent back down to Ladybower. The sting in the tail was scrambling up Parkin Clough and on to Win Hill with 30 miles in the legs. I may have said some choice words out loud here 🫣. Hang on to your knees for the descent back down to Hope and a dash along the footpath to the finish. (I’m a bit rubbish with place names so may have have got some of the above in the wrong order)
There were 5 brilliantly stocked aid stations and I got a pile of free goodies, plus a lovely slate medal to take home too.
My performance played out exactly how it normally does for longer runs – I felt like I’d never ran before in my life for the first third, considered calling it a day midway through the second, attached a seemingly new pair of legs to myself in time for the final third, flew along happily gaining a hefty number of places while others were flagging, and finished feeling like I’d barely started. I was 20th out of 110 women in 7hrs 9.
A good day out.
Results here https://results.runthrough.co.uk/results.aspx?CId=16487&RId=5897&EId
=2&dt=2&top=3
