Observations
- Despite the generous 12.00 race start, best not to travel through Saltaire from Leeds on a Saturday morning
- After fully hydrating on the 2hour car journey, be aware that registration (and toilets) is a brisk 15 minute walk from the Pete Bland stall and car parking
- Registration requires a full kit check – you may be invited to return to aforementioned Pete Bland stall to purchase any omitted kit
- Listen carefully to any pre-race advice from ectomorphs that mentions ‘best route off’, ‘keep left here’ or ‘to avoid the bad step…’
- The start emerges from a large group huddle on grass to a sudden charge towards Rydal Hall, possibly resembling a herd of wild bison – see link below
- The first 2 miles, like most other hill races, are horrific
- A little knoll between Nab Scar and Great Rigg provides possibly the best pee-stop anywhere on the Rydal range with stunning views south over Lake Windermere
- I regret forgetting to pack my camera
- There is plenty of rock, particularly those dinner plate size, vertical slabs that catch the occasional foot lift and send runners stumbling forth like a drunken buffoon at closing time
- Despite the very best of intentions – following a Lakeland club vest – I still navigated to the top of and then scrambled (fell) down the ‘bad step’
- The final half mile along a limestone cobble track was at best unpleasant and worst bloody nauseating
- Gutted to learn on the drive home that at the finish I’d missed the complimentary tea and flapjack
- Avoid Saltaire when returning to Leeds on a Saturday evening
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