Right where do I start may be 5am this morning. Picked up Janet who was ready and waiting at 5.50. Was i hallucinating already or was that to come later 🤣 Janet’s never early 🤣
We made fast progress getting there and the road diversion had gone unlike the previous Recce. We saw Dan and Michael on foot making their way to race headquarters when we pulled over the bridge.
Once we arrived we soon got a brew and toast..Janet was happy as we had plenty of time to chill . We all went to the car park listening to the man in cords give the announcement. We saw Paul appear and thought Wow..Nice one bit late but hey🤣🤣.
I got Rachel to take the picture with him standing on the landys Bonnet. Always a Landrover working in the background backbone of this Country… Makes me get a lump in my throat. I really want another deep down . One day may be .🤞🏼
We set off and I ran along With tony for about 10 miles or so . We were always within a short distance of each other . Passing each other back and too . He said he wasn’t feeling great today especially from his adventures last week.
I soon got ahead and felt comfortable despite my 8 trips .. probably more 🤣. Got a lovely bruise/ flesh wound from one descent.
Still no sign of Janet and Dan . Where were they ?? I kept looking behind me and couldn’t see them .
I began passing great runners who were slim and didn’t have any meat on them Also head to tail in Invo8 . Sign of a decent fell runner .
I felt like Rocky at this point. Eye of the tiger and all that .
I was flying along .. went into the big room where all the food was .. I couldn’t decide what to take . In the end I settled with tuna . I didn’t eat the crusts so I stuffed them in my pockets and discarded them later without anyone watching me throw them over the wall .
By this point I’d lost tony and thought
blimey Greg your doing Great. Soon pasted the point where Josie made me put my coat on from last time as i was being lazy to get it from my pack ..
I ran a lot on my own . Apart from getting lost which was fast approaching, this was the first time I had used my watch for navigation. I loved it . I was on the open moors in total fog with no visibility. I was making myself laugh and think I was flying a Lancaster on instruments.. 🧡
Soon brightened up and I approached a lovely blonde girl
With a cracking bum 😍 we chatted about race stuff .. listening to all her prep and training routes..
I was clearly day dreaming 🤣🤣. We ran past a Landrover which I clocked on the Recce and to my surprise her partner I guess , appeared from nowhere and gave her a massive hug and kiss..
I bloody tripped up and thought ‘Not again’ just my luck .
Still couldn’t see anyone else as I approached the turn for the 15 and 22. Should have done the 15 hindsight but hey it’s Greg always a bit more .
Ran up the next big hill passing loads where a big rock is . Then went into the woods. Very muddy and slippy. I was running sideways . The contours lines are very close . Basically a wood on a steep banking. I went left thinking this was the path . I continued to fly / slide down the banking and then the path stopped with no one around.
Realised gone wrong and then completed a full Circumference of the wood heading back up the slope . Bumping into sheep and deer. Eventually I exited the woods on my hands and knees climbing back out
I appeared at the bottom of the field and could see the giant boulder at the top .. Definitely thought of Greg you plonker. Got back to the rock and started hallucinating. Everything was spinning .I heard Josie in my head saying eat and drink again.
Thanks to Rach the chocolate pancakes came out . I had 2 .
Feeling down and depressed and continued. By this time the watch said back on track 6 miles to go 😧 I was really low and a old chap walked past me where I was running
Marcus shutters friend caught me up . We chatted for a while . He did the Reece with us . It was a shame Mark wasn’t with us we both said .
I thought I best push on and got ahead .
Pelted down the hill in the last mile . Heather rang . I knew they all had finished at this point. Recently I have changed my ringtone to the Battle of Britain theme so it gave the chaps next to me shock when it went off ..🤣🤣
Headed back into the headquarters where Josie took my picture..
Great day out . The food back was incredible.
Loved it despite getting lost in the steep woods . I genuinely thought half way round I was going to do great and smash last year’s time
My hat goes off to everyone.. definitely a toughie 🧡.. Josie is right I definitely put the Lost into Lostock 🤣
Another memorable race for the memory Bank .
#love this club
Apologies for the grammar/ spelling..if incorrect..👍🏼
