Running (TRAIL) race 1:11:31 [5] 16.08 km (4:27 / km) +512m 3:50 / km
Dalwood 3 Hills Challenge - 3rd
Whilst doing my warm up I realized that my legs were feeling fresh despite the four days of hard training in Pitlochry not to mention the hours I had spent traveling that week. The aim was to beat Grey's time of 74.10 (ran when he was 17) and ideally get a spot on the podium. However, i knew this race is deep in Axe Valley Runners territory and as we lined up to start I was the only one not in an AVR vest. I tried to assert my presence early on by leading the race for the first 1km along a flat lane.
Hill 1: as we began to climb up through the first fields I looked back and saw everyone getting strung out. Me and this old boy pushed ahead and were first to the top of hill. The pace had be pretty comfortable for the first 3 or so km filling me with too much confidence. As we descended back into the valley a man shot past and into the lead. I tried to hold onto him for the next downhill/ flat 4km, but the gap grew and i was put deep in the red just before the start of the 2nd hill.
Hill 2: I went into the biggest hill on the course with a 100m gap on 3rd, 1st had vanished up the dirt lane and i was all out of energy so popped a gel. The climb was pretty lonely with no one to pace off and i had the thought of being chased by two experienced AVR. i reached the summit and could see 3rd 15m behind so took some time at the top to cruise and get a drink of water. As I started to descend 3rd and 4th came up alongside and i chose to go with a move one of them made which put us 30m up on 4th.
Hill 3: a the start of the hill me and this other bloke sat in 2nd and 3rd with a gap on the guy who I had started with. The gap again depleted on the climb and we were back together 2km from the finish. On the last part of the climb the old boy made his move and put a reasonable amount of space on us. By this point i had burnt all my matches going with every move people made, it was now in a race for 3rd.
The last 1km was all downhill with two stiles which I knew would be decisive. I got through the stiles ahead of 4th then had a crazy sprint down the steep hill and through the ford where i just managed the 3rd place. 1st and 2nd showed no respect at the end in true AVR style celebrating their victory over someone who was too young to even do the race. All round great fun, learned a lot from it as well as messed up the traditional AVR 1,2,3. Hopefully I'll be back next year.