Mountain Trial. 1st, ~13mins up on Jack Wood.
Felt pretty strong throughout, especially on the flats and downs. I faded on the ups later on but you've just got to plug away and I managed this successfully. There was a bit of mizzle and mist early on, then a bit of wind later. Was pretty spot on with the control finding with the exception of 8 where I dropped a few contours. RCs pretty good except getting a bit flustered at the map issue and taking an unnecessary detour around the tarn (and losing 1/3rd of my food in some bracken); and number 10, where I decided to cut a corner and ended up in nipple-deep bracken going "this is where you lose a race like this" to myself. So maybe 5 mins lost total. Bit right on 6 - got a bit confused.
Knew that if I could get sight of Jack (4mins ahead) early it would set me up well, though the earlier starters of andfall, tomtom and M Purkis were live threats, albeit of varying levels. Passing Steve B (twice!) early on was a boost (the first time). Spied Jack a couple of minutes ahead at 1 and closed the gap a bit on the technical ground over to 2. Once on the climb to deepdale he and bloke in white (turned out to be andfall after going walkabout to 2) climbed better and it was all I could do to slowly close the gap on a couple of randomers. However gap closed down to Dunmail. I then saw bugger all of them for the next few hours. Plopped into 6 just as I was starting to question myself. Caught I Embrey at 7 and took different routes. Stopped GPS at 8 as battery warning. Then a good hoof for home. Played my luck maybe a bit too much with the brackeny cut and the gorsey/brackeny route up to 10, but the later proved fine. Jack was maybe 45s ahead here but looking tired and I opened up a good gap with better lines and a strong run to the finish (SLMM d1 start helped here).
Pleased with the win and a name on a piece of fell running history, especially after last year's cancellation when I had a 10min lead with ~70mins racing left. However I'm well aware of the much better fellsmen, fell runners and orienteers who more deserve their name on the trophy but had to deal with the likes of J Naylor and W/G Bland.
http://www.sportident.co.uk/results/2018/LDMTA/
Had a bit of a sluggish patch in the heavy false flat around the back of calf crag at ~2.5h