Sunday, March 09, 2008
Event Report; The Grindleford Gallop!
Well, I sometimes think that we can underestimate our fitness and our bodies are actually capable of doing much more than we realise...
I really didn't know whether I should be doing the Gallop... I woke at 5:45am and felt like going back to sleep. Even on the drive up by brain kept trying to tell me to turn around and go back to bed! But I can be a stubborn so and so, so found myself at the start point in the pavilion at Grindleford, drinking a cuppa and eating my banana ready for an 8:30am start...
It's a staggered start- walkers can start at any time between 7am and 9:30am, with a mass start for runners at 10am. I'm afraid there are no pictures as my camera decided it had run out of battery power and once again hadn't bothered to give me any warning, so if you want an idea of what the route is like, read last year's report here, only imagine it dull and grey rather than sunny...
I set off and was overtaken by a group of people running even though it was only 8:30am. Now, the walking fraternity seem to take umbridge at people who enter these events as walkers and then run, but I can understand as there must be lots of folks who fall into the category of wanting to run and walk an event but wouldn't see themselves as runners and feel that they may need more time. Anyway, it inspired me to run a bit at the start, before getting to Froggatt. I deliberately kept the pack quite light, only carrying waterproofs, fleece, hat, golves, useless camera and two full 1 litre water bottles.
I walked up the first hill, and overtook a few walkers, then had a gentle jog/ walk down to Eyam, and the first self clip point. It was dull, windy and threatening rain, but luckily we didn't get more than the odd blustery shower all day. After Eyam came a walk along a walled lane and then the road before a long gradual climb up onto Longstone moor. There was a drinks checkpoint before the final pull onto the moor, which was quite boggy in places.
The full force of the wind hit, and it was quite tough going. We passed another self clip, which two guys who had just overtaken me had missed, so I shouted them back. I was quite glad to have the moor over with, and started to jog again down the walled track into Great Longstone village, with the serious runners starting to overtaking me.
I felt quite good, so when we hit the Monsal Trail I kept going at a slow, steady jog, not near as fast as the runners but overtook lots of walkers. There was a check point near to The Country Bookstore, I selected a piece of cake and had a few minutes before jogging off again.
I walked up the steep climb through the golf course at Bakewell, with the 'bell' to hit to warn golfers of walkers' prescence; one of the guys just ahead hit this and it certainly makes a din, mind you I don't see how the golfers can possibly have missed us!!
After this the route crosses a large sort of meadow, descending gently all the way to Edensor and through the Chatsworth Hall park. I surprised myself by keeping running all the way to Baslow and the check point there. There were a load of runners at the check point; a few were running and walking, and we were kind of leap frogging each other. I took a cup of tea and selected a flapjack for energy.
I resolved to walk the next bit; the steep climb onto the edges. At one point I passed a guy who was flexing his leg and looked to be in pain. A runner who had just overtaken me asked him if he was ok, and he told us he was. At the top, I saw a strange group of walkers approaching from the opposite direction, nearly all wearing identical red anoraks. They were obviously going our way, so I broke into a slow jog to keep them at bay! It was great running near to the edges, following the twisting path and jumping over the stones, although I was tired it was quite exhilirating! Several of us went right up to the edge and took in the amazing view.
I kept up a slow jog downhill to the final road, which seemed ages coming as I felt tired now. There was a final descent through woods back to Grindleford, and I managed to keep running to the end. A lady directed me to the finish, but I realised she had directed me to the runners finish, so had to double back to the walkers finish point.
My time was 5 hours and 30 minutes, which is amazing for me and 1 hour 10 minutes quicker than last year's time! I am also amazed I managed to run so much of it, especially after feling so rough all week! It was packed with runners in the pavilion; there was soup, chunks of bread and lovely looking cakes but I missed the sign saying only one piece of cake per person, so got told off for trying to take two! ( I wasn't the only one!)
So, I am pleased with that, as all I had done in the week was one 7 1/2 mile walk and using the stepper. Only thing is, I have developed a worse cough and a tight feeling in my chest, so may have a bit of a chest infection. Oh, and a stone chipped my windscreen on the way back along the M1, so am hoping that Autoglass can repair it.
My knees were aching last night, but are ok today, legs are aching but not too bad. I may have an easy day today though. Hope everyone has a good week!
I really didn't know whether I should be doing the Gallop... I woke at 5:45am and felt like going back to sleep. Even on the drive up by brain kept trying to tell me to turn around and go back to bed! But I can be a stubborn so and so, so found myself at the start point in the pavilion at Grindleford, drinking a cuppa and eating my banana ready for an 8:30am start...
It's a staggered start- walkers can start at any time between 7am and 9:30am, with a mass start for runners at 10am. I'm afraid there are no pictures as my camera decided it had run out of battery power and once again hadn't bothered to give me any warning, so if you want an idea of what the route is like, read last year's report here, only imagine it dull and grey rather than sunny...
I set off and was overtaken by a group of people running even though it was only 8:30am. Now, the walking fraternity seem to take umbridge at people who enter these events as walkers and then run, but I can understand as there must be lots of folks who fall into the category of wanting to run and walk an event but wouldn't see themselves as runners and feel that they may need more time. Anyway, it inspired me to run a bit at the start, before getting to Froggatt. I deliberately kept the pack quite light, only carrying waterproofs, fleece, hat, golves, useless camera and two full 1 litre water bottles.
I walked up the first hill, and overtook a few walkers, then had a gentle jog/ walk down to Eyam, and the first self clip point. It was dull, windy and threatening rain, but luckily we didn't get more than the odd blustery shower all day. After Eyam came a walk along a walled lane and then the road before a long gradual climb up onto Longstone moor. There was a drinks checkpoint before the final pull onto the moor, which was quite boggy in places.
The full force of the wind hit, and it was quite tough going. We passed another self clip, which two guys who had just overtaken me had missed, so I shouted them back. I was quite glad to have the moor over with, and started to jog again down the walled track into Great Longstone village, with the serious runners starting to overtaking me.
I felt quite good, so when we hit the Monsal Trail I kept going at a slow, steady jog, not near as fast as the runners but overtook lots of walkers. There was a check point near to The Country Bookstore, I selected a piece of cake and had a few minutes before jogging off again.
I walked up the steep climb through the golf course at Bakewell, with the 'bell' to hit to warn golfers of walkers' prescence; one of the guys just ahead hit this and it certainly makes a din, mind you I don't see how the golfers can possibly have missed us!!
After this the route crosses a large sort of meadow, descending gently all the way to Edensor and through the Chatsworth Hall park. I surprised myself by keeping running all the way to Baslow and the check point there. There were a load of runners at the check point; a few were running and walking, and we were kind of leap frogging each other. I took a cup of tea and selected a flapjack for energy.
I resolved to walk the next bit; the steep climb onto the edges. At one point I passed a guy who was flexing his leg and looked to be in pain. A runner who had just overtaken me asked him if he was ok, and he told us he was. At the top, I saw a strange group of walkers approaching from the opposite direction, nearly all wearing identical red anoraks. They were obviously going our way, so I broke into a slow jog to keep them at bay! It was great running near to the edges, following the twisting path and jumping over the stones, although I was tired it was quite exhilirating! Several of us went right up to the edge and took in the amazing view.
I kept up a slow jog downhill to the final road, which seemed ages coming as I felt tired now. There was a final descent through woods back to Grindleford, and I managed to keep running to the end. A lady directed me to the finish, but I realised she had directed me to the runners finish, so had to double back to the walkers finish point.
My time was 5 hours and 30 minutes, which is amazing for me and 1 hour 10 minutes quicker than last year's time! I am also amazed I managed to run so much of it, especially after feling so rough all week! It was packed with runners in the pavilion; there was soup, chunks of bread and lovely looking cakes but I missed the sign saying only one piece of cake per person, so got told off for trying to take two! ( I wasn't the only one!)
So, I am pleased with that, as all I had done in the week was one 7 1/2 mile walk and using the stepper. Only thing is, I have developed a worse cough and a tight feeling in my chest, so may have a bit of a chest infection. Oh, and a stone chipped my windscreen on the way back along the M1, so am hoping that Autoglass can repair it.
My knees were aching last night, but are ok today, legs are aching but not too bad. I may have an easy day today though. Hope everyone has a good week!
Labels: Grindleford Gallop
