Buxton Hilly, June 2006
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This was a new race for the Summer Series and with the words “Hilly” and “Buxton” in the title there was plenty of apprehension as we warmed up and tried to make sense of the route map. Attempts to recce the course ended in confusion with Tony pointing randomly to various unlikely looking gates and footpaths. Was he really trying to send us all the wrong way and grab the points? The only thing that was clear was that it was a very pleasant country park area very suitable for picnics and challenging cross-country.
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Back at the car park Stephen was taking photos for the club study but really video was needed to fully appreciate Gavin sprinting to late registration in his work suit. It seemed that blue and gold Wilmslow vests were everywhere: possibly a record turn out.
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Simon Bailey (British fell running champion) was limbering up on the start line but within 200m had joined the growing club of elite athletes who have been (momentarily) overtaken by Stuart this year. As we started the climb towards the tower the leading group stretched out and first Stuart then Damian eased past me. Rounding the tower it felt like the climb hadn’t been too bad at all and I picked up speed, reaching the stile ahead of Stuart and still within sight of Damian and Mike H. The descent through the woods was less slippery than it looked and I managed to accelerate past a Trentham runner. After the long downhill the climb back to the start seemed a grind with rather too many twists and stiles for my liking. Stuart and the Trentham runner had both overtaken me by the time we started the second lap.
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Climbing again towards the tower up ahead I could see Damian clawing his way past Mike competing for the 50 points. As we turned down into the woods I again pushed on in front of the Trentham runner and gradually gained on Stuart. I had little energy left for the final push up the hills; felt slow over the stiles and Trentham had the last laugh on the 30m sprint up to the finish line.
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As Wilmslow runners continued to pour out of the woods and up to the finish we all agreed that it had been a fine race but surprisingly tough on the hills.
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Rob