Buxton Hilly

Buxton Hilly, Race 9
Thursday 20/6.  Start 7.15 or thereabouts.

 I do enjoy evening races, even though it means leaving
work 15 mins early, mad dash home and the usual verbal from the wife and family.
No reason why on the longest day of the year this could not have had an official
start time of 7.30, Jarrod would have made the start, he was last seen running to
registration at 7.20 in his suit and hush puppies, I did think it would be all,
if he appeared with his number pinned to his jacket ran in his hush puppies and
still beat me.

The start itself was a little unusual, 'run down the
hill and stay to the right of the young female marshal and then up the hill with
the gully on your left '. I could see three figures down the hill, wasn't sure which
one was the female marshal, couldn't see the gully,  when the gully became visible it was obvious that
the instructions had been a little confusing to most , I imagined jumping the gully,
visions of Red Rum at Becher’s Brook, nothing like it I'm afraid, more Delaney's
donkey.

Once over the gully and everyone had made the left
turn we set off up the hill  I managed to
get in front of Sally and Patrick before the queue at the gate, this was done in
an orderly manner, Nicky and Alan T through just in front of me, then off up to
the Temple, I managed to get in front Nicky and Alan by the top and passed Janine
over what Janine describes as ' rough ground ' on the first of the down hill, once
over the stile I passed Di B and set off 
in pursuit of Doddy, determined to put him under pressure. I could see Tony,
Doddy and Steve Russell in front.

Now this was a long down hill and fast on a good path
but all the time I couldn't stop thinking, the pay back, equally long up hill. I
was closing on Tony who was closing on Andy, Steve was away, we finally bottomed
out with a sharp left turn up hill, pay back time, Tony soon caught Andy and set
off in pursuit of Steve, I began to struggle up hill, sharp turns, tree roots, overhanging
branches, not even Andy was looking over his shoulder now, through another gate,
over another stile then up the last steep hill, here Di and Janine both got the
better of me, Janine has definitely quickened up on the down hill. I made the quick
calculation that there wasn't enough 'rough ground' or steep down hill to give me
enough of an advantage over either of the ladies. Through another gate and back
into open ground and start of lap two, long steady climb up to the Temple again.

In a two lap race is there an advantage knowing what's
coming ?

I managed to finally pass Andy just before the Temple,
Janine passing Andy must have got to him, Di passing Andy must have got to him,
me passing Andy, the straw that broke the camels back, Andy sacked it, trying to
blame the on set of a cold but we know…………………

My pleasure was short, not with Andy sacking it, but
with passing him, I could hear heavy breathing, getting heavier, getting closer,
Gavin passes me.

Around the Temple, over the stile and off down the
long hill again, Gavin soon passes Diane, I close the gap, Janine is now out of
sight. We don't change formation all the way down, it seems to be longer second
time, I keep losing sight of Gavin thinking he's turned left only for him to appear
round a bend thirty yards in front, next bend 40 yards in front, he was motoring,
I can't hear anyone behind me, keep expecting Andy to come passed.

Finally the dreaded left turn and up the hill, I draw
level with Diane, she quickens up, at the gate we turn left again, where I have
a crafty look back, no one there. I draw level with Diane again but she is a determined
lady, does not want to lose a point to me, little did she know and I wasn't going
to tell her, she pulls away again. It suddenly dawns on me, I have no idea where
the finish is, I hope somewhere near where we started from , we go through the last
gate into the open and thank god 100 yards up hill to the finish.

Tough, enjoyable, short race and I hadn't even noticed
the rain. Excuse for fish and chips again, you can't beat it can you.

 Chris