Three Peaks of Chinley

Summer Series, Race 13

Sunday 30^th. July

I tend, provided I’m here, to simply enter the Summer Series races blind. I therefore remained in blissful ignorance until after Tuesday training. 9½ miles, three big climbs, find your own route. The organisers subsequently sent me a map, I had no knowledge of the area. I went on Google to look at it on a scale that might mean something. A couple of years ago, I could, perhaps, have found and followed someone who seemed to know where they were going, but, now, I knew I was too slow to keep up. I went into the navigation, concluding that the shortest route would simply mean getting lost, I went for a more conservative plan but would now be doing closer to 11 miles. Was it the navigation, the hills or the distance that defeated me, probably all three, it was not for me.

I fully expected Simon, a flat 10k on the road is where he excels, by Thursday, to have drawn the same conclusion but he had lived in Chinley and wanted to run. We agreed to talk again Friday. By then I had alighted upon the A624, the Hayfield Road. We would work on doing the Eccles Pike and The Big Stone together but I would take the Hayfield Road down to the finish, missing the third peak. Simon and I is not a combination made in heaven; I can’t run up hills and he can’t run down them, we’d have to work something out.

I bade Anne a fond farewell on Sunday morning, Saturday had been our 45^th. wedding anniversary, and, to quote Captain Oates, said I might be gone for some time.

Sally and Ian are at a pub table in intense discussion over the map. Gail, Paul and Mark are preparing to start as is Don. I’m awaiting Simon, who’d warned he was partying on Saturday evening. Stephen arrives, he’s joining us. Simon arrives with a glare at South Head, ‘we’re not going up there are we?’. Paul returns having done the Eccles Pike loop and is heading in the direction of South Head but without any confidence about how he is going to get there. Not sure what has happened to Mark and Gail.

We set-off, I’m too slow up the first hill but catch Simon at the base of Eccles Pike, he had already said that he had no head for heights, ‘I’m not going up there’. Stephen is striding ahead, I follow at what at best could be called a brisk walk. Back to the start/finish, John has retired with a training injury. I set-off for my second peak quickly appreciating that, by talking instead of concentrating, I’m going anti- instead of clockwise. In hindsight this was not a good move, were we to venture out here again, I’d do clockwise.

I meet Chris and Carolyn, less than 10 minutes from their finish. We have a navigation discussion, and then meet Don, also on the last lap, he has clearly run very well.  I go under the railway bridge, as instructed by Chris, and start the long, long drag up to South Head.

Jeremy and Diane are bouncing down with only the Eccles Pike to do. I’ve got your prize, Di, first lady no less, I’ll bring it to Pie & Peas, Wednesday. The climb goes on up for ever but other runners coming-down assure me I’m on the right road and, finally, I can start to pick-out figures at on top of what must be the checkpoint.

Stephen’s on the final assault up South Head as I descend. His running at Lyme Park has paid-off, this is his final peak, I’ve still got The Big Stone to do. The ascent to Big Stone is easier except that it, too, has a very steep final 100m. Downhill all the way to Chinley the marshals tell me, I had been anxious at making the 12:30 cut-off. I stuff myself with biscuits, I was less tired than expected but, then, I had done more walking than running.

I see Tony near the finish and express delight that he’s still alive, ‘just having a break after 28 years’. I collect Diane’s prize and they also give me one, I think in appreciation of the club’s support of the event and who better than the slowest Wilmslow runner. My Garmin says 10.9 miles.

 (Photo courtesy of Tony)