After
the race I met Roger McGough who was doing a gig at the Sedbergh School Hall
as part of the Sedbergh Book Week. He asked me had I done the race
& how did I feel. I was eating a big sardines on wholemeal sandwich
& I told him in the vernacular that I was pretty tired, but that I'd been
advised that Tuna Butties might do the trick! (Thanks to Sara Gohil Interclub
last tuesday). He laughed!
Further report
from Eddie............
I don't think I would agree with Bob's comment "Eddie
beat me easily". When you have been out on the fells for nearly four
hours it is anything but easy. I also think that Bob was holding back in the
early part of the race in order to have "glorious" fast finish
which he achieved. Why do I say that? Well look at the Sportident results
and note Bob's time from Winder down to the finish. He was the quickest out
of all the 353 runners. Absolutely brilliant Bob, well done! Who said the
clock must have gone wrong? Didn't you know Bob is really good at
descending but just doesn't get the recognition he deserves.
Joking apart the hardest parts were between
Black Force (checkpoint 3) and Bowderdale (checkpoint 4) when it was a
matter of picking your own route over/round Docker Knott, Simons Seat and
Hazelgill Knott and then a long slog up to the Calf with k*******d
legs. Between the Calf (checkpoint 5) and Winder (checkpoint 6) the
heavens opened and I have never seen such heavy rain. Mind you it was
great coming off Winder as we descended out of the cloud and there was
Sedbergh below in beautiful sunshine.
All the way round we were constantly climbing
into and out of cloud but I had no problems route finding despite being
completely isolated in clouds at times.
Interestingly it took me longer to complete the
14 miles than when I ran the Edinburgh marathon a few years ago which I
think proves it really is a tough race.
Eddie
There
was some consolation the the fact that on the penultimate leg (Calf to
Winder) I beat Eddie by a few seconds.
The
final leg was indeed a superlative effort from me, to achieve the last mile
or so in less than 3 minutes................ OK it is downhill & very
steep, but I've been going down hill for some time, I just didn't realize
that the decline was so rapid.
Below
is an unusual part for a fell race report. but I've followed Roger McGough's
career for years. He mentions Adrian Henri in the book, Adrian was our
Art Teacher in Preston back in the fifties.
Roger
McGough looks a likely lad to join our Vet gang in the fell section. His
picture on the right above has caught him in secret training. He looks good,
well, better than I did after I'd finished at Sedbergh
.
Bumping
into Roger McGough cost me a packet. I bought his Autobiography (above) &
another selection of poems. If anyone is interested in his works you can go to
his website
