The Hobble

5 Dallam runners 2 Colts 270 others

Howarth Hobble 32mile 4400ft ascent

I was rudely awakened at 5:15 am, a time I would normally only see once in a day. We arrived at Howarth primary school with plenty of time, no traffic around at that time on a Saturday. I had gone for the Brad Wiggins approach having a brew and 3 Weetabix just before the start then later taking the Joss Naylor training plan of almost no food just water for the rest of the day. Team 9, Mickey P and Me, had a race plan to be out for around 6 hours, as we waited for the start I chatted to BG Ray, he was planning to run hard then hang in to the end no one else was letting on what they were planning.

The race started up hill over the cobbled streets of Howarth before a tarmac road taking us out towards the fells, I spotted a Lonsdale BG contender, Paul, near to the start briefly chatting about his training, in the distance we spotted BG Ray, storming away closely followed by BG Leecheyboy, the first two miles were hard for me the air was cold and I didn’t feel like running. We dropped into a beck bottom and our first small climb of the day at last I started to relax and I was enjoying the run. We climbed again up into the cloud just like the Wandsworth Trod a few weeks ago, the track was narrow, we needed to pass some slower runners, we were losing sight of a larger group of runners and I didn’t fancy navigating in the fog again.

Checkpoints came and passed very little being said everyone focused on the task of maintaining our 5.9mph speed. Was that too fast? Would we all die near the end? Andrew's running partner Neil was finding the pace a little fast. Next breath ‘Now then Mick fancy seeing you hear’ It was Tim’s mate Chris, we had run with him around Borrowdale a few months earlier, it was nice to see him again. We pressed on crossing the undulating fells no massive climbs no mega drops to worry us but then in the second half, came the steep grass banks out of Todmorden then up to Stoodly Pike, before a toe breaking tarmac descent into Hebden Bridge, then a mega climb out again to Heptonstall and that was the format to the finish big long ups and then downs but never very steep. Our pace was still good we only had a few miles to go when my Joss tactic was starting to tell I was starving. A sports drink, a gel and some Malt loaf, I was sorted but Mickey P was out of water, he was working hard so I passed him my last sports drink which did the trick. We continued to climb then drop right back to Howarth Church we just followed other runners all the way home which turned out to be a mistake, we went down towards the old finish adding a few extra yards to the run, will we ever learn.

Overall a great day out, great team spirit, the weather was perfect, the terrain pretty hard on the feet, but I felt strong at the finish and was happy with that. I asked how everyone else felt, all good even Andrew's blister never bothering him.

Totals: 32 miles, time: 5:53:44, 5121ft ascent, 5.4mph ave speed.