29th September Undulating at Wirksworth (R51)

Thankfully I remembered to bring my Garmin watch with me today and so this latest cross country jolly could actually count as an officiall entry crashing into the top 60 at number R51.

Managing to get a Sunday Morning off work I had the option of twolocal races, the Robin Hood Half Marathon round the streets of Nottinigham at £42 a pop or the Wirksworth Undulator at a bargain price of £10. I'll let you guess which one I chose.

 

There is a saying that what goes up must come down although where running is concerned I have never been convinced that there is as much down as there is up. Today's little trail run was called the Undulator for a reason and so it came as no surprise that the 8.4 miles were rather lumpy, starting off with the steepest climb of them all within the first 50 yards of the start. And take it from me there nothing like being gasping for breath almost before my watch had a chance to register whether I had started to move or not.

I have done this run once before back in 2019 which feels like a lifetime ago and so did have a target time in mind but as with all my runs the main aims were to get round, not to fall during the run and then look to see what kind of time I managed. 

And so on a rather nippy September morning, one that brought my gloves out for their first showing of the autumn, 100 plus runners set off on a clockwise loop that took us from the base of the stone quary at Wirksworth, out over field and track to the high point at Harborough rocks, past the wind turbines high above Carsington, down to the edge of the reservoir itself and then back through the village of Hopton to our original starting point.

It was the usual scenario of run the downhill and flat sections then struggle up the innumerable inclines, trying to keep pace with my fellow runners and not be caught by those behnd me. Some times this strategy was succesful, sometimes it wasn't.

The overcast weather failed to unleash any downpours which was good because some sections of the course were still slippy from the previous weeks rain neccesitating a rather timid descent in places. But crossing the line less that 5 mins slower than my previous attempt in 2019 felt like a partial win. 

A partial win that was transformed into a stunning triumph when I caught sight of my running nemesis 'Elizabeth' crossing the finishing line a good couple of minutes after I had done. After just being pipped by her at the Great Longstone Chase a few weeks ago, this was sweet revenge indeed. 

Whether our rivally will recommence at the Curbab Commotion next week is uncertain. If I end up beating her again then I will certainly mention it. if I don't then let's all just assume she didn't turn up for the challenge