Race Reporting: Burbage 2011

Report By Paul Rigg,

 Burbage Skyline, my first attempt at this race, having heard so many good things about it. Arrived around 18:45 to find registration was going to be delayed so went and got changed then had a chat with some friends. I was looking forward to the race and hoping the Crowden Horseshoe from Sunday was out of my legs. After registration the hordes made it down to the start.

Despite knowing you need to get off to a quickish start, well,I didn't and got stuck in the crowds! Took me nearly 30 seconds just to cross the start line. There followed a cavalry charge on the path, over the heather and then across the stream.
The run through the heather was interrupted by me falling. I can however report the fact heather doesn't taste to bad and may well be one of your '5 a day'. Found it difficult to get any sort of rhythm in the run until the section between Mothers Cap and Higgor Tor mainly due to the numbers of people.

Nice to see Mrs BB on top of Higgor and then it was the turn of the 'Plummet', I had been looking forward to this bit all day having run up it at Tigger Tor. Having enjoyed the descent (next year I will attack it with more gusto) it was across the stream and then along side for a bit just before crossing again. I had my second fall after looking back at another runner who had fallen.
Crossed the stream again and started the ascent back up onto the ridge. By this point I had decided to see how many Handsworth runners I could overtake as I could see a few in front of me, so set about this task on behalf of the Killamarsh Kestrels. By now I felt I was getting into a good spell of running and was overtaking people as well as having a bit of a race with a lad with a pony tail.

Onto Burbage Edge and I was regretting the curry and chips I had for tea. No problems along the top of Burbage Edge and I was enjoying this part as I like the rocky-top running. Then the course drops down to the path in the valley. It was here that I gave myself and the watching marshall a heart attack by nearly missing my footing on the narrow path with the steepish drop down. If there was brown stuff running down my leg, well, it would had been adrenalin (Ed: Not the curry then?).

Onto the main track and I started to 'dig-in' for home, only to find someone kept moving the finish line away from me and it was like running on a treadmill. Overtook a few more runners on the last half mile or so and could hear some trying to catch me up. But thanks to the support from a couple of spectators I finished clear of them. However I can't remember if I overtook the lad with the pony tail.

A lovely evening out in the Peak District and will be back next year to beat my time and try and reduce the fall count!

The writer himself, caught in the background of this picture, following his descent of 'The Plummett'.

The 2011 Accelerate Gritstone Series Partners

Copyright, All Rights Reserved, Accelerate Lifestyle Ltd Terms & Conditions    Design by: 'You Know Who'   Visit: www.accelerateuk.com