Three Peaks fell race

Race: Three Peaks fell race, Yorkshire (38km/5300ft/AL)
Peaks: Pen y Ghent (691m), Whernside (728m), Ingleborough (723m)
Time/Position: 4.08 (258th from 1000)
As I'd only done a couple of two hour runs in training, having concentrated (as usual) on short road runs all winter, I knew my options were limited today. Given the lack of mileage and recent weeks away from running, my only chance was a slow, steady plod all the way round, which is exactly what I did. Great training for the forthcoming hill running season though, and a classic route which marked its 61st anniversary this year. I last did the famous circuit in early May 1988, as an 18-year-old student hillwalker. It took me over eight hours (which I seem to remember being quite pleased with, as the normal 'challenge time' for walkers is 12 hours!). So despite my shamefully slow pace today, at least it was half my teenage time at well over double the age! After several weeks of perfect spring weather and unbroken sunshine, it was particularly unlucky to be starting in steady rain from Horton in Ribblesdale. A gentle plod up the runnable tracks to Pen y Ghent, then we were into the mist and bitter windchill as we climbed above 600m. Dibbed on the summit checkpoint, then an excellent descent - first grass then tracks across Horton Moor led to a very long almost level run over several miles of open country to High Birkwith. Heavy rain at times on this section, with the second peak Whernside largely obscured by mist but disconcertingly distant. More very runnable terrain led to wet cobbled tracks, now in the Ribble valley, and eventually a long road section to the Ribblehead viaduct. It did occur to me how good this would have been if I was in marathon training and had the legs for it. As it was, a slow plod had to suffice. The infamous slog up Whernside was something of a relief as a result. In fact, I started to make up some places and really enjoyed the very steep finish up the eastern slopes. Felt good for the long descent to Chapel le Dale. This is probably the most scenic part of the run, and despite the rain and mist, I vaguely remembered it from 1988. It had been very cold on Whernside, so it was nice to have warmed up again. A long trot past various caves and sinkholes, classic limestone scenery, led to the very steep climb up a rocky staircase to gain the east ridge of Ingleborough. Again, I found this a relief from the running and made up some places. On the ridge, the weather closed in: a very cold wind blew in a heavy hail shower. This turned to wet snow on the summit plateau. My face froze as I ran into the headwind, which turned into a helpful (but cold) tailwind for the very long (4 mile+) descent via Sulber. This is tough on the legs but my snail's pace earlier in the day allowed me to keep the same slow plod going to the finish back in the village. A classic route, shame I couldn't do it justice. That said, the slow pace rendered it much more enjoyable than any attempt to race would have been.