Haworth Hobble

Race: Haworth Hobble (32m/4500ft)
Time/Position: 5.44.32 (58th from 313)
Only my third ultra marathon, and those have been widely dispersed over a decade: from the Icelandic Laugavegur in 2008 to the Manx Mountain Ultra in 2012. I'm convinced I am physically unsuited to proper distance events, the longer they go on the worse I do: but focusing on ultras this year does nevertheless have some logic, as I've had enough of speedwork (temporarily), and of the 500 races I've done over a 20 year period, properly long stuff remains the obvious gap. As such, this was just an appetizer, an entry level affair which hovers someway between a short ultra and a long fell race in character. It was a superb event, hugely enjoyable, and not just because I took it all at a very slow ambling pace - it was also a great, logical loop around this section of upland Yorkshire. A pleasant evening with Peter and Jez in the Fleece pub in Haworth, a night sleeping in the car outside the YHA, and an early start in claggy, misty and wet conditions. The route leaves Haworth to head up to Top Withens of Wuthering Heights fame: along good tracks over the misty spine of Wadsworth Moor and along a series of lakes and reservoirs (Walshaw Dean to Widdop) skirting Widdop Moor to the north. After some road, increasing the pace in heavy rain, it was back on the Pennine Bridleway way out to the west with Burnley in sight below. Boggy underfoot after all the recent snow; big drifts rapidly melting. In Lancashire now, perhaps? Round Hurstwood and Clough reservoirs to Worsthorne Moor and another road section (the long causeway) after a feed. This was only about 13 miles in; I was feeling OK but a bit more tired than I should have been given the gentle pace. A hotdog followed, with fried onions and mustard! I regretted this immediately - stomach pain, predictably enough - but it did help maintain energy for the hard, boggy and rocky section that came next, through the mist above the upper Calder Valley. Some lovely little side valleys with wisps of mist, drystone walls and snow drifts, then it was back down to the valleys again in Todmorden. Tricky navigation through the streets to gain a very steep climb which led to the much higher village of Mankinholes and another feed station (cheese pastie this time!). This was 20 miles in, and I knew that I would struggle in from here given lack of mileage in training. First, though, I had a second wind and really enjoyed the run through the lower moor below Stoodley Pike with the mist clearing and beautiful views. The climb up the Pike is steep and tiring, the top a huge Victorian monument looming out of thick clag. Then comes another descent back to the valley, arduous now with steep tarmac all the way down to Hebden Bridge, where more tortuous ginnels and steep steps lead to the brutal climb up to cobbled Heptonstall. The fatigue then kicks in for the long run in through great scenery (although my ultra conservative slow approach paid dividends in the sense that I wasn't too tired) taking in the wild moorland above Oxenhope (which I've visited by bike along the Tour route) to Penistone Hill and, eventually, Haworth again.