Hi All

Out for the 35th running of the Frank Hodson Saddleworth  6 last night. With the moors rising to all sides and the course record having been set back in 94, it didn't look one for the PB hunters, but having entered the Snowdon mara with a scant 10 weeks of training available to me the chance to do a few hills at race pace couldn't be missed. Race pace, a movable feast, I couldn't help musing as I jogged round the playing fields near race HQ on a humid evening, my legs still feeling leaden from the weekend's long run. At 15 miles the longest by 8 or 9 miles for some months, in honesty.

The course is lollipop shaped, with maybe a 600 meter stick that one runs to start and finish with 2 laps of the mostly B-road lollipop itself making up the rest, so logically there can't have been more up than down but it certainly felt like it. I didn't pay much attention to my watch just on trying to hold/catch runners in front in an attempt not to slacken off too much. But the first mile was under 7 mins and the last certainly felt like it was, so the rest were 7'30s at best. I know that by the time I hit the short dig out of town for the second time I was blowing hard. The long hill - one of those that go up steeply to start with then drag on around a bend - I could have done with Len on his Canix harness to haul me up. Still, I managed my customary, and I hope profoundly annoying to those who have been hanging onto your shirt-tails for awhile - sprint when once I had the finishing line in sight and finished in 44:09 112/272 and with a similar placing in my age group.

One to reminisce about, and to make sure I have a previous engagement for next year.

cheers, Steve