Dragging myself out of bed just before six in the morning, I made my traditional breakfast for long distance running - bilberry pancakes with plenty of maple syrup and butter, washed down with coffee. Then it was off on the short drive to Buxton and registration in the gym at the school. Most people pre-enter this race but I entered on the day this time and was one of four to do so. There were 99 pre-entries so this brought the numbers up to 103. Shortly before 8am we were herded down the five minute walk to the Broadwalk and the start (SK056732). The weather was cool, overcast and windy and the forecast was for 'showers, some heavy, brightening up later'. This time they got it spot on.
From checkpoint 1 we descended the steep road down to Fernilee Reservoir and then along a flat section by the side of the reservoir before descending by the disused water processing station past the dam. The route then follows the River Goyt before climbing up to checkpoint 2 in a layby on the A5004 close to Taxal (SK009799). This is just over six and a half miles into the race and I was there, on schedule, in just under an hour. I stuffed down half a banana and filled my water bottle here, crossed the road and walked the rather steep track up to Shallcross Hall Farm. Passing the farm I was able to run again and emerging into open fields I could see a gaggle of runners quarter of a mile ahead. Resisting the temptation to try to close the gap, I followed them up through the fields towards Ollerenshaw Hall.
Unlike a lot of long distance races, the High Peak 40 is exceptionally well marked with large red arrow signs to point you in the right direction and although there are one or two places where an extra arrow would be useful it is generally an easy route to follow. As I had done the race the previous year I was fairly confident in my recollection of the route and was not expecting to have to use the map that I had with me.
Passing though Ollerenshaw Hall, to applause from the residents, the route takes to the road again and climbs up past Eccles Pike before descending to checkpoint 3 at Digleach Farm (SK044810) and a table laden with more things to eat and drink. Half a banana and a fill of the second water bottle and I was off again, in 15th place, following the road under the A6 and then under the railway line near New Smithy. By now the predicted rain has begun and I'm getting a bit damp as the route climbs up to checkpoint 4 at Beet Farm (SK059836). Ahead of me, waterproofs are being put on but I generally prefer to do without unless I'm getting too cold.
Now I'm climbing again up the rocky path up Rushup Edge and feeling rather better than expected. Coming in the opposite direction are about 25 motorbikes which rather shatter the peace of the place. The rain has subsided to a strong drizzle and visibility is down to about a 100 yards but this is a straightforward part of the route - just keep going until you reach Mam Nick. It's tricky underfoot, with a constant stream of water coming down the path and I'm resigned to having wet feet for some time to come. Eventually I reach the high point near Lord's Seat and start to descend though a crowd of soggy walkers to Mam Nick. After crossing the road and climbing up to Mam Tor I can see runners a few minutes behind but nobody in front and I press on to Hollins Cross where the route descends right down towards Castleton.
At the bottom of the descent I have an encounter with a dog owner and her pooch which she claims is 'under control' but which is straining at the end of its lead, snarling and baring its teeth at me. It retreats when it sees my right foot closing rapidly on its nose and I get called a pillock for being so nasty to poor doggie. Sadly, I have a race to finish so I bid them a fond farewell (or something) and press on to checkpoint 6 (SK147834) which is another mile on and just outside Castleton. Here I make a radical dietary change and have a flapjack before running through Castleton and on to Cave Dale.
Out of the top of Cave Dale there's a brief flat section before we're climbing again up onto Bradwell Moor. I can see another runner in the distance but I'm not gaining on him and I can see Julian Brown behind me who appears to be getting closer. The top of the moor passes slowly and then we're descending gently to checkpoint 7 near Bushy Heath Farm (SK148785). To make up for the downhill, the wind and rain are turned up another notch and I exchange condolences with the checkpoint staff before accepting a banana and pressing on, head down, towards Tideswell.
The leg to Tideswell is all on road and all downhill and my legs are starting to hurt. Normally, in events of this length I take some paracetamol with me to ease the aches and pains but today I've forgotten to bring any. The chap in front of me is getting away and I don't look back in case I see something I don't want to. Coming into Tideswell it's just after 12 o'clock and the place is pretty busy - the fish and chip shop has a bit of a queue so I give that a miss and settle for a jam sandwich at checkpoint 8 which is about a mile further on (SK154741). This is obviously a popular place to hang around as 5 runners appear to have converged - three in front of me and Julian who arrives seconds after I do. I'm here in 4:13, a few minutes up on my schedule and we've now covered 26 miles (and 4000ft of climb) with just a half-marathon and the odd mile to go (plus 1400ft of climb).
I'm still feeling rough but one of the two who had gone away from me after CP8 has come into sight again and so there are three of us spread out over a hundred yards. The route is still flat as it follows the railway to the Monsal Head tunnel where we turn right to descend to the river again and follow it along an undulating path to cross the A6 at the bottom of Deepdale. There are two Deepdales in the High Peak 40 - this is the first and it's a long uphill slog up a path which starts out stony, slippery and difficult and then becomes muddy, rutted and difficult. I've passed one of my two companions near the bottom and trade places with the other as we make our way to the top. Eventually, I'm making ground on him and starting to feel a bit better. He's a couple of hundred yards behind when I reach checkpoint 10 on the road by High Low (SK157685). John Foden from the TRA is on the hill below the checkpoint with his camera asking me to look as if I'm enjoying myself - I tried, really, I did.
The leg from checkpoint 10 is well known to those who do the High Peak 40 more than once. It's long, straight, on road, undulates while climbing several hundred feet and comes at 33 miles when you're exhausted after Deepdale but not close enough to the finish to muster any enthusiasm. It seems to be endless and today there was a fierce headwind to add to the pleasure. At least it wasn't raining and the sun even put in a brief appearance. So with a flapjack to fortify me, I set off, running when I could and walking the steepest uphills. I could see nobody in front of me and preferred not to look back. After several eternities the road swings right and downhill into Chelmorton where I completely forgot to be amazed at the gilded locust which adorns the church spire - maybe next time! I dared to look back at this point and, seeing nobody following, decided I felt rather better than I had and started to look forward to finishing.
Past Chelmorton, the route winds through lanes before crossing fields to descend and reascend the second Deepdale of the day. Taking the wrong turning I realised my mistake and lost a couple of minutes while consulting the map and retracing my steps. At the stile into Deepdale I looked back to find my two companions from Deepdale 1 only a field behind me so I scuttled down the 100ft bank into Deepdale 2 and up the other side. By now I was quite a few minutes behind the schedule I had set myself, most of it lost in the headwind to Chelmorton but the final checkpoint (King Sterndale, no 11, SK093716) is only a few hundred yards away and the finish about 30 minutes beyond that.
I arrive in 6:47 and sixth place, a little slower than I had hoped but two minutes faster than the previous year when the weather conditions had been much better. After a shower, I hobbled to the canteen for the food which is included in the £13 entry fee - pasty, baked potato, beans, fruit salad, tea - nice! For the last two years the High Peak 40 has been one of the ultra-distance races in the Trail Running Association championship series so there was an awarding of prizes for that. Mark Hartell was first home (again) in 6:16 and Catherine Hurst was first woman in 7:21. Having managed 6th place I got my T-shirt so I went home happy, if a little stiff.