Edale Skyline 2012

It's been a few years since I entered the Edale Skyline as it's held the weekend before the 4 Inns. However having felt really strong during the event last year I wondered if I could do both? There was only one way to find out, so this year I put my entry in.

Checking the forecast the day before it looked like there wouldn't be any problems with route finding, with a clear sunny day on the cards. As it turned out I couldn't have picked a warmer day, great for sunbathing not so good for a 21 mile fell race!

The organisers had changed the requirement for full waterproofs to wind proofs, but you still needed a long sleeve top. I was wearing mine, black to absorb the heat and had only brought waterproofs! 

The start was the usual melee and it was nice to get going and catch the breeze on Ringing Roger and then follow the very dry path along the edge of Kinder. I stuck to the tree line along the ridge to Win Hill to make the most of the shade and was going well into Hope. The pull up Lose Hill was as stiff as ever and when I got to the top a young marshal informed me I was 219^th! Arriving at the top of Mam Tor was like being on Skeggy sea front; I've never seen so many people up there. The support was welcome though.

Crossing Brown Knoll was a bit of a slog (as you can probably tell from the photo) and I managed to lose both shoes in close succession.

 Once back onto Kinder the focus was on reaching Grindslow Knoll and then making the return to Ringing Roger which always seems such a long way on tired legs. On the advice of Steve I had planned to take it easy to save the legs for the following week but still managed to cross the line in 4hrs 20min 36sec, 214th out of 299 finishers. Along way off the front - 2hrs 41min 55sec but 17 minutes faster than my previous time.

The race doesn't get any easier and the legs were a bit sore for a few days afterwards, however I still made it to the start line of the 4 Inns and had another cracking day in the Peak.

Richard