Hope Wakes Fell Race

There are not that many fell races in the Peak District now that I have not done but the Hope Wakes Fell Race was still on my to do list. Maybe it was that I have run there so many times or that I just missed it. Well I nipped up to Hope after work and registered. I love these midweek fell races in the Peak as you tend to see the same runners each week. Its almost like a family. You have the banter with team mates and runners from other clubs and then battle like mad and then have the banter after the race. Week in week out it goes on until the nights draw in again then the midweek races end.
I had a great run, deciding to take it easy for the first mile as I knew that the climb up the backside to Win Hill Top is steep. By the time I had reached the climb I was feeling good and could just make out the leaders. I ran all the way up apart from the last few metres to the trig point at which point it was literally a blast down. Ive blitzed down that section to the farm dozens of times so I floored it. A quick run down the track to Hope and into the finish funnel. Another good run and I managed to get a prize as well for coming 1st Vet40. The record for the race was broken by Stuart Bond of Dark Peak who had parked next to me in the field and I told him well done and that I would keep trying to catch him(not).
Pennine had some great performances and the free flapjack, 65th year tee shirt was most welcome.
Its actually a Tee Shirt you can use.




I Looked about the same as this fellow after the race