Last year I ran the AA with Kathyrn and Maggie but this year I was going solo. Part of me was pleased with the idea because it meant I could see how quickly I could do it at my own pace but part of me was a bit sad because I wouldn't have the good company to run with.
I've had a chesty cold all week and haven't run so I was a bit worried about being able to get around the 24 mile course but decided that I would just walk it if the worst came to the worst.
The start was at 8am from the community centre in Rivington and the route then goes up to the Pike. It's the first few miles of this route which I dislike because I do it all the time and it's a big climb right at the start but I knew that once I got to the mast, I'd start to enjoy myself.
From the Pike the route drops down onto George's Lane and along to the dog kennels, then climbing towards Two Lads but turning off before getting there and heading for the mast road. On the way up to Two Lads, Michele and Abigal Sunter passed me, together with John Swift and Kev Lathom. At this point I was feeling quite dizzy and started to wonder whether I would be able to complete the course. On chatting to Kev, he was very wheezy with his asthma and wasn't sure himself whether he'd be continuing.
I passed Kev and, part way up the mast road, passed Abigail and Michele too, certain in the knowledge that they would all come back past me at some point further along.
Heading down the San Marino ramp, I firstly passed John and then passed Gordon but, again, I knew they would pass me again.
I crossed the road at the bottom of the ramp and headed out through the farm land and along the Witton Weavers Way, onto the A666. By now I was running with a couple and we were having a good natter so that helped pass the time. They were from Hyde and said that they had also signed up to do the Two Crosses in a few weeks time. We carried on along through the farmland, eventually coming out at the checkpoint next to Entwistle Reservoir.
I tried to eat half a pork pie at the checkpoint but my throat was too dry and it just wouldn't go down. I'm not sure why though as I felt fully hydrated and had been drinking water along the route. The couple from Hyde had left the checkpoint before me but I soon caught them back up and the girl was starting to struggle a bit now so I passed them and continued on my way, a little worried that there weren't very many people around now and I wasn't 100% sure on the directions. I'm not too bad with following directions though, as long as they're well written so I did OK navigating my way along the farm tracks. Soon, I was crossing the Darwen Moors and was closing in on another runner up ahead. When I caught up to her, I realised it was Fran Walker, a former Horwich member. We ran together for quite a way after that, climbing up to Darwen Tower and then down to Slipper Lowe checkpoint. I just had a mini picnic egg at the checkpoint and headed off before Fran as she was chatting to a couple of lads she knows.
Only six miles left to go now and I was shocked to see that I was on exactly four hours. Last year I took 6 hours 7 minutes to complete the course but, as I only had six miles left to go, I knew I'd get in way under that this year.
It was incredibly hard work climbing up Great Hill though, so much so that even walking was a struggle and I had to keep stopping to take a few seconds rest. The two lads who Fran had been chatting to passed me on the way up Great Hill and said that Fran had left Slipper Lowe at the same time as them so I knew she'd be passing me soon.
I was so thrilled when I got to the top of Great Hill as I knew it was pretty much all down hill from there. I started the descent but, incredibly annoyingly, when I got to the finger post with the turn to White Coppice, I got an almighty stitch in my side. I tried running through it but it was just getting more painful so I had to stop to try to get rid of it. I think it came on because I was gabbing away to the two lads and telling them all about Joe's Cup and not breathing properly.
Fran caught me up whilst I was stopped and got to White Coppice a while before me but I caught her back up again before Waterman's Cottage where she said she had just run out of steam.
Only a few miles left now and I was starting to struggle. Even the smallest of hills was enough to make me walk them but I really wanted to get back as fast as I could. I was now running with another couple who had done five of these such events five weekends on the run. We were all struggling running around Anglezarke and I had to stop them from taking a wrong turn as they thought they were much nearer to the end than they actually were and tried taking some steps on the left side of the path out of Anglezarke Country Park, thinking they were the steps at Rivington.
I walked up 'the slipway' and then started running down the track by the side of Yarrow when my stitch came back! I was gutted. The downhills were the only things I had energy left for and my stitch wouldn't even let me enjoy them. This same thing happened to me at Kentmere Horseshoe a couple of years ago.
Running along Dean Brook, still with the couple, I caught back up with the two lads from Great Hill and the five of us all ran back in at pretty much the same time.
I checked my watch and was elated to see that I had got in under five and a half hours. I had taken nearly 40 minutes off last year's time. I thought the terrain was tougher this year too as it was a lot more muddy and slippery in places.
It occurred to me afterwards, whilst eating hotpot with mushy peas and red cabbage back in the community centre, that none of the people I had expected to pass me actually had. It turned out that this was partially due to a man having collapsed, possibly of a heart attack, just after the first A666 crossing and Abigail, Michele and Gordon had stopped to assist. At the time of writing, I don't know whether the guy, Colin, is OK. I hope he is.
Andy Ford had come in joint first in a tale of true sportsmanship. He and another bloke had been overtaking each other back and forth and, after having a chat, discovered that neither had ever come first in a race before and so agreed to come first together. I love stories like that, warms the heart!
Total distance - 24.7 miles
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