I was seriously considering my life choices 3km into the Hameldown Hammer … headwind resistance training was over and beyond what was necessary for a vertically challenged trail runner being challenged by the vert! Then hitting the bog with cross winds that were so angry I was buffeted sideways. If it wasn’t for the mud and water weighing my trainers down I swear my flying feet would’ve flown like Dorothy over to the next Tor. Headwinds then slowed down any descent to a standstill. It was totally mental. Survival sprang to mind!
By this stage the world and his wife had overtaken me, I was way at the back of the pack, and I half expected Chris to catch me up and overtake me on his seven mile race. Just to move forwards was a huge effort through boggy, rocky, vertical terrain battling unrelenting weather. Whilst I was flailing through thirteen miles of Dartmoors boggiest exposed massif Chris was signed up for the seven miler. As the half marathon set off before the Hameldown Seven I thought Chris might decide to just slope off and sit in the pub, and in a lot of respects I would not have blamed him. I’m pleased to say that he braved the wild wet moors.
At the half marathon and seven miler split I was seriously toying with bailing, taking the seven mile option! Good job I’m stubborn. Although thirteen miles of wind, rain blasting my face and battling with the elements wasn’t going to be pleasant it’s what I had signed up for … well the thirteen miles part at least. As I took the left hand route I was committed for whatever Mother Nature chose to throw at me for the remainder of those miles.
As we dropped down onto a road at the 5km / 6km point I finally found my running legs and a rhythm … finally the relentless rain and wind eased, the sunshine and blue skies appeared and the sheltered valley provided some much need relief and respite to mentally regroup. Bog, mud and paths awash like rivers are far easier to negotiate when the sun is shining … the landscape was absolutely beautiful. If I had bailed I would’ve miss this … this beauty, this dramatic landscape … so glad that I stuck it out.
Finally after running up river paths we were winding our way back with a tailwind assisting … at one point I was running up hill faster than I had run down hill, effortlessly, the winds helping hand meant for some unexpected foot placements as it scooped me up and threw me forwards further than I expected. Talk about exhilarating! Tracking round through woods and fields in the shelter of the massif I started to make progress. My legs felt stronger and I was catching up with runners ahead of me.
The last up onto the Hameldown massif was into the relentless headwind on an up that just kept on giving. Back to the crosswinds through the bogs on the ridge before finally heading DOWN!!! Down through mud, rocks, a path that was more like a river with a rocky river bed and finally onto tarmac … the steepest lane but such a relief on very tired legs, sweeping round a corner and I absolutely flew to that finish line! That was tough, I feel like I have been repeatedly hit by a hammer, my face was rain blast exfoliated, my legs felt like lumps of lead but boy what an adventure to make you feel alive!!!
Moor Miles 