And now for a bit of Nostalgia!

10th July and the Bollington Nostagia Race that is! I've been doing this race every year since it started ( 7 years) and it's always a great event, well marshalled and well attended. A real mixture of road and fell and tracks and trail so knowing which shoes to wear is always a bit of a nightmare. Well here I am at the start (the good looking bloke in the GVS vest on the right - no not Tony Hulme who I always get mistaken for - as if!!).



The first section is a road climb through the village, across a mini roundabout turning right and then another long road climb. Once this is out of the way we drop down a side lane to some fields before taking a raking traverse and climbing up the fields and along the edge of the wood. Hot, sultry and flippin' flies a buzzing everywhere - lovely. (That's an Andy P photo - thanks).


Not long after this point the track turns, flattens, dips to a road crossing and then climbs again. What a tinker!
I was doing battle with Paul from Wilmslow Running Club who is a bit younger than me and was ahead on the climbs. Then I saw my chance, a flat section followed by a downward trending stony trail. In an audacious move I'm past Paul then CRASH as I do a swan dive to the floor. "Are you OK?" was the shout. Blood everywhere (knees, thigh, forearms) I shouted back "It's only a graze" - Ouch!
Still we are fell runners and we fear no pain. Pressing on I managed to grab a sponge from one of the water stations and effected some running repairs. Once I hit the canal towpath I knew it was just a matter of digging in and holding my lead over Paul (yes I had passed him again!) before the final climb to the top road above Bollington All was going well until the familiar figure of Julian passed me on the uphill. Bugger, and Paul was right behind too! Well switch into road racing mode and the over ever trending 1 mile downhill road stretch I managed to eke out a 20 second advantage but never could never quite catch Julian. The final few yards descend really steeply down a cobbled street before the final turn under the finishing banner. 29th finisher out of 118 starters, 52mins 20secs, bloodied but unbowed. Mind you there were some choice comments at the end!