Breidden Hills (winter fell series)

A mild, windy day greeted 153 runners for the first of the Shropshire winter fell race series, combined with the Welsh fell running championships. As Tom and I ‘warmed up’ on the long ascent from the start we both remarked on how much longer it was than we remembered. Likewise the tricky descents over rocks were trickier, the slippery slopes through trees and dead leaves slippier and even the final climb up to Rodney’s Pillar a little longer: from there, there was a final rush down to the finish, with younger legs and bolder minds belting past their more cautious elders. Steven Cale of Mercia won in 53.18, beating Tim Davies by over 2 minutes. I was 79th (1hr 16.29), 1st MV65 and Tom 121st (1hr 29.34), both of us having been sent the wrong way by misplaced tapes.