"Bollington Festival 3 Peaks Race"

May always seems to be the busiest racing month of the year and again this year is no exception. On a glorious but windy afternoon with the Bollington Festival parade
completed, this six mile hill race kicked off a month of local arts & cultural celebrations.

This was my first fell race of the year and although it was only a low key village race (limited to 100 runners) I knew it was going to be a competitive afternoon when the first two athletes I saw signing up in the beer tent were both English international fell and mountain runners! (not that I was going to trouble them though!). Comprising the three highest "peaks" in the area, Kerridge Ridge, White Nancy and Nab Head (the latter two pictured, although I didn't have any time to sight see!) the race climbed over 1200 feet without giving any respite with all the ups being straight up and the downs straight down!

For most of the race the body was pretty much on the red line, something that rarely happens for me in any other form of running apart from cross country and 800m on the track. It was also great to race over the same routes as I regularly train, having run an eleven miler earlier in the week to get a look at most of the course, but even I discovered some new routes off the hills I didn't know existed. I finished in 56.12 which gives you a flavour of how tough the course was and I am still waiting to see what position I finished. A great afternoon's racing and a fantastic finishing crowd welcoming the runners back. Perfect!

Next weekend it's the High Peak Swift Half but before that I am hoping the legs recover in time for Wednesday evening to run the "Rainow 5" one of my favourite annual races covering part of todays hilly course but offering its own challenges!

Weekly mileage 27.

Annual mileage 479.