With more racing to report on from last weekend’s action Peter Kidd was ravaging through the Hardmoors 55 (miles) event, with 2700 metres climbing and a 16 hours cut off.
Peter reported “The second race in the attempt by Neil Midgley and me at the Hardmoors Grand Slam (30, 55, 60 & 100 mile races). I had high hopes for this one having done it last year and having had a good result then and in the 30 on New Years Day. I hadn’t allowed for the effects of a virus and chest infection. I knew I was in trouble when I had to take walking breaks after 3 miles. I saw my wife Val at 10 miles and was close to dropping out but she told me to MTFU so I carried on to Osmotherley and then to the half-way point at Scugdale. I was surprised to see Neil there, Val had told him that I was struggling and he’d waited an hour to see how I was. We decided to carry on and ultimately finished in 15 hours 17 minutes – 43 minutes inside the cut-off. A bit too close for comfort, a hard day out – but still in the Grand Slam. 110 next…”
Thanks Peter and well done to you and Neil.
Meanwhile across the pennines eight Jackpotters were competing in the 2UP Firefighters duathlon in Bolton (Rivington to be precise). The four teams comprised of Rich Knell-More(RKN) & Tom Van Rossum (TVR), Eddie Howarth & James Teagle (Teagworth), John Swallow & JP Bednarek (Bedallow)and Richard Roberts & Romeo Rossetti (Robetti). The route was a two 5.6km runs, up and down off road run around Rivington Country Park, followed by a a 37.2k bike loop with climbs from the UK Ironman Course including Sheephouse Lane and Anglezarke.
Following a two stage start with half of the competitors split a minute apart Romeo decided to make a late dash for the portaloos! Back with the main pack by the start of the second starters all the Jackpotters where off. TVR &RKN were set a blistering pace on the first run with Teagworth not far behind and Bellow and Robettti settling into a steady pace. Following a great loop on the bike and a painful final loop of the run for RKN hanging on to the fine form of TVR to finish 8th Overall in a time of 2:04:35. Meanwhile further down the field team Teagworth after being busted up on the run Eddie had a nightmare suffering a mechanical on the final climb and sending James off on his own for the run and a DNF!
Bedlam and Robbetti were making good progress on the bike and with the final run were only 2 minutes apart, sadly the mismatch pair or Robetti and the descending skills of Romeo had not transferred across from his biking discipline to the run and time was lost on the decent of each run. Team Bedfellow finished in in 2:30:05 and Robetti in 2:33:07.
Another great event by epic events and a good lung buster on a challenging course. Weldone to everyone who took part.