This race has had to be run as a time trial because of the Public Health restrictions that ­apply to us all during the Covid-19 pandemic. Its not the first change in format the race has seen over the years. Initially starting in Edale, it was the club championships for many years – usually with the traditional chasing start. Then it changed to being the club championship course every third year. Then with the plateau restoration starting in 2011, it became impossible to get the permission to run the course (it was one of the few club races that we sought permission for – given its geographic prominence, starting in Edale and the numbers involved). After a number of fallow years, I resurrected the race to run from the north, with a bit of a tweak to stay out of the village in Edale. With a slot in March, as an antidote to the management and support for the Edale Skyline (this being all running no marshalling) its had an average turn out of something like 10. So to have 40 odd people out for this one is a delight.

As the times trickled in, there were many expressions of delight at being back on the bog, after the restrictions of full locked. Some were delighted in the brilliant weather that characterised a number of days of the racing opportunity. I had a sense of perverse delight in experiencing the worst of the weather available. Windy, rainy and with the plateau shrouded in mist – good worselling weather but with no one to worsel.

Summer conditions made for some fast times. It’s the first time we’ve run this particular course. Bridge to bridge. I think we’ll probably stick with that in future years. So these times are going to be tough to beat if we return to the squelch of march. The men’s field was strongly contested at the front by people familiar with the course and lines. It was Megan’s first running, so I suspect there may be some improvements to come in terms of lines, but its unlikely the conditions underfoot will ever be better.

As a footnote, I’m very pleased to report that Graham Berry was the progenitor of this route and also ran it in this incarnation.

I’m very pleased to have been able to lay on this timely escape!

Lewis