Hathersage Gala Fell Race - The Day after Marathon 21

So I woke this morning and legs didn't feel too bad from yesterday, however after driving to work both hips were really uncomfortable all day. I was also tired, fatigued in the legs but also generally lacking energy. And so it was with trepidation that I went ahead with running the Hathersage Gala Fell Race.
Good numbers turned out for this race as it is becoming steadily more and more popular.

Nearly 300 signed up on the night and after a small shower just before the start it was a short race briefing in the bottom of the school field before the off. The start happened out on the road whilst people were still filing out of the school gate and immediately goes up.

With this race you don't have much time running before it funnels down to single file through the various gates and pinch points up through the woods to the south side of High Lees. From here the race generally spreads out enough to allow for easy passing after the slow start.

On crossing the road and starting the ascent to Over Owler Tor I felt alright and able to keep on running to the summit. The ridge gave good solid running before kicking up to Higger Tor.

Here the path narrowed again and I found this slowed up the running but once on the top it was nice to know it would be all downhill. This is the end of the ascent as it drops to cross the road and then turn down left under Callor Bank and joining the old Turn Pike from Sheffield. If you've got the descending skills it's easy to overtake and make up time on this section.

The final road section down into the village  through the lanes was greasy with the shower before the start and I had a few close calls on trying to keep up with the legs. Back down on the flat outside the Scotsman all you have to do is dig in for the final punishing rise up off the road into the school field and finish.

A great race and bizarrely one where a short blast can actually knock off the cobwebs and stiffness of a long run the previous day! Felt loads better after the race than before. Next year I must start nearer the front and give this course a good go. Thanks for the organisers and all the Marshalls who kindly held up the traffic and shouted encouragement to everyone.