PPP CX

Photo of Rob Jebb courtesy of Stolly

The Three Peaks bike race has been a big favourite day out for me for a good while now. I've never ridden it (I half-joked in the past that I trained up for the Bob Graham to get out of doing the bike race) but I have been up to watch and support various friends several times

Today Sam came up too and we picked up my friend Dave on the way. He has an old pal James who lives in Switzerland but who grew up in the Skipton area and who is a regular entrant. I'd not seen James for a couple years so it was good to have a catch-up before the start

After watching at watched at Cold Cotes, Ribblehead and returning back to the finish we missed just by a minute or so Rob Jebb win for his 11th time but did see Nicky Craig come in for 2nd place. James did his best time for the event and we had a cheeky pint with him at Helwith Bridge before coming home

I'd been saying all morning I'll never do the event now but a running pal (who coincidentally we saw last weekend said hey you'd be fine. You're a skinny bald bloke just like me. He's obviously not seen me in Lycra lately but it was good to hear. Maybe one day  I'll buy a crosser and train up for what has to be said is an epic challenge

Three Peaks walk

I have an odd love hate thing about the Yorkshire Three Peaks. I enjoyed the fell race the year it was the World Mountain Running Champs (2008) but had a shocker the following year. I'd also walked round three or four times before yesterday, when Stef and I had a very steady only just 12 hour circuit with some of her work-mates. It was a good day actually and (I think) very useful base-training for next years Lakeland 100. No blisters or foot problems at all and a plan to maybe do a repeat on a monthly basis plus start planning a winter run round in the dark

Update: later this week I got an invite via email for me and Stef to join the Three Peaks club. I think I'll get my certificate and badge. The certificate might liven up my corner of our fairly drab office at work!