Eddies Revenge Fell Race

This was to be my first race since spraining my ankle at Saddleworth nearly four weeks ago and I was really looking forward to it. Feeling strong on the warm up I knew I should run okay and this turned out to be the case. I have a had a pretty solid two weeks and knew that the hills on the course would suit me, I just had to hang in there at the start! The race starts up a tarmac road for about 200-300 meters before heading off up the first climb. The start was as frantic as ever and although I have been running I haven't done as much racing this year as I usually do so was a little bit shocked by the pace! I was probably in about 10th place at the top of the climb. The race then flattens out for a few hundred meters and descends steeply for about 400 meters before the long climb up to the summit of the race at the transmitter. I managed to pass three people on the descent and one more on the climb and assumed I was in about 5th or 6th place. I managed to hold on to that position for the descent but then comes the sting in the tail. You actually run past the finish and do the first climb again before dropping back down and by now I was absolutely hanging out of my arse! I could see two other runners chasing me down and thought I had better get my arse in gear and get to the finish. It turned out that one runner had gone off course and I ended up finishing fourth. Very pleasing result and that was the quickest  I've run that race by 30 seconds. A confidence boost just at the right time, off to Italy for the Dolomites Skyrace in three weeks and I'm feeling good again.