Pilsley Fell Race

Race date: Thursday, 22 August 2019
There are lots of pubs called the Devonshire Arms in southern Yorkshire and northern Derbyshire. I passed one of them on the way to this race, and went for a wee in another after registration. They're a subtle reminder that we haven't entirely shed our feudal past. This race was full of them, from the way it circled Edensor village, moved by a nineteenth-century Duke so it didn't spoil it view, to the run along the valley opposite the vast Chatsworth house, where a strange magnetic force seemed to try to draw my and to whatever a forelock is, and make me apologise for not fixing the drainage in the bottom field.
More or less until the moment I turned off for the village, I was sure I'd run this race before. Turns out I was mixing two other races: Hob Hurst's fell race, which is nearby; and the Hardwick 10k, which starts in another village called Pilsley.
Registration was in a tent on the village green, then it was down to the road by the pub for a race briefing which, as usual, I didn't hear. I joined in with the clapping, which was no doubt for a good cause but for all I know could have been to thank the Duke for only shooting four of the villagers last year.
I started off too far back in the field and spent a frustrating few hundred yards trying to overtake on the fairly flat, grassy terrain. Before long we crossed a road though, and were on to the day's main climb, a relatively gentle 80m over a kilometre, topped with a parade of sheep most put out by our crossing their route. I made up quite a lot of ground and managed not to lose too much of it as we pelted down a long straight farm-track/stream-bed for the next kilometre, losing all the height we'd gained and avoiding breaking ankles on the rutted, stony ground.
A bit more climbing, then an odd little window in a fence to climb through, and a fast descent to the main road that runs through the park.
Here, rather than crossing the river we took a sharp left and ran back along and up the valley on smooth grass and paths. I was doing quite well and overtook a fair few runners. I could even see the Totley runner who keeps beating me. I decided to focus on catching her and was soon within a few places, but she kept getting away from me on the downhills. Finally near the end there was one last short but steep uphill across a field, and I managed to overtake, before just hell-for-leathering it along the last bit of road and across the line.
I definitely felt the benefit of the longer training runs I've been doing lately, but i need a bit more confidence about where in the field I start.
The race was won convincingly by Stuart Bond (Matlock) in 38.25, some 2.5 minutes ahead of the second placed runner. First lady home was Katy Beacher (Les Croupiers) in 45.25.
I was 123rd in 53:51.

Full results: https://www.facebook.com/pilsleyfellrace/photos/pcb.2384787115073284/2384786468406682/?type=3&theater