An early start for me today as I had to be back to supervise fourteen six year olds at Holly’s birthday swim party this afternoon (more tiring than a 3hr trailquest I think). Bakewell was very quiet for this tourist hot spot at 9.15 as I set off on the 3 hour score. The map looked to cover a large area so knew I would be missing out a few and decided a downhill finish would be good, as would getting the big climbs out of the way early on.
I made a silly mistake at the start not noticing a road route to #4 losing me a couple of minutes but I made the larger error of climbing to # 8 and then trying to get #11 and #12 before getting into the area with the bulk of the controls. E
vening binning #15 I knew I was going to be very late.
Im not sure why I went up to #8 as it is always a mud bath up there and I have avoided it in the past. I also know from experience the steepness of the climbs around Birchover which should have set alarm bells ringing. I think it must be that I am trying not to let past experiences when I was not so fit cloud my views on potential route choices, however this time I should have listened to the demons.
Committed to my route I had little option but to continue or come back early with a low score and ended up just over 13 mins late back and even made a silly mistake in Bakewell, flustered on the way in. (you haemorrhage points in lateness penalties once over 10 mins)
Looking at the distance covered I think if I had left #8 I would have had time to get #15 and probably not been late as it took me 25 mins to bag.
So down in 10th place, not a good result but taking positives it was a glourious day in loveley Peak District scenery and I feel pleased with the ride covering a good distance and climb in the time, even if I could have got the same points with less effort and not been late back 🙁
Stats – 60.5km – 1400m climb – 3hours 13mins
Results available here…