HOW WRONG WAS I.
I was working for Mountain and Glen on Saturday the 18th April and I was introduced to Nigel, Adrian, Karen, Ross and Chan. We were to spend the rest of the day together completing the Yorkshire Three Peaks. I was informed that they wanted to complete it in under 10hrs. No problem, they looked fit and up for it.
FIT!!!!!!! That was an under statement, these guys were off like the General Lee from the Dukes of Hazzard! There was literally no stopping them. The summit of Pen y Gent was reached in just under 1hr 5 mins. They were so fast that this is the only half decent pic that I managed to get all day. They practically rolled over each summit, they stopped long enough on Whernside for me to just take stock and try and remember the journey taken from Pen y Gent.
When we got down to the farm and the drinks station between Ingleborough and Whernside, I knew the sub 10hrs was in the bag. Then, Nigel, (the man with the longest stride on the planet), quietly enquired within the group about a possible sub 9hr. I interjected and confidently said, 'NEVER! You'll have to run it'.
OH NO, WHAT WAS I THINKING?
That was so the wrong thing to say to these guys. A quite challenge had been set and so with determination, ( even though we didn't need anymore of it) we were off again. We were doing fine on sips of water and the occasional sweetie. No performance enhancing isotonic or carb bars required thats for softies...right?
Before I knew it we were on the final steep push for Ingleboroughs broad, flat summit. Not a cloud in the sky, a gentle breeze to knock the heat down a degree or two was the only real thing that I had noticed on the top. Then, summoning strength from the deepest depths of their legs, including me, (very much so) they headed for the finish in Horton in what I can only described as an unstoppable surge of stamina. 6 pairs of feet pounding on the dry earth with the force of it rattling the back of your teeth. Every pace taken, stretched as far as it could go. It was relentless, all the way down to the station. At one point, I was laughing to myself such was the pace combined with the realisation that they were going to do it, a sub 9hr.
It was a fantastic day, made all the better by the surprise of achieving an unplanned goal. We finished in Horton 8hrs and 34minutes after we had set off. What a day. Well done, I really enjoyed walk, the company and the result.
I was working for Mountain and Glen on Saturday the 18th April and I was introduced to Nigel, Adrian, Karen, Ross and Chan. We were to spend the rest of the day together completing the Yorkshire Three Peaks. I was informed that they wanted to complete it in under 10hrs. No problem, they looked fit and up for it.
FIT!!!!!!! That was an under statement, these guys were off like the General Lee from the Dukes of Hazzard! There was literally no stopping them. The summit of Pen y Gent was reached in just under 1hr 5 mins. They were so fast that this is the only half decent pic that I managed to get all day. They practically rolled over each summit, they stopped long enough on Whernside for me to just take stock and try and remember the journey taken from Pen y Gent.
When we got down to the farm and the drinks station between Ingleborough and Whernside, I knew the sub 10hrs was in the bag. Then, Nigel, (the man with the longest stride on the planet), quietly enquired within the group about a possible sub 9hr. I interjected and confidently said, 'NEVER! You'll have to run it'.
OH NO, WHAT WAS I THINKING?
That was so the wrong thing to say to these guys. A quite challenge had been set and so with determination, ( even though we didn't need anymore of it) we were off again. We were doing fine on sips of water and the occasional sweetie. No performance enhancing isotonic or carb bars required thats for softies...right?
Before I knew it we were on the final steep push for Ingleboroughs broad, flat summit. Not a cloud in the sky, a gentle breeze to knock the heat down a degree or two was the only real thing that I had noticed on the top. Then, summoning strength from the deepest depths of their legs, including me, (very much so) they headed for the finish in Horton in what I can only described as an unstoppable surge of stamina. 6 pairs of feet pounding on the dry earth with the force of it rattling the back of your teeth. Every pace taken, stretched as far as it could go. It was relentless, all the way down to the station. At one point, I was laughing to myself such was the pace combined with the realisation that they were going to do it, a sub 9hr.
It was a fantastic day, made all the better by the surprise of achieving an unplanned goal. We finished in Horton 8hrs and 34minutes after we had set off. What a day. Well done, I really enjoyed walk, the company and the result.