From Louisa McCallion…
The Maverick XTrails Peak District 101km was a really stunning route that followed ridge lines, peaks, reservoirs and rivers.
Impeccable course marking every half km quickly allayed my fears of not having recced any of the course. Passing through the grounds of Chatsworth was a unique start.
The checkpoints were fantastic, lovely volunteers and they put on a much needed extra road-side water stop to help us with the heat. Just before I reached it I was so thirsty I was eyeing up every walkers’ water bottle that I passed, trying to work out whether it would be weirder to ask someone to pour some of their water in my mouth or ask for a sip.
Our inclement start to the year made the heat my biggest challenge. My caspar-like complexion usually keeps me under cover so running the shadeless ridgelines at midday was dizzying at times.
Thankfully my slow miles in the afternoon paid off and I picked up the pace in the final 5 (thanks to Helen’s super Saturday efforts) and finished in 14hrs31.