A team of four runners from Rochdale Harriers, Jeremy Barker, Dennis Lucas, Malcolm Bird, and Mike Sadula took part in this event, a 40- mile overnight navigation challenge in the Peak District. The route is based on the Derwent Watershed Route, which passes through some of the most desolate windswept and leg-tiring bog-trotting areas of England.

The event takes place annually on the first Friday night in March and teams set off at one-minute intervals at 11 p.m. It demands high levels of navigation skills and fitness, with competitors being required to carry, a tent and sleeping bag between them plus each member must have; full-waterproofs, gloves and headgear, extra clothing, headtorch with spare batteries compass map and whistle survival-bag, and emergency food rations and drink.

As the weather forecast was for minus three degrees, I had a Ski-head band on my head, just to keep my ears warm as I like to let my head breathe, then two thermal tops with a Pertex cagoule over that. (Pertex is a lightweight windproof cagoule ) thermal tights with knee length trackster over the top of them next waterproof sock and fell running shoes.

The start is at Edale village hall and climbs up to Hollins Cross, the first of 18 checkpoints you must pass through, (you have a control card for punching at each check point with the grid reference on,) then up and down over Lose Hill, Win Hill around High Nab, to the A 57 road at Moscar which is a refreshment and water stop

as well as a checkpoint. I grabbed an orange drink as the other lads had a quick cup of tea; the flapjacks were too hard to eat as they were frozen. I put on an extra thermal top under my pertex, plus two pairs of gloves, grabbed a banana, then we set off again as it was getting crowed with lots of teams milling around the food station. The sky was clear, but very dark as there was no moon, with the wind being light as we climb up to Derwent Edge and onto the wild and desolate moors which pass through Bradfield Path, Cut Gate, Outer Edge, Swain Head, Bleaklow Stones, and Bleaklow Head. The route so far had been easy, but now this is were the navigation skills come in, Dennis had a list of compass bearing written down in large text sealed in a plastic bag, so it was easy to read in the dark. (Your eyes are all ready straining as you are watching were you are putting your feet in the beam of your head torch) So Dennis is navigating, with Jeremy setting the pace when possible, Malcolm next, then me the snail of the team. (I've not been doing much training lately, so as long as they do not push me too hard, we should be able to finish the race)

Normally all this area is foot deep bog, but as the temperature was below freezing it was hard and frozen, so you were either going through the ice, and getting wet and cold, or slipping and falling on your backside, or doing the splits. (ice skating boots would have been better). At the Cut Gate checkpoint we all put on our extra clothing which we were carrying. I put on a woollen balaclava, plus another waterproof cagoule and a pair of mittens over the two pairs of gloves. Malcolm puts on another pair of tracksters, Dennis puts on his waterproof leggings,we have blocks of ice forming on our shoe laces. As we approached Bleaklow Stones, we witness a beautiful bright red and orange glow rising up from the ground, sunrise is here.. And Bleaklow Head you are climbing in and out of 10ft peat gullies. From Bleaklow Head the ground underfoot gets a bit better. You then follow a stream and path (pennine- way) down to the A57 Snake road, which is the second refreshment point. Someone says we are 7th overall, so we get a quick cup of tea and grab whatever food they have and off we go again with Dennis setting the pace. It is now daylight and the route is now easy to follow, we are still on the Pennine-way, which is stone flagged across the moorland to Mill Hill. But we still have to watch our step as some of the stone flags are covered in ice and I am still lagging behind. Some of the faster teams are now passing us, as we are running over the Kinder Scout area towards Edale Cross, then anther climb up and along Rushup Edge, only a few more miles

now and the adrenilan is there and my pace starts to increase. We contour around Mam Tor to the last checkpoint at Hollins Cross again, then down the hill to the road with app' 1/2 a mile to go to Edale Village Hall. The time is 10. 52 a.m. We have been out for I I hours and 52 minutes.

As we sit down on the hall steps outside in the sunshine to take off our fell shoes and soak the feet in bowl of hot water, I count the number of black and blue toes nails I've got, four including both the big toes nails. After a while we all get changed and go in the hall were there is a meal and drinks available. After about an hour, we hear that we have won the Veterans Trophy, 9"' overall and are the oldest team to finish, as each one of us is over 50 years of age. We have our photograph taken with the Trophy for the High Peak Magazine, then it off home for an afternoon nap and an early night rest.

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