Update: It was really tough towards the end, but I completed the race!! It took me 4 hrs 41 mins to run the 20 miles and climb 9 routes. I slowed down dramatically after 3 hrs, and the last hour was mostly walking/hobbling with very painful knees. But the weather was lovely, the race organisation superb, and some great friends came out to support me along the course, including pacing me for the final 10 miles, and some 'emergency' massage! Looking forward to Nine Edges again in 2010 :)

I'm running the Nine Edges Endurance race at the end of September 2009. It's a 20 mile off road event, taking in some of the best gritstone climbing in the Peak District.

Entrants have a choice to walk, run, or mountain bike the route, and you can optionally climb a route on each of the 9 gritstone edges. I'm planning on running the full 20 miles, and then free soloing a climb (no ropes or other safety equipment) on each on the edges. This will be made even harder in muddy, slippery running shoes!

Now I'm not much of a runner - in fact the furthest I've ever run in my life was a flat 10 mile course back in 2007. I had to hobble the last few miles and I couldn't bend my knees for about a week afterwards! :( So I can confidently say that the Nine Edges race will be the hardest thing I've ever done - twice the distance, lots of hills, all off road, plus the climbing on top of that. I must be mad!

You can read more about the event, and even enter yourself, at the Nine Edges website.

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