Simonside Cairns fell race

At the Simonside Cairns fell race on 14 December. First race out in a while. Folks in bright colours loitering and warming up around the Rothbury village green; register in a little gymnasium in the village hall, I think. A number to pin to my purple and green vest; a fleece removed at the last minute and stashed in what I recognise now to be a somewhat overstuffed running pack.A long climb to begin: up the road and then up a gravel track and then up a grassy slope. I keep expecting people to break into a march up the steeper bits but no one does. High calibre of runners out today, and all of them seem to be passing me.A brutal headwind past the iron age hillfort, past patient walkers, following the fenceline across the moor. Dipping into muddy ravines where slippy footbridges cross the burn, then the long gently sloping climb up through the sedge to the forest where a couple of marshals wait with sweets and water.Then the long traverse with Simonside looming ahead, little multicoloured ants with extremely high VO2 maxes are already plodding up the hill. Onto the ridge at last with two other thirty-something-year-olds who drop me as soon as we get onto the flagstoned path.Quick work along the top, and a speedy descent down from the ridge. Back onto the track we all came up, which feels a lot longer on the way down. My legs are smoked. I basically throw myself down the road, knees be danged. Make it back to the car park, across the bridge, and into the little alley, where I find all the speediest Striders waiting for me.