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You could almost argue that it would be better without the river section. Except that it makes for great photographs and gives the race a character of its own. Here's me hovering above the water. I was hoping to look a bit more Action Man than this - I think my eldest summed it up well by saying, "you look like a rabbit, Daddy". Despite this, I was pleased with my race, as I finished just behind my Pennine teammate, Nat, who I've yet to beat.
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Mrs Noel is famous for this race. A few years ago she appeared in Runners World in a similar pose. She also holds the race record as she won it last year and it was a new course relative to the year before. Here she is showing me how it should be done. This was on course to setting a new lady's course record. She was also part of the first lady's team along with Pennine ladies Lucy and Elaine.