Dusk to Dawn is a night time 50 mile off-road ultramarathon in the Derbyshire high peak; run at night to raise awareness of malignant melanoma and funds for Macmillan Cancer Support.
After a ‘sensible’ start, the sole Strider in the race, Andy Brooks, worked his way through the field to catch the long term leader (who was paying the price for hard early pace) around the half way point. He was then able to push on through the hills to build a 30 minute lead, eventually winning the race with a time of 9hr 15min.
It goes to show that in ultras it’s not necessarily the fastest runner that wins, with navigation, nutrition and race strategy playing vital roles too. The former was certainly essential on the night, with the low cloud creating a star and moonless night, and thick fog on the high ground.
Andy Brooks