Newcastle Town Moor marathon 2009

I wasn't really looking forward to this one as it was five laps of the Town Moor which is often windy in November. As I am not particularly marathon-fit at the moment and to try and counter the tedium of five laps I thought I would try a plan to keep my mind busy. The plan was to do about 4hr 30m with laps of 56min, 55min 54min, 53min and 52min.

I did 4hr 27min which for my current level of marathon fitness and the wind on the course was fine by me. However, I messed up the plan by going too fast in the first lap - 53.05. I tried to run pretty slow and I was pretty much at the back, but I didn't manage it. I basically abandoned my plan after that and just tried to keep it steady at that sort of pace. Lap 2 was 53min 44sec and I felt fine. I speeded up a little on lap 3 - 51min 47sec and 52min 25sec for lap 4. I wasn't overtaken by anybody (apart from being lapped by countless runners who were finishing in less than three and a half hours) and while I was running steady, lots of runners around me were slowing down and this confused some of the very supportive marshalls: 'Last lap well done' - I wish!

So all was fine until I got to 23.5m when suddenly I felt a bit sick, which has never happened before. I walked for about 20 yards, felt better and carried one until we came to the one hill which was into the wind. I hadn't had any difficulty running up it the four previous times, but this time I had to walk it. Two more short walking breaks and I got to the end of lap 5 in 56min 34sec which was better than I expected, but it wasn't the fastest lap finish I had planned.

Will I try again - no, I don't think 5 lap (or more) marathons are for me. The Town Moor is not scenic. The only advantage of 5 laps was going past Fetchpoint 5 times. This was a group of Fetchies, led by Clare, who cheered, made lots of noise and handed out jelly babies and drinks. They were just great, loud, welcoming and organised. There were also some very encouraging marshalls and spectators who looked like they were freezing out on the moor.

Phil Owen did a great time considering he did the Brampton to Carlisle race the day before. Anna Seeley who is often at the club on Wednesdays and who also did the Brampton race, was the second lady and was awarded a very impressive trophy - well done Anna !

Video of the start: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fll9MH9Ri_g

Kielder Challenge 26m 2009

I was out of bed very early for this one as it was mainly a walking event and they wanted everybody to finish in daylight.

Got to the start next to Kielder Water at about 7.30. There were probably about 50 walkers and 9 or 10 runners. The start was anytime between 8 and 9, but most people there at that time started at 8 by getting their tally card clipped. There were four checkpoints, where there was water.

On the drive over the valley had been covered in mist (see first photo in link below), but by the start of the race a lot of it had burned off, but there was still some mist around. The surface of the reservoir was completely flat and the whole area looked absolutely stunning. I had been worried about midgies and there were some at the start but after that there was no sign

The course was the new Lakeside Way, which is a trail that goes all the way round Kielder Water. On the north side of Kielder, there is no road close to the reservoir and I didn't see anybody on the trail who wasn't in the event. The trail was in perfect condition, very smooth. It was very up and down, hardly any flat bits, but no very big ups. There were lots of bridges over the streams tumbling down into the reservoir, including a stunning one (see photos). The route followed the edge of the reservoir most of the way, which meant following lots of inlets and promentories. At about 19m I was very conscious that I was following an inlet in the opposite direction to the dam which was near to the finish !

I think this run will be a much bigger event next year (4th September 2010), I recommend it - stunning scenery and we were lucky with the weather, sunny but not too warm and very little wind

Clare was resting a sore knee and she was riding round on a bike with me. Only once did she say 'Mush' and 'Its a small hill' as I struggled up it.

I ended up the 5th runner home in 4hr 51min 58sec, but this run is meant to be a personal challenge, so there are no official times and no results.

Photos: https://picasaweb.google.com/105792896882008304219/KielderChallenge2009

Elsecar Skelter 28m 2009

This was a lovely run ! A wonderfully organised LDWA event near Barnsley, with clear directions, tape on some of more confusing sections, some mud, lots of fields to cross with crops often left uncut, hills to climb, food in the small tents which formed the checkpoints (including rice pudding, jam sandwiches, cake, biscuits and pasta). Pie and peas at the end. Similar to Swaledale in a lot of ways, but the hills here were more gentle. A very friendly atmosphere, so overall it doesn't get much better !

It was also Clare's first race over the marathon distance and she did great ! She did give me quite a look when I failed to read the excellent race directions and took us about a quarter of a mile down a hill, which we then had to climb up again. This was about mile 24 and we had been out in the sun for more than six hours at that point so we were both getting a bit tired.

The route took us by all sorts of beautiful houses (including Wentworth Woodhouse where I had my first teaching job), churches and monuments, crags with fantastic views and gentle ascents and descents thorough woods.

There were also 15m and 20m alternative routes to the 27m one that we did and I would certainly highly recommend this event.

Results - I don't think there will be any official results:

Clare ven den Bos 6hr 49min 16sec
Dave Robson 6hr 49min 16sec

Osmotherley Phoenix 33m 2009

This is a lovely race with three options: 17m, 26m or 33m and you can decide part way round the course which one you want to do. I got to Osmotherley in plenty of time for the 9.00 start and realised I had parked two cars away from a friend from Fetch. We had parked in the race car park which was about 1K from the centre of the village. There was a bit of a queue for the shuttle bus so we walked to the centre.

Phil was doing this one and so of course the weather was sunny with a slight cooling breeze. After a briefing, which included a request that if anybody die, they should ensure they fell on to their back with their tally showing so it could read by a helicopter. Great !

The route followed the Cleveland Way for the first 13m. That included some reasonable climbs and some fairly steep ones, but I was walking most of them even at this stage. Just before the Clay Bank checkpoint I made a minor error with locating the checkpoint, then we started the big pull up to the Botton Head trig point and a self clip checkpoint. The checkpoints, apart from the self clips, all had plenty of drinks and cake !

Then it was off the Cleveland Way and off to Chop Gate where I caught up with Phil who had an upset stomach and said he was going to take the option of doing the 26m route at the next checkpoint. He did amazingly well to finish that considering how ill he was. Out of Chop Gate was the biggest hill on the route, very tough.

On the descent to the Wheat Beck checkpoint, my hamstring started to play up, so I walked down. I still had the option of doing 26m from Wheat Beck, but walking was not painful and although I was only at the 21m point, I knew I could walk the rest of the 33m route and still make the 10hr cut off time.

So after saying goodbye to Phil, I carried on walking. This part of the route was a bit navigationally challenging (hardly any of the route was marked), but there were a few of us and we worked it out as we crossed fields, walked through woods and past abandoned farmhouses.The scenery on the route was amazing. Found the last manned checkpoint in a valley which was 8m from the finish. Of course we had to climb out of the valley and it was steep again. Just before checkpoint, I tried running again and to my surprise there was no pain from my hamstring ! However, it was all uphill for 3m after the checkpoint to rejoin the Cleveland Way 5m south of Osmotherley. At this junction there was another self clip and water to help ourselves to. All day it had been sunny and hot and I was drinking loads !

Once the Cleveland Way started to descend I started to run again and it felt fine. Made another navigational error just at the finish but made it back in 8hr 8min. Cooled down by using the hosepipe which had been set up for that purpose. Two cups of tea, a pint and a coke disappeared down me without touching the sides. The shuttle bus back to the car park has stopped running so it was a long slow and slightly painful walk back to the car.

Looking at my stats, I didn't do a single mile in less than 10min and the mile after Chop Gate took me about 20min !! Very pleased to have finished. Would I do it again - give me a few days to think about it.

Photos: https://picasaweb.google.com/105792896882008304219/OsmotherleyPhoenix33m2009

Edinburgh marathon 2009

I got to Edinburgh about 11 on Saturday morning and had coffee and lay around in the shade in Princess Street Gardens until the flat was available. Met up with RuthB2 in the excellent flat she had found and then after an afternoon siesta mainly because of the heat, I went off to Starbucks down the road for hours of chat and meeting old and new Fetchies. 

RuthB2, Pestomum, Woodley and later Flip and I spent a quiet night in the flat chatting away before I had a relatively early night.

I woke a little early and started my pre-race faff. My ribs were still a little sore so besides pain killers I thought I would wear a sleeveless base layer under my fetch top for support. I thought I might get too hot but it turned out fine and my ribs were pain free for the entire race. I did take some more pain killers half way round just to be on the safe side.

The plan for Pestomum and me was 11 min/miles and for the first half we managed this fine and everything was going well (apart from there being no water at the 3m water station). Saw the winners coming back before we reached Fetchpoint, which it was lovely to see, and from then on we played spot the Fetchies on the other side of the road for a very long time. When we got to Fetchpoint there was no RuthB2 of Flip with Pesto's special drink - it turned out that their bus took 4 hours to do a thirty minute journey as it was following the runners. Flip ran five miles to try and catch us but we were long gone by the time he reached Fetchpoint 

One thing I noticed was the number of people walking on both sides of the road - I have never seen so many, but it was very very hot.

After halfway we started to slow a bit and had some walking breaks. At one point Toolilac, who was doing the relay and going in the other direction, stopped and warned us there was no water ahead and handed us her water bottle as she hadn't got far to go. What a lovely, thoughtful thing to do ! That water was very useful. I started to search the side of road for bottles with any water in, but didn't have any luck.

Eventually we got to 20m and there was water. After that there was loads of water. At about 21m we found Flip who had run out from Fetchpoint with water for us having heard about the water shortage - considering he didn't run the race, he ran an awful lot yesterday, a real hero ! 

Got to Fetchpoint the second time, lovely to hear the cheers, and there was RuthB2 with Pesto's drink and then we were into the final miles. Our pacing had been pretty good and we ran/walked the last stretch coming home in 5hr 20m which in that heat was a good time for a first marathon. She did great !  We had a good a good chat on the way round too 

I felt my hamstrings a little on the way round, but no cramp so that was good as well. 

In the evening we went to the party organised by Santa and I danced a bit. Well, a lot and loved it 

A fantastic weekend and I think I will do this run again in spite of the water shortage. But this weekend will be remembered because of the kindness and thoughtfulness of Fetchies, the work by Fetchies organising Fetchpoint and the pre-race and post-race Fetch events. Thank you ! 

  

Brathay Windermere marathon 2009

This was my first marathon two years ago and although I struggled from mile 22 onwards, I enjoyed it. Last year I was doing it after the White Peak the day before and I surprised myself how well it went.

This year it didn't start well, I slept poorly the night before, so I was still tired when I woke up. The day before had been fun watching and encouraging the Ten marathons in Ten Days runners at various points round the Lake (they do the marathon course every day !). Met many people I knew, including Phil Owen who came over to watch and support them.

Go to the start in plenty of time and and saw the Ten in Ten runners off on their final lap (they start an hour earlier), more chat and then off to our start. The plan was to be disciplined and do 10 min/miles and help others to new pbs. My hamstring hasn't been good this week and I have Edinburgh in two weeks, so it was always going to be gentle, enjoy the scenery, run.

The course is very undulating and it wasn't easy to keep a consistent pace. My plan as it evolved through the race was to stick as close as I could to 10 min/miles and not to speed up to catch others who were speeding up, but to slow down if people were struggling to keep up. We were a minute or two ahead of schedule at 13m and then the hardest undulating quarter kicked in and we started to slip behind the schedule. Andrew had always been slightly ahead and he disappeared soon after half way. Kev went ahead at 15m, followed by Tracy at about 18m, leaving me and Mel.

Then at 19m I fell ! I had moved off the road to look at my watch and caught my foot on a driveway kerbstone. It was like being in slow motion, I thought I had recovered, but I hadn't and I smacked down on the driveway. Ouch. Everybody around me stopped to ask if I was okay and I knew from previous experience of falling that I had to give myself a minute to assess the damage. Initial assessment was good so I told Mel on go on and said I would try and catch her up. I was up at this stage and walked for a bit. The inside of my left hand was a but bloody and grazed and I had slight pain in my side at chest height, but no damage to my legs.

Caught Mel up before we got to Bowness and we went along the flat part and walked the 21m hill to be greeted by a couple of friends at the top, it was great to see them. I was becoming conscious of the soreness in my side and my hamstring was starting to protest, left calf was tightening and it was starting to become harder work.

Then at 22m, the heavens opened and rain came down in buckets. Before this it had been a mixture of cloudy and sunny with a slight head wind in the first half. Mel was starting to struggle a bit, but it was clear we were going to get her a new pb and it seemed to be possible to get her under 4hr 30m. In the end we missed that by 23 seconds, but got her a new pb by about 6min, so that was great!

Afterwards I was amazed how tired I was. Not sure whether it was because of poor sleep or the fall, but it seemed worse that it had been the last two years.

A lovely weekend !

Photos : https://picasaweb.google.com/105792896882008304219/Windermere2009

Blackpool marathon 2009

There were loads of Fetchie pbs at the Blackpool half and full marathons today - well done everybody ! 

I drove over early on Saturday morning and met up with Durham Dawdler and L at race HQ - the Hilton and they very kindly gave me tea as they were staying there. I then wondered into the centre in the wind, which was very strong on Saturday. Its about six years since I have been here and it wasn't as I remembered it, lots of building in a poor state of repair, lots of groups of young people looking as if they were getting ready for quite a night.

I started to feel a bit tired, I had gone to bed early on Friday and woken early but had had a good night so I went to find the hotel and have a rest. I had the smallest double attic room I have ever seen ! Rested for a while and then Flip arrived. He and I then went down to the Pleasure Beach and looked at the 'Big One', it was terrifying even watching it ! Had a not very good meal in Yates and then I went back to get an early night.

I slept from about 10 until 1 and then just dozed the rest of the night, so not good. Luckily the wind had dropped considerably overnight so that was good. Drove dowm to Hilton and met other Fetchies including Ultra Dunc and Chirunner who I hadn't met before.

Race started on time and my plan was to just see how it went and not start too fast and try and keep close to 9 min miles. Basically it was a two lap course all along the front. We went south 3 and bit miles then north 7 or so miles passing the Hilton at halfway, then 3 and bit miles back to the Hilton and repeat.

I started too fast even though it was pretty crowded as both the full and half started at the same time. So much for my plan ! The first 22m went much better than I hoped

1) - 1m - 8:46(8:46/m) - 137cal 
2) - 1m - 8:35(8:35/m) - 139cal 
3) - 1m - 8:38(8:38/m) - 139cal 
4) - 1m - 8:35(8:35/m) - 140cal 
5) - 1m - 8:48(8:48/m) - 139cal 
6) - 1m - 8:49(8:49/m) - 140cal 
7) - 1m - 8:50(8:50/m) - 140cal 
8) - 1m - 8:42(8:42/m) - 138cal 
9) - 1m - 8:42(8:42/m) - 139cal 
10) - 1m - 8:56(8:56/m) - 139cal 
11) - 1m - 8:45(8:45/m) - 139cal 
12) - 1m - 8:53(8:53/m) - 140cal 
13) - 1m - 8:38(8:38/m) - 142cal 
14) - 1m - 8:31(8:31/m) - 140cal 
15) - 1m - 8:29(8:29/m) - 142cal 
16) - 1m - 8:33(8:33/m) - 140cal 
17) - 1m - 8:47(8:47/m) - 140cal 
18) - 1m - 8:38(8:38/m) - 139cal 
19) - 1m - 8:33(8:33/m) - 139cal 
20) - 1m - 8:45(8:45/m) - 138cal 
21) - 1m - 8:35(8:35/m) - 139cal 
22) - 1m - 8:55(8:55/m) - 138cal 

Nothing over 9min mile pace !  8m or so of the 26 was on concrete and when I was running on some of that at 22m the wheels started to come off, but the first 22m had taken me 3hr 11m (I had got to 20m in faster time that I had at the Trimpell 20m a few weeks ago, a bit of a mistake, too quick), so I knew that to get sub 4hr, which was my hope, I could run 12 min mile pace.

Those last four miles were hard. At the drinks station just before 23m I walked a little and realised my legs were very very tired. Once we had turned for home the breeze seemed to have picked up and it was undulating a bit. I had felt my calves tightening on the concrete and now as I climbed the small undulations I started to get spasms of cramp in either one leg or the other. I slowed down, but knew I had to keep running. The figures were

23) - 1m - 9:23(9:23/m) - 138cal 
24) - 1m - 9:29(9:29/m) - 140cal 
25) - 1m - 9:50(9:50/m) - 140cal 
26) - 1m - 9:36(9:36/m) - 140cal 
27) - 0.32m - 3:31(10:59/m) - 42cal 

I almost made it like that, but 50 yards from the line, I had sudden unbelievably painful cramp in my hamstring, never saw that coming ! There was no way I could run any further and I was lucky it was only 50 yards from the line ! I walked towards the line with the commentator asking for the crowd's support and interviewing me, but I was in pain and not very talkative ! Great support from Fetchies who had done the half or just came to support all the way round and they were great at the finish .

Tried to run the last couple of yards, but ouch, no way !

Crossed the line in 3hr 53min 11sec so I was very very pleased . Strangely the pain in my hamstring went quickly, but my calves are still sore. Cheered in the rest of the Fetchies, lots of whom got pbs. Loved XB's meandering finish ! 

I forget to mention that I saw Howfar a couple of times in the race and he was flying - he was coming back towards me in the opposite direction and looking great !

Met up with some Fetchies in the bar afterwards and then drove home slowly as I was very very tired !

Very happy (have I said that before?) ! 

   

Lunesdale Walk 28m 2009

Left at 7 to get to Arkholme, the start of the Lunesdale Walk, a long distance walking association event which welcomed runners. There were three routes: 6m, 17m and 28m. The last two started at the same time and the first 15m were the same. Got there in plenty of time, registered, had a lovely cup of tea. As my race number was 15, I wasn't expecting a big field - about 45 althogether with about 15 runners and 30 walkers, but it wasn't possible to tell who was doing 17m and who was doing 28m - you could make your mind up at the 15m checkpoint.

Started at 8.30. I thought it would be good to get under 6hr for this one. It was my first run that I would have to navigate. There was a route description and a map, but with my eyes, the map was too small, so I had built a much better one, but it consisted of 22 A4 pages!

I thought I might try and count the number of stiles and gates. Last week at the Belvoir Challenge 26 I reckoned there were about 27. I soon gave up. There must have been on average about 3 or 4 per mile. A different scale altogether.

Soon after the start I was last but one of the runners, but this was great, I could just follow everybody else ! The leaders made an error and those behind went another way and I reckoned they must know what they are doing and followed them. Soon after this I fell. I had just come off a stile and I was on a wooden very wet boardwalk and just lost my footing. I was lucky that I was at the end of the broadwalk and fell onto the grass as I smacked my head and banged my leg. Took a minute and decided to carry on and although my leg was a bit stiff climbing stiles, I had no after effects.

The route was not marked at all, but we were following footpaths and there were little arrows at each stile telling you the direction (but they weren't always accurate). Between the stiles (and you couldn't always see the next one) there was often no path at all, you were just running across muddy fields, grassland, very rutted fields where you coudn't run or sometimes a very muddy path, where it was very hard to run at all.

Inevitably the field spread out but there was one guy ahead of me who I kept in sight for most of the first 11m. We had a chat at one point when we weren't sure where to go, but he pulled ahead. At which point I got went off route for the first time. Managed to get back on track without too much of a diversion and approached the 15m point - decision time!

I was tempted, very tempted to do just 17m, but the weather was still cloudy and dry and I felt I could do more so I went on. Of course about 1m after that decision, the weather broke. It got windy and the rain started to come across horizontally ! I made my second navigational error and ended up trudging across a very muddy field, but got back on track. Soon after another error - I climbed a hill and then had to come back down!

After yet another minor error, I made it to checkpoint 3, 23m - Wray, the only place I had been before - to their scarecrow festival when they hold a 10K, a lovely event. The checkpoints were like last week - amazing, cakes, drinks, just lovely. And they told me I was 9th (out of 19 doing the long route and of course everybody behind me was walking, although because of the weather and the even more difficult terrain in the second half, I was walking most of the time) ! I hadn't seen anybody else since 11m and I didn't see anybody before the end either.

Finally got back. 6hr 47min ! An hour longer than I have ever been out before. Still I am glad I did it - a whole new experience having to navigate and the weather was as a fellow runner put it 'character building'.

The meal afterwards was excellent: soup, baked potato with cheese, beans and coleslaw, followed by tea and cake. Total cost of the event was 6 pounds!

Belvoir Challenge 26m 2009

I went down to the Grantham the previous night and had problems finding the Travelodge which meant that I did about 30min more driving than I need have done. Not a great start !

Got to the start very early, but at least this meant that I got a parking space at the village hall which was the finishing point - I would be very pleased at the end that I didn't have to walk very far.

Had two cups of tea whilst I was waiting and if I wasn't a vegetarian I would have been very tempted by the bacon or sausage butty. This is the 19th running of this event and the whole thing worked like a well oiled machine, it appeared as if the whole village was out helping. Both events were full - the 15m and the 26m. There looked to be slightly more walkers than runners. Faffed around deciding what to wear. Started in shorts, changed my mind and got into tights and stuck with that. Put a couple of packets of yoghurt coated raising in my back pocket and just one gel. I was a bit nervous about having just one gel for such a distance, but I thought I would just rely on the food and drink at the checkpoints - five of them.

It started at the school up the road and then went through the narrow village streets. This was a bit messy as several walkers started at the front which caused a bit of a holdup, but at least my first half mile wasn't too fast. Got out of the village onto a firm trail and the courses forked - the 15m route went right and the 26m route went left and suddenly I had loads of space and nothing but runners ahead of me. The trail got muddier and then we were into a muddy field and into the next village - all the villages we went through (must have been ten or so) were very pretty. We soon started the first climb and I decided to walk them all. Into some lovely woods and after 5m we came to the first checkpoint. It was just amazing ! Load and loads of cake, pizza, loads of alternative drinks including tea. I decided to eat every other checkpoint and drink at each one, so I didn't linger too long, although it was tempting.

And so it went on, we went past Belvoir Castle, very impressive, through muddy fields, muddy tracks, some road sections. Great countryside. All the helpers at the checkpoints were very friendly and helpful. When I got to the last but one at 18.5m I was starting to feel very tired and there was part of me wished that was the end ! I had already had the gel earlier and I think I may have needed more energy. The yoghurt covered raisins I had kept in their boxes in my back pocket, but I won't do that again, the boxes had disintegrated and were a soggy mess. So the cake at this checkpoint was very welcome and I picked up a bit after this.

Before the last checkpoint, I had just crossed an over the ankle deep muddy section and was just leaving the field when I heard somebody shouting behind me. A small group of cows had wandered on to the path behind me and the woman behind was asking me to move them as she was terrified of cows, so I ran back and shooed them away. Plodded on to the finish and I was pleased to get there. 4hr 36min. At the finish was soup, load of rolls, various puddings and custard, tea, coffee etc, just loads to eat and all included in the entry fee. I had taken printed maps with me, but only once did I need them as the course was superbly marked with tape and signs - another indication of how well organised this event was.

If you fancy a long mainly off road run, I would strongly recommend this one.