Rosedale Ultra 30m 2011

I was up at 4.30, had breakfast and headed off in the dark to Hetton-le-Hole. I got there in plenty of time (I could have slept longer !) and registered. I only knew one other runner to talk to, but there were about three or four familiar faces. There were three distances available 40m, 30m and 13m setting off at half hour intervals. My start was at 8.00 and the mist had not burned off so we set off over the moor with about 75 yards visibility. We hit a small road and followed that to the top of Chimney Bank above Rosedale. There we turned north along the old railway line. Although we were gently climbing all the way, I felt good and it all seemed to be going well. The first checkpoint was at 7m and they only had water as advertised. The sun then came out for a short while and we could see down onto the mist in the valley. Then we were suddenly back in the mist with visibility down to 50 yards and it started to get chilly. We followed the railway line all the way round the head of the valley, but at times the line was just a bog so we ran alongside or up embankments. We came down one of these and it was a bit muddy. I was running in my Hoka's and I had suspected they weren't good in very wet mud. This was confirmed as my feet went from under me and I landed in the mud Three more falls were to come.

After a while we pulled up a large hill, crossed a road and then turned a sharp right into a very tough 2.5m section, which felt much much longer. It was basically a bog initially, then it turned into a mud bath. You would put your foot down and have very little idea how far it would go in - sometimes it would be up my calf, a couple of times it was over my knee. I know I had the wrong shoes on, but even my mudclaws wouldn't have coped with that, however they would have given me more confidence. I was so pleased when that bit was over and the second checkpoint at the end of it was well stocked with food and tea - sadly the remaining ones were just people in cars and large cartons of water on the verge.

We went into Dalby Forest where we were on good trails most of the time. While there some faster runners on the 30m route came by. They had apparently made a major navigational error and added 7m. Out of the forest and back to the moors before the major climb out of Rosedale and up Chimney Bank via a muddy trail. Then it was a lovely run down to Lastingham and then 2m back to Hetton-le-Hole, where a meal was provided. There were 26 runners doing the 30m race and I asked what position I was in when I came in. I had been passing runners, but I was astonished that I was 8th in a time of 6hr 38min What had happened was that a large number of the faster runners had added 7m to their run, which had promoted me way beyond my usual position. A tough run, but an enjoyable one and it will be my last marathon/ultra for 2011.

Shillington Shuffle 2011

Day 3 of the running weekend. This was a lovely event, great route, very clear route description (it wasn't marked), free tea and biscuits to start, cakes and biscuits at the first checkpoint, sandwiches and more at the remaining three checkpoints and a basic meal at the finish. All for £5, I love LDWA events

You could start any time between 8 and 9.30, but the first checkpoint (7m) didn't open until 10.00. Christina (who was accompanying me to the first checkpoint) and I started at 8.17. The first 7m were hilly and we kept an eye on the time, though not because we wanted to go faster, we wanted not to go too fast as we didn't want to cover the first 7m in less than 1hr 43. So we walked some flat bits in order to time it right. Never done that before so early in a run. We got it right and then Christina headed back a different way.

The route description was very good, although there were times when I got together with other runners to figure out which way to go. At one point the route description said something like 'carry on ahead passing three benches until you come to a cross track when you turn left to cross a bridge'. We came across a bridge with a path coming in from the right with a bridge and a bench. We got together and someone asked 'Who has been counting benches?' Lol, of course nobody had, but we made the right decision. The first half was fairly hilly but the second half was flat, but it crossed many fields and one field had no discernible path at all, we just waded through a muddy field of cabbages (or something similar) and I picked up loads of mud on my new shoes, which made them feel twice as heavy. Because you had to concentrate on which way to go all the time, the miles passed very quickly.

It was great to see so many people I knew at this event, it feels like there is this band of people who travel the country doing marathons and there will always be someone you know at any event. I managed to get back in about 5hr 52min and I was pleased with that

Enigma Poppy Day marathon 2011

A marathon on a Friday? Well why not, it was the 11th day of the 11th month of 2011. Naturally, the race started at 11:11. At 11 there was a two minute silence after a moving speech by one of the competitors who was a current member of the Armed Forces. There were about 60 runners some of whom started early and I didn't get to see, but there were lots of people I had met at other marathons and ultras

As this is to be a busy running weekend, the plan was to take it easy and I started off a little quick, but I slowed as the race went on. I had done this seven lap course twice before this year, but I didn't find it dull, though it was relief to go through half way. The weather was cloudy and mild, with only a very slight breeze.

About halfway round lap 6, I realised that a sub 4.30 was on. There have only been three of these this year, so I went on and started to push a bit harder on the final lap. I did the last half of the last lap with another runner and we worked together and came in together with 4hr 29min 4sec.

Photos