35th and final Smuggler's Trod August 2024

This is said to be the final running of this LDWA event as the organisers can't get anybody to take it over. There are two options the long route 26m and the short route 17m. It starts and ends at Robin Hood's Bay and goes west onto moors, into woods and forests. The views of the hills and the sea are special and it is a shame that it will not be held again.

My alarm went off at 4.15 in order to get there, register and be ready for the start at 8.00. When I was there I realised I hadn't researched where the four self clip checkpoints were on the route. I managed to sort this out before the start which was a relief !

The event starts at the Village Hall at Flyingthorpe.

As you can see it was a cloudy at the start. Showers were expected in the early part of the afternoon. The event starts with a steep and fairly long climb out of the village to a bucket drop at the start.

There was a nice view looking south.

A bit more climbing to cross the busy Scarborough Whitby road and on to the moors.

The heather was looking beautiful, but the colours have not come out well on the picture above.

After about 5.5 miles the long and sort routes separate and the long route heads across fields to Maybeck. I made my first navigational error by following the runner in front. My Garmin Fenix does not cope well with long routes and smoothes out the turns which is annoying so I was relying more on OS maps on my phone and it takes longer to get my phone out so the temptation is to leave it as long as possible before doing that.

There was a zig zag path down to Maybeck which was covered in bracken and it was a bit of a fight to get through.

The first food and drink checkpoint at Maybeck was lovely and they had vegan cakes and biscuits hidden away :-)

Then into the woods around Maybeck. Some of the paths here were lovely and smooth with boardwalks but other sections were covered with tree roots which had to be taken carefully. I made another navigational error but I and another runner were called back by other runners. We came to the Hermitage.

and came out of the woods at Littlebeck. Then it was through fields and up to the moors. A fairly rough ascent to get to the highest point.

Then into High Moors where there were suddenly signs indicating which was to go.

Another checkpoint and onto a narrow lovely path downhill.

Unfortunately this deteriorated into another path which was covered in bracken. I made my third navigational error. The only positive is that I came across this lovely bridge which I had to cross twice as I backtracked !

Back on track I managed to find a new way of falling over. I was running Saucony shoes which have elastic, tieless laces. There is a nice little pocket into which the length that is left after tightening the laces. The trouble is that heather and bracken tends to pull this out of the pocket. I hadn't noticed this and with my other foot I managed to stand on this, break the elastic and go flying. Luckily I crashed onto grass and heather so there was no damage this time. Although until I got to the next checkpoint my shoe felt that was about to come off my foot.

I then struggled to find the path on Shooting House Rigg. This seems to happen regularly at this point. After much tramping through heather I got back on track.

Found my way off the moor and onto the next checkpoint at the Grove checkpoint where I was able to take a few minutes to make a repair to my shoe. It wasn't perfect but it was much better.

The checkpoint were about to make me a jam sandwich with vegan spread (which was very kind) when I spotted malt loaf with vegan spread.

The sun had come out now (the only rain we had had were two fine drizzle showers).

A lovely descent down to Oxbank Wood followed by almost a 3 mile ascent to the radio mast above Ravenscar. There were some good views from the moors.

At the checkpoint next to the mast, the person offered to make me a humous and lettuce wrap which was lovely ! LDWA checkpoints are something special.

Then a lovely downhill descent towards the Cinder Track with views of Robin Hood's Bay in the difference. This felt like we were nearly there.

On to the Cinder Track

To the Middlewood Farm checkpoint. 

Here you are directed down to the bottom of Robin Hood's Bay which is followed by a steep climb back up the Main Street. There are views back towards Ravenscar from the top.

Back to the Village Hall and a main course of vegetable stew and peaches to follow (this event only cost fifteen pounds to enter...). I also chatted to some running friends and it was lovely to have some people to chat to before, during and after the event.

I collected my badge and certificate and made my way back to the free car park for the drive home. I will miss this event, I hope it does come back at some point in the future.

Durham Dales 30m 2024

This is one of my favourite events of the year. My training for this had been poor, mainly because of a back injury which lasted much longer than usual. So the plan was run when I can and then walk the rest.

The event starts from the Recreation Ground in Wolsingham. Parking was easy in the Recreation Ground and Race HQ was a five minute walk.

I met with some running friends at the event which was lovely 😀

The walkers started 30min before the runners and I pondered starting with the walkers but in the end I opted for starting with the runners.

The event starts with a stepped climb up to near what is known as the elephant trees and then onto the moors. There are lots of lovely views on the way up and on the moors.

and the first stream crossing. They had marked this section much better than the last time I did this event.

Then up another climb into Hamsterley Forest

 

A lovely descent to the the first checkpoint where there was lots of food and drink

A drag up on forest road and paths until we were out of the forest and on to narrow paths across the moors.

This was where I made what I think was probably an avoidable error. I ran on a rocky path and nearly fell. At that point I should have backed off and slowed down, but I didn't I fell. I was conscious that I had hit my face but every thing seemed to be intact (I counted eight damaged areas later), so I got up slowly and walked. Up the next hill and there was a lovely runnable downhill to the Tees and I was able to run that.

There was some lovely meadows to cross on the way to Middleton and it's famous checkpoint

I got to the checkpoint and I was asked if I had had a fall. This surprised me as although I could see my knee was bruised. I didn't think anything else was visible. The checkpoint marshall said he would patch me up and before he did I took a selfie to see what he could see.

I was cleaned up and had some food and drink from a lovely selection

At this point my knee was hurting when I ran so I walked the final fourteen miles or so.

The route continued to rise and fall through some lovely countryside and across streams. And there was another checkpoint with sweets 😀

Finally I reached Bollihope where was more food 😀

Five miles to go following the river which sounded lovely. Past old mining areas

And finally back to Wolsingham. By this point my right arm was not working correctly, it couldn't take much weight and I was nervous about driving. I decided to wait a while and see how I felt after the meal they provide you with at the end of the event. For a vegan they offered chili curry and rice or soup. For a twenty pound entry fee that is crazy !

I did feel better after eating and I managed to get home safely where I went straight to bed and slept well. I feel much better this morning. I think I will have the scars for a few days and I may not be asked for a photo in the last three days of University graduations, but I do have a story to tell 😀

Saturn Running Save the Rhino marathon March 2024

 

This is a handy event for me to keep up my endurance. It starts just over a mile from where I live so getting there and home afterwards is not a problem. Sabrina is training for the London marathon and we talked about running together for four laps (it is six for a marathon) but she then decided to go for five laps. It is so much easier running with someone else as this is a very familiar area for both of us.

Here we are waiting for the start:

This is the start/finish area from the other side of the river with the cathedral and castle in the distance.

The weather was very mild, a little bit of wind and occasionally light drizzle, so pretty perfect for running.

I wasn't aware of the official photographer in these two photographs:

After lap four I changed my top to help me think it was a fresh start. We had run all of the first three laps and we started to walk the odd stretch on the fourth lap.

It was great having Sabrina's company but she stopped after lap 5 - she could easily have done another lap but wanted her first marathon to be London. 

Without company I slowed even more on the final lap and I was happy to finish 😀

Golden Fleece Circuit 2024

It is eleven years since we first came down to South Cave (to the west of Hull) to do this event. I have been back six further times, so as you can gather, I enjoy it. It now sells out within a few hours of opening so there many other people who feel the same way. 

Melanie didn't run this event but she dropped me off and picked me up at the end so that was very helpful as parking is not always easy.

The tally card was the same as always, but this year not all checkpoints were asking for my number and the final self clip had and orienteering flag but no clipper !

The start was in the courtyard of the church in South Cave and they took the runners further forward which was a good idea. 

The route was back to the old one where we had to run further through the village. Last year's route had a bottleneck too early which caused big queues. The gate at Everthorpe was open so no queues there either. Then on to North Cave

Past the gatehouse at Hotham Park

After this my waterproof came off, I was too warm. It had been raining when I arrived at the start and the forecast was showers all day. We then ran through Hotham to the first checkpoint which just had water.

Then onto the fields, it was all very flat in this early section

Then after a muddy section in the woods we came to the North Newbald checkpoint which is always well stocked. Last year when I had asked about vegan food none of the checkpoints had any. This year they did and I had a slice of the  loveliest home made flapjack I have ever had !

The short and the long route split at this checkpoint and on the long route it was much quieter. We also had more typical Wolds countryside and hills.

The breeze from the east  was starting to pick up at this point and we were heading east so it was a little harder. Also I could not hear the birds which is one of the things I like about this event at this time of year.

I reached the Newbald Lodge checkpoint and had a sticky brownie this time ! Then onwards around fields still heading east. The rain started and I faffed around trying to get my waterproof on again - this took way too long.

After fourteen miles we turned south and it felt like the wind direction had changed to the south a little. The field paths were becoming muddier. I was beginning to regret going for Hoka Speedgoats and wished I had chosen shoes with a bit more grip.

At the Walkington checkpoint I went for a vegan bakewell tart ! To have so much choice was amazing !

On to the remains of Risby village

and after this the mud really got challenging. I was like Bambi on ice

I made it to Skidby. At this checkpoint I went back to the lovely homemade flapjack. Here the route turns west and back to South Cave. There is a long tarmac section which I usually dread, but it felt much easier with the wind behind us. 

At the last checkpoint I had nothing to eat, I felt I had had enough food already ! A muddy drag to above Brantingham where there is a lovely view of the Humber estuary.

Looking down on Brantingham

and the lovely church

I was feeling pretty good at this point and running well. However, I seemed to be slower than in previous years. After Brantingham church are a couple of more serious hills.

Then a steep descent into South Cave and on this path through the fields

Finally at the finish and vegan stew ! The entry fee was only twenty pounds which is amazing !

The usual 'goodies' at the end.