Tuesday 1 January 2013

Hardmoors 30 2013

I was top of the Fetcheveryone Training League ! It won't last long (probably already gone), I will soon plummet downwards. This happened two years ago as well. The reason for this unexpected boost to my training is the start of a new year and the Hardmoors 30.

We did attempt to do the Hardmoors 30 in 2012 but we awoke to heavy rain and decided to do another shorter race.


I have just reread my blog from January 2011 and my experience this year was similar, but with two big differences.


Firstly, the course was even muddier that it was in 2011 (and in 2012 which was apparently worse than it was in 2011). I had learnt two years ago that my roclight shoes couldn't cope with the mud, so this year I wore mudclaws which have big rubber spikes. I have never run more than ten miles in these before, so it was a bit of risk. The outcome was that there was no problem wearing them for 30m, they were much better than roclights, but they still struggled to cope when the mud stuck to the bottom of the shoes and covered the rubber spikes.


Anna, Dave, Mel and, I think, Phil, in an early attempt at bagging this year's Tea-Cosy of the Year Trophy.

The second big difference was running with Melanie. This was her 100th race and her first ultra. She had a fantastic run and appeared strong throughout. For me it makes it so much easier on a tough run to be running with someone else.

Slower runners were allowed to start with the walkers at 9.00 (although I didn't see anybody walking the entire route). In 2011 I think I started at 11 and struggled in the dark, even with a headtorch, in the tough section between Robin Hood's Bay and Ravenscar. The earlier start meant leaving home at 6, but we finished in daylight (just) which was much easier.


We had expected that the section from Ravenscar to Hayburn to be muddy. It wasn't too bad and we made good progress. Even on the ascending old railway line back to Ravenscar we made reasonable progress. The easiest section, though it has quite a climb from Robin Hood's Bay, wasn't too bad even though the head wind was tough at times. It never rained for a change, but the low sun seemed to be in our eyes for quite a while on this run.


The difficult bit started soon after Whitby. Liquid mud, sticky mud, slippery mud, every type seemed to be there on an undulating route. We made very slow progress. As in 2011, it took four hours to get to Whitby (20m approx) and then over three hours to do the last 10m.


It was good to chat with friends and clubmates (and eat all the food - with some free beer and mulled wine :-)) in the Ravenscar Village Hall afterwards. A tough day out but a good end :-)


Photos