It was clear that it was going to be very hot day with only a slight breeze which we didn't get the benefit of very much. It was good to see Jason T and Nicki no miles before the start, we hadn't expected to see any people we knew. The event was sold out as usual.
We started slowly uphill out of the village which meant that we had to dodge round walkers once we started to run. Then it was the familiar climb up to the radio mast on the Cleveland Way, down to cross the road and along to Scugdale. I have lost track of how many times I have done this particular section of the Cleveland Way, but I am not bored by it, it still feels lovely. More tiring is the climb up to Carlton Bank and the steep descent to Lordstones. At this point the 17m route cuts off and one the great things about this event is that you can decide when you get to the checkpoint which route to take. We were both fine, so the 33m was what we continued with.
After Lordstones there is a choice, you can go up over the three sisters (including the Wainstones) or contour round. We have always contoured round, there are more than enough big hills in this event. This year there seemed to be more people doing the three sisters which surprised us a little.
On to Clay Bank and then the slog up the other side to eventually reach the trig point which is the highest point on the North York Moors. We run this area on the Wainstones marathon a few weeks ago and it was good to run down a downhill section we had slogged up last time. Down into Chop Gate and the 17m checkpoint there at the Village Hall, where the Wainstones marathon had started. We spent a little longer at this checkpoint, putting on more suncream and preparing ourselves for 'that hill' the one that hits you straight away. It is just so long and steep and to get that after 17m is just a killer. I had to take a couple of breaks in the climb up and I was concerned about an attack of cramp which I seem to get climbing big hills well into races on hot days. I made it over the most difficult bit, but then the cramp hit, a juddering pain in my right calf. Having just recovered from my second calf injury of the year and two long races in the next two weeks, it felt like preservation was important, so I slowed down.
We discussed what to do and we agreed that at the 20m checkpoint where the 26m and 33m routes diverged that I would do the 26m and Melanie would do the 33m. She had the route on her garmin, a map and the route description so although she was a bit anxious about getting lost, off she went. I walked most of the way back, I knew I was going to be back way before her and I didn't want to do any more damage.
I chatted to a few people, a Swede who had not realised how hilly it was going to be and had also transferred to the 26m route and a two of women doing their first ever marathon.
Got back and relaxed, consumed two pints of shandy and then at just over eight hours Melanie came in. She had made one or or two minor errors but her watch had told her when she went off course. However, she had a bad headache from the heat and half wished she had also done the 26m, but she was also pleased to have done the 33m route at least once. This was her 31st marathon/ultra in the two years since her first marathon. In that time she has also had an operation and had to take time out because of a stress fracture. 31 events in two years is just amazing !
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