Elsecar Skelter 27m 2016

I have done this LDWA event three times before, but the last time was 2012,

http://lisrun.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/elsecar-skelter-27m-2012.html

so it has been a while and I was looking forward to going back. The attractions are some lovely countryside, a fair number of follies and country houses, checkpoints with food, a meal at the end in a pub and all for £10 !

I also used to work in one of the country houses, Wentworth Woodhouse, when it was known as Lady Mabel College of Education

It has fantastic grounds surrounded by a deer park. Sadly it isn't possible to see in the house as it is now privately owned.

Last time Melanie and I did this event we ended up going through nettles which were head high. Melanie has not let me forget this, so unusually we decided to recce that section the night before. We found the well hidden stile we were supposed to have taken last time, so we knew we would not make that error again. It is a largely unmarked route. There is a route description which is is pretty clear and a GPX of the route provided by the organisers.

Melanie was planning to do the 15m route, while I was doing the 27m route, but the first 10m were the same and I would be running Melanie's last 5m as my last 5m.

There was a short briefing about a couple of changes to the route and then it was a simple, 'off you go' and we headed off from fairly near the front so we were not stuck behind any walkers on the narrow paths soon after the start.

We went past the first folly, Hoober Stand, which you can see in the distance in the photo

Then past another folly which you can't see much of because of woods from where we are. Then into the deer park and up to Wentworth Woodhouse

We were taking it steady, walking the hills and running most of the rest and being passed by other runners including Jon and Sarah who are fellow 100 marathon club members.

The second checkpoint at 10m (it was also the 6th checkpoint for me) was the best for food - sandwiches, malt loaf, crisps, cake and this is where I parted company with Melanie.

I headed off into the woods and promptly made a navigational error turning left a little early. It was no problem really, I was soon back on the right path without having to backtrack. I went round the edge of a cornfield and through the middle of the next one - I do like running through the middle of corn fields

There were quite a few opportunities to do this at this event and another one came along shortly

The weather was pretty warm, but there was nice breeze to cool us down. However, I don't think I drank enough water in the first 10m. I was trying to make up for it, but I don't think I managed this very well

Through another checkpoint and then across a few fields before the one muddy section before a bit of a climb up. Then there was a lovely descent down a farm road and onto the lovely Warncliffe Crags

I love this section, lovely views and slightly downhill through woods with breaks in the trees for a view. The descent is a bit rocky and technical but I just took my time.

The next checkpoint was Wortley Hall, where there is usually a wedding taking place and there was again. The checkpoint was offering tea, bananas, jelly babies and biscuits, so I had half a cup of tea before heading onwards to the edge of the Hall grounds

Then more farm roads, a bit of tarmac and back into the woods where I made the navigational error earlier. This section was taped, but at one junction I was a bit doubtful and tried the other way. However with ten yards my watch was showing I was off course, so I quickly turned round and found my way back to the checkpoint where Melanie and I had separated. More food and drink was very welcome.

Then onwards along slightly overgrown paths to Tankersley Hall, which was used in the filming of Kes. The last self clip checkpoint was there and the route went through some woods which were a little muddy. Finally I came to the section that Melanie and I had recce'd the night before and onwards across another cornfield

before entering the park next to the finish. There was a grand certificate and a badge both featuring Wentworth Woodhouse at the end.

The finish was in a pub and I realised I was pretty thirsty and two pints of different guest ales quickly disappeared. This and the dry first 10m was probably not a very good idea as when I was dozing later, I woke with the most painful cramp I think I have every experienced ! I will be more careful in future !

Lyke Wake Challenge 2016

I have been aware of the Lyke Wake route from Osmotherley to Ravenscar for a number of years and I have always thought that one day I would do it. Finally, I got the chance and I ran it with the two friends Kath and Sara who I ran the Hardmoors 60 with last September.

The Challenge is organised by the Quakers Running Club in Darlington and they did a fantastic job. The checkpoints were well organised and apart from the basics, jelly babies, peanuts, jaffa cakes and crisps, one checkpoint had rice pudding and fruit and hot drinks, another had the largest slices of watermelon I have seen and another one had yummy chocolate brownies !

It is a handicapped event where slower runners set off earlier in small batches. I was up at 3.00 am and collected Kath at 4.00 and Sara at 5.00 and we got to the start at 5.30 for a start time of 5.50. After a thorough kit check from Sandra from the Quakers we started with five other runners.

Kath had been worried about a knee injury and Sara had not had much time to train so we expected to use all of the ten and half hours that we had predicted. We started gently from the car park to the north of Cod Beck reservoir and we were soon on the very familiar Cleveland Way. We went over Carlton Bank

and down to the first checkpoint at Lordstones.

We contoured round the three sisters and arrived in Clay Bank.

We climbed out of there

and into the cloud surrounding Round Hill. Up till then the weather had been warm but with thick cloud overhead, perfect for running. Once in the cloud, we lost the fantastic views as visibility was down to 30 meters. On the way down from Round Hill to Blowarth Crossing, Kath's knee suddenly went. We stopped and she put extra tape on her knee and it seemed to help. We made our way to the Lion Inn and as we got closer the rain started and got pretty heavy.

After having lots of food, we went out of the lovely dry tent and out into the heavy rain and up the road. Luckily the verge was very wide because some of the cars were going too fast and some didn't even have lights on, which was madness in the limited visibility.

We then went into what is known as the boggy section that I had recced about a month ago. It had got wetter since then. Despite the recce, I still managed to lead us and another runner off course. I realised pretty quickly because of the route being on my watch, but we had to cross some boggy bits to get back on track. Both Kath and Sara fell over into boggy bits whilst getting back on track. Luckily because the temperature was so warm, there were no consequences to these falls. I wasn't the only one who made a mistake in this section, some reckoned they had added 5 miles to their distance by going off route here.

Progress in this section was slow but at least the rain had stopped by about half way through and we reached the Hamer checkpoint and the lovely brownies.

The next section was said to be rocky and muddy but maybe not quite as muddy at the boggy section. There were fewer bogs, but there was plenty of mud and rocks and again we were walking most of this section. The cloud finally lifted and we got some of the lovely views of the moors. Lots of runners were overtaking and almost everybody was saying 'hi' or 'well done', it was a very friendly atmosphere.

We reached the Stape Road and the checkpoint and went down to the stepping stones.

A climb up to Simon Howe and down to the railway line and just got across before a train went by.

More food at Ellerbeck and then the long boggy climb up Lila Cross.

The next section was new to me and seemed to last much longer than I expected. Finally we came to the ravine before Jugger Howe and Kath found it tough going down so steeply. Once we left the Jugger Howe checkpoint we started the final climb up to the radio mast outside of Ravenscar.

It was a bit of relief to finish, we had been on our feet for over twelve hours. The finish was as well organised as the rest of the event and it was great to see so many friendly Quaker club members at the end.