Endurance Life CTS Northumberland 2019

Is this really February ? The weather was just amazing. This is the third time I have entered this event and it was so much warmer than in the previous two years. There was a bit of a breeze on the coast but it was behind us all the way. The tide was out so there was plenty of room on the beaches to run on firm sand.

The scenery on the Northumberland coast is just lovely, castles, beaches. We started at Bamburgh Castle as usual, but instead of registering inside the castle we used some marquees just outside the entrance. It was a very efficient system and we had our briefing inside marquee which kept us warmer as it was a bit chilly before we started. A disadvantage with this arrangement was we were given a discount to enter the castle afterwards so we didn't have free access to the cafe in the castle.

Some of these photos were taken by Melanie so thanks to her 😀

We started as usual near Alnwick Castle (the parkrun there had been cancelled for this week) and we travelled to Alnwick by coach. It was still chilly at this point but they didn't wait long before starting us off.

We mainly followed the river towards Alnmouth and it soon warmed up, lots of people were stopping, including us, to strip off layers.

and crossed the stepping stones

Alnmouth looked lovely as usual

Through the first checkpoint and on to Boulmer and Longhougton. We passed some Elvet Striders runners and they passed us as we made our way up the coast. About a mile after Alnmouth we caught up with Jane who we remained with and chatted to until the end.

Through Craster and on to Dunstanburgh Castle 

At Embleton we stayed on the dunes and along beside the golf course

On to Beadnell bay

This was around 20 miles and at this point my energy just went. No idea why, it was perfect conditions. I hadn't slept too well but I have had a poor night before a race and run well the following day. Oh well, it was just one of those days where it doesn't happen. But the scenery was lovely to make up for that 😀

One of the temptations of entering this race is for the last two years I have placed in my age category for which I have won a discount for another race. As their events are spread around the country, I have always gone for the local one. They don't do age category prizes on the day so sometime this week I might hear something....

Hardmoors Saltburn marathon 2019

I managed to aggravate my right Achilles towards the end of January and I had to miss the Wilmot Wander event which I had been looking forward to. I had tried to run on the Saturday eight days before the Saltburn event but I had to stop, it was too sore. It wasn't looking hopeful. On the day before Saltburn I did Durham parkrun very gently and it didn't seem too bad. I was not very confident that it would last 29 miles of hills and mud on the Satlburn route.

We started as usual from the Saltburn Leisure Centre and ran down towards Valley Gardens and there went on a slightly different route to the sea and towards the Ship Inn.

Up on to the cliffs with a nice view back

I had expected lots of mud on the course but it wasn't too bad at all. Melanie and I took it easy up to the 'charm bracelet'

before starting the descent towards Skinningrove. The weather was very good, very little wind, no rain or snow and not too cold.

Down all the way to the beach

past the first checkpoint and fishermen's boat.

This photo doesn't really show how steep and long the climb is out of Skinningrove...

Looking back gives a better view.

and on to the Sports Sunday photographers.

and then a small diversion uphill which actually reduced the distance by just over a mile, a rare bonus !

Then some tarmac and down into another part of Skinningrove, up the other side and across many fields and the quiet mineral railway line.

We almost got to the 12 mile checkpoint before the first half marathon runners caught us up (they started an hour after us). At that checkpoint they head for home whilst we headed out towards Guisborough Woods which are still some distance away in this photograph.

When we got to the woods we had to climb up a long way before the tricky technical, muddy descent to the bottom before the infamous Tees Link climb. Hardmoors events that start in Guisborough usually take in this climb early on, but in this event you don't reach the climb until about the 18 mile point. It feels so much harder at that point. The next two photos are taken about two thirds of the way up

Finally we reached High Cliff Nab with it's lovely views and then on through the woods which had one or two muddy bits (thanks to Melanie for this photo)

and then onto the moors for three or four miles. As usual they were a bit wet, but much better than the last two years.

and then it is back to trails, fields, some more climbs and back into Valley Gardens and the railway viaduct.

A great day out ! We got back in 6hr 49min and we had time for a shower and a chat with other runners before heading home. And my Achilles had held out 😀