It has been eighteen months since I did a marathon or ultra event. The last marathon distance I did was in May and since then I have only done one twenty mile training event. This showed in today's marathon.
It was an early start which we haven't been used to either. Melanie and I left home at 6.45 as the sun rose.
The start and finish were at the Yorkshire Cycling Hub in Fryupdale (what a wonderful name). The route was already nearly 30 miles but Jon, the route organiser, thought it would be fun to send us up the zigzags of the mountain biking route on the site. To compensate we were going to take a short cut to the finish - a net gain of distance, but he said that we would get the extra distance over with early in the race.....
I started last as I knew I was going to find it tough. However, I found that I was running well and started to slowly overtake other runners. We ran down the valley and then started gently climbing out
The photo below has not come out well, but if you click on it you can see the runners in front zig zagging up the top. It was a big climb out of the valley and up onto the moors
The view from the top looking back towards the start on the hill in the distance
Over the moors, on past the Lion Inn and on to the old railway line towards Blowarth Crossing. Here the views are looking into Farndale
A descent into the lovely Westerdale and onto a section of the Hardmoors Rosedale marathon route. Most of the route was using the Esk Valley Walk which is a lovely path starting in Castleton, doing a loop to the south and then following the valley to Whitby. Highly recommended !
Soon after Castleton I was in a group of about eight or nine and they weren't sure of the way and so I was leading them, hoping I didn't make a mistake. We ended up in the Moors National Park Centre and went past this guy
Then a big 1.5 mile climb on tarmac up to Danby Beacon where Melanie was waiting for me.
The bottom of my left foot was sore so I changed shoes and socks applied vaseline, had some tea and sandwiches and generally had a bit of a rest. The rest of the group were long gone by the time I started again
This is where my lack of good consistent training hit me hard. I was walking much more and sometimes on the flats and downhills.... not good
My ankle was also getting sore - I had gone over it a couple of times earlier, but each time it had been fine immediately after. I met Melanie in Glaisdale and I was struggling with it. I didn't stay long there as I could feel myself getting stiffer and I was hoping it would ease as I walked up the long ascent on Glaisdale Rigg. That drag upwards seemed never ending. At one point I could see the finish in the valley but had further to climb...
Finally we turned down into the valley and it is some descent. I remember it from two years ago but I was hoping it would be easier because of the drier conditions. It wasn't. If you want a combination of grass, mud, steepness and rocks it is perfect ! I took it very carefully.
A bit of tarmac to the Cycle Hub and a steep climb up to the finish line
I was the only veteran 70 in the field and so by finishing I won a plaque !
It was good to see so many people I know. Hardmoors marathon/ultra number 51 and overall total now 205. Although the last nine miles were hard, I am glad I entered the event. It is a beautiful route. The next challenge is not to let the fitness I have gained here deteriorate, I don't want the next one to be as hard as this one !
