I have done this event a few times before and this particular route at least once. This was my first marathon of 2022 and my training for this event has not been as good as it should have been. A couple of twenty miles runs and a couple of hill sessions is not enough for a 28 mile and 5000 feet of climbing.
It starts and finishes at the Village Hall in Chop Gate. The start is very, very slow. Within a 100 metres of the start is a stile which is a bottleneck and it took me over 6 mins to get over it., but I did start right at the back. This is followed by what I think is the hardest climb in the event.
Finally at the top, I was able to start running and down to the first checkpoint at Scugdale I felt I was making good progress. Maybe I went a little too fast as that may be one of the reasons why I found it so hard later....
Then its west on the Clevaland Way leaving it at Scarth Gap to get onto High Lane heading to Square Corner (10 miles) which was packed with cars.
Then back onto the Claeveland Way, through the lovely Osmotherley and then up to Scarth Wood Moor and back to Scugdale.
I knew the remaining miles would be tough. A long climb up Carlton Bank, down to Lordstones. I was getting caught by people who I had passed earlier as I was getting tired and I was taking the downhills very carefully.
From Lordstones there are the three Sisters - Cringle Moor, Cold Moor and Wainstones. I really struggled climbing these, the lack of hill training and distance showed here, we were past 20 miles at this point. However, a big compensation was the views which were amazing !
Down to Claybank there is another big climb to Urra Moor.
Once there I was walking runnable sections I was so beat. Finally a downhill to Chop Gate Village Hall when I firnally started running again.
I was the only veteran 70 mad enough to enter so I won that award that was nice and lots of people were very kind. I did my 100th marathon at Wainstones seven years ago so it was good to be back at this event.
Jon and Shirley do an amazing job at organising these events and the marshalls are so encouraging and helpful. If you can get into a Hardmoors event go for it - getting in is quite a challenge, they sell out very quickly which says everything about these events.
