Moray marathon 2011

I am ashamed to say that this was my first time this far north and it was good fun to explore a new area. On the evening before the race I drove some of the marathon route and I must admit my heart sank a little. Long straights, gradual but long climbs. The weather was a bit grey which didn't help. I also realised that it has been a while since I have done a road marathon and it felt a bit of a challenge. The organisers were encouraging runners to finish in under five hours and I wondered whether I might not make that - I might just get tired of running as I had done two weeks ago at the Northumberland Coast marathon.

Race day dawned with much brighter, sunny weather. I met up with some other Fetchies, some new and some I have met before There had not been any signs out on the previous evening and the start/finish area was only sorted on the morning, so I thinking that this was a laid back event. The organisers knew exactly what they were doing (it was the 30th running of this event) and everything was ready in time and about 170 of us set off. The half marathon and the 10K used the later sections of the route so that everybody finished at the starting area of the marathon - those runners had buses to get to their starts. The mile markers counted down from 26 which I hadn't seen before.

We did a bit of a zigzag out of Elgin and then there was a steady climb out of the city. As a course I think I would say rolling, though there were some long flat sections. I enjoyed the route much more than I had the previous evening. The sun definitely helped, but it was warm. I don't think I have never seen so many water stations for a relatively small number of runners - every 2-3 miles and I was making full use of them.

I decided just to try and take this very easy. I had a plan to get to 3m in about 35 minutes and then see how it went. Well I got to the 23m sign (3.2m) in 30 minutes and that included the long drag out of Elgin, so not great pacing ! But I did try to slow down and quite a few people went by me. There was a woman about twenty yards ahead of me who was going about the pace I wanted so I just tried to keep to her pace. At 11m she stopped for a walking break so I went on and started to catch some of the people who had passed me earlier. From the splits, I did slow down after 9m, but I wasn't conscious of that at the time.

I thought I might try and speed up when I got to the 10k start (so just over 6m to go), but it didn't feel like there was much in the tank with the heat, so I plodded on, catching and overtaking other runners who were wilting in the heat. I was concerned I might just slow down again near the end and the penultimate mile was a struggle. The final mile was a breeze and I picked up on that one

4hr 37min 27sec was better than I had expected and it was good to come into the final straight in the front of the cathedral and to hear my name being called over the PA system

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/BFAWjQVyrYWSkPmz5

Northumberland Coast marathon 2011

This is my favourite marathon and although today wasn't one of my better runs, I still loved it. 

The weather was sunny and it did get a bit warm and later a bit windy.

There was a number of people there I recognised. There was another Elvet Strider, Fetchies I had met before and several marathon regulars, including a couple of 10 in 10ers, that I have seen at other races.

It was an event organised by the North East marathon club, so it was low key and well organised 

I knew I had to start slowly, this is the first of three marathons in three weeks. Also my hip has been a bit sore this week. I went for a long walk on Friday and that seemed to improve it, but I knew I needed to be careful.

So off to a gentle start. katypie was not too far ahead of me and after about three miles she waited for me to catch up. We then ran together for the next twenty miles and they just flew by. However as we were approaching the last water station with about 3 miles to go, I just seemed to lose the will to run. We had a good chance of a sub-5 at that point, so I said to katypie that she should go on as she was clearly in much better place than me. Reluctantly she did finally did go on and she made it under 5 hours.

I really struggled in those last three miles, runners came by me and I walked far more than I ran. The final run into Alnmouth along the beach was very hard as the wind had picked up and it was in our faces. Finally made it back in 5hr 14min.

What happened ? I think I didn't have enough to eat. I had shot blocks, but had just 3, way too little. I had a flapjack at the first checkpoint, but nothing after that until the same checkpoint on the way back (23m). I wasn't even expecting any food at the checkpoints, so I should have taken some food with me and/or had more shot blocks. I did take the Succeed S-caps regularly so I should have had enough electrolytes.

It was great to have katypie's company, I am sure I would have struggled earlier if she hadn't been there. 

I will be back next year 

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/FESqVpKNtfPVWukG7

Dovedale Dipper 2011

What a great race ! There were some tough uphill sections, lots and lots of stiles and gates, some fantastic views and lovely sections, like Wolfscote Dale where we ran up a steep sided valley next to a stream.

And it was great to meet up so many people I knew. It was a three hour drive, but well worth it. A couple of my clubmates also made the journey down. The usual friendly, well stocked checkpoints and meal afterwards that you get at LDWA events

A tough run, but lovely. I am not in great marathon shape, so I was pleased to get through it and it will be good training for events later in the month.

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/qyVEGzRAHMDcv8v67

Lakeland Trails marathon 2011

The scenery on this run was just amazing. I ran with a clubmate, Angela, and as she was not in the same form as she was at Druridge Bay, this meant the pace was comfortable, which was definitely a good thing in the hot weather. So I just relaxed and enjoyed the fantastic views. It was lovely to see so many Fetchies running and marshalling 

The course was fairly technical in places. I especially liked the wading through the river  

I definitely want to do this one again 

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/ydipktBSML7152VJ6

Durham Dales Challenge 30m 2011

I headed off to Wolsingham for this Long Distance Walking Association (LDWA) event and picked up Sue Jennings on the way. We got there and chatted to other runners and met Joan Reeves at the start who was also doing the 30m route.

We started off running through Wolsingham and then straight up a big hill. We took it nice and easy and reached the first self clip at about 2.5m. This was the point where the 16m and 30m routes split and it was clear that most people were doing the 16m. We set off across the moor with nobody else in sight and it continued like that for a long way ...

We were running into a breeze and Sue was starting to struggle especially on the uphills of which there were quite a few. We reached Hamsterley Forest, which seemed full of flies. Climbed our way out and back onto the moors again. Sue was really struggling at this stage and at 10m she decided to pull out at the next checkpoint at 11.5m. She had also developed a dodgy stomach. I ran on to the checkpoint to warn them there would be a dropout. While we were waiting for her a car arrived asking if there were any people dropping out so the driver waited and then took Sue all the way home, which was very good of him.

I set off towards Middleton-in-Tessdale hoping to pick up the time a bit. It wasn't that easy, running by the River Tees was just lovely, but there was lots of mud and steps so progress was slow. Made it to the Middleton check point in about 4hr 15min. They had lovely sandwiches, cake and tea.

Set off again and the route followed a stream (uphill) and made it to the next checkpoint where we were presented with a choice, follow the windy road upwards or go straight up. I chose straight up. I think it was quicker.

Then I made a navigational error. I hadn't been able to work out this section beforehand. I had put the route on the Garmin and that worked well most of the time, but I knew not to rely on it here. I saw walkers ahead going down the left hand side of a stream and the instructions seemed to say go right (they did but I was taking that decision too early) so I went down the right. I ended up climbing through heather and the couldn't find any way over a wall, so I had to negotiate a steep descent to the steam - I slid down on my bottom.

Back on track and another big climb, past a reservoir and seeing some fantastic views - it looked sunny in the distance. Whilst on the moors it always seemed cloudy and dull, but everywhere else it seemed sunny!

After the next checkpoint (more fantastic food) we had to find a shooting butt with the number 4 inside of it. I never found it, but luckily some walkers pointed me in the right direction.

Finally made it to the last manned checkpoint (where they had quiche 😀 ), past the elephant trees (they look like two elephants from the valley) and down into the valley towards Wolsingham. Finally made it back in 8hr 14 ! A long time on my feet. Joan Reeves had had a great run and came in with 7hrs 37 😀

Then it was the usual LDWA two course meal All that food and the race for just a tenner!

A lovely day, but far from easy.

Liverbird marathon 2011

This event consisted of two marathon over two days on the same course. I could only do Day 1 which I wasn't too disappointed about as I got to know the course pretty well from just doing Day 1. The course consisted of a run down the River Mersey Promenade until you got to the end and then back to the start/finish area and repeat that four times. It was very flat. It was a fairly warm afternoon/evening (I have never started a marathon this late before, I think I prefer morning starts) and we had the breeze behind us on the way out and in our faces on the way back. It was good to have the river right next to us, it provided something interesting to look at.

I discovered on lap 1 that 6m+ was a bit too long to go without a drink (the only water station being at the start/finish) so I carried a drink for the last three laps. It was good to see the other runners all the time (it was a very small field, 23 starters and 22 finishers). The field included the runner who has run the most marathons in the UK (800+ which can be thought of as one a week for about 16 years...) and several regular marathon runners. I tired on the final lap, but I did manage to keep going a bit better than I have done recently and came in with a time of 4hr 33min. Time for a break and a bit of recovery now

Brathay Windermere marathon 2011

Well tomorrow the clock ticks over and my age category will have moved on 

It has been a lovely weekend. I went over to the Lakes for the third weekend running on Friday and on Saturday I went to see the start of Day 9 for the 10 in 10 runners. Some of them looked a bit stiff and there was more tape visible than on Day 2, but they were all still going. Just amazing 

I then followed then round the lake with ultrakazz and bumped into various Fetchies and people I knew on the way round 

On Saturday night my two children and my daughter's partner arrived and yesterday it was the Brathay Windermere marathon itself. We got there to find very changeable weather. The forecast was sunshine and showers. The showers were brief but heavy and we had hail in one outbreak. But once we formed up for the briefing, the wether improved and sunny intervals for the rest of the day. I think we were very lucky  It was a bit windy, in our faces in the first half and behind us in the second half 

I was running with fats from my club. She was worried that she had had only one long run since our WHWadventure with dizzie1981 and I was worried that I had done too much running. Ideally she wanted to get a pb, that is under 4hr30 but we just thought we would see how it goes.

We started fairly quickly 

and all the way down the west side we seemed to be averaging under 9.5min/miles. We knew we should have stuck to 10 min/miles but we didn't seem to be able to do that. One or two other Fetchies who ran with us clearly decided we were going too fast and backed off. Halfway in 2hr 2min. The difficult third quarter was next and Fats' feet were starting to hurt so we walked up most of the longer undulations. Once we got through those we seemed to speed up. We lost a bit for a loo stop, but we were still 6 minutes ahead of 10 min/mile pace at 19m.

I slowed a bit at 20m, then we picked it up to the base of the 21m hill. My children were cheering us on at this point and then we got lots of shouts at Fetchpoint from RooA, Slowboy, YP1 and L  And a lovely jaffa cake. I had been taking Kendal Mint cake at most of the water stations and my stomach started to feel a bit bad and as we approached the 23m, I knew I was going to struggle to keep up with fats. We jogged to the water station at 23m and then I finally persuaded her to go on. I knew we would get home in under 4hr30, but she had the chance of a big improvement in her pb. She did that and got 4hr19 and I got home in 4h26, so I was happy with that.

My new Hoka Bondi shoes were lovely, I had only done 6m in them before, but they were lovely and bouncy 

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/MN9c7m7y6xkz4BZ89

2010 blog : Lisrun: Brathay Windermere marathon 2010