Howgills Trail marathon 2016

I last did this race with Melanie in 2013

It was tough, especially the first 5.5m climbing up from Sedburgh to the Calf. Sadly, Melanie wasn't able to run the half marathon as originally planned because of her injury. Jules and Jane from my club were running the marathon, but I didn't think I would be able to keep up with them as I had had a very tiring week and my intended plan to do lots of hills in training hadn't really worked out (code for not trying enough)

We started together, but Jane and Jules gradually disappeared into the distance. It was quite sunny at the start, but by the time we had got to a reasonable height it had clouded over and it was either sunny or cloudy for the rest of the day.

The climb was not as bad as I remembered. Maybe I am more experienced than I was three years ago or maybe I had built it up to be worse than it was. I had forgotten some of the small downhill dips on the way up that provide some relief. There were some fantastic views.

The descent down into Bowderdale I took a bit too quickly and lost my balance. I thought I had recovered, but I hadn't and I landed with my face very close to a rock. No damage though and I took the descent more slowly after that. It feels like the valley goes on and on and round a bend I met up with Jules and Jane who had stopped to get food out of their bags. We ran on passing close to the Kirby Stephen to Tebay road and past an encouraging sign

Then we turned south for a while, this section was quiet country roads and trails. A farmer was taking some cattle down one road and on to the road we were running along. The cattle were behind us and they were moving at some speed. The three of us and another runner ran up that particular incline pretty quickly, but luckily they were guided off into a field !

After 14m we finally got to the first checkpoint at Ravenstonedale. Jane and Jules had pulled ahead a little and they kindly offered to slow down and run with me but I said I was just tired and I didn't think it would make me run any faster. I decided to walk most of the climb out of Ravenstonedale. This was on quiet road and it wasn't anywhere near as bad as the first 5m. I knew the last quarter was downhill and I decided to focus on running that section. I got to the top of the pass and there was another lovely view to the south.

The final quarter of the route is my favorite, gentle undulations along a trail but mainly downhill. We had a stream to cross (thanks to SportsSunday for this and the next photo)

and some lovely trails before we reached the second and last checkpoint.

We passed through some lovely bluebell woods

and wild garlic woods

We went through a farm and the farmer who had directed me to my parking place in Sedburgh was sitting out in the sunshine with his family encouraging us on.

We do a bit of a loop round Sedburgh which seemed to go on a bit more than I wanted - I was pleased to finish. Sadly they were no longer serving food when I got in which was disappointing. A time of 6hr 15min which was almost 30min faster than last time, but it was hotter and more muddy three years ago. I was happy with the time after a busy week. The route was superbly signed and the results came out quickly.

Hardmoors White Horse marathon 2016

My third marathon/ultra this year. This one was supposed to be my fourth, but I did not start the Dark Skies Kielder marathon as I had a bad back and was unable to run. I also lost about two weeks of training so I wasn't expecting very much from this event.

Last year it rained heavily until about halfway and it was pretty muddy. It was also fairly windy This year it was glorious sunshine and very little wind. Melanie, who ran it with me last year, is currently injured so she did not come down with me.

It is a fantastic route, it has a bit of everything - great views, a lake, woods, mud, a ruined abbey and some lovely streams to cross. Today I got to see it in all its glory.

There seemed to be slightly fewer runners than you normally get in a Hardmoors marathon and I guess some of them are tapering for the Hardmoors 110/160 which isn't too far away.

We started about 9.07 and I hung back a bit as I didn't expect to be going fast. I hung back a bit too much and I was slightly held up on the descent to Gormire Lake. The descent was very muddy, so that was good - it wouldn't have been good to take a tumble at this stage. We went round the lake

which again was pretty muddy and then started the long climb back up the escarpment. When we got up there were some amazing views and we could see snow on the hills in the distance. 

It had been cold at the start, but the climb up from the lake had certainly warmed me up and my waterproof, hat and gloves had all come off on the climb. We followed the Cleveland Way to High Paradise Farm

The Farm now has a cafe, we must go there some time. The first checkpoint organised by Anthony was just past the farm. Then it was  small gentle incline through the woods and onto the moors with more spectacular views to the west

I soon turned off the Cleveland Way and the same marshall as last year was at that point. We laughed about how different it was this year. Last year it was raining heavily and we tuned into a strong wind and the next bit wasn't pleasant. This year it was just beautiful and I soon started to descent into the lovely Throrodale

The it was on into the woods you can see in the distance and past the farm cottages and Arden Hall

Emily was looking after the second checkpoint and it was good to see her again. Soon after I got chatting to a fellow 100 marathon club member who was just recovering from flu and didn't have much energy. I was also overtaking and being overtaken by Dee, Jo and another runner from York. We came into the beautiful village from Hawnby and the started the sharp climb of Hawnby Hill

Then a steep descent down, cross a stream

and a long drag up Bilsdale West Moor and down the other side and back into the lower part of Hawnby - the approach to Hawnby was again very muddy. Then a long steep road climb up to the checkpoint at 18.5m. Like last year there was a Strider there, it was good to see Rachel.

Shortly after we got on to the private land and started a long descent to the valley. The muddy ascent on the other side wasn't as muddy as last year. However, the next section which last year was a mass of branches across the path was pretty similar to last year

We descended on muddy paths to the River Rye

and onto Rievaulx

before a road section and back onto the Cleveland Way

I was struggling at this point, just lack of fitness, so it was mainly walking on the many long inclines. I walked into the last checkpoint

past the lovely lakes and over stepping stones

and onto Flassen Dale

followed by the long drag up to Cold Kirby

Progress was again fairly slow on the last couple of miles. I could see I was going to be about 10 minutes faster than last year, so that was pleasing (although the wind had quite an effect last year). I came into the finish 6hr 43min after starting and was surprised to hear that I might have won my age category (I may have been the only person in my age category !). This was confirmed in a few minutes and I was awarded by trophy by Jon

It had a lovely route and I had really enjoyed it. Jon and Shirley had done a great job organising it and all the helpers and marshals had been wonderful. If you have never done a Hardmoors event, I can't recommend them highly enough !

2015 blog

Belvoir Challenge 26.4m 2016

This was my sixth time running this event. They vary the course, but this was the third time I had run this particular route. However, the last time I ran it was 2013 so I could not picture the exact route. I find having different routes appealing, you never know what is coming next.

We were both expecting lots of mud as this is fairly normal for this event. However, there was very little and you could mostly avoid it. There was a bit of a breeze in the second third, but nothing very strong. Plenty of gates and stiles, especially on the 16m route that Melanie did. As usual the start and finish was in Harby and all proceeds went to the local primary school.

This year they had chip timing so the start moved back from the road into a field so everyone crossed crossed detection device. It also finished there which meant that the route was a little longer than in previous years. There was less parking this year, so we got there about an hour and half before the start. Melanie and I were starting at the same time and we would follow the same route for the first 4m

I had my new gaiters on to stop any grit getting into my shoes and they to worked well. We climbed up the escarpment for the first time and ran alongside fields and on farm tracks - the vast majority of this route was off road with just the odd short road section. To our surprise the sun was coming out through the clouds and we were warming up quickly - it had only been about 2 degrees when we started. 

After Melanie and I parted, I went through the first of many pretty villages. This church was in Goadby Marwood

The next village, Scalford, contained the first checkpoint which was laden with cakes and sandwiches

A bit of a climb out of the village, along attractive paths across fields

through Waltham on the Wolds. 

Shortly after this I caught up with Darren and we chatted a away for a while before I pushed on a bit to the next checkpoint at Croxton Kerrial

There is a lovely descent down the escarpment after the village and it usually ends in a very muddy field. This year it was fine

Then on Harleston where there was blossom on the trees

I was starting to tire at this point which was disappointing as there was still 10m to go. I had been eating cheese sandwiches and maybe I needed a sugar boost. The third checkpoint had as much food and drink as the first two

This was followed by the long pull up to Belvoir Castle

Another climb up the escarpment and into the woods whether I started to catch some of the 16m walkers. However, there didn't seem to be so many of them this year. Then I arrived at the last checkpoint and it like a party. There must have been about twenty walkers there chatting away. Apparently they had cheese biscuits and stilton on offer, but it was so busy I didn't spot it

The last four miles and pretty easy, more paths through the woods with lovely views to the north and then a lovely downhill into Stathern and then across fields towards Harby. This section normally has a pond where you cannot avoid wet feet, but it basically wasn't there this year it was so dry. I made it back in just under five hours thirty minutes which was pleasing. As usual, there was soup and roll followed by bread and butter pudding and custard waiting for me at the finish - there are lots of opportunities to eat at this event !

Melanie enjoyed her run though she was a bit frustrated by some of the queues at some of the stiles, ten minutes at one stile ! She had time to go back to the hotel in Melton Mowbray, shower, change, have some coffee before returning to pick me up in Harby.

Photos

2013 blog

Hardmoors Saltburn marathon 2016

I last did this event in 2013 when it was held in August. I managed to win my age category that time, but I haven't won my age category in a Hardmoors event since, so I had no hope that my return to this event would result in a trophy (spoiler - I didn't win this time either). This was the first time the event had been held in winter, so I knew it would be tougher than in 2013, but I had it in my mind that it was one of the easier Hardmoors events. This meant that I underestimated it.

I had a copy of Melanie's route from the 2014 event to follow and this seemed to work pretty well apart from an extra hill that Jon had thrown in since then !

I arrived at about 7.50 and had plenty of time to relax, register and get ready for the 9.00 start. I also met up with Sara, who I ran with on the Hardmoors 60 and was marshalling with Kerry at the second Skinningrove checkpoint and Garth who I first met many years ago at a Fetch mile event in Leeds. I also had time to browse the pop up Ultra Runners store and chat to the Striders who were running the marathon.

Melanie was doing the half and going on to a retreat so she arrived as Jon's briefing was taking place and had time to come down to the start to see me off which was lovely.

I started slowly and comfortably and we went down into Valley Gardens and along a muddy path beside the stream I had not covered before. Along the prom, stopping for a quick photo

The sun was out at this point, there wasn't too much wind, it was all lovely. A climb out on to the cliffs and the chance to look back.

The cliffs rise gently upwards and on the way there was one of SportsSunday photographers

Then down on to the beach before Skinningrove

There is a steep climb out of Skinningrove and I think this is where we had the first snow coming down. It didn't seem to last too long and we were soon back to sunshine and this is how it went all day. The Cleveland Way just keeps going up for a while and this section was extremely muddy. Just as we got to the top we turned 

and headed via a few fields to the road we ran down on the Loftus Poultry run. Then down across fields to Skinningrove and Sara, Kerry and John's checkpoint. I stopped for a brief chat and then started the steep climb to Carlin Howe where Jonathan from the Striders was waiting to cheer us on. Up and out of Carlin Howe and soon after the half marathon runners started to overtake us.

I remembered quite a bit of the route from the 2013 event although we had been going in the opposite direction in 2013. This nearly led to my downfall. I came to a road crossing where Dennis (marshalling) and David (running) were chatting. I remembered the route from 2013 went straight across so that was what I did. I didn't check my watch and got about twenty yards into the next field before Denis and David had seen what I had done and called me back. I am glad they were there !

I walked up the next hill with David who was not feeling well and at the top of the hill he took the half marathon route back to Saltburn. The marathon runners rejoined the Cleveland Way and into a heavy snow flurry. This stopped just as suddenly as it started as we started the descent into Slapewath

Guisborough Woods had quite a covering as can be seen. As we came out of the Slapewath motorcycle woods, I was expecting to keep along the bottom of the woods as Melanie had done. But no, we followed the Cleveland Way and went up for quite a while before descending back down again and following muddy forest trails before we hit the familiar route across fields that leads to the long climb up to High Cliff Nab. I had always done this descent very early in other races. Doing it at 18m in was pretty tough and the first third was very muddy. There was no view from High Cliff Nab as the cloud was down which was a shame. We then then ran along more muddy forest road through the woods. Jo caught me up at this point, I had passed her at a checkpoint, and we chatted before she headed off and this is how it went for the rest of the event, I would spend less time in the checkpoints and then she would catch me and go on.

We came out of the woods together and on to the boggy moor (my feet got very wet here) and reached the turning point where two marshalls were waiting with tangerines and a camera (thanks to Joel Tiffney for this one. 

The tangerines tasted so good ! Then it was on to the busy road crossing where I photobombed a marshall and the two runners ahead (thanks to Hippie Lee Nixon for this one)

The next section down to Booseberry was really muddy, there was often no way round you just had to dive into it and get mud everywhere. Jo caught me again as we came to Flip's checkpoint in Skelton and with about 2m to go I couldn't keep up with her, but I could see her and I tried to keep her in view. As I turned into the Race HQ at the Leisure Centre a car full of Striders went by and gave me lots of cheers which was lovely. I had calculated at Booseberry I might just get a sub 7 hour finish and I reckoned I had just about done it, but we must have started a little late and I came in with 6hr 38min which was pleasing. I missed the age category by just ten minutes, but I wasn't too disappointed, it was good to have finished.

It is great to have showers at the end of this event. Overall the event was great, well organised by Jon and Shirley with very friendly and supportive marshalls who must have been very cold.

Things I learned from this event. 

1) Make sure you bring the right hat, I brought an old one of mine which I had given to Melanie (who had been looking for it !) so I had to wear a buff to keep my ears warm. 

2) Get some running gaiters, I had to stop three times to get stones and grit out of my shoes. It isn't easy to bend down and fiddle with your shoes when you are stiff near the end of a race. 

3) Make sure you bring socks to change into, I thought I had.

There was a new design for the tee shirt and medal this year

Photos