Lakeland Trails marathon 2016

I have done this event three times and always entered the Challenge version (both the Challenge and the Race events follow the same route, but the Challenge goes off at 07.00 and you have to register the day before and the Race goes off at 09.00 and you can register on the day). However, the plan had been for Melanie to do the half marathon Challenge which sets off at 10.00. So if I had started at 7.00 she would have been hanging around for three hours before starting. Hence we decided that it was the 9.00 start for me. What I hadn't really thought through was that there are cut-offs in the Race event (there are in the Challenge as well but they were two hours longer). And if it was hot (which it has been every other year I have run it) it wouldn't be so easy to make those cut-offs.

Well the weather turned out to be a scorcher, so I was immediately focused on making the last cut off at the last checkpoint. Based on previous years, this didn't look too bad, I just had to go at roughly the same pace as the last two times - the first time I ran it, I was running with someone a little slower on that day.

The weather was lovely just before 09.00

The start was delayed by about nine minutes because of cars blocking the exit and I was thinking, I hope they add this to the cut-offs.

When we finally started, the temperature seemed to go up very quickly. A lot of the climbing is in the first half as it the course undulates on trails and quiet roads. There are some spectacular views

Eventually we worked our way up to Tarn Hows which was as beautiful as ever

By this point I was starting to struggle in the heat. Nothing was sore, I was just running out of energy. I had been happy with my hydration, I felt I had eaten the right amount, it must have been just the heat. I was running the sections I normally run, so I felt I was on schedule. 

Into Grisdale Forest and I worked my way up to the highest point on the course with a spectacular view down the lake

There was a little bit of breeze in our faces at this point and that was a relief. As I headed down towards the south end of Coniston, it was more sheltered and I was finding I was running less and less. I had also forgotten it is not all downhill from the highest point to the south end of Coniston, there are a few upward bumps.

I crossed the bridge over the river at the south end of Coniston and looked longingly at the point where we had waded across at the first event when the bridge was being repaired. I would have loved to have done that again.

At the checkpoint my distance ahead of the cut off had decreased, so I knew I couldn't hang about when passing Beacon Tarn. The climb up there was tiring in the heat, there was very little shade. Finally, I got there to see people swimming in the tarn. I wish I could have done that.

The next section was tricky underfoot for a while and I decided to just walk through this bit. When it became easier, I started to run again, but I started to get twinges in my right calf. As I have another event next Sunday, I thought I should take it easy and walk like everybody around me. It looked like I should just make the cut-off at the last checkpoint. I did but only just ! In the event, they didn't enforce the cut-off as quite a few people came in after me.

The last three miles were along the shore of Coniston, but I was just completely drained at this point and I walked almost all of that.

After finishing, in my slowest time at this event, I found I could hardly summon the energy to get changed, I had to keep sitting down to take a break. My right calf muscle was also dancing round uncontrollably so after getting something to eat and drink, I had to wait around for a while for the muscle to calm down a bit so I could drive home. I can't remember the last time I felt so bad immediately after finishing a marathon.

If I do this event again, I will start at 07.00 again to avoid the main heat of the day and not have to think about cut-offs.

2015 blog

Brathay Windermere marathon 2016

My tenth Windermere marathon. It was also my first marathon nine years ago and it is an event that pulls me back to do it again, mainly for sentimental reasons, each year. It is also great to be running in the Lake District which is spectacular at this time of year. I don't do many road marathons at the moment, the last one I did was this event in 2015. I just prefer off road, low key events where there are hills to get up and views to be seen. I am not aiming for fast times, just days out running in pretty places enjoying myself.

We got there in time to see the 10 marathons in 10 days runners come out of the Hall ready to start their last day (they start an hour before the marathon). It was also good to see some old friends from the fetcheveryone web site. I don't use that as much as I used to, but all my training and links to this blog go on there and I try and keep up with news on the site.

Melanie did have a place in the first running of the half marathon (an out and back along the marathon course), but her injury has meant she had to postpone her place until 2017. She did however go for a 7m run which started by going up the hill behind Brathay and getting some great photos of the runners coming down the hill to the start (preceded by the drumming band) - click for a larger picture

and the runners starting up the first hill.

The typical pattern for me in this event is to do the first undulating half in about two hours, then use lots of energy doing the very undulating third quarter. Then at 20m I am either in pretty good shape (when I have done 4hr 10min or 4hr 13m) or in pretty bad shape (when I have done just over 5hr) or somewhere in the middle (4hr 25min or 4hr 30min). As I have done very little road running recently and I did the Howgills trail marathon the previous Sunday, I decided that maybe I should take the first half a little easier, so I would have a bit more in reserve for the third quarter. Great plan, I thought, and I did manage to stick to it getting round to halfway in 2hr 13min. Hawkshead was as lovely as ever and there was great support there. Just before the 6.5m point the first half marathon runners zoomed past (they started an hour after the marathon start) and then turned back for home. As usual I walked the 7m hill with the usual bagpipe players playing away half way up.

Last year I was very pleased that more of the route seemed to be closed to traffic. I am not sure if it was different this year, but it did feel like there was more traffic coming in the opposite direction in the third quarter. Not too much of a problem, but I guess I am just not used to running near cars. In the fourth quarter the runners are normally on pavements with lots of traffic going in both directions and I enjoyed that less.

Not enjoying this last section so much might be partly associated with running out of energy in the fourth quarter (again). So my plan had not really helped, but that was probably more to do with not having done enough road training (i.e. none) for this sort of event.

I had passed Viv at some point and usually when this happens she catches me later and disappears into the distance. As usual she caught me up and went on ahead, but this time I managed to keep her pretty much in sight.

I passed Jumpy James who was taking photographs at about 24 and half miles

and I was trying hard to keep running this flat section. What sometimes keeps me going at this point is to try and get under a particular time which I choose when I start to struggle. In this case I chose 4hr 45min and it looked reasonable.

I managed to keep running through Ambleside and the gentle incline to Clappergate where I caught up with Viv. We ran together down to the river and had a quick chat about whether we would run the final hill. As I was still in with a chance of getting under my target, I said lets go for it and we both ran up together

I sprinted for the line, but missed out on 4hr 45min by 34 seconds. However setting that target and running with Viv had certainly helped me keep going.

It was great to relax and have a beer in the sunshine afterwards. The weather had been hot all of the day which may also have had an effect on my energy.

At the moment I am not sure I will do the marathon here next year, Apart from parkuns, I haven't done any other event more than ten times (the Great North Run is the only other one I have done ten times). I might do to the Brathay Windermere half marathon as there is only a short section which is not fully closed to cars and although it is an out and back, it is very scenic.

2015 blog

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