Hardmoors Goathland marathon 2017

This event was hopefully going to lead me to becoming a member of the Hardmoors 1000 mile club. There were twenty six club members already and I worked out that I would have completed 34 Hardmoors events to get to 1000 miles. That is twenty four 'marathons', eight 30 mile events, one 55 mile and one 60 mile event. I imagine my predecessors would have taken fewer events and most, if not all, will have done at least one of the 110, 160 or 200 mile events. It is a good to have a milestone to pass by on the journey onwards. Where to ? Well nowhere in particular, for me it is just continuing to have fun.

As happens at all Hardmoors events, you have to go through a kit check and you get marked to say you are through that stage

Then you collect your number and I had been given what is now to be my permanent number at Hardmoors events 😀

It was great to see some very familiar faces who were all marshalling

The weather at Goathland has been wet or misty for the last three years, but today was very different. Sunny skies and only a sliight wind. We gathered for the start outside Goathland Village Hall

and headed down via Beck Hole to West Beck

and then to the lovely Mallyan Spout

We crossed the beck a couple of times

before starting the climb out of the valley

and on to the moor above Hunt House Raod

We reached the first checkpoint at Hunt House and passed one of Jon's signs

On the climb up to Simon Howe, we passed one of the SportsSunday team 

Soon after Simon Howe on the way to Wardle Green I was running through a narrow path with heather either side and caught my foot and went flying.

No damage luckily. From Facebook lots of other people took tumbles and several more than one. 

The approach to the checkpoint at Wardle Rigg is usually muddy and this year was no exception

There was no way of avoiding this bit...

 Through the Wardle Rigg checkpoint where Denise and Sue were marshalling and down to the railway line with the sun streaming through the trees

Across the railway line and up the muddy steep climb to Levisham Bottoms and a lovely section  almost to Levisham Elbow

Another steep climb up to Levisham Moor and on to the checkpoint north of Levisham (about 13m) which roughly marked my 1000th Hardmoors mile. Phil was stationed here and the following are his pictures

A bit of a long drag up Levisham Moor to Saltergate and then onto the Old Wife's Way where we had this view:

We then climbed the valley on the right of that picture up to Malo Cross which used to have trees in the background but they have all gone so it looks more isolated

Then on past RAF Flylingdales and onto Lillia Cross via Derwent Head. We then follow the Lyke Wake route down to Elleberbeck. This section is usually very, very wet. It was still pretty wet and boggy but as bad as it usually is. From the Ellebeck checkpoint, I reckoned it was about half an hour to climb back to Simon Howe and then another 30 minutes downhill to Goathland Village Hall. That was pretty much how long it took. During that last hour I had hoped to get a course PB but missed out by under a minute. Then having got changed, it was time for my presentation:

Thanks to Wayne for the next one:

I also get a fleece as well as the plaque and my own race number, so it is a great club to be a member of ! And then of course there was the finisher's medal and tee shirt from the event :

2016 blog

Hardmoors Osmotherley marathon 2017

I ran this one with Sara and Elly, whilst Melanie was running the half marathon route which started an hour after the marathon. As usual, the marathon wasn't quite marathon distance, it was over 29m, but you expect that at Hardmoors events.

Elly was running her first ever marathon and this was a brave selection for a first marathon, there can't be many harder than this one, the hills are relentless. She did great, she made it look very easy.

The event started at the top of the hill in Osmotherley and we had some lovely views to the west

and from the TV mast at the top of the hill we had views to the east

and then  a downhill across Scarth Moor

At this point it was fairly warm, though I had started in a waterproof to keep the wind off. 

It soon came off when we went into the woods 

We had a small route diversion away from the Cleveland Way because of erosion before descending to the bottom of Scugdale

Then the long trudge up Carlton Bank. This is where I first became aware of how cold and windy it was. So the waterproof came back on with gloves and hat as well

Through Lordstones where there were no jaffa cakes ! This wasn't a serious problem, I was carrying food. On to the first two sisters, passing Flip in the middle with his welcome offer of chocolates !

After the second sister

we went round the side of the third one and down to the road at Clay Bank where there was a checkpoint. At this checkpoint they had banana chia charge bars, just great ! Then we turned round and went back up the way we had come and up the third sister.

and the descent off that one through the Wainstones

Another climb back to the ridge leading to the second sister where we turned south to Chop Gate and into a very muddy path

The Chop Gate checkpoint had watermelon and we were offered tea or coffee :-) This was getting better and better. We needed if for the climb out of Chop Gate, it was as steep and long as usual. It does help knowing how long it goes on for. A few undulations across the moors on a good track and then (finally) a descent to Lordstones

where they had dandelion and burdock on offer ! Then the climb back up Carlton Bank. It was very windy at the top we were being blown all over the place. It eased as we descended

Into Scugdale checkpoint where they were offering chocolate milk - my day was now complete ! Shortly after the sun came out for the first time.

Once on the Scalby Road we left the Cleveland Way and headed towards the start of the Lyke Wake Walk, turning off just before there to make this crossing.

I would like to say it was all downhill during these last three miles, but of course it wasn't. We rejoined the Cleveland Way south of Osmotherley and followed the path back to the village. A long day, but very enjoyable.

The marshalls did a great job , some of them were out in very exposed places for long periods. Here were two marshalls on the top a wind blown Carlton Bank (thanks to Paula Wilson for this photo)

Meanwhile, Melanie had a good run on the half marathon course: