Endurance Life CTS Northumberland 2018

Last year I think I spat out my dummy over this event. I just wasn't in the mood for it, the tide was in so it was often a choice between running on very soft sand or running in the sea. I tried both and neither worked very well. I had a terrible second half and walked lots. However, I somehow managed to get third prize in my age category 😕

And the prize was an online discount code for another Endurance Life event. Given that most of them are miles away, it seemed the obvious thing to do was to enter it again and see if it went any better.

The forecast looked pretty sunny with the wind mainly in our faces for the first six miles or so then the rest of the way it would be behind us. It looked like it would be a bit cold. This was how it turned out. The race ends in Bamburgh Castle and you register there and they put you on a coach to near Alnwick Castle and then you run back.

Melanie was doing the marathon as well so we stayed in Ashington to reduce the driving and arrived at Bamburgh at about 7.45. It is a very pretty venue

and the views are great

Melanie took this lovely one

The briefing took place in a sheltered courtyard this year, which was much better than last year when it took place on the very windy battlements. Then it was on to the warm coaches to the start at Alnwick

It starts with a lovely stretch by the River Aln

My memory of this section to Alnmouth was that it was pretty flat. It isn't, it undulates but nothing too serious. The course had been described as claggy at the briefing, but compared to my other three long events this year it was easy going.

Last year they put in a muddy diversion because the stepping stones were under water, but they were fine to cross this year.

On under the railway line near Lesbury and up some more hills

before we approached Alnmouth harbour

Past the first checkpoint and on to the beach in front of Alnmouth Golf Club

An unusual aspect of this event is there was not a single marshal out on the course, except at checkpoints. It was superbly well marked. They even had signs to let you know that you have taken a wrong turn and should back up. They did supply a GPS on the website and the signed route did diverge from this at one point. Otherwise the whole event appeared to go like clockwork which isn't easy when you have a 10k, half, marathon and ultra. We didn't consider the ultra as it involved running past the finish and doing another 9 mile loop !

On towards Boulmer

and then onto the lovely Longhougton

Before Craster we past the halfway point in 2hr 30min which was fine. On into Craster which looked lovely. Here three children came running towards us thinking Melanie was their Mum. This was news to me. However, their Dad reassured them that she just looked like their Mum. I hope that wasn't just a cover story...

I had my first wobble on the way to Dunstanburgh, I started to walk a bit more than I should have been. However, I picked it up a bit

and on to the dunes above Embleton Beach

Through Low Newton and on to Checkpoint 3 at Newton Links. After this, at about 20m, I realised I was slowing rapidly. Melanie was getting very cold and so she went on to keep warm. I came to the Brunton Burn crossing

In Beadnell Bay there were many kite surfers

I noticed at this point that all the other runners in sight were going round the beach quite high up and it was shorter to go close to the sea. The sand looked a bit wetter, but it was fine. I saved a bit of time doing this, which was helpful later.

On past Beadnell and on to the beach again where I saved more time sticking close to the sea. Last year crossing Annstead Burn meant wading up to the top of my thighs, but this year with the tide out is was much easier. On to Seahouses

and finally on to the beach to Bamburgh. Again so much easier than last year and I employed another direct route. The wind was helping us a lot in this section. I had in mind a finish under 5hr 30min and kept trying to keep going. I just made it by a couple of minutes. I found Melanie who had finished about 10 minutes before me. This was her 49th marathon/ultra which is an amazing achievement ! We went on to the cafe in the Castle and had something to eat before going back to the car. Melanie took this photo before we left.

Age category prizes and only announced during the week following the event, so I am wondering if I will get another online voucher and be doing this again next year ?

2017 blog

Hardmoors Saltburn marathon 2018

This was going to be my twenty fifth Hardmoors marathon. Some of these marathons have been over 30 miles so it gets a bit confusing when there are Hardmoors 30 mile and Hardmoors Princess 30 mile events. Today I was meant to be running with Elly and Kath, but sadly Kath is injured so she was helping out in the Sports Hall which is the start and finish. Melanie was running the half and she came down separately and I was able to see her briefly before we started.

What is lovely about the Hardmoors events is that they are friendly and the marshalls out on the course play a big part in that. They are all runners who are either injured or who are volunteering to stand outside in the windy and very cold conditions. This marshall was at Lauren and Chris's party marshalling point.

The event starts with a run down a road before the descent into Valley Gardens where it is sheltered

Then onto the sea front

before the climb up on to the cliffs and these are the views back to Saltburn

At the top of our climb is the famous wind vane (this picture was taken by Melanie)

and shortly after there was an unofficial photographer (photo taken by Steven Carter)

 and the descent down towards Skinningrove where last year the wind was so strong it was nearly blowing us back up the steps. This year the wind had been behind us and not as strong

After Skinningrove there is sharp climb upwards

where the Sports Sunday photographer was positioned

and then onto the party checkpoint which was full of inflatables and music

 The views back before we left were great, the weather was cold but you could see for miles

Then it was into the wind which I could feel despite three layers on my upper body. Through Skinningove Mining Museum, Carlin Howe and out into muddy fields

Through Skelton, West Skelton and Slapewath and into Guisborough Woods. Jon, the race director, plays a cruel trick with the route at this point. You climb up to be this high above Guisborough

and then he send you down a very muddy descent

before you have a long muddy drag all the way up to High Cliff Nab. Here is the very muddy final section

and then you get another view of Guisborough

Through the woods and out on to the waterlogged moors, which were very grim in the wind and the rain last year. This year there was a bit if a cold wind, so not as bad, but bot really fun. You then start to go downhill back to the finish. You descend down into Valley Gardens and under the Saltburn Viaduct.

In the hall it was pretty cold, but there were hot showers and after that Jon presented me with my 1000 miles Hardmoors fleece - I completed the 1000 miles at Goathland in November, but it takes a while to get the fleece sorted.

A tough day out again with the cold and the mud, but it was great to have Elly's company !

2017 blog

Wilmot Wander 32m 2018

I did this event two years ago and I found it very, very muddy. A brief summary of this year's event is that it was muddy again

but not quite as bad as two years ago. Last time it rained during the event, this year it was mainly cloudy but we did have some sunshine 😊

This event also has a relatively unusual start, you are allocated a start time with two or three others and there is a four minute gaps between groups. Walkers leave in groups from 7.00 and runners start in groups from 8.00. So you have to be on the ball with your navigation straight away. Apart from two or three signs at Radbourne (17 miles), the route is not marked.

I had the route on my Garmin and on my phone as a backup. I was also carrying the not very clear map and the detailed route description. My memory for routes is not too bad, but this route has lots of twists and turns up until you reach the canal at 23m. It is pretty straightforward after that - canal towpath followed by cycle paths.

I chatted with the only other person I left Race HQ with and we were both pleased by the weather and grateful that it wasn't like last weekend when there was lots of ice and snow.

I remembered most of the start out of Derby and then we were into the start of the muddy field edges

but soon after we were into a private estate, Locko Park

and then off into more muddy paths and fields

Soon after this I made my first mistake. I came to a gate, failed to notice a small gate slightly to the left and saw a large gate going slightly right. I took that and was followed by three others. I waded through a big mud pond the other side of the gate and then immediately realised something wasn't right. I asked my followers if they were sure this was right as they were about to run off, but they clearly weren't sure. Then other runners appeared at the original gate and called us back and said we should go through the small gate. So back through the mud pond again and on to the right path.

Down to the first checkpoint, biscuits, jelly babies, juice and hot drinks - all the checkpoints were the same. They recorded your number, which you had to remember, there was no cards to stamp or numbers to attach in this event.

Then a short windy road section where I lost sight of the runners ahead and made another error. I missed a turn but realised pretty quickly and cursed myself for not paying more attention to my watch.

After that it was more woods, fields, quiet roads, a bit of a climb before reaching the second checkpoint. By this time I was starting to catch some of walkers and some of the runners who had started before me. After the second checkpoint there is a footbridge over the railway and a one mile climb up a muddy hill. 

More pretty Derbyshire villages and meandering footpaths with plenty of scope to go the wrong way before a long climb up a farm road into a wind which seemed to be picking up. Down the other side of the valley and up again to a water tower on the horizon. The route at the water tower is unclear, the route description says left round a new partially finished estate so that is the way I went, but there is a footpath straight through the new estate on the map which has presumably been diverted because of the building work as I saw runners on it at the other end.

At this point 16 miles, I realised I was pretty tired, the mud was just sucking my energy away and I was only half way. I walked a bit until I got to Radbourne where I had plenty to drink and started on my way, passed the lovely church and

though the Radbourne Estate and into yet more muddy fields. Crossed the A516 and made another very minor error, but soon got back on track and reached checkpoint 4. Soon after this there is the horrible crossing of the A38, a busy dual carriageway with crash barriers between the carriageways.

This time I saw runners crossing a bit further down from where I had climbed over the crash barriers last time. I followed them and saw that there was a gap in the crash barriers which would save climbing over them (not something you want to be doing when you are next to the fast lane). This made it a bit easier to cross, but it is still a hairy crossing.

Then onto the village of Findhern which you approach from the north west and leave by the south east and there must be many ways of getting through the maze of little streets. I stuck to the way I went last time in order not to get lost again.

Then there is about a mile to the canal and here you can relax in terms of navigation. It was raining here last time, but this time it was sunny and not as muddy as last time and I enjoyed it. I knew it was going to be a long 3.5 miles but this time I was prepared for it. There were some interesting things to look at

Finally I got to the point where we leave the canal

and the final checkpoint. Five miles to go along cycle tracks from here to the finish. I had started to run less on the canal, I was just too tired and it was a run a bit, walk a bit routine all the way back to the finish. There was hot soup and some cake at the Race HQ, but I needed more and ventured into McDonalds, somewhere I haven't been for a very long time. I got one or two looks going in there with still some mud on me. Then back to the hotel where I cleaned myself up and treated myself to a gin and tonic

One year I would like to do this one without making any errors so maybe I will try again at some point in the future.

2016 blog