Belvoir Challenge 26m 2012

It has been a while, the middle of November was the last time I did a long race. My training since then has been poor, just one long run and that was 15m, so not great preparation for a marathon. I felt that I had to rely on my legs remembering that they had carried me round lots of marathons/ultras last year.

I have done the Belvoir Challenge twice before. In 2009 the ground was firm, but in 2010 it was a mudfest, so I wasn't sure how it would be this year (it turned out to be very firm). I like the event because of the great atmosphere, the route seems to change significantly each year and the checkpoints are usually laden with food. It is also well marked so I didn't use the map for navigation

I drove down to Grantham on Friday night after a very busy week and I was up at seven getting ready. Even so I had to park a fair way from the Race HQ in Harby village. It was good to catch up with about half a dozen runners from fetcheveryone.com who I haven't seen for a while.

I started very slowly on a flat and new section for me up to Granby. At about 10m the shorter route headed back and the 26m runners headed up towards Belvoir Castle. Down to the second checkpoint which I had visited in previous years and then the first big climb out of there. It was quite a warm day and I had overestimated how many clothes I should wear, so I was starting to feel a little uncomfortable. The third checkpoint was also familiar and then the slog to the fourth one started. I had done this section before and remembered it well. Parts of it are okay, but it is dull in places. It ends with a big climb up to the village containing the fourth and final checkpoint. It was going to be 8m from there to the finish, so I took on lots of drink and selected from the usual flapjack, scones, brownies, and sandwiches

My legs were now feeling very heavy and the last 8m contained some climbs. It also contained the rusty ladder which goes down a particularly steep bit and then a new very steep descent. Luckily it was only short. There were lots of stiles to climb over in the last 16m, somebody counted thirty and I can well believe that. There was also the odd locked gate and fence to scale.

We got to the top of the Belvoir Escarpment to be greeted by a lovely view across the Vale of Belvoir and Harby, and the finish. However, it had got a bit windy so going across the top was getting harder. The descent was lovely but there was hardly anything left in my legs, my lack of recent long distances was now revealing itself.

I was very pleased to finish, 5hr 23min, and have the free soup and fruit pudding with custard. Then the long drive home and on to the Striders Christmas party which was a great success !

2009 blog : Lisrun: Belvoir Challenge 26m 2009

2010 blog : Lisrun: Belvoir Challenge 2010

Rosedale Ultra 30m 2011

I was up at 4.30, had breakfast and headed off in the dark to Hetton-le-Hole. I got there in plenty of time (I could have slept longer !) and registered. I only knew one other runner to talk to, but there were about three or four familiar faces. There were three distances available 40m, 30m and 13m setting off at half hour intervals. My start was at 8.00 and the mist had not burned off so we set off over the moor with about 75 yards visibility. We hit a small road and followed that to the top of Chimney Bank above Rosedale. There we turned north along the old railway line. Although we were gently climbing all the way, I felt good and it all seemed to be going well. The first checkpoint was at 7m and they only had water as advertised. The sun then came out for a short while and we could see down onto the mist in the valley. Then we were suddenly back in the mist with visibility down to 50 yards and it started to get chilly. We followed the railway line all the way round the head of the valley, but at times the line was just a bog so we ran alongside or up embankments. We came down one of these and it was a bit muddy. I was running in my Hoka's and I had suspected they weren't good in very wet mud. This was confirmed as my feet went from under me and I landed in the mud Three more falls were to come.

After a while we pulled up a large hill, crossed a road and then turned a sharp right into a very tough 2.5m section, which felt much much longer. It was basically a bog initially, then it turned into a mud bath. You would put your foot down and have very little idea how far it would go in - sometimes it would be up my calf, a couple of times it was over my knee. I know I had the wrong shoes on, but even my mudclaws wouldn't have coped with that, however they would have given me more confidence. I was so pleased when that bit was over and the second checkpoint at the end of it was well stocked with food and tea - sadly the remaining ones were just people in cars and large cartons of water on the verge.

We went into Dalby Forest where we were on good trails most of the time. While there some faster runners on the 30m route came by. They had apparently made a major navigational error and added 7m. Out of the forest and back to the moors before the major climb out of Rosedale and up Chimney Bank via a muddy trail. Then it was a lovely run down to Lastingham and then 2m back to Hetton-le-Hole, where a meal was provided. There were 26 runners doing the 30m race and I asked what position I was in when I came in. I had been passing runners, but I was astonished that I was 8th in a time of 6hr 38min What had happened was that a large number of the faster runners had added 7m to their run, which had promoted me way beyond my usual position. A tough run, but an enjoyable one and it will be my last marathon/ultra for 2011.

Shillington Shuffle 2011

Day 3 of the running weekend. This was a lovely event, great route, very clear route description (it wasn't marked), free tea and biscuits to start, cakes and biscuits at the first checkpoint, sandwiches and more at the remaining three checkpoints and a basic meal at the finish. All for £5, I love LDWA events

You could start any time between 8 and 9.30, but the first checkpoint (7m) didn't open until 10.00. Christina (who was accompanying me to the first checkpoint) and I started at 8.17. The first 7m were hilly and we kept an eye on the time, though not because we wanted to go faster, we wanted not to go too fast as we didn't want to cover the first 7m in less than 1hr 43. So we walked some flat bits in order to time it right. Never done that before so early in a run. We got it right and then Christina headed back a different way.

The route description was very good, although there were times when I got together with other runners to figure out which way to go. At one point the route description said something like 'carry on ahead passing three benches until you come to a cross track when you turn left to cross a bridge'. We came across a bridge with a path coming in from the right with a bridge and a bench. We got together and someone asked 'Who has been counting benches?' Lol, of course nobody had, but we made the right decision. The first half was fairly hilly but the second half was flat, but it crossed many fields and one field had no discernible path at all, we just waded through a muddy field of cabbages (or something similar) and I picked up loads of mud on my new shoes, which made them feel twice as heavy. Because you had to concentrate on which way to go all the time, the miles passed very quickly.

It was great to see so many people I knew at this event, it feels like there is this band of people who travel the country doing marathons and there will always be someone you know at any event. I managed to get back in about 5hr 52min and I was pleased with that

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/88NNwsraW34soEUJ6

Enigma Poppy Day marathon 2011

A marathon on a Friday? Well why not, it was the 11th day of the 11th month of 2011. Naturally, the race started at 11:11. At 11 there was a two minute silence after a moving speech by one of the competitors who was a current member of the Armed Forces. There were about 60 runners some of whom started early and I didn't get to see, but there were lots of people I had met at other marathons and ultras.

As this is to be a busy running weekend, the plan was to take it easy and I started off a little quick, but I slowed as the race went on. I had done this seven lap course twice before this year, but I didn't find it dull, though it was relief to go through half way. The weather was cloudy and mild, with only a very slight breeze.

About halfway round lap 6, I realised that a sub 4.30 was on. There have only been three of these this year, so I went on and started to push a bit harder on the final lap. I did the last half of the last lap with another runner and we worked together and came in together with 4hr 29min 4sec.

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/bnneuVbMFb2z9bw6A

Newcastle Town Moor marathon 2011

The first time I did this race, the weather was wild, windy and cold. Last year was wet and cold. This year they moved the race from late November to the end of October and the conditions were almost perfect, mild, only a little wind and dry. In 2009 I didn't enjoy it all, the laps just depressed me. I enjoyed it much more last year as I got more into the social side waving to other runners, appreciating the marshalls. This year the laps weren't an issue at all, I think doing a track marathon earlier in the year has made feel that five laps isn't many at all.... 

The marshalls, who were all so encouraging, were pretty much the same as in the previous two years and they were in the same place on the moor. Many of them had food, jelly babies and drinks as well which supplemented the two drinks stations per lap. Flip applied to be a marshall, went through a rigorous interview, specialised training and a probation period (in other words he volunteered) and took up a position on the moor. Apparently he danced and sang to some runners, but I missed out on that for some reason...

I decided to dig out my annual plan for this race which is run each lap quicker than the previous lap. At least this year it lasted more than one lap, usually I go way too fast in the first lap and that is the end of the plan. I was aiming for 54min laps which have brought be in on 4hr 30. Lap 1 was 55min 21 which wasn't too bad. I ran with two clubmates right at the back just in front of two St John Ambulance cyclists who seemed poised to swoop like vultures watching their prey. 

Soon after the start of lap 2 one of my clubmates said the pace was too fast so I went on ahead at what I thought was the same pace. I was disappointed to find that it was a slower lap than the first lap, but not by very much. But at least the plan had remained a possibility until the end of lap 2.

Plan B was adapted which was just to run the rest at a steady pace and that seemed to work. Lap 3 was fine as I passed halfway (in 2hr 18). Lap 4 was mentally the hardest. Lap 5 wasn't too bad though I walked up the one hill as I knew by then it would make little difference to my time. I came in with 4hr 38min 31sec and had overtaken 22 other runners from the end of lap 1 when I was last.

The one thing that lifted me every lap was Fetchpoint. They were amazing, waving pompoms, offering food, drink and shouting loudly  Thank you

It was also great to have so many runners that I knew doing this race and to meet some Fetchie runners I hadn't met before

A great day out  

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/bnneuVbMFb2z9bw6A

Abingdon marathon 2011

I had heard a lot of positive things about this event. It turned out to be well organised, almost completely flat, the running conditions were great (overcast and no wind) and there were supportive marshalls. There was also lots of people I knew from the fetcheveryone.com, they formed over 10% of the entrants. It would have been a great course to go for a fast time, but there was no way that I was in any shape to do this, this was my seventh marathon in less than a month. The aim had to be just to get round.

The course was roughly a figure 8 with the bottom loop covered twice. I found the top part the more scenic, but sadly we only covered that once. There was a bit of an incline on the bottom loop but it was eased by someone who had done some pavement writing in chalk. It listed some famous runners in Tour de France style and encouraging phrases. Some fetchies who weren't running had come quite a way to form a Fetchpoint, a support point for those running from fetcheveryone.com. It was in the bottom half of the course, so the runners passed it twice. I was counting down the miles to the Fetchpoint as I needed all the support I could get. They were noisy and supportive and kept me going.

I had started at ten minute mile pace and I managed to keep that up until mile 15, when I started to slow. I was hoping for a kick of energy at 17m like last week, but nothing happened. It did finally come, but not until 24.5m, a bit late, but I did enjoy the last 1.7m! 4hr 34min 32sec in total.

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/N7nEQ4i5xtqtFoWd6

I had started at ten minute mile pace and I managed to keep that up until mile 15, when I started to slow. I was hoping for a kick of energy at 17m like last week, but nothing happened. It did finally come, but not until 24.5m, a bit late, but I did enjoy the last 1.7m! 4hr 34min 32sec in total.

Kielder marathon 2011

Well that went much better than I had hoped 

Saturday morning I helped out with Durham parkrun handing out tokens. 148 runners, so a good turnout with some students who are now back. Good to see Hamsterboy get a new pb 

Then it was off to Cramlington for the Harrier League cross country. Cross country is popular in my club and there is a great atmosphere at these events. There was an excellent turnout with quite a few new members there. The route was great and the conditions underfoot were perfect for me, soft and not too muddy. I took it easy the first couple of laps, but I couln't resist speeding up in the last half of the final lap. I did wonder how this would affect Kielder the next day....

The next day dawned and I got to Kielder early and at the start met up with other clubmates and Fetchies. It was drizzling constantly and the wind was strong so everybody was huddling inside the marquee. For the second year running the race was delayed by fifteen minutes as people struggled to get to the start from the car parks (there were shuttle buses). I don't know what the problem was the arrangements seemed better this year than last year.

My preparation had been five marathons in the previous two and half weeks and the cross country the day before so I had very low expectations of how this would go. I know the course well having completed four marathons there and I knew it was a challenging route. I started at the back and took it easy, but still a bit too fast. Once at the end of the reservoir, 7m, the bigger hills kicked in and we headed back to the dam at the other end of the reservoir. 

There were signs saying how far it was to the dam and it didn't seem that far. However we weren't even half way yet, so I tried not to think it was nearly over. I was walking up most of the uphills and plodding along the rare flat, but I did notice I was running well downhill and overtaking a few. Half way past in 2hr 20min and I was thinking the second half will be slower, we have to cross the dam into the wind and the approach to Bull Crag peninsula will be into the wind as will be the second half of the peninsula, you will slow down, so its looking like over 5hr.

I continued at the same sort of pace until 17m which was shortly before the dam. As I turned onto the dam the wind was nowhere near as bad as I had expected. In front of me were lots of runners walking and I felt very good so I speeded up and I was surprised at how much energy I had. The only thing I think I was doing differently was eating more shot blocks. So my amazement I found I could continue at that pace. I was still walking the steep inclines, but I seemed to fly downhill when everybody around me was hobbling or taking it very easy. I caught and left behind people who had passed me in the first half and continued like that to the end. I have never felt so strong in the last 9m of a marathon before, very strange, I don't really understand it. During those 9m, a little voice sometimes whispered the word 'Abingdon', but that was dismissed and I ran on, this felt too good to resist.

I had a good chat with friends and clubmates at the end. We were also approached by someone from Galloway Harriers who said how much he liked our club website and how well I and dillthedog wrote our race reports. That was unexpected and nice to hear 

It has been a great week, the new job is going well and to end it a lovely weekend 

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/fQYGedAYHJ9kbR7M7