Valleys and Views 26m 2014

After running the inaugural Hartlepool parkrun on Saturday, we then drove down to Stamford, a place neither of us had been to before. What a lovely place. We wondered around, drank coffee, ate a meal and just relaxed. Definitely worth a visit.

Then on to Corby to spend the night before the main event of the weekend, the Valleys and Views, an LDWA event. This had three different distances and we had opted for the 26m route. This event was a little unusual because there was no route description issued before the event and no map available either. So we had no idea where we would be going. On arrival at registration at Wilbarston Village Hall, we received a route description and there was a map on the wall with the route marked. We marked up our map (which we hardly used) and waited for the start (runners weren't supposed to start until 10). However, we found out that the reason for runners not starting until 10 was to ensure that the checkpoints would all be open for the runners. As we wouldn't be running fast, we set off at 9.20 roughly - our starting time was recorded and off we went on our own. A lovely way to start.

The course wasn't marked at all and we largely navigated using the excellent route description. It was a very undulating route, almost all off road. Sometimes the path was indistinct and sometimes it went straight through fields of crops. One particular field was full of oil seed rape about a metre and half high. As we approached it we could see the bobbing heads of runners in a mass of yellow. Quite a bizarre sight. We assumed there must be a wide path, but it turned out to be very narrow and you almost had to brush aside the rape to get through. Melanie loved this section.

There were three checkpoints. The event details said there would be basic refreshments, but there was more food than we expected. Also each checkpoint had lollipops which Melanie could not resist (this was definitely an event in which to discover your inner child)

It took us a bit over 3 hours to get to halfway, but we speeded up in the second half and finished with 5hr 48min. Often you get a meal at the end of LDWA events, but this time we had to pay extra for food. The entry fee for this event was only £4 so this seemed more than reasonable ! Egg on toast was available for £1. The bar in the village hall at the end was also open which was a bonus. There were a few people I knew from the marathon circuit running this event and it was good to chat

A lovely run and well worth the drive down from Durham.

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/M3ZMHoXBXDS7Y9sc8

Hardmoors Wainstone marathon 2014 - my 100th

It was great to see so many Striders at Chop Gate on Sunday for this event. The weather turned out to be better than forecast with only a couple of light showers while Melanie and I were out there. Without a doubt, this was one of my toughest marathons. The first twenty five yards from the village hall were flat, then it was straight into one of the steepest climbs on the route. It took us 23min to cover the first mile. The first half was very tough, with six biggish hills. At halfway it felt like we had run a marathon already. The second half was a little easier, two biggish hills and two long drags upwards. The drags would have been runnable if our legs had not been so trashed from that first half.
 

There was some great performances, particularly Paul coming in third overall having started near the back with the rest of the Striders. Jules and David were next in, followed by Andrew Thompson (who has hardly run at all in the last four months). Then Melanie (completing her 25th marathon in less than two years !) and myself (gaining my age category prize as there was no other v60s running). Then Sue showing her usual determination and grit. George and Anne came down to watch and Phil was marshalling and Anna was helping with registration and giving out the medals. Anita and Mark did the 10k although they arrived after we had started and finished hours before we got back.

People had gone to a lot of trouble to acknowledge that it was my 100th marathon and I was very touched. Somebody had put notices around the village hall, it was acknowledged at the briefing and I was given race number 100. Somebody also arranged a card and got people to sign it. It was all a bit overwhelming.

Running wasn't a major part of my life until 2003. When I joined the club in 2005, I was of the mindset that at the age of 54, I was too old to contemplate running a marathon. However, I soon realised there were members of the club who were older than me and running marathons. I also started to learn more about running marathons through the running website fetcheveryone.com where I record my training and races and have met many of my running friends.

I heard stories of the London marathon but as I had completed the Great North Run many times, the thought of a crowded race in a city did not appeal. Then a club member, Colin Blackburn I think, sent round an email about a marathon that was being revived, the Windermere marathon. I think this was in October or November 2006. The thought of running round a lake was much more appealing and May 2007 seemed a long way away, so I entered. May 2007 came round and I was on the start line having completed a training plan ! It all went amazingly well until 22 miles when I started to struggle, but I made it to the finish. My children were there to watch and I uttered the words 'Never again'. I saw a few people with 100 marathon club tee shirts at that race and could hardly believe anybody could run that many marathons.

I didn't run any more marathons in 2007, but once 2008 dawned I forgot the pain of the training and those last 4 miles and entered Windermere again, plus one or two other marathons. I also got a last minute place in London with ten days notice. And since then, it built up to 2011 when I did 30 marathons or ultras. I have cut back a bit since 2011.

I aim to keep running marathons and short ultras. Achieving 100 marathons to me is just passing a milestone by the side of the road, I want to keep running long distance events - I enjoy them, they keep me fit and I don't have to train for the events if I do them regularly. I am a poor trainer. I probably won't get great times doing it that way, but I am not motivated by obtaining personal best times. I have done one sub-4 marathon (Blackpool) and I am happy with that. Our next marathon is in less than three weeks and we have a double planned for May, so there is lots to look forward to !

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/pf5SuGjdGnFSzhve9

NEMC Handicap marathon 2014

The North East marathon club specialises in cheap marathons. When they were being formed about five years ago, there were no marathons in the North East. There are now plenty of marathons in the area, but the club survives as its prices are low for its no frills events.

George Routledge

The cost of entry to the club itself is just £8 and included in that is a discount for entry into the club's races and today's marathon was for members only and was free to enter. There was also a free buffet afterwards and all finishers received a medal. A bargain !

Today's route took us from the South end of South Shield's promenade and up onto the Leas (familiar to many people as that is the finish area for the GNR). The route followed the coastal path past Marsden Grotto and Souter lighthouse to a car park where there were drinks. A slightly different way back across the Leas and back to the start, where there were more drinks and bit of food. Repeat another three times.

I was expecting it to be pretty flat as I have run round there before in events such as Pier to Pier and the South Shields parkrun, but on shorter races you don't notice the undulations. Melanie and I were fine with them on the first two laps, but I noticed them more on the third lap and I was very aware of them on the final lap !

The weather wasn't great, fairly thick fog which never lifted. It was also pretty cold as Phil Owen found when he came to give us some support - thanks Phil !

I tried out some baby food in sachets as a new approach to fuelling. Not a success, I felt a bit sick after the second one. Melanie also didn't like them.

A small field, but everyone was very friendly and waved as they went by. The route wasn't marked, though we had written instructions, but many people weren't looking at these and managed to go wrong. We made one minor error on the first lap, but we still ran more than marathon distance.

Melanie did well on her first marathon since her stress fracture on 1 January and as she was feeling fresher than I was, she went on ahead on the final lap and came in with 4h 33min. I did 4h 51min.

Shame about the weather, it would have been great to have seen more. This was my 99th marathon, which is hard to get my head round. My 100th and Melanie's 25th will be next Sunday at the Hardmoors Wainstones event.

There will be more than just gentle undulations at that one ...

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/9cpGxUM5d1T3XSDr6

Golden Fleece 27.5m 2014

Melanie and I did this one last year and quite enjoyed it. I say 'quite' because there seemed to be a few long straights which I usually find a bit dull. However, apart from that, it was an enjoyable day out. Typical LDWA event, lots of friendly people, cheap, lots of food at the checkpoints and a basic meal at the end.

Last year I struggled a bit, I think I was just tired. I also didn't know the route and the last two or three miles surprised me (it surprised a friend this year and he has described it as like going through a portal to Switzerland!). This year, I was going to be on my own as Melanie didn't want to risk her recovery by doing too much too soon. Also my longest run since the Hardmoors 30 on 1 Jan was 15m, so with both of these things, I expected to struggle again.

It started cold and misty, but villages, attractive churches and checkpoints appeared regularly. 

There was no pain in my calf, so all was good. I managed to rescue about eight people who missed a turn and ran and chatted with them to the next checkpoint where the 17m route parted from the 27.5m route. They all went off on the 17m route and suddenly there were very few people about. In the mist this was a bit eerie, but after about two and half hours the sun had burnt off the mist and it started to warm up.

I was remembering the route well and I was enjoying it, the long straights didn't seem as long as I thought they might be. There was hardly any mud. I was walking the long uphill stretches but that had been the plan all along, I didn't want to risk doing any damage to the calf and I was after time on my feet.

Switzerland arrived and went by without too much difficulty and I was soon back in the village hall. Nowhere near as exhausted as I had been last year and much to my surprise, only a minute slower.

A lovely way to spend half a day !

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/6aRnNo3UeDpVjLg2A

Hardmoors 30 2014

I have done this route four times, three times as the Hardmoors 30 and once as the Hardmoors Princess Challenge. The Princess Challenge was run in September and I enjoyed it much more than the January version - the weather was better and there was no mud.

The route is not all mud by any means. There is a fairly flat four miles (apart from a steep descent at the end) south along the Cleveland Way followed by another four miles back to the start at Ravenscar along an old railway line. However most of that is uphill which has a draining effect. But this section has only a little mud.

From Ravenscar, you then join the mud free railway line on a mainly downhill stretch to Robin Hood's Bay, then still on the railway line a climb upwards before a lovely descent into Whitby. Then you navigate your way through the crowds at Whitby, up the steps to the abbey, join the Cleveland Way and follow this all the way back to Robin Hood's Bay and then onto Ravenscar.

It feels like a race of two halves, the first 20m to Whitby is a bit testing but nothing too serious. I usually go past the Abbey at about the four hour point. Then the difficult bit starts. The Cleveland Way undulates a lot as it follows the edge of the cliffs and in the January version there is lots of mud. This usually has an awful effect on my race time, it has often taken three and a quarter hours to cover the last 10m. I managed to shave almost 30 minutes off that in September.

Yesterday, surprisingly the mud felt different from previous years. It seemed it was more of the liquid variety and fairly hard underneath, so it was possible to make reasonable progress through it.

What made yesterday so hard was the weather. The forecast was that the wind would pick up and it would rain heavily from about 1. This started as we approached Whitby, but the wind was behind us and we were sheltered so it didn't seem so bad.

However, once we got to Abbey and were on to the cliffs, we realised how hard it was going to be. The wind was very strong and directly into our faces. The rain was stinging our faces, so it was hoods up, head down and battle onwards. Not a lot of running happened on the stretch to Robin Hood's Bay. As we got close to RHB the wind seemed to increase and there was one bit where it was particularly bad. Melanie was attempting to shelter behind me to get a break from the wind when we crested an undulation and felt the full power of the wind. I grabbed a nearby fence pole and attempted to get traction through the mud. It was hard I wasn't making much progress. I turned around to check on M and she had been blown about twenty yards backwards ! I went back for her and made her hang on to me as we made our way from fence post to fence post. Flanker and KinkyS who were just catching us at this point had similar issues and another runner had to get on all fours apparently. I am not sure what geographical features led to that point being so bad, but it didn't feel like a gust of which we had had plenty.

We got to the RHB's bay checkpoint and were told we were going back via the railway line rather than the cliffs. As we were seriously cold (in spite of a waterproof and two layers) this was a relief and we warmed up as we made our way to the finish and warmth and food In 2011 after finishing I said never again. After the 2013 race Melanie and I certainly said 'Never again' and we have done so again since finishing yesterday, so will we back next year ? Who knows ...

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/41pNsdGZ2r2P8UUV6

Hardmoors Roseberry Topping marathon 2013

This race was listed as a marathon - it turned out to be about 29m, you certainly get value for money at a Hardmoors marathon, all of them have been over the marathon distance.

The race started and ended at Guisborough in North Yorkshire. Anna was helping out at registration and as there was also a half marathon and 10k, it was busy. There was a slight delay in the start of the marathon, we set off at 8.15. An early start, but the plan was to make maximum use of daylight (cut off was 10 hours). The half marathon and the 10k were being set off a little later.

The day was dry and there was a bit of sun, but there was a strong wind. Soon after the start we were off road and climbing steeply through Guisborough Woods to reach the top of the first hill, High Cliff Nab which has wonderful views over Guisborough. On the way up we were overtaken by Jerry who was doing the half marathon and later Danny went by. We didn't see Mark and Anita Dunseith who were doing the 10k. Aaron was also doing the marathon but he was along way ahead of us and finished with a good time.

From High Cliff Nab it was across the moors to Roseberry Topping. Rather than go up the direct route to the summit, we went round to the far side and up the steep route. It certainly was steep. Flip was marshalling at the top and I am not sure how he survived in that wind. Melanie was being blown all over the place in the short time we were up there.

Then it was down a different way, before making our way back to the Cleveland Way and up little Roseberry, across the moor and down to Gribdale. Up again to Captain Cooks monument, passing two Christmas trees which were decorated with various Christmas decorations. Then off in the direction of Kildale, but then we turned north before we got to Kildale and went down into Gribdale again and then up to the moors again and back towards Guisborough Woods. When we got there we were at 12m and it felt like we had done much more than that. The paths over the moors were muddy in places and it had been mainly uphill since Gribdale.

We then turned away from the woods (and the finish) and then headed back across the moors (downhill but into the strong wind). Finally reached Commondale at 16m and we went into the public toilets. I shut the door on my toilet and as it shut I thought that is a tight fit, the door was a bit big for the frame. When I attempted to get out I unlocked it without any problem but I couldn't get it open. I couldn't get any leverage and I could see I wasn't going to get out quickly. Reluctantly I called Melanie. I say reluctantly because I knew that this was going to cause her much amusement for many years to come.  Now Melanie is slight and she is not really designed to throw her weight against a stuck toilet door. However she did manage to get it open and we were off again, although it was a while before Melanie stopped laughing ...

We headed down a valley passing through the edge of Castleton before climbing back onto the moors again. Then it was a slog back to Guisborough Woods and down to the finish. 6hr 40min, two hours longer than last week's 16 laps round Newcastle Racecourse, but much more enjoyable.

Overall a very enjoyable experience which I am sure is going to be well remembered by Melanie.

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/fd3yXsAb2WXT11oP9

Newcastle Racecourse marathon 2013

We don't train for marathons, we just keep on doing them regularly and that avoids all the tedious (to us) building up of distance. So earlier in the year we looked around at what marathons were available within a reasonable distance in December. Not a lot. However there was one which was new and very local - the Newcastle Racecourse marathon (or half or 50k). It was organised by the North East marathon club which specialises in cheap marathons. The only downside was that it was on the ambulance road alongside the racecourse and the track is only about 1.5 miles, so that meant almost sixteen laps.

It turned out that this was some downside. A real mental challenge. I have done a track marathon so I thought this would be easy in comparison, but at the moment it felt a lot worse. It didn't help that the circuit wasn't as flat as I had hoped and there was quite a wind blowing. Neither Melanie nor I have done much mileage since our last marathon five weeks ago. We also haven't done much on tarmac.

So all in all we weren't well prepared and we paid for it. The first half we did with ease in about 2hr 5min which was fine. But in lap nine we started to walk one uphill stretch into the wind. In lap ten we took two walking breaks and that continued until the final lap when I had calf problems and I walked a bit more to ensure I didn't do any more damage. 4hr 38min overall

It was a grey day and at the start of lap fourteen it started to rain so we donned waterproofs for the last two laps.

The lap counters must have had a miserable day standing out there all day, many thanks to them. There were loads of people I knew doing all three events (all started at the same time from different start points) and it was great to see Fetchies I hadn't seen for quite a while.

Once we had entered this (another plus was that the cost was in the region of £10, a bargain for a marathon and you got a t shirt and a medal) another local marathon popped up. The Hardmoors Roseberry, which is next Sunday. We have entered, we couldn't miss that. It will be totally different, some really tough climbs in the first half and then across the moors towards Commondale. It should be fun if we can move our legs by then ! Our times will be considerably worse than today, but the scenery will be fantastic 

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/qLaoMnpCxmtJevFe7