Durham Dales Challenge 30m 2016

I like this event, it is very low key. The food at the checkpoints is probably the best ones of any local event. I can't understand why it isn't as popular as the Swaledale 'marathon', which fills very quickly. The Durham Dales usually has places available on the day, but this year it was full for the first time that I can remember. The start and finish were also a bit different this year and there were were three other small variations to the route.

I parked in the Demesne Mill Picnic Area where there were ducks waiting to be fed

and walked across the field towards the Parish Church to register in the hall behind. They use to use the secondary school which had lots of parking, but this year we were parking in various place around Wolsingham.

Last year I was recovering from injury so I did the 16m route, but this year I was down to do the 30m route which I haven't done since 2013.

I started possibly a little too quickly, although that sounds like I sped off, but it was more of a small increase to my normal speed (slow) on these events. I had had a cold for most of the previous week and I should have preserved what energy I had.

We climbed up to escarpment but instead of using the road we went along the Weardale Way, which was much more pleasant. There were some nice views down the valley as we climbed upwards.

Soon after we reached the top the two routes went their separate ways. I soon caught up the Quakers team that I often see on these events and we ran together over the moors, crossing streams

and through Hamsterley Forest. The first manned checkpoint was there and there was a good selection of savory and sweet food to choose from. The flies were a bit of a nuisance in the forest, but once out on the moors again, they dispersed.

I had left the Quaker Team behind as one of them had an injury which was slowing them down.

 We came down into the valley of River Tees.

 and the route followed the river for a a while

before heading away and through some lovely buttercup meadows

The Middleton-in-Teesdale checkpoint was amazing as ever, the food was just incredible. It started to rain slightly as I went through the town, but it wasn't heavy at this point. There is two mile or so road section here, which then goes through an old quarry and into old mining areas. There is quite a bit of ascent and descent in the route, but nothing too serious.

I reached the second last checkpoint and stocked up on more wonderful food - quiche, cake and flapjack.

At this point I was aware that my hamstring felt a bit sore. I have a leg of the club charity relay next week and the 40m Lyke Wake Challenge a week after that, so I thought I should be sensible and walk the remaining 8 miles or so - I didn't want to make it worse. I was also feeling that I was very low on energy, so walking seemed to be the best thing to do.

The weather got a little worse with heavy showers coming in, but nothing too bad. I came across some 16m walkers who were unsure of the way and hopefully guided them in the right direction.

As usual there was a meal at the finish - vegetable casserole or vegetable curry followed by sweet. If I can make the event next year I will be coming back.

2013 blog

Hardmoors Rosedale marathon 2016

I have done this one a couple of times, but not for a couple of years. I was looking forward to doing the route again as part of the route (Blowarth Crossing to the Lion Inn) is on the Lyke Wake Challenge route and I thought it might be useful to remind myself of that section.

But the organisers, Jon and Shirley, had a nightmare when they were told on the Thursday before race day that the nesting birds would be disturbed if an event took place on the high moors. They had to come up with new routes for the 10K, the half and full marathons. They did an amazing job getting it all in place.

The new routes were all within Farndale and the marathon was roughly two laps of the half marathon course. Melanie and I visited Farndale when the daffodils were blooming in 2015 and as it turned out we covered most of the route that was devised. But that wasn't a problem, I was looking forward to seeing Farndale again.

The route itself was roughly a figure eight with the middle junction of the two circles extended into about a two mile section. Also there was a spike on top of the top circle, which has a 1.5m out and back section from Low Mill to High Mill and back (which we had to do on both laps). We started from the bottom of the figures eight and proceeded up the west side of the lower circle. Then the two mile section, then the west side of the upper circle, the out and back, the east side of the upper section, the two mile section then the east side of the lower circle. The race started and ended in Hutton-le-Hole, one of the prettiest villages in the North York Moors. At the end of the first lap we didn't go back to the Village Hall, just to the edge of the village. Knowing that the finish at that point was so close, it was so tempting just to say that's enough, lets finish. Especially as the first lap had been hard in the muggy weather. The distance for the two laps was just about 28m and the route had 1K of ascent more than the original route, so about 2400 feet in total.

The marathon started an hour late as Jon had to show the marshalls where they would now be stationed. At many events runners would be upset by this, but Hardmoors events are different, everybody understood the pressure Jon and Shirley had been under to keep the event on. I didn't hear anybody complaining or moaning about it. Everybody seemed to use it as an opportunity to have a chat, I was a bit like what happens when a train breaks down, all sorts of conversations start up.

The briefing for the marathon was held in the Village Hall and the half marathon runners were asked to wait outside to create a space for all the marathon runners.

Thanks to Chris Rice for this photo

After the briefing we started to file out to line up for the start outside on the road. Or so I thought. As I got to the door I could hear the half marathon runners clapping us and I thought that was nice of them. I got out of the door and realised they were applauding because the race had started and the people who had left before me were disappearing up the road !

Thanks to Chris Haswell for this one.

Thanks to Ann Brown for this one.

The route very quickly goes off road and through three kissing gates, following the Tabular Hills path for a short distance. The kissing gates always causes a queue and this year was no different. After that it widens out and we get our first glimpse of the hills and valleys we would be visiting.

The route goes across fields, small bridges, short sections of quiet roads, woods, streams and a very small section of moor. It was beautiful but hilly and muddy in places. I was pleased I had changed my mind about wearing Hokas and replaced them by Inov-8s which had a bit more grip.

I reached the two mile section which we were to do twice in each direction. It was a bit overgrown in places but very scenic. We then turned west to descend to the valley and then we climbed steeply out of the valley. The climb was made a bit easier by passing through some lovely buttercup meadows.

We then had about a mile on a quiet road down to Low Mill. Again there were some lovely views

Low Mill was the start of the out and back which was along a meandering, very good quality path which in daffodil season is packed. There are also lots and lots of gates. The faster half marathon runners had caught me at the start of the two mile section and they were now streaming past. One of the advantages of an out and back is that you see lots of people and it was great to exchange greeting with everyone. 

The east side of the upper circle was mainly uphill on road and then it was down to the two mile section. The east side of the low circle was mainly familiar from 2015, although there was another long climb on tarmac before we headed back downhill to Hutton-le-Hole. The dreaded decision point of going back to the finish or going round again was passed. I just told myself it won't seem too tough a second time and that time wasn't an issue. I had done the first half in 3hr 7mins and there was no danger of not making the cut off - 8hrs.

I talked to other runners and enjoyed being out in lovely countryside. I knew the sections to run on and which to walk and preserve energy. Even the out and back which I had not been looking forward to seemed to pass quickly. I felt in much better shape than last week at Coniston and I finished with some energy left. Total time was round about 6hr 30min, so the second lap was slower, but that was fine.

I came into the Village Hall and Sarah, who was doing the results, said I had won the V60 age category ! This is the fourth time I have done this at a Hardmoors marathon. There aren't many V60 competitors (there might not have been any others in this one) who do these events, but it is nice to get a trophy. 

Thanks to Phil for the photo.

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.