Saturn Running Save the Rhino marathon March 2024

 

This is a handy event for me to keep up my endurance. It starts just over a mile from where I live so getting there and home afterwards is not a problem. Sabrina is training for the London marathon and we talked about running together for four laps (it is six for a marathon) but she then decided to go for five laps. It is so much easier running with someone else as this is a very familiar area for both of us.

Here we are waiting for the start:

This is the start/finish area from the other side of the river with the cathedral and castle in the distance.

The weather was very mild, a little bit of wind and occasionally light drizzle, so pretty perfect for running.

I wasn't aware of the official photographer in these two photographs:

After lap four I changed my top to help me think it was a fresh start. We had run all of the first three laps and we started to walk the odd stretch on the fourth lap.

It was great having Sabrina's company but she stopped after lap 5 - she could easily have done another lap but wanted her first marathon to be London. 

Without company I slowed even more on the final lap and I was happy to finish 😀

2023 blog

Golden Fleece Circuit 2024

It is eleven years since we first came down to South Cave (to the west of Hull) to do this event. I have been back six further times, so as you can gather, I enjoy it. It now sells out within a few hours of opening so there many other people who feel the same way. 

Melanie didn't run this event but she dropped me off and picked me up at the end so that was very helpful as parking is not always easy.

The tally card was the same as always, but this year not all checkpoints were asking for my number and the final self clip had and orienteering flag but no clipper !

The start was in the courtyard of the church in South Cave and they took the runners further forward which was a good idea. 

The route was back to the old one where we had to run further through the village. Last year's route had a bottleneck too early which caused big queues. The gate at Everthorpe was open so no queues there either. Then on to North Cave

Past the gatehouse at Hotham Park

After this my waterproof came off, I was too warm. It had been raining when I arrived at the start and the forecast was showers all day. We then ran through Hotham to the first checkpoint which just had water.

Then onto the fields, it was all very flat in this early section

Then after a muddy section in the woods we came to the North Newbald checkpoint which is always well stocked. Last year when I had asked about vegan food none of the checkpoints had any. This year they did and I had a slice of the  loveliest home made flapjack I have ever had !

The short and the long route split at this checkpoint and on the long route it was much quieter. We also had more typical Wolds countryside and hills.

The breeze from the east  was starting to pick up at this point and we were heading east so it was a little harder. Also I could not hear the birds which is one of the things I like about this event at this time of year.

I reached the Newbald Lodge checkpoint and had a sticky brownie this time ! Then onwards around fields still heading east. The rain started and I faffed around trying to get my waterproof on again - this took way too long.

After fourteen miles we turned south and it felt like the wind direction had changed to the south a little. The field paths were becoming muddier. I was beginning to regret going for Hoka Speedgoats and wished I had chosen shoes with a bit more grip.

At the Walkington checkpoint I went for a vegan bakewell tart ! To have so much choice was amazing !

On to the remains of Risby village

and after this the mud really got challenging. I was like Bambi on ice

I made it to Skidby. At this checkpoint I went back to the lovely homemade flapjack. Here the route turns west and back to South Cave. There is a long tarmac section which I usually dread, but it felt much easier with the wind behind us. 

At the last checkpoint I had nothing to eat, I felt I had had enough food already ! A muddy drag to above Brantingham where there is a lovely view of the Humber estuary.

Looking down on Brantingham

and the lovely church

I was feeling pretty good at this point and running well. However, I seemed to be slower than in previous years. After Brantingham church are a couple of more serious hills.

Then a steep descent into South Cave and on this path through the fields

Finally at the finish and vegan stew ! The entry fee was only twenty pounds which is amazing !

The usual 'goodies' at the end.

2023 blog

Scarborough Rock 2024

I have been meaning to do this event for a few years. It only runs every other year and in 2022 when I had a place, it was cancelled. 

The start is at the lovely Scalby Parish Hall and I bumped into a few people I know from other races.

As is typical with Long Distance Walking Association (LDWA) events, you can get refreshments before the start. I can't recall seeing the ability of make your own marmalade on toast before.

All participants have been given a route description (see first page below) and a gpx file which I had uploaded to my watch and OSmaps on my phone. Although I didn't use the route description it was useful to look at it before the event to work out where the seven checkpoints and four self clips were located.

The start was the most laid back I think I have every seen. Walkers could leave anytime after 7.45 (giving their start time to a marshall). Runners had a mass start at 8.30. When I got to the start area just before 8.30 there were runners setting off individually or in small groups, so off I went. Basically we were heading for the North Bay promenade and we had a good view of the Castle as we headed down to the promenade and past the beach huts.

Then it was first of many climbs (at least 2500 ft of ascent in this event) heading to St. Mary's church. Here was the first checkpoint where they were just taking tally numbers.

Out of the churchyard through an arch and a steep downhill to the South Bay.

Then another steep climb to the Esplanade and here the view looking back to the Castle

Some more road running before a steep zig zag path up to Oliver's Mount where there was a beautiful view.

A lovely road descent to the Mere where the second self clip was located.

Another climb through a caravan site with another lovely view.

After another steep climb through woods and we were out of Scarborough. Into the countryside and past close to the GCHQ site.

Several miles later after some lovely running through woods, this is a typical checkpoint with the volunteers doing an excellent job.

At this point I was still catching walkers and there were plenty of people around. We worked out way down to the Cut and on to the Tabular Hills Way. Shortly after this the 16 mile and the 26 mile routes diverged. The 26 mile route was very much quieter and from now on I had to focus a lot more on navigation.

After more ups and downs we approached the lovely Forge Valley and through Hackness.

More climbs and navigation was very important (at some other points there was tape or signs which helped but in this area but nothing in this area). I worked my way to the Broxa checkpoint and they had vegan food 😀 I hadn't asked at the previous checkpoints as they were quite busy and I was carrying my own food anyway.

Leaving the Broxa checkpoint we had to cross a muddy ploughed field. The mud was pretty bad and I left the field with my shoes feeling twice as heavy. Down through the woods and then came across this sign which made me a little concerned...

Then more woods and a bit of a chat with other runners about which way to go. At about 20 miles my phone battery died. Luckily I had a power bank with me so I was able to continue to access the route on my phone. We left the last section of woods and headed across some fields.

Finally we ended up on an old railway line to the east of Burniston and followed that for 1.5 miles before ending up back in Scalby and back to the Parish Hall. We had to take our shoes off before entering the Hall and having our time recorded. It was quite funny seeing runners struggling to get their tightly tied shoes off in a hurry !

There was a two course meal at the end (but sadly all the vegan food had been eaten by the 16 mile competitors). We were given a certificate and a badge - this event only cost 15 pounds, amazing value.

I loved this event, the scenery was lovely, the weather was dry (apart from some very light drizzle for a few minutes) and I was able to run the last few miles (that hasn't happened for a while). If you get the chance to run this in 2026 I would recommend it 😀

Tower to Castle Ultra 30 September 2023

 An inaugural 30 mile race from Blackpool Tower to Lancaster Castle. Two buses were provided to transport runners back to Blackpool at the end, but I don't know how this worked out in relationship to the difficulties at the ferry. Yes, there was a ferry crossing, which I have never encountered in a marathon or ultramarathon before ! Another attraction was running largely in a new area for me.

Melanie dropped me off at the famous tower

as registration was outside next to the Comedy Carpet

near the North Pier

The weather was good, a slight breeze from the south, ideal. Light rain was forecast from 11 with heavy rain later in the afternoon, but I was hoping to be close to the finish by then.

We ran above the promenade. This was a stretch I had done before on my one and only sub-4hr marathon back in 2009. My memories are the tough undulations in the last three miles, but running them in this race, they were really nothing at all. But I guess there is a difference between the last three miles of a marathon when you don't want to blow a possible PB and the first three miles of an ultramarathon.

I was just taking this stretch very easy as I knew there was going to be the ferry coming in just over nine miles.

We passed various illuminations

and the Rossall Point Look Out Building near Fleetwood

and shortly after we reached the checkpoint at the ferry terminal, where there was quite a queue for the ferry (which seemed to only hold about 30 passengers). It was operating non-stop but it was taking about fifteen minutes to do a round trip. It meant a forty minute wait from arriving at one side to starting to run at the other side (the crossing itself was only about five minutes).

Then we had a section on a breakwater close to the sea and some quiet roads before finally some trail after about 12 miles.

The route was very well signposted.

There were three checkpoints each with their own cut off which I made even after the delay at the ferry. I think they did extend the cut offs in light of the ferry difficulties.

We passed a brewery who were offering alcoholic and non-alcoholic beer, which I was tempted to take but resisted.

Once I had gone through the final checkpoint I knew I had loads of time to get to the finish so I slowed down and at 24 miles I basically walked the rest of the way.

At Glasson, about six miles from the end, we started on an old railway line which took us all the way to the river bridges at Lancaster.

This bridge has memories for me - I did the Trimpell 20 mile race in 2008 with Susan and I did my fastest ever 20 miles there !

From there it was the climb up to the castle and the finish

Nice hoody and medal at the end and when I got back to the van and Melanie, the rain came down in quite a downpour, so I was pleased I had finished by then. 

Many thanks to Melanie dropping me off and picking me up and also congratulations to her for her 75th different parkrun at Lytham Hall !