Thursday 17 September 2015

The Cumbria Way Ultra - Calm before the storm?

On Saturday I will be compeating in the Cumbria way ultra at 73 miles this is the longest ultra that I have entered and it’s kind of snuck upon me. I’m not sure how? Its been there just over the horizon but not here. But now it is here.
I haven’t had a panic about training. Having injured myself back in August I haven’t really done any, just a hotchpotch of 4 to 6 miles runs learning my new running style and the 17mile Totley Exterminator to prove I could run a distance. In lieu of piling on the Physical miles, I’ve piled in the mental ones applying Stuart Mills’s non physical training principles. Poring over the map and route notes, replaying the recce I did in May I have a Knack with remembering where I’ve been so combined with the map I have a very vivid mental picture. I have tweaked kit list and religiously checking the weather forecast watching it blossom from Sunshine & Showers code for we haven’t got a clue at this point, to an almost perfect light cloud and Sunny intervals. Plotting my timings and planning my food.  
In this week leading up to it, it has somehow felt surreal. I feel calm at the prospect, excited of course, well over excited as I always do but strangely calm and positive I know I can do it, there is a chance I won’t of course but that isn’t entering in to my mind.
Is the awe of my colleagues at running silly distances giving me a false sense of security? Or have Marc Laithwaite’s words at the L50 made me aware of my abilities or dangerously boosted my ego? I really don’t know.
Can my past experiences get me though this?  I ran the Lakeland 50 in 12:36 so I am fit. I did the Exterminator with out any pain or discomfort in a time I was happy with I appear to be fixed. I did the 65mile Oxfam Trail Trekker in 26 hour when 3 stone heavier with out running.
Although I am aware anything could happen I feel strangely confident. Do I have any right to? I’ll let you know Sunday. 

The Long Tour of Bradwell - Too Far Too Soon.....

In a fit of enthusiasm to get a running buddy, Ste on his first ultra I signed up to run The Long Tour of Bradwell with him. That would be just 2 weeks after completing the Lakeland 50 in 12:36 and off the back of cold which had only cleared properly a couple of days before the race. But having read Nick Ham’s blogs about completing this event after completing the Lakeland 100 and the more you do the more you can do type comments well Why not? I’d “Only done the 50” so I was suitably over confident. A slightly grumpy blog follows.  
Race day started early and I picked Ste up for the relatively short drive to Bradwell pointing out various bits of the long tour route on the way and realising that I have left my bottles at home bugger its hot too….. I do have 1 bottle with me fortunately. Parking up at Bradwell sports club registration was brief with a kit check consisting of signing to say you were big enough and sensible enough to look after yourself. Naturally this was followed by the usual kit faffing. As the start time approached were asked to head over to the park for the start and briefing and then a few word from the run further chap. Some how we’re inadvertently at the front as the 3, 2, 1 happens and were away Jogging up the field being over taken by the great and the good.  The first mile is relatively flat and takes you round the back of the Hope cement works to the first dibber before heading up Pin Dale, fortunately free of Motor crossers for once and then there is the steady drag round to the top of Cave Dale with the views opening up. As this is all new to Ste I’m playing tour Guide. The run down the top cave dale is always a joy before we hit the technical middle section which true to form is damp and Ste gets an introduction to wet limestone, we pick away down before were able to run the lower part. My Right ankle doesn’t feel quite right……
At the road there is a check point, bottle refilled, jelly baby? Don’t mind if I do. We head off thorough Castleton on to another steady drag up towards Hollins Cross. Ste is recognised by some runners from his local park run one of whom if the spitting image for Filch from Harry Potter and we chat with them for a while before leaving them behind on the step pull to the ridge, we head down in to Edale. While I have done this route before I hadn’t quite appreciated how little flat there was. Edale comes with bananas goes with the long climb up to Ringing Roger as we contour under the tor we catch up with Legolas to sticking with the film characters theme. This is starting to feel had work. We take a less than efficient line to the Druids stone but get there eventually and dib before meeting the Mansfield Park runners again more heather bashing back to the track and pick up the steep decent back to the valley. I’m still feeling good on the downs but rationing water on this leg is proving difficult fortunately as we tackle the climb up to Back tor we find an unofficial water stop. Which is amazing and I gulp down two pints which meant I was able to eat a flapjack, we continue up Ste despite this being his first hilly run is definitely stronger than me on the ups now. I am definitely feeling this. The top of Back tor arrives and we jog on to Losehill where the Sport Sunday Photographs are I put on a Sprint for the camera and then doubling up when just past getting a laugh from the summit crowd. I love the run off Losehill’s summit and fly down the steps and past the second photographer and down through the fields Just before the railway bridge we catch up with Sally Howarth who I’d last seen suffering by the side of Haweswater on the L50 it turns out unfortunaly she DNF’d on that one. We pick up a bit of a group as we arrive at the Hope Checkpoint to fill bottles and feast on Jelly babies and enjoying some shade. We start then stop, Ste decides to sort out some stones in his shoes and as he sits down suggests he perhaps should have done this at the check point. He’s learning. But I’m more than glad to delay the departure. The next leg though leafy lanes lead up round the bottom of Win Hill and though Aston. Ste again leaves me behind on the climb up to, as some one put it Win Hill's side parting. Here there is a bit of a surprise as the route goes off the main track and along a secret trod. I thought I knew Win Hill like the back of my hand but this is new ground. We cross Parkin Clough I am back on familiar territory again and we run down to Ladybower chasing Sally again. We drop down to the Touchstone trail and just about muster a jog but end up walking a bit too much. We are caught by the Mansfield park runners at the next check point and leave in a big group. We cross the fields to Bamford Mill its stifling hot My cap gets a dunk in the mill pond before showing the group the way through the back streets of Bamford and round past the waterworks before the odd section down in to an old Holloway which always makes me expect a Troll to be hiding round the next corner. Climbing out towards the road to Stanage my shin starts to feel sore. It is as my physio tells me as a result of my ankle not properly and therefore I am running “funny”. We press on up to long drag Mr Mansfield park run is being very negative and I try to be encouraging to him and not listen at the same time. I’m low on water again and the route drags up the road on to the causeway some encouragement from a passing cyclist just before Denis knoll elicits a jog which last for just a couple of 100 yards up the track. We press on finding that CP 11 is 15 foot up a bank, its feels like a cruel trick at this point but we make it and finally on to Stanage proper. Ste is still fairly chipper I was worried that the amount of walking would be putting him off. The long drag continues to the summit each step is now hurting quite a bit and finally we are past the trig and I manage a shuffle down to Burbage Bridge CP 12.
I resolve to take some pain killers have 5 mins and see how we go I drink plenty get some food in. Bottle filed. This is the first time I have ever sat down during an ultra!
We head off on the road to cross the Burbage bridges and  “Ooh this doesn’t feel good” I make it to the green lane and resolve to try 500 meters if this was a film then a little cloud would appear like in Dodgeball with Patches O’Houlihan but in this case with John Vernon saying “never retire at the checkpoint. Always try and leave” I remember his words. But this is not good after 500 yards I call it. Bugger! I hobble back to the Checkpoint Ste seams OK with binning not knowing a contour line from a trig point he’s linked to my fate due to not being able to read a map. At least he has enjoyed what we have got done. The two chaps running the checkpoint aren’t surprised to see us, I looked really bad on the way out apparently. It turns out that we are only 12th from last now so at least we wont have long to wait for a lift back. As it happens we get a lift sooner as a sweeper car is operating and were soon whisked back in the blood wagon. On the plus side were back for the presentations. And some very nice tomato soup.
So all in all a very though day out, and going perhaps too far too soon has left me with tendonitis in me right tibialis anterior and I’m doomed to a or two week of hobbling and a visit to the Physioterrorists.  
My name if Richard Martin and I am a slightly broken ultra runner

Friday 21 August 2015

Lakeland 50 - Just because you and all your friends are weird doesn’t make what you do normal.

So this is where it all began 12 months ago. Managing to complete this race in just over 15 hours (the typical cut of for a 50 miler) opened up the world of ultra running to me and has reduce my bank manager to tears on occasion. Back in march The Hardmoors 55 was a big step forwards for me but this is the first Ultra that I’ve been able to do with some “proper” Ultra training all be it that life and man flu got in the way for the last 6 or so weeks, its also the first time I’ve repeated a race so the first time I can have a direct comparison. Gulp and the first race that I have had a target time for double gulp. I had roughed out a plan for 12:30ish finished

I travelled up to the lakes on the Thursday for a couple of days R&R that’s Rest & Retail Therapy pre race, and enjoyed a day pottering round the various cafes and gear shops “Carb” loading yes there are carbs in Bacon! And looking for that last minute bargain.

Friday dawned overcast but warm and following further pottering around Coniston I decided that it was time to head over to the School to set up and get registered. Looking at the camping arrangement, I thought I had timed this to perfection to be quite close but not too close to the school building. Nope. Just squeeze on there said the marshal so I pitched last but one tent to the school oh well thank goodness for ear plugs and a Hotel room for that night! Tent up, it was time to register. There was a short queue but thanks to the very efficient team and I was soon emptying my kit for inspection. Using my cunning plan of having all the stuff on the list with me I was ticked off as passed. Next, ID yes that’s me and then Goody bag with the All important Buff, Map and all new super compact road book etc etc. And then weighed…… 90.7kgs that is lighter last year which was a bonus as I expected to be a touch heavier but at 400g lighter I was very happy. I am taking the David Brailesford view of marginal gains here, not the Peter Kay view of how I may have lost said 400g.  

So, I am weighed, tagged and ready to go. The rest of the afternoon is spent topping up the carbs with a Crown Inn Fish finger sandwich (yes carbs there are some in there somewhere) I think this maybe becoming a tradition, faffing with kit and generally chilling out and chatting with my new next door neighbour Rick, for who this is his first Hilly Ultra and first 50 miler.     

Come 5:50ish we see the 100 boys and girls starting to enter the pen for the start of the big race and head over to watch them start. I bump in to Andrew Lowe and have a quick chat before Opera Singer Alexander Wall belts out Nessen Dorma (the translation is Non Shall sleep and as some of the 100 runners will run through 2 nights it is fairly appropriate)It’s a fine piece of music but not that rousing. Nick Ham was asking for dispensation from listing to the “Dreadful Dirge” on Facebook but spotting him running past after the gun in his fetching Pink tutu this must have been denied. As always 300 runners heading off up the road through a funnel of supporters is quite a spectacle it almost matches Mr Fox’s Dance warm up for the start of the Lakeland 1.

Time of bed said Zebedee, Well at least back to the hotel for some final Carb loading, I consciously left my now meticulously packed race vest in the car to prevent further re-packing and wandered back to the hotel for Dinner and R&R. I noticing a few other guests have timing chips attached.

Next morning the Hotel put on early breakfast for the 10 or so other guests that were taking part in the Race and I chatted to another competitor while making the most of the Muesli and toast. The Day had dawned fine and clear and walking back to the School there was a stunning view down Coniston Water.

Final preparations were made to water bottles and the like and we were ready of the Race Briefing packing 600 runners in to the school hall is always going to be a challenge but finally everyone makes it. The race briefing was as entertaining as always. Terry or is it Jeremy Corbyn? (Cant be as it’s a clock wise course it mainly turns to the right) covers the important bits, behave, don’t trash the place, look after each other, stick to the route etc etc. before Marc “Mr Motivator” Laithwaite gives us some words of wisdom on living for the moment. Reminding us that we should enjoy the journey and pointing out that were are a bit special in our own way and that there is a tiny percentage of the population that could conceive of running 50 miles and a large proportion of them are probably in this room. And because we ultra runners hang out with other ultra runners we get blasé about distances, how many of us have said we’re “Just doing the 50”?  We need to remember what an achievement that this is and enjoy the experience.  

“Just because you and all your friends are weird doesn’t make what you do normal!”

With the Briefing done we make our way to the buses for the trip north. There are none of the nerves of last year and the journey passes chatting to Rick who is as you might expect getting a little bit nervous. We arrive at Dalemain to wait. This is possibly the worst part of the whole event! We all just want to go but we pass the time clapping through the 100 runners (the leaders of which would be somewhere near Ambleside at this point but there is still a steady stream passing through.  Finally its time for us to enter the start pen we dib in and soon there is the count down and were off.
    

Dalemain to Howtown, 11.2 miles total, time 2:00:15

I take a steady approach to the “Dalemain Park Run” consciously avoiding running the ups despite continually being over taken by 2 people running a more consistent pace I keep to plan, and I’m round much faster than last year and enjoy the encouragement this time as I run back past the checkpoint marquee heading on to the course “proper” as we head down to the A529 Crossing, It had been bugging me that this section on John Kynaston's Video and the map didn’t match my memory from last year the answer? It is different from the map and “off piste” from the right of way.  Still going steadily I lead a train of runners along the river to Pooley. Though the village there is the odd clap and cheer as I try not to run in to the tourists who are studiously avoiding acknowledging that there are people, not just us runners coming the other way and not getting run over as we’re forced in to the road. The climb out of Pooley is one of my favourite bits of the route and once through the gate at Roe Farm then views open up and we enter Lakeland proper. First thing we see though is 2 kids carrying a giant false leg down the track. Hallucinations? Before Check point one? Really? I’d been caught up by Rick at this point and we exchange glances, I joke that there will be an irate giant round the corner hopping down the track, but a man with one leg in an all terrain wheel chair appears instead. We reach cockpit stone circle and a greeted by a group of kids signing out every ones name. The decent down to Howtown is a joy and the checkpoint is reached Manned by the Cowboys and Indians from Chia Charge.

I just about remember to dib 2:00:30. I’m up 15 minutes up on plan, very happy with that I felt steady and in control and so to celebrate by have a good solid faff in filling up with water coke and Chia Charge bars in as inefficient manner as possible. Rick catches me again.

My Checkpoint drills are really shabby I spent about an hour and 10 stood still according to Strava which apart from 2 stone removal stops and 2 water bottle fillings was all at checkpoints. Must do better!     

 Howtown to Sparta sorry Mardale, 9.4 miles, 20.6 miles total, time 4:31:31

Ah Fusedale, lovely Fusedale I actually mean that I like it. I move well on steep ground maybe its something to do with the amount of Cycling I do, is it similar to pushing down a peddle? Poles come out and so do the cameras as we pass the Sport Sunday team snapping away I rattle along picking groups off all the way up and out on to the top where I end up about 5 meters behind a runner called Emma (we all have our names on our numbers) who remains just ahead all the way down to Low Cop, I follow behind like some sort of ultra stalker not able to catch up without undue effort until she pulls away on the decent.  With one graceful pirouette I make it to the bridge and pick my way down through the rocks to the lake side path, and for the next few miles I become Mr Clumsy. I kick a least 3 rocks, 2 roots, snag my laces with my pole and finally head butted that branch, you know the one near the wall before you descend to Riggindale beck, some thing else that is becoming a tradition! I head butted this last year.  This was a bit of a low patch and I don’t run as much as I would want and those bits I do don’t feel as good as I hoped. I walk and faff a bit taking photos too and I am caught by Rick again shortly after head butting the tree which while I’m glad he’s moving well this annoys my competitive self but we jog in to Sparta! But despite that little low I am here in 2:31:01 form Howtown which includes faffing which is bang on target so a little lift. Bottles Recharged, Ham Sandwiches eaten and some stowed for later sounds simple took me ages. I catch Andy Lowe here and we exchange pleasantries be for heading off.   

Mardale Head to Kentmere, 6.5 miles, 27.1 miles total, time 6:16:02

A liberal application of ham sandwiches lifted my mood as I climb well up Gatesgarth pass. Was my low down to not eating enough? Could well be. I fell in with a 100 runner for a bit and had a chat before pressing on and attacking the zigzags at the top and the top of the pass this is another climb that I really enjoy but most seam to hate. Right time for the 2 miles of downhill to Sadgill I was descending well and passed Mark Roberts who I’d run the last 20 miles with last year we exchanged greetings and had a 30 second catch up and I headed down.  I’m getting good at descending and enjoyed blasting down the slightly technical track until the big sets at the bottom which were a little hard going on tiring feet. My feet seam to get a second wind on long days they ached and felt sore here but later on felt fine. There is some stunning scenery on this leg in a rarely visited corner of the lakes. I start just to struggle a little on the flatter section at the bottom in the heat, as I cross the bridge to sadgill farm we are cheered by a group sat by the river. A dip in the gill and one of their ciders would be very welcome at this point.  Once over the bump to Kentmere my focus has returned and I was away.

 Kentmere checkpoint arrived with some rockers supporting I was dibbed in by a guy in giant Slash style top hat. More faffing, pasta, coke, faff. A Quick chat with a marshal about hyperthermia as I looked to be shivering, I assured him I was fine. Arriving in 1:44 confirms my Dawdling and is 7 minute off schedule.  Mark arrives just as I’m leaving.

Kentmere to Ambleside, 7.3 miles, 34.4 miles total, time 8:10:20

The climb up Gartburn pass this is yet another climb I really enjoy maybe because it’s the last biggy or perhaps because you can see the Old Man of Coniston from the top or maybe I am weirder than average and just enjoy climbing. I chatting with a another 100 runner as we summit that pass and work out the skyline before congratulating each other on our now assured finish purely because we’ve seen the end! The Troutbeck side of Gartburn is a great rolling decent and I feel great, having a euphoric phase running down with stunning views down to Windermere pausing only as I pass Marcus Scotney I ask how he got on DNF is his reply. Which given were about 7 hours in was a daft question. Still he ran 30 odd miles and can still take his dog for a walk up a big hill now that is quite some going.  I continue down to the road, some supporters are doing unofficial marshalling duties shepherding us across the road and in to Troutbeck. I catch another 100 runner Marianne she’s going well but obviously sleepy and a Scott called David who I bump in to a few times over the next 15 miles. I stop to take a few photos down Windermere as it’s turning in to a glorious evening without a cloud in the sky last year it was getting too dark to take photos here. Jenkins Crag comes and goes as we start one of the best bits of the race. Ambleside, I thought this was good last year at 9:30pm in the rain but this time its about 7:30 and sunny there are loads of people around and lots clapping and cheering and shouts of “well done” all the way up the main street and down to the church. It’s a great feeling being cheered in and the positive energy does wonders for your pace and is quite emotional too. 01:54:18 is only 4 mins behind schedule my dam checkpoint faffing! Which, I continue here bumping in to Mark again “there was a bloke who looked just like you in Kentmere”. It’s boiling in the cp and it is a circus quite literally with clowns and a Man in a bear onesie serving drinks I think he deserves a medal! Coke, Sandwiches, bottles done time to be on my way.  

Ambleside to Chapel Stile, 5.6 miles, total 40 miles, time 9:37:56

The light is just starting to fade as I head across the Park to make my way up Loughrigg as the tarmac runs out I was caught by Scottish David, and we walked over the top passing a 100 runner who was in a bit of state and appeared to be being paced/helped along by a supporter….. David was suffering on the downs so I pull away as we descend towards Loughrigg Tarn and down to Skelth Bridge pointing a 100 runner the right way and getting a well done from the few supporters at Chester’s. Making my way through the slate works there is a sign telling us “Run Forrest Run and you to fat girl!” which was err nice of them. Following the river Bathay up to Elterwater in the late evening light is super it looks stunning, and I am feeling ok I’m still going quite well and just about manage to run this not really flat but flat section. I make my way through Elterwater past the quarry having a quick chat with another 100 runner and then past Wainwrights inn with a runner just in front of me that I can’t quite catch again. Passing the campsite the smell of BBQ is quite nice as is the encouragement from the campers. As Chapel Stile comes in to view I realise that I didn’t check my timings on the way out of Ambleside, which was a bit unfortunate as I’d done the leg in 1:27 pulling back 7 mins but didn’t realise. I got my bottles filled for me and Soup and bread was served by the super helpful Marshalls as the race goes on I really do appreciate their efforts more and more I should have eaten more here! But I get prepared for the night changing to a long sleeve top, donning my head torch I was quizzed as to how warm I was again. I must look worse than I feel although I do sometimes feel a little dazed at checkpoints maybe that’s it. Mark arrived as I was heading off.”Are you following me?”


 Chapel Stile to Tilberthwaite, 6.5miles, 46.5 total miles, time 11:31:58

The section along Langdale went well to start with, a superb sun set over the pikes pulling us on and a bellowing bull encouraging us to be quick through the first open field. I had a quick chat with a guy called Chris for who this was his first ultra but pulled away on the decent to Side farm. The climb up Side Pike pass was a little bit of a shock as my legs felt very heavy like I used to feel on most climbs before I lost weight and once at the summit normal service was resumed again like before I lost weight but the slow climb meant I was caught by a group including Chris which, while we ran will round Blea tarn fragmented some ahead some behind. I resist switching my head torch on until into the woods…. Oh that’s not very bright….. Humm always put new batteries in before a race there is enough light just about but running though the technical section around the moss I get the flash of doom! I persevere with full beam until I reach the unmanned dibber hopefully medium power will see me to Tilberthwaite I make good pace down the road but the legs protest once more on the bump over to Tilberthwaite I think my 12:30 target is well down the pan and I am expecting Chris to come jogging past at any time as I take it steady on the flat with a lack of light slowing me over the top. The decent is really technical in the dark so I take it steady with a dimming torch. Idiot. I jog in to the check point and dib in 1:57 I’m in no great hurry. Had I realised I was only 4 mins down on what I predicted I would have been in a bit more of a rush thinking I have stuffed it I take my time soaking up the last of the CP’s. I have been thinking about having a nice cup of Tea since before Ambleside and not having got round to it yet have a leisurely cuppa and sandwich while changing my batteries and chat with the helpful marshal providing me light and generally being a top chap.

Tilberthwaite to Coniston, 3.5 miles, 50miles total, time 12:36:51

Once I’m sorted and the windproof is on, he gently leavers me out of the check point and on my way. Shouting back my thanks, I head for the stairway to heaven. It’s not the amazing running of last year but a steady lead legged plod. I’m over taken by a couple of runners and point a further overtaking runner on the right track at the 3 way fork having had an “it’s the right hand one, no that right, the other right” moment. They climb away as I reach level ground again the legs come back in time for a bit more ultra stalking, I follow Sarah not able to quite catch up until the Ramp which is a struggle but I manage to over take her and I notice some tiny fury animal scurrying across the track and out of my way. The summit finally arrives and the view opens up. I love that view over Morecambe bay at night. I start the decent within 3 paces the legs start to fire again and with fresh batteries both literally and metaphorically I can see what I’m doing I’m moving well I catch and over take a big group on the technical section. On hitting the track I really give it the beans. Coming past the Ruskin Museum I pass two runners, I think 1 was a hundred runner the other is the guy I gave directions to he decides he doesn’t like being over taken and after 50 miles we have a race to the finish. I’m just about in the lead past the Bull but over the bridge I take the footbridge, It’s a poor line choice he goes for the road and I don’t have the legs on this little up hill past the garage, but keep up the vain chase running full speed (well 9 min mile pace) down the lake road but I cant catch up. In to the school gates. Dib. Done. What a race. 12:36:51. 2:33 faster than last year and only 4 mins off my schedule finishing just past Midnight.

I double up over my poles to get my breath and I’m immediately surrounded by marshals checking I’m OK.  I am fine just sprinted down here that’s all. The care and attention that they lavish on us really is second to none.  I always feel a little spaced out at the end of ultras I think it must be the obvious fatigue and change of focus from my own bubble which I have been in for the last 12 hours to the sudden bright lights and attention but I am fine and in control. My dibber is snipped off always a bitter sweet moment I’ve finished but it means the fun is over for now. I’m led in to the hall to the usual rapturous welcome “A 50 FINISHER” Shouts my marshal and I revel in the applause and cheering grinning ear to ear. My medal is places over my head, my times and finishers T-shirt are handed over. I head to a corner of the hall to sort out my self out. I spot the guy I raced in and congratulate him suggesting I should have sent him the wrong way at Tilberthwaite. Mark Roberts finishes 10 mins behind me and we head off of food pasta bake and Ice cream and chat to our fellow competitors and spot the well known faces. Andrew Lowe comes in 20 mins behind and joins us with his good lady who finished well in front of all of us. We sit and cheer in the finishers, talk all things running and bemoan our lack of planning that we haven’t a beer to celebrate with. Before finally deciding its time for a shower and some sleep. As usual I don’t sleep well but there were 2 strikes of the clock I don’t remember hearing. I drag my self out of the tent at 7:30 to fetch a cuppa no breakfast butties till 9 though! I Find Rick on my return packing away we exchange experiences. He finished in just over 15 and half hours which is a cracking effort for a first attempt. I start packing up while chatting to those around who are surfacing and I slide away to Ambleside for a huge breakfast with extra toast in Bilbo’s. Before retracing the journey back to Pooley bridge to meet up with some friends driving past Dalemain there is the same sense of realisation I had on the drive last year and a Finishers Medal I did it again, I did it quickly again I really do love this race.

When I arrive at Pooley people are surprised how normally I can walk this year! My mate Gary is heading out for a Run but I turn down the chance to join him choosing to spend the afternoon Rehydrating in the Sun Inn. And so ends another fabulous event weekend, my thanks as always to the marshals and organisers you were superb as always. And apologies to those I spoke to and couldn’t remember your names. 

My Name is Richard Martin and I am an Ultra Runner livin

Saturday 15 August 2015

Hardmoors 55 - This is the sightly delay report.

So it was almost a year to the day that I was sat at my computer and entered the Lakeland 50. That was the beginning of a pretty incredible journey. The Hardmoors 55 being the latest chapter 1 year on. On the 1st March 2014 I was 16 stone and could just about plod 10 minute miles for about 6 or 7 miles and would be left needing a kip. I had 3 goes at training to do the most daunting of distances a Half Marathon yep a whole 13 miles and failed. Twice injured and once due to a girlfriend unsympathetic to the cause. So why I am I entering an Ultra Marathon for God sake? Well having completed a 65 mile walk in 2013 I know I could walk it and that is what I intended to do. But this would turn out to be one of two life changing moment of 2014. The second occurred walking up towards Slightside one cold soggy April day during a failed attempt at backpacking the Charnley Way over 3 days hanging off my poles bemoaning my fitness or lack thereof and being fat. I was told I should perhaps do something other than whine about it. I did, after 4 months of dieting an LDWA event and a chance meeting with a certain Mr. Vernon who bestowed all sorts of valuable knowledge and advice on me in the last 5 miles of the first ring of Shap.  I casually knocked off the Lakeland 50 in 15 hour running the downs and marching the rest a new and significantly smaller man…… 15 hours….. All those running only ultras have 15 hour cut offs where could this go? Fortunately the bank manager intervened and it kept to a sensible number of events. 3 ultras, 4 trail marathons and a road half marathon have passed. The road half? Entered it on whim Cocky? Me? Never. But certainly a far cry from those early meticulously planned efforts

Feb 28th 2015 a local 26 mile challenge run.  My A#&e is served to me on a plate as the mud of the Duke of Rutland’s Southern Pad gives me a timely kicking as if to say “hay fat lad don’t get cocky. There is still work to be done”. February was a big month I had done the Grisedale Trail 26 and Night Runner in a weekend, run a 1:49 half marathon and after bullishly suggesting I would give it the beans on the Belvoir Challenge it all caught up with me and I found that the I wasn’t quite as good as I thought. Plus it highlighted a gap. I had done a lot of runs up to 10 miles specifically 6 to 10 miles and I had done a few 26 mile events but precious little in between.

I should explain that I was/am a long distance walker and I could happily churn out the miles walking and that is where my base fitness came from but a runner? No, not really so Training up had been a slow process from jogging the down hills on the L50 I had progressed. But my training plan for the Hardmoors 55 was still “Just” a Marathon one as I knew there was no point putting together a plan for 50 odd miles there wasn’t enough time.  I had been blagging trail marathons “Ultra Style” and that was still the plan for the 55.



The concept of the A race.

I now have an appreciation of the concept of the A race that I didn’t before. I had a lovely plan but there were some key flaws. Namely The Grisedale Trail 26 and the Belvoir Challenge and a twisted ankle which occurred just as I was starting to put in a long run above 12 miles. This meant that rather than filling February with those crucial longer runs I spent it Hobbling Round either from Injury or recovering form blagging another long race ……. One race at a time! So where does this little cock up leave me? Well not in a bad place as it happens, this is an Ultra and I have a long time to do it and being fitter than I was last time I did a 50 I will complete god willing. Will it be as fast as it could have been? No. Will I enjoy it and have a great day out? Well I better do otherwise why am I here?

Being the weekend after my Birthday I treated myself to a nice B&B within staggering distance of the finish and head up to Helmsley the day before the race. Having a pleasant afternoon in the sun, pottering round testing out the various tea shops it’s all part of the carb loading strategy honest. Before booking in to the B&B and spending several hours sorting out my kit….. Again. Once all is good and the morning to do list sorted it’s time for tea. Fish and Chips seems like the order of the day and the Chippy off the market offers Standard or Whale sized. Well it would have been rude not to. Once devoured I roll back to the B&B for some more kit faffing and an early night.

Why do these races always have such early starts? At 5 am the alarm goes off. I get kitted up and sorted out. Collect the Jam Sandwiches that the B&B Had kindly left out and head off to catch the bus. There are quite a few people out and milling around mostly with some telltale sign that they are in the race, pair of speedcross  here, a race vest there. I make my way up to the Football club and visit the coffee stop for a brew and 2 Cheese and bacon muffins (these are awesome) which will be breakfast on the bus. A very smart looking bus arrives and we all pile on board. I am sat with a Lady who has entered this as a qualifying race for the Thames path race, making the journey up for Essex as this was the only race left for her to qualify. I think she made it. There are quite a few regulars on the bus and various bits of the route are pointed out after we cross clay bank. The coaches finally arrive at Guisborough sea cadets and we all pile in for registration, the place is rammed. Kit check and registration passes without a hitch and I just manage to find a space bent under the stairs to fix my number to my bag and re pack my kit after having the cunning plan of not squeezing my kit in to my race vest only to have to unpack it all for kit check to repack it all again. Kit check is a though affair, not surprising given its March and cold and windy. Kit sorted I join the queue for the loo and it a big one it takes nearly 40minutes to get in! Finally in I am also able to change shorts that I had rather optimistically put on for tights having a Superman moment in the shower. Now Dressed for action I go out to hand over my finish bag and can’t get back in to hear the race briefing there is just not space for all 250+ of us to squeeze in. People start to pile out so it must be over. Last minute faffing is the bag done up, is Strava ready on the phone. And I just about hear a 3 2 1 ½ ¼ Go! The crowd lurches forward and stops as were funneled up on to the disused railway line. As we thin out I start a steady jog someone behind me says it’s 10 min mile pace I really must get a GPS watch. Mr Vernon is pointing us up hill and in to the first up of the day the steady climb leads us up to Highcliff Nab. Settling in to small groups another runner asks about my gaiters which I suggest are good but look a bit daft of course the bright green shoes, tights and running vest don’t do that at all. I follow the Crowd as people swap places and we all manage to avoid the old chap who is waving a running pole in the air like a lance. Having avoided being skewered but not avoiding Mr. Sport Sunday who is hunkered down at the side of the track I give it a bit of acceleration and cheese for the camera. It’s not long before Rosebury topping comes in the view looking like a Real Mountain in Miniature and as this is an out an back we passing the quicker runners coming the other way. I joint the crocodile of people on the way up give my number to the Marshall stationed on the summit and continue on to tap the trig point well I have come this far. There are a couple of options for down I choose left and skip down the steep fell side back to the wider path. And complete the back, passing Mrs. Sport Sunday snapping away it’s then a steady jog downhill to Checkpoint 1 to top up water Paul Nichols appears asking if he’s first. I congratulate him on is 2nd place as I’m here I must be first? I lose a H5 Tablet and faff with my bottles and its away up and over Captain Cooks Monument and then the long and steady decent down to Kill dale and my Drop Bag. I feel a little uneasy running through Kildale as the check point is nowhere to be seen but no one around me looks worried and plodding out of the village it comes in to view but no Drop Bags! Da Da Dah!

I fill up with Coke and Water and more H5 and leave with my hopes of a podium finish in tatters* I will have to wait for Clay Bank some 10 miles hence for my Rice Pudding and extra bits and bobs.

*that’s not strictly true.

I leave the Check Point and head up the climb towards the open moors I team up with Paul Nichols and we chip away at the distance to Bloworth crossing, were moving well and catch up with another group all is going well until the topic of discussion turns to Food. 2, yes 2 of the group will eat pickled eggs and 1 of them has some with them! That is I am off! This is just wrong on all levels. I arrive at Bloworth to find all sorts of acrobatics to facilitate the somewhat high self-clip. And here I break form my egg bound companions and trot off across the moor and the decent to clay bank where rice pud and fruit Yoyo’s wait. As we descend Paul over takes me whooping to his MP3 player. There is a bit of faff here as there is a lack of water. I had dealt with the drop bag first and then the bottles finally some water is found by a marshal (Dennis?). Many thanks to him. I am off again on the climb up Wainstones and over Cringle Moor we are clocked in Just on the way Up Hastly Bank before dropping for the Pull up Wainstones here I go in to 4 wheel drive with the poles coming out to play. My He-man pole set up works well and exclaiming by the power of Gray Skull! I am on my way to see Hardmoors very own Skeletor John Vernon dutifully ticking us off out of his tent I only seem to see John at inhospitable places he says it’s because Jon likes him, The climb and tricky decent over cringle moor follow and the views from here are pretty spectacular you can see right back along the route to Roseberry topping and out to sea. And it looks a flipping log way. Dropping down to lord stones Car park the cheerful marshals fill water bottles and we discuss the pros and cons of Coke mixed with water that’s the brown soft drink for the record.

I leave knowing that the next checkpoint is the Self-clip at the TV station above Osmotherly and I can see a giant antenna in the distance to my left which is the TV Station above Osmotherly surely? Only we go right…. Continuing on I join back up with Paul the field is spreading out so actually navigating is becoming more necessary. We drop down towards Huthwaite and I have my first need to pull out the map cut short as a shout from behind says go right there is some more checking as we enter the woods. I catch up with Ady Benn easy to spot from his bare feet, it’s one thing to run 55 miles its quite another to do it in sandals Ady also ran a 10 mile race on the Sunday WFT! I have another Map moment cut short this time by Ady and turn on to the long drag to the TV Station where I have a bit of a low, and I am over taken by a few people as I walk and decide that munching cocktail sausages is the way forward after a couple the hands full of these I hit the TV station sat tucked In to the hill side with little squat towers the Mahoosive tower from earlier is still way over to the left there is a good steady drop down to Osmotherly where I over take the Footwear Odd Couple She wears Hokas He wears Vibram 5 fingers and you don’t get much further apart than that. Then passing a group of walkers, and finally down the main street in to Osmotherly. The Village Hall is located and Drop Bag 2.



There has been much discussion on Face book about drop bag contents a time to talk of many things of Pot noodles, Socks and Sandwiches. I sorted out my kit changed my base layer and decided that what was going on in boots could stay in boots and stashed my spare socks along with more fruit Yoyo’s cocktails sausages and pork pies. Apply some more body glide and lose my buff. Bugger. Sink a couple of cups of tea I feel I faffed to much here the odd footwear couple catch me up and I finally head off but off to where? I Faff again with the route description but this is cut short by the exit of some other runner who I shamelessly tag on to as we make our way out of Osmotherly though basically someone’s house. An entry leads to some ones back garden and away on to the long steady climb to square corner and over Black Hambleton. The group talked rubbish and got updates on the 6 nations as we climbed toward Oak Dale reservoirs and fragmented on the flatter section my running efforts were starting to get a little harder to maintain so I mostly marched from here on and stopped at square corner to layer up temporarily losing my hat and wondering how to explain that away if I got kit checked before finding in at my feet. Hat on I was a way marching the track over Black Hambleton it was here I join up with the Runners I originally named the footwear Odd Couple who turned out to Be John (Vibram Five Fingers) and Marie (Hokas) and we made our was to High Paradise farm accompanied but a stunning sunset and now being passed by some other groups including my “friend” from earlier using his pole as a lance jousting his way to the finish. I was feeling comfortable at this point and those competitive pangs started to twitch at this point as people started to pass us. Should I push on? Or should I stay with the group? As it happened we stayed together. Along this stretch it was officially declared dark and head torches we broken out shortly before the checkpoint. Tim “the Chia Man” Taylor and team are filling bottles and handing out flapjacks and other assorted goodies I was a bit flapjacked out at this point so declined the mini chia bars on offer.

Our team headed off on the next section and was being towed along at this point by John who put in a superb shift keeping the pace up and navigating the route backwards form memory from his 110 attempt last year meaning there we’re only a few stops to dig out the map and one for pork pie from a marshal at low paradise farm. We were making a solid walking progress. This continued all the way to Sutton Bank after the road crossing we then started to mix up the walking with a little shuffling to mix up for the hurting muscles I was still feeling OK and began to realize that both John and Marie were far more accomplished runners than me but suffering a bit more hence why we were fairly evenly paced.  Along the edge towards White Horse we shuffled at a decent pace to the turn down to Checkpoint and what can I say it was Mr. Steele at his sadistic best. Steep narrow and slippery. Though the enchanted forest with its green snap lights I was quite glad I wasn’t on my own at this point this place could be quite spooky. John was starting to flag from his efforts and I was pulling away a little bit but we all regrouped at the checkpoint refilled bottles and snacks and we were away up the stairs. I now understand why we were sent on the little detour and it maybe because Mr. Steele was, whisper it being nice the steps as incredibly steep descending them would not be fun at all. I tripped over a step about half way up and shout a warning. Marie acknowledges me then falls over the same step and the process is repeated by John. Is the step out to get us or are we getting a bit tiered? Probably both. Back on the flat we have another shuffle to give some different muscles a workout again for a bit and I nearly miss the turning thinking we we’re going back to Sutton Bank. We cross the main road and join a large group we and head past the shut Hambleton Inn and proceed to get lost round Hambleton House but seeing some lights on the correct route and find our way back on to the straight and narrow I mentally slap myself on the wrist and start to take a bit more notice of my navigation. Cold Kirby comes and goes with some more shuffling and we attempt to start a sweep stake on the colour of the T-Shirts at the finish John went Blue then Yellow I went Green I don’t remember what Marie said.  We steadily make out way down towards Rievaulx Abby there is another spooky section through the woods and on to the road we are passed by several cars and another big group and then pass a support group which turns out to be for Mr Frostbite 30 Rob Jarman. Looking at this on the map it doesn’t look very far but it felt like a long way I had still been feeling quite strong after White horse but leaving the road at Abbot Hagg the next section took its toll on my legs as they stiffened up. There was a particularly painful dip in and out of a gully before the steady pull to the top of the last rise and we finally saw the lights of Helmsley signaling a final shuffle down in to civilization and a “sprint” well slightly faster shuffle finish to finish at the town hall all together in 14:04. Epic.

The final twist in the tale is that you then have to go upstairs for your finisher’s medal, food and kit bag. Ouch that hurt! I collect said medal and Yellow T-Shirt (well guessed John) enjoy the 15 seconds of fame and acknowledge the applause and enter my usual post-race daze and wander round aimlessly for a few minutes before having Photos with Marie and John. I spot Paul who I ran with earlier and congratulate each other and then finally tuck in to some bean chili and crumpets washed down with some tea. Suitable revived I find my kit pull on my warm clothes and decide to head off to the B&B but first I have to negotiate the stairs! Oh god this hurts I am completely seized and I contemplate descending on my backside but no I make it only to discover the true crux of the day. My shoes…… It’s a strict shoes off policy so now to get them back on god this hurt but finally there on and hobble off and shiver uncontrollably all the way to the B&B Creeping back in for a hot shower and bed. The day is done.

What a great day out I chose Cake not death after Osmotherly and was maybe a bit slower than I could have been but it was great fun which is far more in important.  The winner completed the course in some silly time like 7:39:08 which is just incomprehensible top, top effort to them. The weekend was rounded off with a superb breakfast at the B&B which it turned out for hosting 3 other 55 runners and a wander round Helmsley castle to get the legs working again. The little radio guide tells me that this was the central residence and an estate of the Duke of Rutland in times past It would appear that his grace had gone far easier on me this time round.

My name is Richard Martin and I almost an ultra runner.

Friday 3 April 2015

The Belvior Challenge


Nice Belvoir, shame about the mud. 

Another local race but not just for local people as the Belvoir Challenge draws in people from all over the country it really must be the cake. Bit of a Grumpy one this would have been even more so without the world class cake!

So another nice relaxed start time and the treat of not driving I could get used to this. Richard arrived and we were soon on our way to collect Gary and head in to the Vale of Belvoir via some Sat Nav Detours. Registration was taken care of swiftly while and they headed back to the car while I sorted out who I was swapping with as Rich had managed to register twice (its his age you know) and I was borrowing that one. But is its Dick Allan or Tony Redfern? Finally sorted I head back to the car to find no one there…. Mild Panic as it’s about 10 mins to go and all kit is in the car. Finally reunited we get sorted and to the start with a minute to spare, but the start is delayed for 10 mins time for a bit of jumping around and a plonker to batter everyone with the trekking poles he has stowed horizontally across his bag, more of this twit later. Finally the scrum is released and it’s a case of picking our way through the massed walkers this being a challenge walk with runners allowed. Finally after about half a mile the field starts to spread out a little just in time to meet the mud. The Vale of Belvoir is largely on clay and unsurprisingly it’s a tad wet in February. We hit a lane that’s ankle deep in thick sticky mud, any attempt at picking our way round this gloop was quickly abandoned the left edge had a drainage ditch the right a hawthorn hedge. Finally we came out on to more open but still soggy fields with each field boundary crossing was harbouring a large sludgy lagoon to be negotiated. This ended with a short road stretch which allowed some running but now with feet encased in sticky mud. I was now beginning to understand Richards’s aversion to off road running this being his main experience of it. Crossing some fields we came to a major choke point in the route as we crossed an old Holloway with a stile on the exit and suffered some ridiculous behaviour with runners trying to push up the line our friend with the trekking poles among them not satisfied with this he then attempts to climb the barbed wire fence, fortunately karma did intervene impaling his trainer on the way over. We’re not setting records here just wait.

Finally over a second less congested stile was negotiated but not with out some similar behaviour form our now extricated friend with the poles. Up the hill we went and a cross to check point 1 offering water. We continue on heading for check point one proper running at this point was feeling quite free and easy and we seemed to be making a good progress after a sort road section we encountered a field with a slightly miffed horse who was less than impressed with us lot piling through his field, but all seemed to be making it through with out incident. We continued on very soggy fields to find a ladder had to be negotiated to cross a disused railway and then steady running on the way down to Eaton and Checkpoint 2 7.5 mile and now for Cake.

Now there are checkpoints and there are CHECKPOINTS! And this was defiantly a CHECKPOINT! The village hall was rammed with food and it was quite a buffet on offer including a huge lump of Stilton and some pretty full on cream teas! This was truly awesome but I was still in racing mode so I took a hand full of ham sandwiches and Scone with clotted cream well it would have been rude not to, and on we trot it was at the next village of Branston the routes here split the 15’ers went left we 26’ers went right which was rather telling as very few went right. Some where along this next stage the running started to become rather hard work the soft ground and mud taking its toll and having pushed probably a bit too hard keeping up with those doing the 15 there was a feeling that the wheel nuts where not going to be done up tight enough. On the section after Croxton Kerrial there was a pleasant down hill but it ended crossing a field that was just sludge which was building up platform soles on my trainers and starting to pull them off. It was about here that the sense of humour failed me I really had had enough of the mud and there was becoming more walking than running. Scraping the mud off my feet on a fence post was in order before we climbed another small hill.

To think I had been quite bullish about this race, and in being so had forgot a number of important things that I should have taken in to account like its February, its been wet, you have run a marathon and a fast half marathon already this month, This is another Marathon and you’ve felt knackered on the bike all week…………… Deeeeerrrrrr you’re not going to have a good race if you’ve felt knackered all week and this race will take me to 85 miles for the week…….. Obvious really with the benefit of Hindsight. At the time this definitely felt like a step backwards the reality was I was getting cocky I run Ultra marathons don’t you know.  I also came down with a cold two days later which wont have helped either and so it’s a good reality check.

The Check point at Croxton came at the end of a long jog and was another fine array of cakes and sandwiches which helped, but also stated that we were not yet half way…… This was going to be a long day with water bottles refilled we trudged off down through the village to be caught up by an interesting chap who announced himself as a member of the 100 marathon  club and then the LDWA and then told us his name oh and that he was doing another 26 miler tomorrow. He then gave an encyclopaedic account for the route a head and that he’d done about 30 back to back marathons, having done a few ultras and marathons I often wonder if I’m abit too forth coming with my CV but I do like to think I keep my powder dry in these conversations. So we just swapped LDWA event stories before another runner took him off our hands.  We continue on round Denton res and the emergency jelly babies are broken out but don’t seem to have the desired effect. We walk on picking up another section of disused railway we really should have been jogging this and Gary provides some subtle prodding and we jog on before turning off to climb up to the Viking Way and descending to Wolsthope by Belvoir to think that I have a the Viking Way Ultra on my Ultra to Do List (I wont kid you that will be anytime too soon) feels a bit comical at this point as I am about ready to throw my trainers in to the next bin and never wear them again!

We now have a stunning view of Belvoir Castle picking up an estate road we walk up towards it past a house with a fine collection of early 90’s VW hot hatches and turning left past the kennels for the Belvoir hunt we try to avoid getting run over the wind at this point drowning out the engines of cars on the narrow road it’s a long straight that finally brings a land mark Belvoir cricket club. Superb setting for cricket pitch, which I have had the pleasure of playing on. I say pleasure shame the home team were not the most affable, if there is one thing worse than a sore loser it’s a sore winner. This is Knipton and location for Check Point 5, bottles refilled and more excellent cake washed down with a nice cup of tea or two. The check point was a village hall which was rather unusual and Gary being a Semi-Pro historian was busy photographing some WW1 rolls of honour that were hung in the hall until he managed to prise me away from the cake to continue running and the next section there was a concerted effort to run as much as possible down through the village and back to join the walkers on the 15 mile route as it made its way up on to the Belvior Escarpment. Where his Grace the Duke has been working on improving the view by removing the stands of pine trees. We continue past some sections of the ridge that I remember for the Viking challenge last year and it was pleasant if slow running that took us along the ridge on relatively solid ground before the final check point more tea and cake and a chat with the marshal with the tea. He asked how it was going I said the wheels had come off some what and he said I wasn’t alone. Grabbing a hand full of mars bar chunks there is more mud before we were shaken and battered by the decent in to Stathern on a very dilapidated lane and in to a strong head wind which would accompany us on the last 3 km which would turn out to be a very long way the first part was through sodden fields and involved crossing a rather large stream which our rather immodest friend from Check point 2 has earlier suggested was Thigh deep turned out to be much shallower but still an impressive scale this was followed by a k of wallowing along a narrow track with the choice of having you eyes gouged out by the triffid like Hawthorn hedges or fighting with ankle deep mud finally after what fell like forever I recognised a banner that marked the end of the mud and I actually exclaimed out loud! it was back on to the road for the last 500 meters Gray and pulled ahead as I fought to get my legs moving. Negotiating the bizarrely un marshalled main road I managed to cross after a being congratulated by a group of cyclists and forced a run towards the finish the small hill was a challenge and found Gary waiting for me I waved him to go on but we ran the final 50 meter together finished Thank F#&k for that.

Incredibly the race we won in around 3:15 presumably by a man in a hovercraft Rich managed a respectable 4:50 and myself and Gary just nosed under the 6 hour mark at 5:57.

We were found by Richard and had a brew at the finish before picking up the commemorative T-Shirt which were in comedy sizes it was time to head home.

So a rather grumpy account of a tough race the moral of this story is that 26 miles is a long way and deserves respect. This was as tough as the Trail 26 at Grizedale and that had nearly 1000meters of accent more than this.

Friday 27 February 2015

Sleaford Half Marathon - A Short, Fast, Flat, Tarmac Thingy

So this weekend’s race was the Sleaford Half Marathon, mmm Short, tramac….
Being relatively local there was a civilised alarm time for the drive from Nottingham to RAF Cranwell. Drive duly done it was the usual process of registration on the bases sports field and back to the car to fix numbers and wait for my running buddies Gary, Richard and Ian. They had been giving me a bit “encouragement” to do a road race. So I had entered this race without telling them and planed to appear out of the blue to add to the affect the pervious night I’d claimed I would need to be very drunk to enter a road race, childish but it amused me. So there was some surprise and much banter when I appeared and announcing my supposed stinking hangover.
Time to head for the start.  Lots of people doing laps of the football pitch including me this time the only bit of the day I’d be keeping up with Rich and listen to the wise words of our running Jedi.
Leaving Rich with the racing snakes we line up roughly in the middle of the field and suddenly realise that the big clock on next to the start line is ticking, no horn, no 3,2,1,0.5 etc. I faff with the phone, Strava on and struggle to get it in my bum bag (I tell you this as its one of the more interesting bits of the race.) and worry I have switched it off in the process. I’m eased in to my road running career as we start across the playing fields keen not to start off two quick we take it steady the friendly voice of Miss Strava speaks to me as we arrive at the first road section which soothes my inner data analyst. We head off the base and on to country lanes. I have been told that this is a hilly course it has 260ft of climbing, the first “hill” is well an undulation I feel a little Crocodile Dundee moment “That’s Not a Hill” I did do a 10k two weeks a go with three times the climbing don’t you know. And then we’re back on the flat. There is then another section of off road along a very muddy farm track and I am longing for my Speedcross but instead join the whole field mincing around in my road shoes once back on hard pack I seam to lose Gary although it transpires he was never more than 5 to 10 meters behind me till about 7 miles We Pass two vintage biplanes one of which was fully tooled up with Lewis guns which was a highlight of the race. As we hit tarmac proper again and it’s between high hedges which sets the tone for the next 9 miles punctuated only by some very enthusiastic marshals. Water stop 1 arrives, I down a gel and grab a water and feel a childish joy being able to chuck the bottle away like I have seen them do on the telly although with a pang of guilt at chucking a near full 500ml bottle of water. At 7 miles we hit a long gradual incline and I continue happily picking off the runner in front making my way up the field maintaining 8:10ish min/miles. Past water stop 2, more gel and more bottle throwing, more guilt and a steeper bit of a hill finally finishes the slope off. We turn in to the last 4 miles. I have to say I was getting a bit bored at this point. A bit of acceleration for a couple of miles on a slight down through the last water station. At about 11 miles the legs feel a bit wobbly and I am relived to discover we don’t have to go back along the farm track again as we turn back on to the lollipop stick for the reverse down and up which is now straight in to the freshening wind, the up was a bit of a challenge but I keep it going and its back though the village and on to the Sport fields fighting the wind all the way I manage to pick off a few more people on this last stretch  finally the 400 meter marker, then the 200 meter marker and finish!.
Job done 1:49:40 is my chip time which is 8:15 min/miles and 275th place. I would have been happy with anything sub 2 hour but sub 1:50 was better than hoped and given I ran the race with Negative 5k splits I was quite chuffed!
Chip removed, Race T Shirt and Goodie Bag Collected which was a Sainsbury’s Bag with a Sainsbury’s Biscuit Bar in which was odd given the race was sponsored by the Co-Op. Quick change and I go and find Rich who finished in 87th place in 1:33:57 and he is genuinely impressed with my finish time, I think he may have been understandably a touch sceptical at my prediction of a 1:50 something. We head back to the finish to find Gary who came home in 1:56:31 366th and Ian who we managed to loose for 15 minutes finished in 2:25:35 550th in spite of a 3 year long bout of Man flu.  A quick brew, well done all round and we head off. Short, Flat, Fast, Tarmac Thingy Done.
All in all it was OK and a good test of fitness.  I may do another, but it’s not a trail race which is where my heart lies. Now it was time for Sunday Lunch.
My Name is Richard Martin and I am more an Trail Runner than a Short, Flat, Fast, Tarmac Thingy runner.

Wednesday 11 February 2015

Grizedale Night Runner and Trail 26 - There is a fine line between stupidity and madness


So the conversation may have gone something like this when I came up with this last weekends running trip to the lakes.
“Do you fancy doing the Trail 26 at Grizedale forest?”
“Yes that would be a good one to aim for.”
“There’s a Night Runner 10K the night before are you up for that as well?”
“No, a marathon is quite enough for one weekend. Are you doing it?”
“Yes sounds like fun I’ll just have steady plod round for the experience and there’s a free t-shirt!”
So it is off to the lakes for a run round Grizedale forest. For a race weekend this one had a refreshingly late start. Rather than the more usual predawn starts that have been more common for trips to races or up to the lakes. A night race meant a mid morning pickup for the other protagonist in the above conversation Gary, running buddy for the weekend. And we we’re away up to Ambleside. A pleasant afternoon was spent bimbling around the gear shops and coffee houses, before checking in to the Youth Hostel and getting sorted for the evening’s entertainment. Gary, having forgone the night running also unsurprisingly chose to forgo the standing freezing in a field waiting for me so he headed for the bright lights of Ambleside. While I headed off to Grizedale against the most amazing sunset.

Petzl Night Runner - The Valentines Day Massacre

The drive to Grizedale was along suitably windy Lake District lanes especially after Hawkshead and when the “little” hills of Grizedale forest came in to view they had quite an intimidating appearance. In the gathering dusk they didn’t look that little and also rather steep gulp. Having found the car park and parked up, there were the usual formalities of registration and coffee drinking to be attended to before gearing up and doing my warm up routine of sitting in the car. Someone more keen than me was doing laps of the car park. Why is there always someone running laps of the car park? With an air temperature of Zero at this point I was happy sitting in the car and with that in mind it was then left until 15 minutes to go before heading to start line.
There was the option of Fancy dress for the Night Runner and I had a quick chat with a lady dressed a fairy, she was doing the Night runner and supporting a friend in the Trail 26 next day. She though I was mad when I said I was doing that as well. We were all called in to the starting pen beneath Marc Laithwaite’s Night Runner/Trail26/L50 Inflatable arch, and the inaudible race briefing followed there are some cheers, something about Ice, probably the usual other stuff and is that a count down? Then we started running and stopped at gate, and again as we negotiated the Ice Patch on the first hill. I’d started right form the back so as the field climbed the first hill I started to pick my way up the field finding my natural spot and was constantly overtaking people for the first 2 miles. Looking at the results that probably means I over took about 150 people which is meaningless but feels good anyway. By 3 miles I found myself in a bit of a gap I was running well and felt really strong on the hills the run to work with a Bag must be starting to pay off. I thought of our Oxfam Trail Trekker team that used to go up hill faster than we walked the flats. On this Stretch up to about 5 miles I was largely on my own, running well and enjoying the view of the night sky the forest being free of light this was particularly spectacular. Some technical-ish descending with Ice for extra interest brought me to the last mile marker and some runners a head into sight and here it happened. I hadn’t been going quite as steadily as perhaps I should have been so far but I hadn’t been too quick. But as a runner goes past me that competitive streak kicks in and I go with them…… The last mile was largely down hill and I let go, buoyed by a big group of spectators ringing cow bells I gave it the beans down the hill. I actually ran a mile PB of 6:45 taking about 25 seconds off my flat mile best, which is of course just what you should do the day before running a full trail marathon. The Hairpin bend was a bit of a shock but not quite as much as the cattle grid that followed it, having negotiated both powering on over the a little crest it was back on to the hill we started up. I managing to pick off another few runners and avoid the Ice rink. Mr Sports Sunday was snapping away on the last turn and it was back under the arch to finish in 56:07 in 99th place. Medal collected and timing chip removed it was time for some confusion over the parking meters which were not accepting the free parking code and a mad dash back to get food before the pub stopped serving. This was duly achieved and fine Cumberland Sausage and Mash and a Pint helped with post race recovery. All that was needed now was to sort out kit for tomorrow and have a good night’s sleep.
Oh dear. 

Trail 26 and a bit – Grizedale forest

If you are ever given room 235 in Ambleside YHA you need to put an out of order sign on the door of the toilet outside the room. After a less than restful night which might have featured an hour’s sleep but did feature noisy plumbing and someone arguing over the price of a taxi at 3 am. The alarm went off, doesn’t really matter what time it was I was awake but it felt too early anyway. We get kit packed, sort out breakfast which included Gary producing 8 rounds of toast! This is man with an addiction or a new nutrition strategy or both. We hand in the keys and step out of the Hostel F@#k me its cold. It’s also very foggy and we pile kit in to the car sliding around on a rather hard frost. I scrape Jacks finest work from the windows and we head off in to mist which turns out to be very patchy giving some stunning view and meaning there are a couple of Kodak moments on the way over.   
Parking up, I’d pulled in next to a Brass Monkey that was crying his eyes out. The Car said -4c. We head off to do the registration thing and acquire the necessary caffeine fix. Registration done, but disaster the Café is Shut WTF! So no coffee not good after a night without sleep and it was in our caffeine deprived state we manage to swap our entry packs on the way back. We try to sort out what to wear. My head saying you ran the Frostbite 30 in these conditions just go with 2 Base layers that’s all you need, my heart going, why didn’t you bring a sleeping bag to run in? I settled on 2 Base layers and the Valentine’s Day Massacre t-shirt because I had to being I think 1 of only 3 people stupid enough to do both. During this we noticed some strange goings with the group in the next car; you’ll perhaps remember my conversation with a fairy yesterday. Well, next to us there was a Clown, a Nun and Wally. Who looked genuinely unimpressed when enquiring what we’d come as? We said were impersonating runners and didn’t you know the fancy dress was last night? Credit to them though, they went through with it. We also bumped in to Andrew Lowe and friends who’d we’d met at the Rivington event last year and who ran in with Gary after his meeting with the wall. They came over to see if I was going to abandon him again I said he was going in the ditch at the first sign of trouble.  To continue the reunion theme I also bumped in to Ben Richards who I met in the poring rain at the Hardmoors Goathland Marathon, still doing well at finding the most un-desert like conditions to train in for his upcoming Marathon des Sables in April.
And so to the start but not before I realise I’m wearing 202 and Gary 121 now, Martin comes before Wood in the alphabet…….. We check. We have the numbers the wrong way round oopps, they are swiftly swapped and ready for the start. There is another inaudible briefing.  We start off from the back and I chat with Ben as we walk up the hill I’d blasted up last night. Marathons requiring some what of a different strategy especially with a quick 10k in my legs and no sleep…… This is a course of 2 lollipops and lollipop 1 follows the trails to the wilder Coniston side of Grizedale. The tracks wind round and up and down and back up through dense plantations and we start to break out of the fog and in to some welcome sun, which really does feel like its warming my bones. After 3 miles we clear the trees on to some open fell and Its here that the front runners for the Trail 13 start to overtake us. We work out that with our head start they’ll have been knocking out 5 or 6 minute miles to catch us here… We’re weaving along some tracks that has some impressively iced puddles where the ice is broken it reveals 2 inches of ice just to confirm it’s a bit parky and has been for a while.  For the next few miles the racing snakes on the 13 are going past which makes for some interesting race OCD checking to make sure it’s an orange trail 13 number going past not a green trail 26 one. This part of the course is directly above Coniston Water which is shrouded in mist but the view is still stunning across to The Old Man of Coniston with Just his head above the clouds. All too soon we’re back in to the woods, where I am attacked by a tree as a Halfer over takes me just as the track narrows. We’re starting to think we must be getting close to check point 1 advertised at 5 miles but that comes and goes the check point it arrives at 8 miles beginning the theme of a few extra miles which will continue through the day. We’re logged in and then let loose on the cocktails sausages and Jelly Babies, bottles are refilled and we head on. Mr Sport Sunday is snapping away shortly after the checkpoint (I looked better by Night) and there is a very interesting photo of Gary practicing for The GB Gurning team J after what feels like a long time we finally seem to be closing in on half way and I recognize the course from last nights run. Just before the big decent we find a chap who appears to be nailed to the spot we check he’s OK and he says No. He’s stuck to the spot with Cramp but declines rescue. We hit the big down treating it with less gay abandon than last night and in the light the Hairpin and the Cattle grid cause us no surprise. Down to the Halfway check point/Finishing area, where a Marshall directs us to more food and drinks. There is only one Marshall with the checkpoint who watches me struggle with 2 bottles and Nuun Tablets and a cup to fill the bottles out of the water barrel. They were standing between the barrel and a table so I have no where to put anything not that I would have noticed at the time brain was not really in gear. Now Marshalls are bigger hero’s than us runner on these events and you MUST be nice to them and I was, I kept it to myself but this really annoyed me at the time. I was having a bit of a low point and feeling rather tetchy with lack of sleep and not really enjoying myself and  now I’ve got wet gloves, water in my remaining nuun tables and I am getting cold which doesn’t help. I feel very close to a sense of humor failure which all sounds a bit petty but that’s how these lows hit you and turn you in to a petulant 5 year old. What I need about now was a metaphorical hug, to be told I am a Legend and sent off with a “go get ‘em tiger” but I didn’t get it.  Grumpily I stuff the lid on the remaining tablets which are fizzing away and stow the now useless tube As I stuff my bottles back in to my vest there is an almightily pop as the lid of my nuun tube is fired across the field by the buildup of gas in the tube, at least the Marshall fetched that back. We also noted that the GPS’s read 14 miles…… Hummm will the second half be shorter or is Marc Laithwaite in league with Jon Steele……
We start out on lollipop 2 to the Windermere side of Grizedale. The route goes up a climb and we march in to the forest again. Once up the biggest bit of climb its back on the roller coaster of tracks until we head off the main tracks and pick up a really technical decent, which is a popular mountain bike run we crawl down over greasy broken rocks being passed by a couple of bikers till we find John Bamber track side taking photos. When I grow up I want a beard like John’s. Reaching a road I was still cold from the brief stop at the halfway checkpoint and the temperature is plummeting as we drop to the side of Esthwaite Water, so it was finally on with an extra layer and a second buff. Feeling warmer we followed the undulating road section along the lake chatting to a couple of lads who are doing this as their first marathon in training for next years Lakeland 50.  Bit of a baptism of fire this one!  We climbed away form the lake trough Near Sawery past Beatrix Potter’s old home and on to some more typical Lakeland fell country for the first time on this loop, before heading in to more woods for a long winding decent down to Windermere.  This must have been the longest section of continuous running for us in the whole race. The next section wound round the lake until checkpoint 3 at Thompsons Holme “20” miles, this again was a roller coaster and the continual stop start nature of the running was really taking its toll on me and each transition to running getting more painful. We were adopting a slightly conservative approach due to Gary not wanting to hit the wall as he did in Rivington and I might have done a bit of a run yesterday which was perhaps counting against or did it keep us fresher for the bits we were running? Who knows? Gary was getting a little bit twitchy as we approached the distance where he had previously met with the bricks and mortar, but the toast of all nutrition plan seem to be paying dividends and he was doing OK. We we’re warned of the imminent arrival of checkpoint 3 by a walker with those famous words its only over the next hill. It wasn’t. It was over the one after that. But it was worth the wait the checkpoint was fab and thanks to the lovely Marshalls who sorted us out filling bottles, plying us with rola cola, cake and generally checking we were all OK, cheap Swiss roll has never tasted so go. There was then a sod of a climb up a greasy footpath to gain the ridge over to Far Sawery and a very nice looking pub. I was tempted. We cross an area of farm land and a couple of road stretches  playing leap frog with runner who would eventually over take us on the next long climb. Which started through the woods and then arrived on a road section at  the same time a really friendly group of mountain bikers were going past and shared the climb up with them going back off road the climb continued on a bridle path which brought us to a hugely frustrating part of the course on completely anonymous forest tracks with no idea of how far was left to go finally after an indeterminate amount of up and down we finally found a bit of course we recognised as the stick to our lollipop and we made our way down the technical decent to the finish  finally home in 06:01:22 Gary’s chip was first across the line attached to my foot. Medals received chips removed and a General consensus says we completed 28 and bit miles so safely an ultra and all that up and down in little bits totalled about 1100m which is not insignificant. I do like a bit of extra value for money all though a few people were heard moaning and I did spend the last few miles willing this to be the last turn but you have to enjoy the extra.
Time to get changed and a brew before the drive back. Having failed on the brew front as the café was again shut we headed back to the car checking if the car park code was working with a Marshall it wasn’t. We bump in to Andrew again and swapped stories of the day and chat about whether to do the Howgills Marathon in May I think so. And it was time to head home via a coffee or 3 and perhaps the most disappointing bit of the weekend arriving at the Little Chef 20 mins after it had closed… Bugger.  
All it all it was a good weekend. The night runner was great fun and blasting round trails in the dark under the stars was really enjoyable we’ll gloss over the lack of sleep.  As for the trail 26 there was naturally a big sense of achievement and relief at the finish, but I have to be honest I didn’t really enjoy this one as a run this wasn’t helped by the lack of sleep and coffee. The amount of anonymous forest tracks made it more of a run for running’s sake rather than feeling like your on a journey which is what I enjoy most about doing these long events and the roller coaster profile made it tougher as we never managed to find any rhythm I think that this is the toughest of the runs that I have done it felt harder than the Frostbite 30 which has more climbing and was 7 miles longer.
So running a 10K and a marathon in weekend? That would be madness but running a 10k and a ultra that must make you a legend?
My name is Richard Martin I am a Mad/Legendary/Stupid/Heroic* Ultra Runner
*Delete as applicable

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