Frostbite Ultra 06/12/2014

"Run fast, don't fall over, have fun" - Sarah (Bobby) Fisher

These were the strict instructions given by my missus before the race.  I only achieved one off the list but it was the most important...

Keep running up that hill

The Frostbite is a 30+ mile ultramarathon around the skyline of beautiful Nidderdale from Pateley Bridge. This was the third running of the race and for various reasons to date no two have been over the same course.

Ever since I ran a recce of part of this route a few weeks ago, I had been really looking forward to this race.  What a beautiful place to come challenge yourself on the trails and a brilliant last race to top off a great year of running adventures.

A cold dawn breaks over Nidderdale

Arriving to a beautiful morning and a hard frost just raised the excitement for this run, perfect conditions for a race called the Frostbite!  The race HQ was at the scout hut in Pateley Bridge where I grabbed a coffee and a banana whilst I registered (aka signing your life away).  The room was buzzing with nervous energy and I indulged in a little people watching.  A wide range of ages, characters and kit on display.  I carried a couple of 9bars (awesome seedy flapjacks) in my race vest as back up but I knew there were going to be aid stations at 10 and 20 miles so packed relatively light with just the required waterproof and O/S Map apart from my two vest bottles which I'd made up with Torq Energy drink the night before.  I wore running tights and a base layer on top, a wooly hat and gloves which proved a perfect setup as I was neither too hot or cold all day.

Rob the race organiser gave a quick safety brief, and we all filed out the cosy scout hut into the fresh morning air.  I said a quick hello to my sister who had dragged her friends Ruth and Greg and their dogs along to wave me off.  Thankfully given the temperature we were off pretty sharpish heading out South alongside the river on the road which provided a great little warm up for the climb to come.

The Starting Horn Sounds

The first 10 miles were a loop ending back at the Scout hut including a steep climb for which there was going to be a 'King of the Mountains' prize.  I had made my usual mistake of starting too far back and I did get a little slowed down by other runners whilst we hiked up the narrow trails.  Once the top was reached, I was able to get by a few and it was great fun, hurtling back downhill on the frozen trail, blue skies overhead, all of Nidderdale in front of us and Pateley Bridge down below.  This is why we do this...

Descending through the woods after 4 miles I tripped and faceplanted.  I'd been enjoying the run so much I wasn't being careful with my feet.  Fortunately just a graze and a bit of bruising was all.  I joked with the fella behind me that it was good to get my fall out of the way now rather than after having run 25 miles!

A few miles later and another runner near me laughed at our pathetically careful descending skills down through the old mines and joked we'd never make fell racers.  I was being careful not to trash my quads on the descents early on after having learned the hard way at the Swaledale marathon in June.

 

This first section seemed to fly by and we were back at the scout hut in no time.  I topped up my bottle and smashed a 9Bar (I passed on the Jagermeister though) and was out on the long loop I was familiar with from my recce a few weeks earlier.  This time though, the bullocks which had chased me out of their field when I was here last weren't there.  The muddy trail was still frozen so good progress could be made, but I knew once thawed this was going to be hard work on the way home.

Soon we were running alongside the reservoir and then crossing over the river to Ramsgill, the trail heading uphill through farmland before a steep descent and then ascent to the pretty village of Middlesmoor after 18 miles and just under 3 hours.  It was here that it started to get tougher with a 2 mile steady climb over In Moor.  This was made much tougher by the broken up old road we were running on, I was on my own by this point with a group of three racers ahead of me, I matched their hike/run strategy along this section and tried to at least maintain the distance behind them.

At Scar House Reservoir

When it came, I was pleased to start the steep descent to Scar House reservoir and the second aid station to regroup.  That last section was deceivingly tough and the beautiful weather was being replaced with a cold wind and mist.  I quickly topped up the water bottles again and was just about to set off when the marshal stopped me in my tracks with an offer of hot Ribena which was too good to resist.  It was hot, strong, sweet and just the job.  Its amazing how little things can lift you when it's getting tough.

Then off again across the dam at Scar House reservoir in pursuit of the three ahead, climbing high onto the grouse moor with Nidderdale down below on the right and we were now heading home.  Frustratingly I was catching up with them on the hiking sections but would lose ground again when the running started again.  At one point I got within a couple of yards and I think that gave them a surprise when they saw how close I had got and this coincided with a flat section.  They trotted into the distance, I wasn't able to hold onto them and was alone again.
 

The next hour was about maintaining the momentum across the increasingly misty moor.  When there is still a long way to go and the legs are stiffening, it becomes a mental and physical battle.  It was an advantage having run this section before and good to know that most of the days climbing was now behind me.  Eventually I recognised the spot to turn right to make my painfully slow descent into the valley and my watch clicked over 30 miles in just under five hours.

I knew the course was likely to be longer than the advertised 30 miles from my recce but I hadn't anticipated quite how far there was still to run.  I admit to feeling a little sorry for myself for a moment as the realisation sunk in.  I guessed another four miles and perhaps another hour.  It made the next few miles mentally tough despite being so close to the end.  The trail had now defrosted back into the churned up mud and the light was starting to fade, it had certainly strayed into 'class B' fun at this stage (that special type of fun you don't realise you're having at the time...).  It is really hard to make yourself run when your legs and feet feel so trashed, but the alternative is worse, hours of walking to the finish.

Another runner caught and passed me, and then a lady appeared at my shoulder soon after.  I told her how strong she was looking and she said she was rushing to the finish because she was so thirsty! I had half of one of my bottles left which I shared and we chatted briefly before i urged her on for the last two miles.  She was much stronger than me despite having got lost along the way and ended up finishing second lady.

After five and a half hours I started to sense the finish line and I was about ready for it.  The bridge and scout hut came into view and it was all over.  Rachel and the guys had waited all this time and it was really good to see them there at the finish.  33.7 miles, 3,553 feet of ascent in 5hrs and 39 minutes, 12th male and 14th overall.  I was disappointed I lost those few places near the end but I really couldn't have given any more on the day.  The day had become really gloomy, it seemed so long since we set off under blue skies and I thought of the other runners still out there battling, some of whom would surely be finishing in the dark.  Well done to everyone who finished, a real test.

I have to say this was a great day out, thanks to Rob and his team for putting on the event in a beautiful part of the world and for the sarnies, cake and hot soup which really hit the spot at the end.  This is one race I'd love to have another crack at, highly recommended and at £20 entry, great value for money too.

Next up, the training begins for SDW100 next summer and preparations for the Hardmoors 55 in March 2015...

Kirkstall Abbey Trail Marathon 22/11/2014

"The reason we race isn't so much to beat each other,... but to be with each other" - Christopher McDougall, Born to Run.

After the Vale of York Half, my focus switched to building the mileage back up for two long races back on the trail and more longer term, the ultra events I have planned for 2015.  I initially entered these races to give me something to focus the training on at the end of 2014 and also for some company rather than weeks and weeks of banging out hours of lonely miles on my own. 

I hadn't intended taking this race too seriously but when it comes around and you stand on that start line, you can't help that competitive urge to race and give it everything you've got on the day.

I had gone long the previous two weekends (24 miles) and so hadn't tapered like you would normally for a marathon.  In fact I hadn't tapered at all... However I had felt good in my training and in the days leading up I wondered whether I might be able to do a personal best despite the slow course, given my only previous race at this distance had ended badly at the Yorkshire Marathon (road) in October 2013.

The event was organised by Kirkstall Harriers and was their first running of this race.  Three laps of a course on trails, riverside towpaths and tarmac around the grounds and nearby trails of Kirkstall Abbey.  The laps were quite hilly compared to a typical road marathon but obviously not to the scale of a race on the fells.  

We lined up on a dank and cold morning in Leeds, the beautiful ancient Abbey looming out of the mist.  80 or so mostly club runners and one or two random lunatics with nothing better to do than get up before dawn to run a marathon most people have never heard of.  If you're wondering which I am, I'm not in a running club.  Some of the runners sported 100 marathon club or '10in10' vests.  One fella was about to complete his 100th marathon and we all applauded him before the start which was a nice touch.

Having nosied at the other racers at the start, there was a mix of trail and road shoes on display, I went for the road tyres as the tough grips on my trail shoes tenderise my feet on the tarmac over long distance.  I gambled it wouldn't be too muddy and hoped I wouldn't regret it.  In the end it was muddy.  The correct footwear choice on this terrain is wellies.  The saving grace was that it was that slippery, cloying mud which just accumulates on the soles and up the sides of your shoes.  It didn't seem to matter what you were wearing, everyone was doing their best Bambi impressions on the trail.  In particular, one greasy downhill section which I amazed myself on by not going arse over tit in my usual style, particularly on the third lap with tired legs.

I set off at a fair pace to at least give me a chance of going sub 3.30 if course and conditions permitted.  I skipped and danced (well in my mind anyway) over the puddles trying to keep my feet as dry as possible on the first two laps. Around half way I caught up with Malcolm, one of the organisers and a veteran of over 150 marathons who said he normally goes under 3.30 so I tagged along with him for a while. On the third lap, the dancing went out the window as I just plowed through the muddy water, too stiff for dancing. To be honest I didn't care by then, and besides each freezing puddle was numbing my battered feet for a few seconds afterwards.

Malcolm started to drift away in front of me as the mud, hills and my recent mileage started to take their toll and I couldn't hold on to him.

It became pretty obvious after 20 miles I was going to have to wait a little longer for that sub 3.30.  As I rounded the out and back along the towpath for the last time, the chirpy marshal took my name, gave me a toot on his horn and said he didn't want to see me again!  Fair play to him, it was a pretty grim morning to be stood out on your own on the canalside in the cold and he seemed really happy to be there.  It gave me a lift for the final stretch.

It was tempting to just jog it home for the last 10km given there was still one last testing muddy climb to come and I knew my time had already slipped away.

I dug in though and kept racing and was glad I did.  I didn't think there were many in front of me so there was still something to race for.  

There was drama to come on the home straight for the seven spectators and passing dog walkers when cramp stopped me in my tracks with only around 50 yards to go and the finish line in sight. I had seen noone behind me only a few seconds previously but the next guy had rounded the corner, seen my struggles and sportingly put in a burst to try to pip me to the line (to be fair I'd have done the same).  I made a pretty sad sight as I waddled over the finish line like a drunken penguin to beat him by 1 second into 8th in 3.36.  It would have been a cruel way to finish had he beaten me.

 Nice Selfie!

The final note on this race is that a few people I spoke to agreed that the course measured long and whilst I'm not claiming another ultra finish, my Garmin measured 26.4 miles. I clicked through 26.2 in 3.34 which would have been a new marathon pb and would have avoided the dreaded cramp (before the finish anyway)!  I had fun and came away with a decent placing, only 4 minutes behind 4th and despite the time, a much improved performance on the Yorkshire marathon given the course, conditions and preparation.  Whilst the time might not show it, I've come along way since then.

Well done to the Kirkstall Harriers and other organisers for putting on the event and the volunteers and marshals for being so friendly and welcoming.  Thanks too for my wicked medal and ribbon featuring a fat friar!

Next up Frostbite 30 ultra...

Mont Blanc dreaming and the Vale of York Half

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." -T. S. Eliot. 

It’s been quite a while now since my RTTS adventure and now feels like a good time to write something here about what has happened since. Writing these entries really helps me remember and reflect but perhaps if someone else gets something out of it, then that's great too! 

In the weeks following the RTTS to be honest I felt a bit lost. The big target I had been focusing on for so long simply wasn’t there anymore and I felt strangely empty.  It was really satisfying to have achieved my goal but I didn’t really know where to go with it all from there. The only thing I felt really sure about was that I didn’t want to let all of that work and hard won miles to just ebb away.

I toyed for a little while with entering another big ultra in the Autumn but when I tested this out with a couple of big mileage training weeks I found my hamstrings were still very sore. More truthfully though, my head simply wasn’t in the right space to go straight into the training required to do myself justice over another 100km + event so soon.  With hindsight, I guess the whole thing had taken more out of me than I thought at the time.

Slowly though, my mojo returned and an exciting plan started to fall into place for 2015.  I entered two well established and respected UK ultras; the Hardmoors 55 (a 55 mile ultra over the wild North York Moors along the Cleveland Way in March – brrrrr!) and the Centurion South Downs Way 100 (100 miles along the rolling SDW from Winchester to Eastbourne in June).  Both of these events require qualifying previous ultra experience. A couple of tough but very different races which will be a step up in terms of challenge from my racing this year.  

I began to realise that the RTTS experience has opened up a doorway to a whole new level of races in terms of distance, excitement and toughness. If, and this is a big IF, I finish these two races in 2015, I might consider myself a proper ultra-runner, we shall see.  The real prize though would be entering the ballots for the UTMB and Western States 100 for 2016 as I would have met their tough qualifying criteria. These are two of the most iconic and toughest single stage ultras in the world. Although the chances of bagging a number might be slim, it’s a pretty cool goal to aim for and no matter what, I’ll sure have an adventure qualifying… 

In the short term I decided to concentrate on the very first Vale of York Half Marathon as a little project for a few weeks which was in for September. After coming within 40 seconds or so at Edinburgh earlier in the year I was quietly confident I could sneak under 90 minutes for the first time, particularly when we arrived at the aerodrome start under clear skies and warm conditions. 

It was great to have banter with some friendly faces on the start line for a change as I was joined by my sister and a few good friends. The race started with a loop the looping aerobatics display which was a nice touch and after a rather strange start out and back along the runway we were quickly out onto the country roads around Sherburn in Elmet.  The race was well marshaled with plenty of water and I ran in the shade of the trees where possible to keep out of the sun which felt intense for the time of year. I was surprised how easy the kilometres clicked by and I knew that if I stayed under 4m 15s for each I would reach my target. I felt strong and even managed to kick with two miles to go. In the end I smashed 90 minutes and my pb in the process in 1:28:01. 

Nice bling at the Vale of York Half

This means I have knocked 6 minutes off my HM pb in 2014 purely as a result of more mileage from the ultra-training. The sub 90 half is something I have been trying to do a while now and this was my 8th HM attempt on the road. I was really chuffed as it feels like I have broken through a ceiling now for this distance which has taken too long, mostly because of injuries and lack of conditioning.  What was most satisfying though was how strongly I finished. I definitely had more in the tank and if anything felt I had run quite conservatively.  I know there is more to come at this distance, particularly if I trained specifically to peak and taper properly for one event. Sub 1:25 in 2015? 

To keep things ticking over the final few months of 2014 I have entered two local races. These smaller races have far fewer runners, are usually great fun and I’m sure they'll have a friendly vibe. It also feels good to support local races and run on new trails close to home.  First up is the Kirkstall Abbey trail marathon for another crack at the 26.2 (albeit on trail) in a couple of weeks and then the Frostbite Ultra in December, a 30+ mile yomp around Nidderdale from Pateley Bridge.  Having these races in the calendar has helped with the motivation in recent weeks particularly as the call of the duvet gets stronger in the winter months.  Hopefully they will springboard my preparation for what could be a decidedly fridgey Hardmoors in the Spring.

My first Ultra - The race to the stones 19/07/2014

A tough introduction to marathon running at the inaugural Yorkshire marathon last year (injury interrupted training culminating in a 3hr 36mins and a severely cramped walk/run finish) left me feeling a little crestfallen but determined to do a better job of running further and faster in 2014.

The hills are my true passion and in the days following the marathon I became inspired by the amazing endurance feats of the trail legends I read about in 'Feet in the Clouds' and the unbelievable things being done by today's ultra stars.  I decided then that the next thing for me should be something long and on the trails.

When I saw this race it looked a perfect first ultra; lots of runners, lots of aid stations, hills, but not too intimidating and a distance to be respected.  But more than anything it captured my imagination and excited me, 100km on the oldest trail in England.  I wanted to know what it feels like to run such a long race.

The volume in the training plans and the thought of 'back to back' long runs was intimidating at first, as was the thought of eating 'real' food on the run.  This time I promised myself I would listen to my body, run my long runs slower and get through the programme without injury. 

Time on the trails was so much easier on the body and the mind than the road had been.  I was surprised by how easily my body adjusted to the increased mileage compared to the marathon programme by simply slowing down a little on my long runs and allowing for better recovery.  My training adventures took me into the North York Moors, the Yorkshire Dales and the Wicklow hills in Ireland.  I had loads of fun in my first trail races, The Baildon Boundary Way, Reeth 20k and the Swaledale Marathon.  I even managed a half marathon pb on the road at the Edinburgh Marathon festival, running slow and long had made me run faster!

The day finally arrived and I lined up alongside around 1,600 other runners and walkers in Chinnor ready to take on the Ridgeway aiming to finish at the stone circle at Avebury a long time, 1,250m of ascent and 100kms later.  My sister Rachel and my girlfriend Bobby were along for the ride and would meet me on the route to top up powders, hydration tabs and other goodies.

On the start line at Chinnor

The weather was incredibly humid and after a drizzly start I remained drenched for pretty much the first half of the race which took us through beautiful woodland trails and pretty villages.  Staying hydrated was going to be super important and I was careful to drink at least one of my 600ml bottles between aid stations.  

The first part of the race had many more runners as some were breaking the challenge into two days with an overnight camp.  I quickly realised I was running alongside some serious endurance types, ironman veterans and experienced ultra runners.  I had a brief chat with the 'Marathon Man' who was running a marathon a day for a whole year.  It felt great to be running alongside these inspiring people and the vibe was one of smiles and encouragement for the first few hours.

My initial target was to average as close to 6 min/km as possible for the first half of the race as this was what I had managed on my longest  50km training run.  In the end the heat and the hills put paid to that.  Nevertheless the big aid station at 48km became visible high on the ridgeway from several kms away and I passed through the chip timer in reasonable shape in 5hrs 09mins.  So far I had stopped only long enough at aid stations to top up the water bottles but I spent a little longer here and tried to eat, although my stomach wasn't quite ready for the pasta and Bolognese which some of the other guys were chowing down on here.  There were one or two seriously tired looking faces cooling off in the shade here and I hoped I was looking stronger than them.  I attempted to eat a plain chicken sandwich which took more chewing than I would have liked but I knew it was important to eat and fortunately it remained in my increasingly unhappy stomach.  I was feeling a little tired but confident for the challenge ahead, I knew that I would soon be in unknown territory.

From this point on I was expecting much more of a battle and I was not disappointed.  It started badly by losing the well marked trail and running down hill off the route on 54km when I was making good progress.  If it wasn't for someone kindly hollering me I would have carried on to the bottom of the hill when I should have been gaining height.  It looked like loads of runners were passing ahead of me as a result and it seemed to take ages to regain the height and the trail.  I felt gutted, I had lost momentum that had taken me a long time to build.  In the end my Garmin revealed I had only lost around 500m and 4 minutes here. 

The heat continued to rise and the course opened out as the Ridgeway became the highest point for miles.  Beautiful sweeping views stretched into the distance backed by purple skies as the storm clouds gathered.  I wondered how wise it was to be running on the highest point around.  The hills grew steeper and more frequent and the terrain became tougher with deep ruts caused by tyres in the mud and chalk. I tried to maintain momentum up the hills by hiking quickly up them, but as the day wore on, my definition of uphill began to shift.  At this point I was largely running alone as the field had become stretched along the trail.

On the Ridgeway

Around 65km I was met on the hill near the famous white horse by Bobby and Rachel clutching ice cold water supplies and encouraging words but I had hit a low patch.  I crouched down briefly and my hamstrings immediately cramped resulting in expletives and a slight sense of humour failure. I handed over my now dead Garmin and quickly moved on, internally scolding myself for the negative thoughts, I knew this was going to happen, keep drinking, keep eating, keep going...

Sense of humour failure at 65km

After every uphill hiking section it was becoming increasingly difficult to start running again, starting with a shuffle and building to a slow and increasingly painful trot.  I was praying for one of the thunderstorms rumbling either side of the ridgeway to hit and provide some cooling relief.  We finally got one around 75km, however the rain was warm and it didn't really bring the relief I was hoping for.  Then out of the blue there were Bobby and Rachel on the side of the busy road under brollies in the torrential downpour shouting encouragement, crazy girls, amazing support and this lifted me immensely.

The storm breaks

The next 14km were the hardest of the entire race and I had to mentally push myself in a way I had never had to before.  The desire to just walk was overwhelming at times but I knew I needed to run where I could or I would still be out there for many hours yet.  I realised why they say so much of this ultra thing is in the mind.  Despite this I passed a few runners during this time and I tried to offer some encouraging words as I passed.

The final checkpoint came into view after a steep pull at 89km, and then the sun came out.  My amazing race crew were there again and I trotted into the checkpoint and refueled with full fat coke and a banana.  My watch told me I had 1hr and 30 minutes to run the last 11km to break 12hrs.  Sounds easy now, but I was feeling really tired and whilst I knew it would be close I wasn't sure I would do it.  I resolved to dig deep and run the entire leg, surely I would do it then.

Running into final checkpoint 9

In the end I did end up doing some hiking on this leg but not much.  It was seriously mind over matter by now and my feet whilst blister free were feeling pretty battered.  I didn't let myself think of the finish, just concentrating on maintaining the momentum. Suddenly a village appeared in the valley below I guessed at around 5km away and when the descent started, I checked my watch and tried to push once again.  Eventually emerging onto the road the village sign came into view and thankfully it read 'Avebury', next the ancient stones and with only 2km to go I realised I was going to break 12 hrs even if I walked from there.

Rounding the final corner and seeing the line, I had the final few hundred metres to myself and the people there were making such a racket just for me!  I finished wearily, but proud in 11hrs 52mins and it had been an amazing adventure.  I had lost close to half a stone but gained an experience I will never forget.

 Finish!

My first foray into the world of the Ultra had been a tough but rewarding adventure.  Just over a week later and the legs have recovered well.  For anyone thinking of doing this race I would say it was well organised and well supported on a beautiful trail.  Thanks to the support from all of the crews at the aid stations and those who came out to support, it really did make a difference. 

The biggest thanks has to go to Bobby and Rachel who followed me around all day offering encouragement and support.  It would have been so much tougher without you - legends!

I already know I'd like to see what else lies beyond the marathon.  There are so many exciting races out there in some spectacular places.  I can't wait to get started on the next project.