Hardmooors 55 - 18/03/2017

Why do we fall sir? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up - Alfred Pennyworth

Wow, not quite sure where to start with this one.  This was my second attempt at this race having had a good day out back in 2015.  It would be my sixth ultra over fifty miles since 2014 so I should be getting better at this thing by now right? 

This year, the race would be run the opposite way from Helmsley to Guisborough with the hills in the second half and a sting in the tail in the form of Roseberry Topping, the perfect mini mountain which is the jewel in the crown of the wild and woolly Yorkshire Moors.

Taking the warm up seriously with my trail partner Ben...

In a nutshell, things didn't go to plan.  The wheels fell off early and it ended up being my roughest race day yet.  To be honest I'm still getting my head around it so I forgive you for skipping to the end if you want to avoid a gloomy read.

I am taking on the challenge of a lifetime this year at the UTMB.  It is the pinnacle of ultra running and I have worked so hard just to get to the startline.  This race, along with several others in the diary are all about preparing for it but that doesn't stop the racer in me wanting to perform well (it is a race after all) and this is where some of my problems started.

My preparations were very different to what they would be for a target event, I didn't taper, I had a heavy weekend with two late nights prior and work commitments meant I was away in the days preceding.  This meant interrupted sleep and little time to get my head in the right place in the days leading up to the event.  None of these are excuses, but the optimist in me is clinging to the chance that these factors may partially explain why I had such a miserable day.

Let the agony commence!

The day started well enough as the ground is quite runnable between Helmsley and Osmotherley.   I had made a schedule to beat my 2015 time of 10hrs 20mins which meant getting to Osmotherley (the first major checkpoint, 23 miles in) in 3h 30 or so. 

Heading down to Rievaulx at the race start

Smiling because I don't have cramp yet...

Unfortunately, the cramps had already set in by mile 17 and whilst I was still on target, my energy levels felt really low.  I even felt a little faint as I entered the village hall at Osmotherley for the first major checkpoint where my dropbag was waiting.  The weather was mild out of the wind and I was cooking so I lost my base layer here, stuffed it into my pack, and scoffed down my trusty rice pudding hoping the calories might lift me.

At White Horse still moving ok at this point.

Unfortunately on this occasion the cramps were in for the duration.  No amount of stretching would ease them off and they only worsened as they spread from my calves to my hamstrings on the first proper climb onto Clay Bank after Osmotherley.

At Clay Bank and caked after a fall in the woods near Osmotherley.

I already knew it was going to be a long and painful day from here. Photo credit Craig Kilday

By the time I reached half way and the three sisters in five hours I was already reduced to a run walk and was contemplating what to do for the best.  My plan was in tatters and I was contemplating my first DNF.  I figured if I quit now I would be able to reduce the soreness caused by the cramp and resume training quicker. 

For better or worse, stubbornness won out and I resolved to stick it out despite my misery and finish, even if only to save my first DNF for another day.  I called Bobby to adjust her arrival time at the finish.

Things did brighten a little as the cramps receded on the long descent into the second major checkpoint at Kildale.  I got talking to a fellow runner about his Bob Graham exploits which distracted me from the pain for half an hour or so but the relief was short lived. 

It was a relief to reach Kildale.  I took my time here as my only remaining goal now was to finish.  The volunteers here were great as ever and I refuelled on pizza and coffee.  Now resigned to my fate, the pressure lifted and in a weird masochistic way I started to see the funny side of my predicament as I headed back out into the fading light.  

Runners streamed past as I hobbled (think foot dragging zombie) my way up to Captain Cook's Monument, the penultimate climb of the day.  Whilst I had planned to not have to use the headtorch, there was a silver lining in getting to see the beautiful snake of lights heading up and down Roseberry Topping in the dark.  From there, all that remained was a five mile limp to the finish on legs battered by 8 hours of unrelenting cramp.  I made a sorry sight by the time I finally left the old railway track and hobbled the last few yards to the finish at The Sea Cadets in Guisborough.  I had added one and a half hours to my 2015 time.

On a much more cheery note, a special congratulations to my old mate Ben.  Seven years to the day he quit smoking, he has had his own epic journey to the start line of his first 50 mile race.  It really was the best moment of the day to see him bound through the door at the finish with the biggest grin of all.  What an achievement, well done mate you are ultra!

Looks like you were powered by smiles all the way round mate

I've suffered with cramp in sports off and on my whole adult life and it seems I am going through a particularly bad phase at the moment.  When it struck at the Hardmoors 30 in January I was able to manage it and still have a good day, but here it hit me much harder. 

Thank goodness that is over.

This performance has rocked my confidence.  There are one or two mitigating factors but I still feel a long way away from being in shape to finish one of the toughest endurance events in the world.

All I can do is keep plugging away, upping the training and commitment and trust that my conditioning will improve and see off the cramps.  If this happens again in the Alps there is no way I will make it to the finish and I'm worried...

Fingers crossed for a more enjoyable Hardmoors 110 in May and an upswing in form.

Hardmoors 30 - 01/01/2017

The world is mud-licious and puddle-wonderful - E E Cummings

So for most people going to bed before ten on New Years Eve is not their idea of fun.  But for me the first of January is my birthday and my idea of a fun birthday is not to spend it with the hangover from hell.  This year would be different, I resolved to ignore the call of the bottle and spend it doing something I love, running on the trails of the Yorkshire Moors.

Need a new pose for these photos!

The Hardmoors 30 is the first of Jon and Shirley Steele's Hardmoors ultra series and previous readers of my posts will know that I am a huge fan of these races.  Racing with the Hardmoors guys was all the excuse I needed to bail out of the festivities in exchange for a righteously smug New Years Day.

At the end of last year I decided to enter all of the races to make the Hardmoors 'grand slam' a major target for 2017.  Since my success in the UTMB draw last week though I will have to see whether it is possible to complete the slam with the final event, the Hardmoors 60 coming only two weeks after the little trot around Mont Blanc.  I guess we'll just have to wait and see how things pan out. Nevertheless, I will still be towing the start line at the 55 again and the 110 for the first time.

Bobby on the 15 route

Starting at Robin Hoods Bay the route for the 30 (miles) follows the Cleveland Way coastal path between Whitby and Ravenscar linking them with the disused railway line cinder track.  Unlike some of the shorter Hardmoors races, this one didn't have any 'bonus' miles which was a relief so early in the year!  I had run the coastal section several times before including at the Hardmoors 60 in 2015 so knew how beautiful the route would be but also how tough the climbs could be up and down to the bays and beaches.

Ben was there again using the event as a good warm up for his first 50 miler at the 55 (good luck with your training buddy) in March and Paul making his marathon debut (why make things easy with a road marathon eh?).  Bobby would be trying the 15 taking in the Whitby loop of the 30 route.

No finish - No shirt!

I have made huge progress with my road times in the past 18 months but not so much on the trail. This year I need to make some headway off-road so my target was to get under 5 hours and get towards the top ten percent which would be an improvement on my last few outings.

The weather was what you would expect from the Yorkshire Coast in January.  Cold and windy (think waterfalls being blown upwards and then showering down on you) and the coastal trail was very muddy but this is what we came for right!? Despite this I knew that some serious headway could be made on the flat, sheltered and runnable Cinder Track if I kept enough back in my legs from the muddy coastal sections.

What better way to spend New Years Day?

I dithered a little over the right shoes (good grip but less comfort or less grip and more comfort).  In the end comfort won but at the cost of some seriously sketchy mud sliding.

The race was hard but I managed my mental state well even when the inevitable cramp struck after 20 miles or so.  Keeping a steady pace and finally emerging after the killer climb up to the Village Hall at Robin Hoods Bay in 4hrs 50 mins.  My position was 22 out of 217 finishers which is much higher up the order than I have been in my last few runs on the trail.

I was quite chuffed with how the race went.  Starting a bit more conservatively meant that I was still passing runners all the way to the finish which is a far more satisfying way to race than be hanging on as everyone streams past at the end.

Well done to Ben and Paul who both finished under their target times and to Bobby for finishing strongly in the 15.  We're starting to accrue a proper little trail running posse, I wonder who we can rope in next!?

I am so happy and proud to have finally earned my place on the start line of this years UTMB.  To say finishing this race would be a step up would be a massive understatement but I earned the right to be there the same as the others. I need to up my game on the training front and give this race my full focus to maximise my chances of a finish.  As a result, I still intend to run the Hardmoors 55 and 110 but they will be part of my preparation now rather than as being the major targets for the year.

From here all roads lead to Chamonix for the race of my life...

Hardmoors 26.2 Series Osmotherley - 22/05/2016

This would be marathon/ultra race number 14 since my first in October 2013.  Along the way there have been ups and downs and in a strange way it was almost like they were all encapsulated here in this one race.  There were certainly plenty of ups to contend with that's for sure...

New marathon bling - Yay!

I had been looking forward to this race for a wee while as its is part of the Hardmoors 26.2(ish) series which are brilliant trail marathons with challenging routes in the North York Moors.  This one was no different.

The route takes in some of the most scenic parts of the Cleveland Way from Osmotherley, over the Three Sisters and then out on a loop deep into the Moors taking in the pretty village of Chop Gate before finally heading back through pretty woodland trails to finish back in Osmotherley.

I know the route well as I have clocked a lot of miles over the Three Sisters in training and as part of the route of the Hardmoors 55 ultra last year.  Ben and I had an epic recce only a month earlier in apocalyptic weather which in hindsight proved to be good preparation.  It would be a tester, with over 5,000 feet of ascent and particularly with Hardmoors miles tending to be on the long side (this race was about 28.5 miles long!).

My old buddy Ben was also excited to have a crack at another Hardmoors marathon after we had such a blast at Roseberry Topping in December.  When he finally gets round to running a road marathon, he will get a personal best by at least two hours such is the toughness of these routes!

Unlike at Roseberry though, this time we would be running separately which would be a new dimension to the challenge for Ben particularly as we wouldn't be able to support each other on the way round.

Ben rocking his Scunthorpe HM shirt!
Photo credit: Paul Munster

After the race briefing, Jon the race director led us up to the race start at the top of the village and we were soon on our way climbing into the woods on the first of many steep ascents.  I set off quickly as I knew the first of the big climbs was a few miles away and I was keen to get some momentum early on.  The strong sun made it seriously hot work on the climbs as we left the cover of the trees onto the open Moor.

Hot day on the beautiful Moors!
Photo credit: Chris P Rice

Good progress was made for the first ten miles or so before a steep climb back up from the aid station (and some restorative coke) onto the spectacular Wainstones.  Here hiking up became a quicker tactic than running the steep hills.  We crossed runners coming the other way who were yet to tackle the climb and we high fived on the way past.  The camaraderie on these events is superb with everyone being so friendly and willing each other on.  I got a little lift from the others as we cheered each other on as we crossed.  I looked for Ben, but he was making such good progress himself he wasn't that far behind so I didn't cross over with him.

Photo credit: Paul Munster

After a short climb after the Wainstones, the route heads into the Moors proper before descending to Chop Gate.  As I arrived in the village, I had started to feel very weary which was worrying with so far yet to go.  I passed bikers sat drinking beers in the sunshine outside the Buck Inn which didn't improve my now ebbing morale.

The long climb out of Chop Gate is the longest of the day and seriously draining on tired legs.  It was here where I was first struck with some seriously debilitating cramp which started in the calves and gradually spread to my hamstrings and quads.  I have experienced cramp off and on in sport for my whole life but this was as bad as I've ever experienced, worse even than I've had on much longer ultras.

Suffice to say that my early good work was rapidly undone as I was reduced to an agonised walk/hobble and even at some points a complete standstill.  I was caught by quite a few runners on Barkers ridge as we started the long journey back towards the Cleveland Way and home.  Fair play to them, every runner who passed me asked to make sure I was ok.

Matching blisters - Summer trails are definitely harder on the plates of meat!

I struggled on like a wounded animal for the last eleven miles as the cramp just wouldn't let up.  I have to admit that it did take the edge off my enjoyment of the race despite the stunning scenery as I was in a lot of pain for the last two hours of the race.  My mood was briefly lifted when I was joined by a beautiful fox cub on the woodland trail who no doubt found me to be a curious creature cursing and limping through the woods.

It was a relief to finally round the last few corners into the outskirts of Osmotherley village where another old friend Chris had hiked a little way up the trail to take this picture of me suffering.

Grimace for the camera! Photo credit: Chris Pickwell

Thankfully, a few minutes later I was relaxing with a beer in the sunshine with Chris as we waited for Ben to arrive.

Way sooner than either of us were expecting, a topless bearded warrior came thundering down the High Street as Ben finished looking very strong.  It was great to see him do so well and also to see him progress over the last year, he seems to get stronger now with every race.

By the time he joined us at the pub the memories of the pain had already started to fade and we were soon trading stories of what had been an epic run.

As I write this my legs are still extremely tender from the prolonged cramping.  I'm refusing to feel too discouraged though.  I'm putting it down to a combination of heat, the quick start, a big effort the previous weekend at the North Lincs Half and not enough recent conditioning in the hills.

I've still got time to do something about the latter before the Ultimate Trails 110k in the Lakes in July. As with all ultras, it is 100% guaranteed to hurt, but a little easier on the cramps would be a start!

Once again, a big thanks to the Hardmoors family. The organisers, volunteers and everyone else involved without whom these brilliant races could not happen. What a special trail running community this is.  I can't wait to be joining you all again for some more punishment soon!

Hardmoors 26.2 Series Roseberry Topping - 13/12/2015

'In the depth of winter I finally learned that within me there is an invincible summer' - Albert Camus

So to my eighth and final race of 2015, a hilly winter marathon with a good mate for company looking to crack his first 26.2!

I am a huge fan of Jon Steele's Hardmoors Series having completed the Hardmoors 55 and 60 ultras earlier this year.  The races are well organised, relaxed and friendly and it just so happens they are all held up the road from me in the beautiful North York Moors.

So what better way to make your first foray into long distance trail running than a Hardmoors marathon for one of my oldest buddies Ben.

We arrived in time for the race briefing where we learned that Jon had thrown in an extra four miles or so to ensure we would get full value for money!  This would take the distance beyond 30 miles and towards the official 50km ultra distance - what an awesome (if unorthodox) way to break your marathon duck for him.

The briefing ended with a brilliant round of applause for hero ultra runner Dennis Potton who was amongst the runners on the day.  Dennis had found time to save a drowning child on his way to the finish of the Hardmoors 60 in September.

The sun had started to rise above the Moors as we left Guisborough Sea Cadets and made the first sticky, muddy ascent to High Cliff Nab on the Cleveland Way.  We were greeted by a spectacular sight as the sun lit up a snow crusted landscape with cloud enveloping the valley bottoms.  Wow, it doesn't get much better than conditions like this in December.

After taking us up Roseberry Topping (twice) and then on to Captain Cook's monument we made good progress on the frozen ground through Kildale and then up onto the High Moors.  A tough long climb then before leaving the Cleveland Way and descending East to Castleton and Commondale. The sun continued to shine all morning illuminating incredible frosty views in every direction.

Whilst receiving our punishment on Roseberry Topping, Rachel, Bobby and Simon were taking on the '10km' route which was actually closer to 9 miles!

Simon, Rachel and Bobby ready to go - Photo credit Suzanne Dunn

Well done ladies on your first trail race, and massive good luck to Simon taking on the mighty Marathon des Sables in 2016!

Our final climb back up onto the High Moor came after Commondale and by now the snow was melting fast in the sunshine leaving deep freezing puddles which Ben found soothing on his battered feet and I found plain horrible!  By now our pace had slowed a little but we determined to finish and it was a relief to finally reach the woods high above Guisborough as the light of the day began to fade a little.  Here we were caught by an experienced runner training for the Spine race in January, one of the world's toughest ultramarathons.  He was so impressed by learning Ben was taking on this tough challenge as his first marathon he had to stop in his tracks and shake him by the hand!

It was good to run hard down into Guisborough where we were cheered by waiting Bobby with our friends Chris and Becki who had arrived in time to cheer us home.  I didn't detect the shiny eyes promised by Ben at the finish line but I know we were both proud of finishing this tough run and it was a privilege to be there with him throughout his first marathon.  Massive respect buddy, that was a hard route to pick for your first one and you pushed it all the way to the end even when it got really tough.  I hope it will be the first of many for you!

Tough to kill! - Photo credit Chris Pickwell

Congratulations to the Hardmoors family (runners and volunteers) who created another brilliant event with excellent organisation, aid stations and most importantly that special friendly vibe.  I'll certainly be back for more in 2016 and hopefully with friends again too!

The Hardmoors 60 - 19/09/2015

'Never look backwards or you'll fall down the stairs' - Rudyard Kipling

The Hardmoors 60 is a 62 mile ultramarathon on the coastal Cleveland Way trail between Guisborough and Filey. It passes over beautiful clifftop trails, secluded beaches and seaside villages.  It takes in over 3,000m of ascent as the path hugs the coast up and down the cliffs from beach to village to bay.

To be honest I hadn't envisaged doing another long one this year but following a strengthening in qualification criteria to the UTMB I needed to squeeze in an extra one to be in that ballot come January which has been my overall big target for the year.

I have had a tough time rediscovering my mojo following the SDW100 which was my big race for 2015.  I had struggled to get the mileage back up to the 50-60 mile weeks I was clocking beforehand but more of a problem was that after so much running over the last twelve months, I was felling a bit jaded by it all mentally too. 

This race was always going to be a tester, the Hardmoors get their name for good reason as I found in March and this race is a 3 point UTMB qualifier (out of a maximum 4).  So I already wasn't feeling great about my preparations.  Then, whilst out on a dreich bank holiday recce run near Staithes, I sprained my ankle proper with less than 3 weeks to go.

Ouch! - Stupid running...

I was a bit shelled to be honest.  I couldn't believe I would recover sufficiently to complete a tough race in such a short time.  I iced and rested and just kept everything crossed for a recovery quicker than my Googling suggested was likely.

By the time the race came around I had managed only a couple of runs and none without pain.  I knew I had the miles in my legs to carry me through but I also knew a roll of the ankle in the race would be an instant DNF and could set me back months.

I avoided the physio (I felt I knew what the advice would be) and decided to just give it a go.  After all, there was no way I was going to trouble the scorers, but any finish within cutoff would keep the UTMB hopes alive.

Anyway enough of the excuses what about the race!

The traditional pre race selfie.
Yes we looked this tired BEFORE the race!

I had a new race crew on hand (thanks Mum and Dad) after giving Bobby and Rach a break from traipsing around after me doing lunatic runs.  We were up early to drive to Guisborough Sea Cadets for the start and after kit check and briefing we were soon heading off to the first climb up to High Cliff Nab on the North York Moors.

A cool start at Guisborough - Photo credit Ann Brown

After less than a mile, the route traversed a cambered open field and the inevitable ankle roll happened although way sooner than anticipated .  The pain was excruciating and I wondered if I was going to be the earliest DNF in the history of ultra running.  I pressed on gingerly initially just to avoid embarrassment but was glad I did as the pain eventually faded.

I realised that the mental challenge of this race was going to be as hard as the physical.  I had to concentrate so hard on keeping my cadence high to reduce the force through the ankle and be so careful to plant my foot on as flat a surface as possible ever single step.  This was going to be tough over such a mix of terrain all day and into the night.

Why so serious at Skinningrove? - Photo credit Ann Brown

We arrived in Saltburn and the heat had started to build, I looked forward to getting up on the cliff tops to drink in the views on what was now a truly stunning day.  Once we had climbed up onto the cliffs, the next few hours were about making progress towards Runswick Bay where my first drop bag awaited at 21 miles.  Mum and Dad managed to catch up with me a couple of times along the way with loads of goodies on hand.

A rare smile!

Progress was steady due to being so careful.  I wish I had spent more time appreciating the stunning scenery but I was too busy watching my feet.  I am not sure what the words are for someone with a fear of rabbit holes or particularly tufty patches of grass but they were terrifying and I had it. Tuftygrassaphobia perhaps..? 

The pretty fishing village of Staithes came and went in what seemed like a flash, then onto the spectacular beach at Runswick bay where we tackled just a fraction of the thousands of steep steps up and down the cliffs we would need to climb..

On the way to Staithes - Photo credit Kim Kiddle

The next major landmark was Whitby and the 199 steps up to the Abbey.  In his race briefing Jon Steele (the race director) had a chuckle at the thought of 200 ultra runners 'swimming' through the hordes of tourists Whitby attracts on a warm day and he wasn't wrong!  Lots of strange looks, comments and surprised encouragement from the bemused fish and chip munchers as we weaved through towards the abbey.  The steps were finally conquered (well after a fashion, I had run 30 miles by then) and I resisted the temptation to stop for an ice cream at the top.

I had started to experience some nice cramping as a combination of the heat of the day, and my lack of recent training started to catch up with me. I never really managed to shift the cramp for the remainder of the race and stopping to stretch the calves slowed things even more.  The constant ups and downs of hills and steps showed no mercy and after a receiving a lovely welcome from the enthusiastic crew at the aid station, the punishment was quickly resumed on the steep descent into Robin Hoods Bay.

The next section was a long steady climb up to Ravenscar where Mum and Dad would be waiting. They had already located my dropbag and Dad helped me stretch my calves yet again and fetched a sugary tea whilst I smashed some rice pudding. By now I was tired but my resolve to finish was growing with 41 hard miles in the bag. My body ached but the ankle was showing no signs of worsening so I pressed on.

The route between Ravenscar to Scarborough was for me the most enjoyable running of the day. The worst of the heat had subsided and I knew the route from walking it with Bobby earlier in the summer. Good progress was made considering how knackered I was feeling.

Mum and Dad met me at each end of the long promenade in Scarborough which was great as I was seriously in need of a lift by now.  Mum and I ran the 50 yards into the last aid station hand in hand where I sat down, regrouped and fuelled up on watermelon and Jaffa Cakes.  It was time to put on my headtorch for the last push to Filey as the sun had now set. The tide was in now and waves were crashing over the walls in the last of the light.

With Dad's instructions to 'get back on my toes' ringing in my ears I reluctantly left the relative comfort of the station and headed off into the night.  I soon caught a few other runners which was handy as I was worried about getting lost in the dark.  Even when I passed someone I always ensured I was in sight of a twinkling headtorch. Fortunately it was a clear night with good light from the stars, still taking care with every step, I heard a tawny owl hooting some encouragement from somewhere close by.

There was no let up from the torture of the steps even down to the last mile. It was a relief to emerge into the streetlights of Filey now after 10 pm and Dad was waiting for me there.  We ran the last few hundred yards together which was a really nice moment as he and Mum had been with me all the way on what had now been a really long day.

Only finishers get a shirt - Wear with pride!

It was a tough race in attritional conditions.  Well done to the Hardmoors team and all of the volunteers who put on another fantastic event.  Respect to everyone who stepped up to the start line and gave it their best whether you made it or not..

It was probably not my wisest move to attempt this run with the injury but in the end I was lucky and came away largely unscathed (save for the standard grumbling legs).  I have to be satisfied with finishing in the first 50 out of  almost 200 starters given I didn't think I had a chance of  making the start line only a fortnight ago.

The course, injuries and the heat took their toll on the 30 or so who didn't make it to the finish. Not the case apparently for winner Martin Murray who finished in an impressive 10.03.  The headlines will however be stolen by one runner who found time to rescue a drowning child at Sandsend en route to his finish. Hats off to you Sir!

So that's it, I'm going to take a break from the long stuff after 3 tough ultras in the last 6 months.  I have earned the right to tow the start line at two of the mightiest trail races in the world by qualifying for the UTMB and the Western States this year and for that I am thankful.  As it will be my first entry into the ballot, the chances are slim but thats fine, its been an epic 14 months of ultra running adventures to get here no matter what.  As you would expect I already have a Plan B for 2016 which is just as exciting, looking forward to seeing what it brings!

Thanks to Mum and Dad for the support on this race, you did way more than I could have asked for. Thanks also to everyone who has supported me in any way along the last year or so with my running. I am so lucky to have such supportive colleagues, friends and family and without you I am sure I would never have made it.

Looking forward to adding to my trail running cv in 2016, watch this space!

Hardmoors 55 21/03/2015

"After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb." - Nelson Mandela

The Hardmoors 55 is a 55 mile ultramarathon run over part of the Cleveland Way from Guisborough to Hemsley along some of the most spectacular scenery in the North York Moors. It climbs over 2,700 metres in total and would be my third ultra.

I've put in a lot of hard training miles over the winter but there's nothing like that mix of nerves and excitement you get leading up to a big race day.

My sister Rachel had kindly offered to drive me which saved a super early start to catch the bus from Helmsley and time spent hanging around at the start.  In the end I had 45 minutes to get my number, kit checked and smash some porridge before the start.  The atmosphere at the Sea Cadets Hall was buzzing as Jon Steele the race director gave the briefing and told everyone the drill if they broke both their arms and legs and assured everyone there wouldn't be any DNFers.

Pre race fueling!

Having recently tested my merino baselayer on a hilly recce, I made a late decision to wear a better wicking long sleeve top and carry the merino.  It just about packed into my race vest alongside the other mandatory kit items.  There was quite a long list of required kit due to the arctic conditions in which this race has been run previously.

Thankfully for me, the weather was kind this year. Dry, but cloudy with a blustery Northerly which would have been cold for marshals and aid station volunteers but made for quite nice conditions for running.

Pausing for the important prerace selfie with Rach and Bobby meant I missed the start!  I ended up joining the back of the queue to climb the stairs onto the old railway line.  We soon joined the Cleveland Way heading for the first climbs of the day. Rach and Bobby had already headed off for a brew and to meet up with three new members of my support crew for this race, mum, dad and Hally the border collie.

The race has already started dumbass!

The first major obstacle of note is Roseberry Topping and the leaders came flying down as I started my climb.  I had not been to this part of the North York Moors before and I was blown away by the views to the bleak moors and down into the fields of Yorkshire around 360 degrees.  No time to waste though so I pushed on down and then up again to Captain Cooks monument and soon found myself in the tiny village of Kildale (12 miles) where we expected to find our dropbags.  Due to a problem of some sort the bags had not arrived and would instead be 10 miles further on.  This suited me fine as the hundred weight of porridge I had consumed was still providing sufficient fuel so I stopped briefly to refill the bottles and was soon on my way again.

After Kildale, the route heads into a remote part of the Moors climbing steadily to Blowarth Crossing.  The trail was compact here and I felt good momentum building after the early climbs.  I thought about how rough it must get here in the winter and how challenging it must have been in those years when the weather was far less accommodating.  From Blowarth the route turns West to climb Round Hill where you can look back to Roseberry Topping and the distance you have covered and ahead to the challenge still to come.  It was around this point my knees had started to grumble a little.  It was still early in the race, and I hoped that it wasn't a return of my previous problems as this would surely mean a painful grind to a DNF.  Nothing could be done but keep going for now and soon we were descending to Clay Bank (21 miles) where my dropbag and family were waiting for me.  Here Rach and Bobby swarmed around me like an F1 pit crew replacing bottles and food as I wolfed down some rice pudding.

Pit Stop Clay Bank

From here to Osmotherley is easily the hardest part of the route as it ascends and descends the beautiful, brutal rollercoaster of Hasty Bank, Wain Stones, Cringle Moor and Carlton Bank.  I knew what was coming as I had already recced this section.  With 20+ miles and 4 hours of running already behind me there was little more to do than to hike up and down as fast as I could and run the short distances between the hills.  This tough section takes a lot out of the legs and there was a reality check of what I had taken on when it struck home that I was only half way.  Nevertheless it was such a help to have run this section before and it was great that the guys were there again to say Hi at Lord Stones and help me stretch my now intermittently cramping calves (thankfully the knees didn't get any worse).  Despite the battering, it is impossible not to be uplifted by the beauty here and I focused on the knowledge that Osmotherley would be reached very soon after the hilly torture subsided where it would be possible to eat, drink and regroup.

Not this blogpost you mean! - A bit of ultra encouragement

Off again, leaving Lordstones checkpoint

Entering the Village Hall at Osmotherley (32 miles) I was immediately handed my drop bag by one of the young volunteers there and took a seat.  There were a few tired bodies and glum faces around and I resolved to be in and out of there sharpish.  I wasn't massively hungry but I wanted to try to eat.  I had decided to experiment with falafel as a nice savoury fuel, I popped one in my mouth and immediately realised my mistake.  What little moisture was left in my mouth immediately disappeared and I was left parched, trying to swallow what felt like a small garlicky birds nest.  I soon gave up on falafel. I glugged down some coke, refilled the bottles, grabbed some Clif Blocks, and was out and on my way again all within 4 minutes or so. 

Some of the chat around this race was that the hard work is all done before Osmotherley so i was looking forward to some easy running now, however this was not to be.  The next few miles are hard work as you regain height.  Rachel and Bobby met me coming the other way at Square Corner and were surprised at how soon I had arrived.  With some much needed words of encouragement I headed on uphill alone with a few spots of rain starting to fall, with grey clouds now darkening overhead and my mood doing the same. It was starting to get hard and I wasn't really prepared mentally for this climb. It was the toughest part of the day.

Starting the lonely climb to Whitestones

I dug in and waited for the low to pass.  Thankfully the summit of Whitestones was soon reached and the long awaited descent appeared.  It was a relief to get some momentum and my mood lifted immenseley.  I felt like I was flying all the way to the next checkpoint at High Paradise Farm (39.5 miles) even though in reality i was probably only running 10 minute miles. It's amazing how lows can be so quickly followed by highs in these events.  I stopped briefly for a gob full of jelly babies and another bottle refill.  From here I was on home turf as I knew the route.  I was going to get this thing done now, it was just a matter of time.  I felt great and said so when I bumped into the folks next near Sneck Yate where I stopped briefly for a glug of coke and a chat. The view from here was breathtaking as the grey sky broke briefly for shafts of late afternoon sunshine to light up the Vale of York.  From here I knew there must only be 15 miles or so to Helmsley and most of my climbing was now behind me.

Sunshine at last! - Near Sneck Yate

Feeling good and some fatherly words of wisdom!

It wasn't all plain sailing though, the steep descent to the final check point at White Horse (45 miles) was torture on my now trashed legs.  Far worse in fact than the much feared steps back up to Sutton Bank. Turning away from Sutton Bank I caught up with a fella struggling a little with route finding near the busy road.  We chatted for a while and I was amused to find he was from Messingham only a few miles from where I was brought up.  We ran and chatted together for a while as the evening started to draw in.  He stopped for a call of nature and I cracked on descending to Rievaulx.  I strapped on the headtorch for the last few miles as it was getting increasingly difficult to be sure of safe footing, then started my final push for the finish line, through the tiny hamlet, up the hill and into the woods.

A few minutes later, I was emerging out of the black with the lights of Helmsley twinkling not far away. The spectacular ruined Castle all lit up and beckoning me to the finish. Emerging onto the streets of Helmsley I even found some energy to kick for the last few hundred yards to the finish at the Town Hall.  I had done it.  Two and a bit off road marathons and twice the height of Ben Nevis in 10hrs and 22 minutes.

The race had been won in a mind blowing 7hrs and 39 mins by 2014 British Athletics ultra trail champ Kim Collison.

A little battle scarred but still smiling

As we headed home in the car, we saw twinkling headtorches making their way along Sutton Bank.  My adventure was over and I felt a little jealous of the runners still out there with a large chapter of their story still to be written. Great job by everyone who finished this tough race from first to last.

Thanks to the Hardmoors family for putting together a brilliant event, I'll definitely be back for some more hilly punishment.  Just let me get my legs working again first! Thanks too to my amazing family for supporting me all the way to the finish.

In a shocking twist of fate Hardmoors ultramarathons turn out to be hard.

Knowledge of this route from recce runs and walks with Bobby helped me so much mentally and enabled me to keep my spirits up when the going got tough.  As a result, I have decided to make the long journey down to Brighton to recce the second half of my next big race.

Next up, a few shorter races, not least the North Lincolnshire Half Marathon with a load of my old muckers and the Trail 26 race in the Howgills.  Really though, everything from here is geared towards the mighty South Downs Way 100 in June. 

Thanks to Rach and dad for use of the photos!