Ripon Runner's Minster2Minster Marathon

Saturday 31 May 2014, the second running of this, just for fun, social run, organised by Matt and Jill Holt.

Last year we did it in August, I was glad it was earlier this year as I hoped the route would be less overgrown.

Last year I ran the route alone, setting off earlier than the main group, navigating and self supported, I managed 26 miles before the main group caught up with me. This year I was to lead a group, my plan again was to get to 26 miles before the main group caught us up. I had already let Matt know that this was my plan.

I set my alarm for 04:30 so that I was all fed and watered and my kit checked for the day ahead. One of our runner's Claire, was supporting, but as she was returning from injury was hoping to run part of the way too, and so her husband Jonathan would be our support vehicle, this meant that we did not have to be self sufficient.

I walked to the Cathedral to meet my team, it was a glorious morning and promised to be a lovely weather.

I was first there and sat on the Cathedral steps to wait off the others.

Soon, the others arrived, as well as out club chairman Chris to take some pics as we got under way.

Also there was Hilary, she was supporting us on her bike, as long as the route was road. So we all gathered in our Ripon Runners vests in front of Ripon Cathedral at 06:00 for photos, then we were off.

There were six up us to start, Jacky, Mel, Lorraine, Julie, Autumn (who only decided to come last night) and myself. We ran along the Boroughbridge Road, Chris popped up by the canal for another pic, Then I led the group through the racecourse, as it was a bit safer than the road, across the bridge and to Skelton-on-Ure via Newby Hall's exit road. This section was tough for Hilary on her road bike but she managed. We were running comfortably, chatting along the quiet (because it was so early) road into Langthorpe. As we entered Boroughbridge I led the group to the public all night loo. Last chance for a comfort break. We then ran to the centre of town to meet Claire and Jonathon.

7.5 miles done.

The next section was mainly off road, some of the group put on long trousers and sleeves for this section. We refuelled, mainly on Finger Of Fudge, ( thanks Matt) had a couple of photos, said goodbye to Hilary for a while, and joined by Claire, the seven of us headed off towards the River Ure. We ran alongside the river for the next few miles, we came into a field of cows and calves. 

A couple of the team were scared of cows and these cows seemed to sense it, they were quite feisty, but we walked through the field and much to the relief of the others crossed the stile. Now the route became one overgrown and tricky, we had to avoid nettles and giant hogweed (gives a nasty sting) 

all the time watching for a sink hole that had appeared along the route.  These four miles were slow and hard work, we were relieved to move away from the river to enter Lower Dunsforth, where Hilary and Jonathon were waiting. The team refuelled and removed long sleeves and leggings. Conscious of how much time we had lost on the last section.

 I chivvied them along and we set off again, we chose to run by road to Great Ouseburn. On route we looked back to see another cyclist with Hilary, it was Leah, we were pleased to see her, as we had thought she couldn't make it. In great Ousburn we turned by the church and headed down a lane, the cyclists turned off before it got too rough, to meet us later on. The land was rough and puddly, it lead us to a golf course, where we had to run the gauntlet with the golfers to get back to the river. We ran by the river until we reached Aldwark Toll Bridge.

After another refuelling session and more Finger of fudges, we set off by road to Newton on Ouse. This was a windy narrow road and the sun beat down on us as we ran hard to get off it. As we approached Linton on Ouse Hilary told me that a team member was struggling with the pace, so we put her to the front as pacemaker. This worked well, Apart from Claire and I none of the team had gone ultra before, and we were already approaching 20 mikes. The team were running so well.

Just as we approached Newton on Ouse one of the team fell. She said she was ok, just bumped and nettled. When we arrived moments later at the support stop, Jonathon did a bit of first aid, we all refuelled and rehydrated, it was quite warm now. Before we sett off, more Ripon Runners arrived by car, these runners were running the last 10 miles. We thought the others could not be far behind now and set off though some gardens on the public footpath along the riverside. It was boggy in places and as we reached the grounds of Benningborough Hall, the path was very muddy and churned up by cows, but they weren't on the path anymore. Another team member fell on a root, and as I went to see if she was ok I tripped on a root, but didn't fall. A sure sign of tiredness, not lifting our feet. The next sign of tiredness was a bit of a detour. I spotted a gate and autopiloted through it, soon I said "Where's the River?" I had taken the wrong path, we retraced our steps and their, just infront of the gate there was a path through the grass. Back on the right path, the going was tough, long grass and nettles. We walked a fair bit and the miles were no longer passing quickly. At one point the path was so churned by cows, yucky, sticky mud. My trainer decided to have a sit in

It was quite stuck and made a rude noise when I pulled it out.

More mud, more long grass, more cows. Some cows fancied joining us and the team seemed to have got over their fear for a while.

We were going well as we got to the point where I was caught up last year, I turned, no other runners. We nearly went off course when Claire thought we should go a different way. I asked a farmer, "More cow runners" he said, then told us the right way. Strange thingg to say. Soon we were at the 26 mile point and final checkpoint, there were other runners and Chris as well as our support team of Jonothan, Hilary and Leah. They told us some cows had escaped onto the A19. I hope the farmer wasn't blaming us.

Chris asked if we we waiting for the others, they were about half an hour behind us. Not a chance, we'd stiffen up and the girls were eager to see 30 miles on their garmins. They'd worked hard for this, so I promised to wait at Lendall Bridge in York so we could all run to the Minster together. We set off again, now watching for a sea of burgundy clad runners chasing us down, but it never happened and soon we were at Lendall Bridge. My Garmin said 30 miles but some of the others didn't so they ran back a bit and stopped when they had 30 miles on their watches.

I borrowed this picture from Hilary. We then just had to wait, and wait.

We worried had something happened. John arrived on his bike,

but still no runners. Finally Paul appeared, sprinting towards us,

and soon the rest of the runners arrived.

They caught their breath and we set off as one large group, a swathe of burgundy as we emerged from the riverside path to the bemusement of pedestrians. We ran past them towards the Minster that loomed above us and gathered on the Minster steps, over 7 hours after leaving Ripon Cathedral.

Well done and congratulations everyone, we even had a couple of guest runners, they had to wear RR shirts. Congratulations to our new ultra runners.

Thanks to my team who dug deep and reached new highs, welcome back to running Claire and thanks for giving up tour day to give us invaluable support, Jonathan, Hilary and Leah, and congratulations to Hilary and Leah, who then cycled back from York to Ripon, clocking up their biggest bike miles in a day to date.

But finally, none of this would have been possible without the fantastic organisation of Matt and Jill.

Thank you for an awesome day.