I first heard about this race last year and decided that it was not an option so close to the Hardmoors 55. This year however, everything is just training for the Hardmoors 110 and the LDWA 100 races in May 2017.
Billy liked the sound of it too, so we decided to do it together. We entered and were too late. We were on the waiting list, but runners were transferring places to friends and we didn't think that we would get a place, i was gutted at this. I should have been better organised but these events cost alot of money, I have to balance entries out over the year.
A couple of weeks before we got notification on Facebook that we had a place, now camr the quandary. Billy has been injured for months, he hasn't been right since Equinox 24 where he ran an amazing 107 miles, he has had sciatica, and problems in his calf and quad. He has recently got his running up to 8 miles.
We accepted the places and hoped for the best.
When the day came, i was still tired from Hardmoors 55 and Billy had still not run much more than 8 miles.
Billy drove us up to Kielder Water and we registered, we then met the other Ripon Runners/NYPTri runners and waited for the start.
The weather was pleasant and the midges were out.
The sun was high in the sky as we checked out the reservoir and fueled up.
It was very crowded at the start, I tried to set off steady but it is hard to pace yourself in such situations. The other RR/NYPtri ers had gone off ahead and were disappearing into the distance amongst the multi coloured runners. Billy and I stuck together, we wound our way around the reservoir, eventually passing Karen and Penny, not for long I'm sure. i was pushing to try and get 10 miles under my belt before I had to put my head torch on.
I was right, it was about 10 miles when we entered some trees and had to put the head torches on. we were running well, on track for a sub 4:30 time. A little later on we stopped and turned off our lights and looked up, The stars which were already bright were even brighter and more stars were pinging out in the gaps. the sky was simply stunning.
We could see the lights of other runners across the reservoir reflecting off the still black water.
I was running well and I thought Billy was too, but at 16 miles his back muscles spasm ed and the battle commenced. Billy got out his walking poles for the inclines and kept on, He was clearly in pain but determined not to give in. A few people passed us as we slowed, but the miles still passed. There was a shooting star, it was greenish, that was a momentary distraction. Nearly there, the last checkpoint at Leaplish all lit up in fairy lights wrapped around trees. Only a mile or so to go.
We saw the fairy lights leading us to the finish, Go for it Billy said, No i would stay with him, as we turned the last corner someone came up behind us, go billy said, so I did, He finished a little later, I held the bloke off but Billy hadn't. But regardless we had completed the race in under 5 hours with over 16 miles in the dark. Billy however was in bits. I felt so guilty, but so proud of him at the same time.
Karen and Penny followed us in, they had sung all the way round.
Billy and I went back to the car, ate pork pies from Cockburns in Bedale and set off home.
The clocks changed as we left the A1, It was 1 am, now 2 am.
It was a long day, but it was a great race, well organised, great venue. Shame Billy was injured.
Billy is now back to training after a couple of appointments with the Osteopath. Good job, because he is training for something massive.
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