Marathon 82, It’s Grim Up North 6 hour challenge

Marathon 82 yesterday. It’s Grim Up North 6 hour challenge at Holme Pierrepont National Watersports Centre. I traveled down on Friday after work. Driving conditions were tough in sleet and snow, but I arrived shortly after 7 pm. This meant I could relax and have a relatively late start on Saturday.

I stubbed my toe getting out of the shower, it ached all night. 

When I got up on Saturday my toe had stopped throbbing and only hurt if I poked it, so I didn’t. I did however still have sore muscles from Thursday’s circuits, cheers Heather. 

I went for a walk before breakfast, it was very cold and overcast. But not icy. It was strange looking over the lake not having to swim in it, but I was relieved. Holme Pierrepont is the site for The Outlaw. I have run round this lake many times. 

I wandered back for breakfast, scrambled eggs, bacon, roast & jam and coffee. It was still early. So I went back to my room to get ready to run. 

Before I checked out I had a cereal bar and some rice pudding.

After checking out I put my stuff in the van and registered, chatting to old friends and new.

At 10:20 we had race briefing and went out into the cold and congregated around the area that I know as The Outlaw finish line. 

We gathered to start. Were were to run anti clockwise around the lake, collecting a band at the end of every lap. Each lap was around 3 miles long and there were turnback points for those planning to run 5 km, 10km half marathon or full marathon. There were 3 hour challengers and 6 hour challengers. I was just gonna run as long as I could, I hoped for 10 laps in 6 hours. 

The race started and everyone set off, running their own pace for their own goals. My legs were sore but soon warmed up. After the first lap I was joined by Chris, we ran and chatted for 4 laps. Chris was a 3 hour challenger and after 5 laps we split up, he planned to run/walk his last lap. 

Running with Chris had been a distraction, now I was on my own, runners reducing every lap, I was working hard I reached marathon at 4:20, this gave me hope of running more than 10 laps. I made 30 miles in under 5 hours, I was tiring but hoped now to make 12 laps. 

On my 12 th lap I knew I was slowing but pushed in the hope of getting round in under 6 hours and being allowed to do a 13th lap. I finished my 12th lap as it was getting dark in 6:01:40. Too late for another. I was not disappointed, I felt had done well. 

I handed my bands in and had some cake, collected my beer and chocolate and went inside to warm up.

After a short while I went to the van to get changed and set off on the long drive home in the dark. No snow this time phew!

I got home at 8 pm tired and happy. Only 18 marathons to go.

The results came out today, I was in the top 10 and the 2 nd lady. The First Lady also had 12 laps but she had done them in 5:10.

Tour of Ripon Marathon for training and fun

Today was a great run, tough though. 13 of us started the Tour of Ripon Marathon, it wasn’t a race, it was a social run. The route is designed so that people can do all or some, it has lots of places where runners can join in or complete their effort depending on their own needs.

The youngest member of the group ran with her mum, she made the fab banner for Ben Smith’s run of this route, way back in May 2016.

Joining me at the start were George, Dave, Martin, Paul, Nicola, Claire Jane, Jackie, Fiona, Fiona, Hayley and Eloise. 

We started in the dark 13 runners of differing pace and abilities and ran through Sharow and along the river Ure and Skell to Fishergreen. As the sun rose we then ran the other side of the Skell and Ure to Hewick Bridge and crossed to the racecourse with a quick visit from Ripon Runners on route to the Brass Monkey half marathon in York.

From their we ran to the canal where Fiona, Fiona and Eloise left us. The rest of us ran down the canal to the last lock, crossed the canal and headed for Littlethorpe. We were behind predicted Tina as I hadn’t accounted for regroups. I let Kelly and Lesley know. 

The pace picked up on the road section and we were soon crossing the bypass where Jane left us. I was a little confused with the actual route but Kelly and Claire Met is on Gallows Hill and we set off along the Sanctuary Way.

We altered the route slightly by missing out Moorside Dale to go to Martin and Hayley’s house for comfort breaks, and bottle fills. Hayley and Martin has provided flapjack and brownies. We then set off up Lead Lane. Nicola and Paul only needed to do 13 miles and set off back as we got to Whitcliffe Lane and the rest of us continued upwards into a headwind, Jackie left us at the farm after running 11+ miles, she will have completed 13 by the time she got home.

Soon we were at the top of Whitcliffe Lane, the highest point of the course and we could enjoy the long run down to Fountains Abbey enjoying the clear views and sunny springlike weather.

We regrouped at the top of Studley Drive by the church for a breather. I let Lesley know we would’ve with her at about 11 am and off we went, half way down the drive we turned to the lake and ran 6 of the 7 bridges. Hayley decided to leave us there, heading up Mackershaw as the rest of us ran up to Sam’s Seat and one of the best views in the area, looking over Ripon to the Cleveland Hills. 

We were spread out as we had been most of the day with the faster runners having the option of running back to the back of the group. 

When we got back to Ripon, Kelly and Martin headed home as the last 5 of us headed up Bishopton to meat Lesley as Claire left us, so the five of us ran up Lark Lane to the cemetery and crossed the fields to the golf club and back to the River Ure where we rank back to North Bridge for the 3rd time today.

We headed to the clock tower and up Kingsmead. Had another stop at Lesley’s and then set off for the last few miles, the miles were taking their toll on us, as we wound round the streets back to the River Skell, Claire who had run many miles already this week including a 26 mile race yesterday had clocked up 26 miles from doing run backs, so left us to see her son’s football match. The four of us carried on back to Fishergreen, then back around the cathedral where Dave set off home too, he had run 26 and by the time he got home had completed 26.2. And then there were 3 George was still running strong and was running laps of the market square waiting for Lesley and I to get up traffic light hill.

Round the market square and down Kirkgate brought us to the cathedral, the official route end. The route is 26.5 miles. George had clocked up 26.6 and had finished feeling strong. I was worn out. 

Lesley set of home to complete her 10 miles and George and I set off back to our cars, I left George at his and jogged back to St Marygate carpark. 

Less than 6 hours ago I had left with 12 friends and now I returned alone, after a fab social run with 15 friends.

I hope to run this route again in the future and would love even more people to join in.

Results from 2018's 20 marathon/ultras

NYPTRI long distance Triathlete 2017

Marathon 80 It’s Grim Up North Elescar Santa Dash

Round Ripon Ultra 3 rd female

2018 started off slow, I was not as motivated as usual. I had a really bad headache for the first few months of the year and did not train or race as much as usual. This meant that when I did race it took me longer to recover, making me reluctant to train, viscious circle. Still, in April I discovered that my headache was nothing more sinister than a type of migraine and with the help of the right medication it was soon a thing of the past and I felt like me again.

The next few months I tried to get back on track, but in September I had only managed to complete 8 of my goal of 20 marathon/ultras. not to be beaten, I entered a few events and in mid December I achieved my goal of 20 marathons in 2018.

So the year was not a complete disaster, and I also picked up a few prizes along the way and reached my 1000 Hardmoors miles at the White Horse marathon in June and am now always number 36 for Hardmoors events,

So here are the events and timings.

11/02/2018	Hardmoors Saltburn	06:21:18
17/03/2018	Hardmoors 55	12:56:10	1st FV50
08/04/2018	Manchester Marathon	04:14:57
22/04/2018	London Marathon	04:37:57
29/04/2018	Wainstones Marathon	05:48:26
27-28/05/2018	Hardmoors 110	33/00/00	4th lady
10/06/2018	Hardmoors White Horse	06:03:10	1st FV50
17/06/2018	Lakesman Full distance Triathlon run	14:45:15
15/07/2018	Its Grim up North Duncome Park Marathon	05:15:51
15/09/2018	Hardmoors 60	14:56:39
23/09/2018	Hull Marathon	04:05:28	1st FV50
30/09/2018	Its Grim up North Black Sheep 6 hour challenge	06:12:41	1st lady
06/10/2018	Round Ripon Ultra	07:04:54	3rd lady
14/10/2018	Yorkshire Marathon	04:09:25
21/10/2018	Hardmoors Osmotherley	06:27:40
10/11/2018	Hardmoors Goathland	05:49:05
11-Nov	Its Grim up North 4x4 Sun	05:02:29
18/11/2018	Newcastle Town Moor	04:14:20	1st FV50
09/12/2018	Hardmoors Roseberry Topping	07:01:03	Joint 1st FV50
15/12/2018	Its Grim up North Santa Dash	04:34:54

On 02/09/2018 I also completed the Helvellyn Triathlon, a 1 mile very cold swim, a 42 mile hilly cycle including the infamous Struggle followed by a 9 mile run up and down Helvellyn via Swirril Edge. I was very pleased to complete this as I have a fear of heights. I think this was helped by the thick fog. I was a little disappointed to have to walk the last couple of hundred yards of the struggle, after completing it in a practise ride the previous week.

Stats from 2018