Another week closer to The Tunnel Ultra. Week 1 of 3 trying to hit 73 miles, not quite there again but lots of snowy icy miles increased the difficulty.
Yesterday I completed marathon 83. The Grim Up North Pateley Pie and Pint. I had originally entered the marathon but last week ( before I saw the weather forecast) I upgraded to the ultra as I needed a 30 miler this week.
When I went to bed on Friday it had been pouring with snow for hours and it had settled thickly. When I got up it took ages to clear it all off the van and it was a nervy journey until the Heck roundabout area where 2 A1 lanes were again 3 and there was little sign of the inches of snow I had left at home. The snow reappeared as I approached Pateley where there was a decent covering of snow..
At race briefing the organisers said they had decided to do a staggered start to avoid congestion at the first couple of kissing gates. This gave the marathon and ultra runners an extra 15 mins to wait. I went back to the van to warm up.
The start was still busy. The snow was compacted on the trails after a couple of hundred runners had already stomped it down.
After the first 3 kissing gates there was a meadow and it gave us chance to spread out. Another gate. A wood then a stone stile and a couple more fields, another gate and another stone stile. This time I had to wait whilst some of the fast 5 milers went over first on their way back, again there was turn taking on a foot bridge before crossing a road and a wobbly wooden stile where there were just runners in one direction again. Across a field to another stile and the gentle start of the climb through a strangely lumpy field, slightly down to cross a beck and another stile past the reservoir. Now the hill got steep. Up a snowy icy slope to a gate, right turn up the lane to another gate and another steep section to a pair of gate posts at the start of a bridge to a farm. It was hard work on the ice and packed snow. After passing the derelict farm the lane levelled out before descending steep key through a wood, I was very cautious and slow, some others ran down as if it was not sheet ice.
The track led to some houses and the Sportsman’s Arms pub. It was quite runnable to the little footbridge where turns were taken with runners going both directions.
Now it was back over the icy stone stiles and kissing gates towards Pateley Bridge. It was really treacherous in some areas, in the wood I slipped and stabbed my hand on brambles. As we got nearer Pateley the route was slightly different and being less well trodden was easier going. Lap 1 done. As each lap passed, more snow and ice thawed, mud appeared. There was less congestion so the laps felt easier.
It was cold and the volunteers did a fab job being out for over 6 1/2 hours.
This was a great event, a bit of an obstacle course but fun. I was second last person to finish but 2 nd female in the ultra.
Today I was supposed to do 20 miles but the snow and ice had not cleared, tired from yesterday I managed 16 miles and finished the day with yoga which has really helped my achy legs.
