tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49518066758377728912024-02-06T21:06:28.113-08:00j. steele's 50 in 52J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-17958860258028643292013-01-30T12:16:00.002-08:002013-01-30T12:16:41.565-08:00The Eventual Road to SpartaThe main running goal of 2013, has well er....become a non-starter.......<br />
The Spartathlon has filled up before I have even had a chance to qualify. Oh well there is always 2014, plus to look at the positive side I should hopefully be fitter and faster with 18 months plus of training before the 2014 edition.<br />
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So well I need another big challenge for my 40th year!! Im too late for various different races now, but hold on... haven't I always wanted to run the 'Coast to Coast' (Wainright route) Ok there it is then, a Coast to Coast continuous journey (60-70hrs) 190 miles (if I don't get too lost!) August /September time. Well its that or another Bob Graham Round Attempt! Sod it Ill try both, so June then for the BGR.<br />
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January has been a pretty laid back affair, some interval training on the Treadmill. A few Hardmoors Trail Marathon Recces in waist deep snow and to finish it off a week in Dubai with Shirley and the Dubai Marathon.<br />
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Dubai Marathon kicked my arse... My target was 3hrs 40.. well that didn't happen, try 4hrs 27 and a weight loss of 9lbs. Shirley came in as 2nd lady in her category and beat me by 30 plus mins. The start of the marathon was in mist which seemed to cause me to pour with sweat and then when the sun eventually broke through I was drenched. The last half marathon was purely a battle to keep moving forward. Not good! I had some serious dehydration problems going on and I was close to calling it a day.....<br />
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I have just managed to get a place in the 'Rombalds Stride' very lucky as the race filled up a month or so ago. I'm hoping to put a good run in at Rombalds (well good for me) and put my poor performance at the Dubai Marathon to bed. Dubai is a stunning city. A place I will never forget.</div>
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My weight has settled to around 14st 6lbs The low carb diet was relaxed for my time in Dubai. Now on my return I have switched from the Ketone Diet to the Paleo Diet, I have dropped dairy but reintroduced fruit. I will now eat carbs directly before, during and after races/hard training sessions.<br />
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Well Rombalds on Saturday, a weekend of Lakeland training with Garry Scott and Mark Dalton the following weekend, the weekend after is the Osmotherley Hardmoors Trail Marathon, I'm not running on the day but will be running the full course to mark it the day before. The following weekend is a Spanish Trail Marathon in Valencia and a chance to spend time with Shirley. Following weekend is the High Peak Marathon (42miles) this is starting to remind me of last year :o)))))<br />
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Dubai Marathon</div>
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after the Marathon</div>
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Garry Scott below Cringle Moor</div>
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J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-43226031704613185132013-01-18T18:56:00.004-08:002013-01-30T12:25:18.330-08:00The Road To Sparta....<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">2013 The Road to Sparta...... </span></b></div>
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Funny thing really, what do Ultrarunners talk about to other Ultrarunners when they are running an Ultra? Well most of the time other Ultra's. So half way through the 52 in 52 challenge I was thinking of what challenge I could attempt in 2013.<br />
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2013 is also the year of my 40th birthday, ok I know I look more like I'm 50 but I am as I write this 39. Several years ago I decided I needed to do something big for my 40th. Two races came on my radar, Badwater http://www.badwater.com and Spartathlon http://www.spartathlon.gr/home.html.<br />
Badwater looked well, pretty interesting but bloody expensive (Crew, flights, Vehicle Hire, supplies etc etc ) Spartathlon seemed to look much more affordable, I didn't say doable though!<br />
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Spartathalon in a nut shell is a 153 mile race from Athens to Sparta. The race is predominately road and the cut off is a tight 36hrs. During the day the temperatures can be pretty hot. The toughest aspect of the <br />
race (apart from 153 miles) is the cut offs. The first 50 miles must be covered in under 9hrs 30mins,<br />
with many more cut offs.<br />
9hrs 30 may not sound much for 50 miles, two back to back marathons at around about 4hrs.40 Min's for each one, but remember you still have over 100 miles to go and a 3000 ft plus hill to climb.<br />
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T<b>aken from the official website; </b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">Described as the world's most gruelling race, the Spartathlon runs over rough tracks and muddy paths (often it rains during the race), crosses vineyards and olive groves, climbs steep hillsides and, most challenging of all, takes the runners on the 1,200 meter ascent and descent of Mount Parthenio in the dead of night. This is the mountain, covered with rocks and bushes, on which it is said Pheidippides met the god Pan. In 2,500 years man has had no impact at all. There is still no pathway over the mountain that is swept by strong winds with temperatures as low as 4°C. The ascent is marked out by a trail of battery-driven coloured flashing lights and its challenge is a trial for human stamina and mental strength. Over the mountain the last sections are no less energy sapping and exhausting for the runners as they follow a road that winds up and down hills before descending into Sparta. Even the finest athletes start hallucinating as they cover these final stages. Having lost all sense of time and reality, they are "on automatic" as they push their weary bodies on towards the finishing line at the statue of Leonidas. At most, only about a third of the runners who leave Athens end </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">the course in Sparta. The goal of all participants is to cover the course within the 36-hour time limit. Setting records is the primary aim. Those who succeed in reaching Sparta have trouble finding words to describe their feelings. Spartathlon </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">has to be lived through. It is a very personal experience in which the athletes dream about participating. Their imagination is stirred by the idea of being a modern Pheidippides, running in the footsteps of the ancient messenger. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">They train for years to get fit enough both physically and mentally to meet the race's demands.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">I am under no illusion that ill finish on my first attempt but I will have a bloody good go!! I am in this for the long haul.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">2012 saw some very experienced tough British runners (pretty fast ones, I now a couple of them well) have to drop out due to a combination of heat and pace. This is a race which finishing is something really special.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">To qualify for Spartathon you must of completed either a 200km (124 miles) race before or 100k (62 miles) in under 10.30hrs. I ran the Tooting Bec 24 hour track race in September 2013 to use as a qualifier but unfortunately the wheels fell off in the process.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Spartathalon qualifying events are in short supply in the UK. 100k on hilly trail is a tough call to get round in under 10hrs 30mins, so the easier option is 100k and 24hr races round a track but these events are limited to small fields of runners and not very often. 200k plus events are limited to the Grand Union Canal race, Viking way race Thames Ring and possibly the Spine. My choice at a second attempt for a qualifying race is The Viking Race </span></span>http://www.vikingwayultra.com <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px;">in March. The Viking Way is a 147 mile race with 3000 metres of ascent from Barton Upon Humber to Oakham (Leicstershire) with a time limit of 40 hrs. So no mean feet!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">If the first hurdle is completed (Qualifying) then the 2nd hurdle is being selected from what I guess will be this year an over subscribed race.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">My training and to somewhat my races are all geared to getting into the best shape of my life for Spartathlon, leaving nothing to chance. Last year was a year of quantity so this year will hopefully be a year of quality. Fighting the urge to enter everything in sight. I have chosen certain races and given myself time to recover from them before running another race (well on most occasions) My training will include speedwork (tempo runs and intervals) which was missing from 2012. Plus the occasional 10k which seemed to work well for my overall speed in Ultras in 2011. I will actually log my miles and training plus diet. (I am currently experimenting with a Ketone Diet </span></span>http://markmaunder.com/2012/07/22/the-basic-ketogenic-diet/ which will probably be changed around a little bit to become a Paleo Diet http://thepaleodiet.com. i.e. adding fruit and dropping dairy.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">2013 Races</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Jan </b></span> </div>
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5th Scarborough Rock - 25miles (Trail) ENTERED</div>
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25th Dubai Marathon - 26.2miles (Road) ENTERED</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Feb </span></b><br />
2nd Rombalds Stride - 23miles (Trail) ENTERED</div>
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24th Maratona De Montana 26miles (Valencia, Spain) (Trail) ENTERED</div>
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<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">March </span></div>
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1st High Peak Marathon 42miles (Trail/fell) ENTERED</div>
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9th Wuthering Hike 32miles (Trail) 2011 PB -5hrs 35mins ENTERED</div>
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30-31st The Viking Way 147miles (Trail) ENTERED</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">April </span></b></div>
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11th Tadcaster Harriers Old Course loop - 2.55miles (Road)</div>
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21st London Marathon - 26.2 (Road) ENTERED</div>
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27th Fellsman 62miles (Trail/fell) ENTERED</div>
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30th York 10k Summer League Pocklington 6.2miles (Road)</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">May </span></b></div>
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11th Brecon 40 - 40miles (Trail/fell) or Ingleborough Marathon 27miles (fell/trail)</div>
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19th Scafell Trail Marathon 26miles (Trail/fell) ENTERED</div>
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28th York 10k Summer League Easingwold 6.2miles (Road)</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">June </span></b></div>
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2nd Comrades (Africa) 56miles (Road) ENTERED</div>
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20th Midsummers Madness Tadcaster Harriers 5miles (Road)</div>
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25th York 10k Summer League Bishop Wilton 6.2miles (Road)<br />
29th Bob Graham Round attempt</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">July </span></b> </div>
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7th Osmotherley Phoenix 32miles (Trail) PB - 2011 5hrs 38mins ENTERED</div>
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9th York 10k summer League Wistlow 6.2miles (Road)</div>
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14th Lyke Wake Race 42miles (Trail) PB - 2011 7hrs 33mins</div>
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18th Tadcaster Harriers Track 5k (Track)</div>
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27th Lakeland 100 105miles (Trail/fell) PB - 2011 36hrs 40mins ENTERED</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">August </span></b></div>
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10th Long tour of Bradwell 32miles (Trail)</div>
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24th Speyside Way 36.5miles (Trail)<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">September </span></b></div>
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TBA Continous Coast to Coast attempt 190miles(Trail)</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>October </b></span></div>
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19th Round Rotherham 50miles (Trail)</div>
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20th Yorkshire Marathon 26.2miles (Road)</div>
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November and December are still in the planning stages. No doubt certain races may be added to June </div>
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and August. </div>
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Where PB is, this relates to my Personal Best which I plan to beat this year.</div>
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Wainstones ( Wainstones Trail Marathon Recce Jan 2013)</div>
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Looking over towards the Wainstones</div>
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Bob Graham Attempt May 2012 </div>
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L-R Myself - Andy Norman - Rorie Macintosh (foreground scratching his bum) Mark Dalton - Shirley </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-68072347621917322622013-01-16T04:29:00.000-08:002013-01-16T05:29:46.755-08:00<span lang="EN"><div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Ultra 52 in 52 Stats</span></strong></div>
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Ok Im not very good at this as I haven’t really kept many in the way of stats, so what follows is a compilation of things which may or may not interest you. Im an ‘Arty Farty’person not very technical. So please bare with me.</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Top Races</span></strong> </div>
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(my favourite races of the 52 in 52)</div>
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<strong>Rombalds Stride</strong></div>
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(all round great event)</div>
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<strong>Wadi Bih</strong> </div>
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(Stunning scenery and all round experience)</div>
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<strong>Hardmoors 55</strong> </div>
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(great scenery, fantastic route, well organised and an awesome Race Director ;o) )</div>
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<strong>Wuthering Hike</strong></div>
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(all round great event)</div>
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<strong>Dukeries Ultra </strong></div>
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(all round great event, well organised)</div>
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<strong>Leaden Boot</strong> </div>
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(Stunning Scenery)</div>
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<strong>West Highland Way Race</strong> </div>
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(Classic,)</div>
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<strong>Osmotherley Phoenix</strong></div>
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(Perfect event)</div>
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<strong>Lakeland 100</strong></div>
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(all round good event)</div>
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<strong>Smugglers Trod</strong></div>
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(all round good event)</div>
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<strong>Glenmore 24</strong> </div>
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(Great event)</div>
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<strong>Saltergate Circuit</strong> </div>
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(all round good event made even better by running the whole event with Shirley)</div>
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<strong>Frostbite 30</strong> </div>
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(All round great event, well organised)</div>
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Over the year I have run various Ultras which havent been races, some of these have been my favourite runs of the year. Time spent in the North York Moors with Shirley, Mark Dalton, Garry Scott and Dave Cremmins. Runs in the Lake District reccing the Bob Graham Round with Rorie Macintosh. Times in the Peak District with Stuart Walker, John Vernon and Karen Mc Donald. The Marlborough Downs route with Shirley. Bob Graham Round attempts with Sarah Booth, Andy Norman, Jenny and Ken Wyles, Danny Aldus, Mark Dalton, Brian Melia, Andy Scaife, John Vernon, Rorie Macintosh, Shirley and Karen Mc Donald. It would be rude not to mention my crew at the Tooting Bec 24hr Track Race, Julien, Ernie and Debbie.<strong>THANKS GUYS</strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Least favourite Races</span></strong></div>
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<strong>Yorkshire Ultra</strong></div>
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(where do I start, so I won‘t)</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Fastest Races</span></strong></div>
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<strong>Filey Flyer</strong> </div>
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(23miles in 3hrs 12mins, about 10 minutes behind winner and leading pack.)</div>
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<strong>Rombalds Stride</strong></div>
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( 1 minute up on my 2011 time)</div>
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<strong>West Highland Way Race</strong> </div>
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( 3hrs 25mins quicker then my pb in 2008,)</div>
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<strong>Glenmore 24</strong> </div>
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(Target 100 miles in 24hrs, managed 112 miles in 24hrs)</div>
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<strong>Ingleborough Marathon</strong></div>
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(2<sup>nd</sup> place)</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Slowest Races</span></strong></div>
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<strong>Osmotherley Phoenix</strong> </div>
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(50 mins slower then 2011)</div>
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<strong>Wuthering Hike</strong></div>
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(40 mins slower then 2011)</div>
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<strong>Yorkshireman Marathon</strong> </div>
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(60 mins slower then 2011)</div>
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<strong>Tooting Bec 24hr Track race</strong></div>
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( Target was either 120 miles and/or 100k in 10.30hrs, managed 89miles in 24hrs)</div>
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<strong>Liverpool Marathon</strong></div>
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(4hrs 38 mins - felt shocking, ran 30 miles day before, first road marathon)</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">DNF</span></strong></div>
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<strong>Round Rotherham</strong> </div>
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(dropped out after 24 miles due to severe pain in my knee ) </div>
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<strong>Second Bob Graham attempt</strong> </div>
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I don’t class as a dnf as I still covered an Ultra distance before hypothermia could take hold (severe conditions over the Dodds) and I dropped out of the attempt.</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Footwear</span></strong></div>
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2 x <strong>Salomon Speed cross</strong> ( abandoned now, due to having a high heel lift which seems to exaggarate the overpronation of my gait = knee pains.</div>
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1 x <strong>Hoka Evo Stinson</strong> (Courtesy of Mark Barnes)</div>
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1 x <strong>Inov-8 x talons 190</strong> (Courtesy of Rorie Macintosh)</div>
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1 x <strong>Inov-8 x talons 212</strong> (Courtesy of Rorie Mc) Favourite trail shoe as long as there is minimum road.</div>
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<strong>1 x Brooks Cadence (Pure Flow)</strong> 1 road marathon so far ( 6mm heel to toe differential)</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Injury</span></strong></div>
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Throughout 2012 I remained pretty much injury free apart from Knee pains which started in October, with lots of great advice I managed to continue the challenge and sort the knee problems through the months of October and November using the following ;</div>
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<strong>Rock Tape</strong></div>
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I was introduced to Rock Tape by Mark Barnes. The stuff is awesome! From the end of October to the middle of December I religiously used it on both knees on every Ultra. While wearing it the knee pain seem to subside.</div>
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<strong>Sports Massage</strong></div>
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Karen from Sports Stadium gave me sports massage on my very tight calves and some work on my itb plus resulting in less painful running and the massage was a big factor in sorting out my knee problem</div>
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<strong>Foam Roller and Stretching </strong></div>
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I started in October to work on my calfs/quads/hams/glutes twice a week with a foam roller which was as hard as a fire extinguisher. </div>
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<strong>Footwear</strong></div>
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I find 3-6mm heel differential to be the best for my gait, I can keep a midfoot strike avoiding overpronation and thus no Knee or ankle problems. The day after my dnf at the Round Rotherham I ran a 32 mile Trail Race (Ennerdale Ultra) wearing a knee support and using x talons plus concentrating on a midfoot strike with short steps resulting in no knee pain</div>
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<strong>Omega 3’s</strong></div>
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I increased the amount of Omega 3’s in my diet by including more efa’s in my diet and including supplementation. Omega 3’s are great for combating inflamation.</div>
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<strong>Mileage</strong></div>
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Throughout 2012 I covered 3015 miles (Ultras + weekly training miles) would have been more but October November and December I stopped running during the week to give my knees a break and concentrated on weight training (upper body) purely to give myself a diversion from running. I quickly built up to Bench Pressing 300lbs for reps (something I hadn’t done in quite a few years). </div>
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<strong>Bodyweight</strong></div>
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Throughout 2012 my bodyweight remained a constant 15stone. People were surprised I hadn’t lost weight. My diet had stayed the same for the year, a lot of brown rice and Tuna, jacket potato’s with (yes even more) Tuna, fruit, salads etc with my vices being Diet Coke, Coffee and chocalate.</div>
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I believe the reasons why I didn’t lose weight is my body had adjusted to the Ultras and in fact held onto weight to fuel my body through 30 plus runs (almost like a camel state) The second reason is Ultras can make the body release Cortisal (the stress hormone) Cortisol can also cause you to store body fat etc (ok there is a lot more science about it then that) </div>
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Body weight - losing weight is a lot more technical then eat less and exercise more, Im living proof of this, the body soon adjusts to exercise and is very adaptable The body will reprogram itself to use less energy for any given task. Run 30-40 miles and the body will go into a panic and burn whatever it can to produce the energy , now run that distance week in and week out and the body will say ‘How can we do this with less calories?’ Yes people do loose weight running Ultras but how much of it is muscle? The body will use its pathetic 2000 cals storage of Carbs and carbs coming in in the disguise of flapjacks, gels etc etc when its used both those stores up what does it use next fat? No unless your body is Ketone adapted those 40,000 cals of fat storage (no matter if you are a super waif you will still have about the same storage) will probably only be tapped into after your body has started on the protein in your body/muscles </div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Big Weeks</span></strong></div>
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Throughout the year I had a couple of big weeks to catch up with ultras I had missed </div>
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<strong>May</strong></div>
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Saturday - Sunday Bob Graham Round 28hrs 68-72miles</div>
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Thursday - Osmotherley Phoenix Route 28 miles</div>
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Saturday - Dukeries Ultra 42 miles</div>
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Sunday - Leaden Boot 28 miles</div>
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Total - <strong>166 - 170 miles</strong></div>
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<strong>December</strong></div>
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Saturday - Frostbite 30 - 28miles</div>
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Sunday - Edale Skyline plus - 28 miles</div>
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Tuesday - Treadmill Ultra 30 miles</div>
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Saturday - Edale Skyline plus - 28 miles</div>
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Sunday - Stratford Trail Marathon 28 miles</div>
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Total - <strong>142 miles</strong></div>
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The Year of Ultras has been an awesome year. Ive made some great freinds and seen some stunning scenery. Travelled to places I have never been before both externally and internally. I have had highs and lows. The whole thing has been like an Ultra, a 100 miler, a relatively fast start, a few tough miles then some highs and easy miles then at the 70 mile stage real lows (October) but like in a 100 miler you push on and this energy appears from nowhere and you get faster and you go along like nothing can stop you and in the last few miles a big hill slows you down (Sickness bug in December) So you get your head down and trudge on slowly wondering if you will finish the 100 miles, but then you get there, a couple of miles left so you speed up and then...your there..its all over, You have lived a lifetime in a100 miles (52 weeks)</div>
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<strong>Thank You for reading my blog and persevering with my ramblings etc etc...</strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">If you want to sponsor me for last years exploits please visit </span></strong></div>
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<a href="http://www.justgiving.com/JONATHAN-STEELE1"><span style="font-size: large;">http://www.justgiving.com/JONATHAN-STEELE1</span></a></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">I WILL BE BACK SHORTLY FOR THE ROAD TO SPARTA!</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">SO WATCH THIS SPACE!</span></strong></div>
</span>J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-68631550450522249622013-01-07T16:36:00.000-08:002013-01-08T12:09:34.916-08:00Ultra 52<span lang="EN-GB"><strong>ULTRA 52</strong> was going to originally be the 'Tour De Helvelyn'. Accommodation had been booked and I was due to run with Mark Dalton, David Cremmins, Garry Scott and Tony Holland. A stomach bug (food poisoning??) put an end to that and I spent the weekend in bed. Ultra 52 had to be rearranged and time was of the essence leaving Boxing Day to be the only possible option.</span><span lang="EN-GB"><br /><br />Christmas day I was still in a decent amount of pain but I would just have to recover quickly or just suffer during the run. Early Boxing day morning I picked David Cremmins up from Knaresborough and drove to Beeford (Near Bridlington) To a good friends house, 'Steve Walker' (Steve used to be my running partner when I lived on the East Coast. We had ran various Ultras together other the years such as the Woldsman, West Highland Way Race, Highland Fling and a Bob Graham Attempt to name a few.) Steve regularly runs the Hardmoors 110 and 55 to keep his toe in the water so as to speak.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><br />The plan was to drive to Skipsea and run on the beach plus cliff tops to Flamborough Head North Landing, via Bridlington, a total distance of 31 miles, majority on sand with dozens of steps up and down cliffs thrown in for good measure. The first 10 miles flew by, chatting about numerous things (I hadn’t seen Steve in person since he had supported me on the West Highland Way race in June so we had a lot to catch up on) <br />We stayed on the beach below Sewerby rather then taking the cliff tops and battled over the rocks which slowed progress. This didn’t seem to affect Steve as he kept on at his steady pace. Myself and Dave struggled to keep up. The coastal erosion is very much in evidence around these parts.We reached the half way point at Flamborough Head and ran to the bottom of the steep Lifeboat Launch slope before running back up to the top ( we had in previous years done reps on this in training for a BGR attempt and for my 2010 UTMB) I started to suffer on the return journey feeling very weak, just digging in deep to continue. Bridlington promenade was reached and 7-8 miles was left. 6-7 miles of the miles in sand with a headwind, not an easy proposition anytime never mind when your recovering from food poisoning. We had several drain outlets to cross which were now pretty deep with the tide coming in. The second crossing for me was waist deep and bloody cold!! And I’m 6ft 2. would have been over Andy Knowles’s head ;o))<br />The lads pushed on but waited for me for the last mile and we ran in together to the finish. It had been a fantastic run with stunning views and great company but the food poisoning had taken it out of me and the last 15 plus miles had been very tough. No regrets though, what better way to spend Boxing Day if it couldn’t be with Shirley.<br /><br />The run had taken just over 6 hours. Earlier in the year (March) I had completed Ultra no 8 with Steve, running the same course in just under 5 hours but not taking the rocky beach section opting for cliff tops. Also while rereading the Ultra no 8 blog I had mentioned suffering with a tooth abscess before the run. A month or so later I had the tooth removed. A few days after Ultra 52, 2 tooth abscesses had started giving me a whole world of pain. I had a tooth removed on New Years Eve and some work on another tooth a couple of days later. ( in 2004 I had hit the back of a truck at 30mph while on my mtb with my face, in fact they found traces of paint from the van on my tongue, I had split my tongue in two, it had taken them about 8 hours to sew it back up. I had fractured my jaw from one end to the other, Broken my nose and had had some head injuries, my teeth had been wrecked from the accident, so every year I usually loose one or two or have to have work on them. Ultras in cold weather can usually bring on quite a bit of facial pain. The crash was 3 days before my second proposed Bob Graham Round attempt.<br /><br />On the 5<sup>th</sup> January I ran the Scarborough Rock (a 25 mile LDWA event) I ended up doing over 26 miles due to several navigational mishaps (I was not alone in this) It was such a relief not to have to add 2 miles onto this to become an Ultra. The end of January I have the ‘Dubai’ Marathon.<br />My knees are back to normal, no pain, no rock tape or painkillers needed for either Ultra 52 or the Scarborough Rock. After my immune system has been lowered by the food poisoning I have caught my first head cold (man-flu) since last Christmas making yesterdays run pretty tough. I almost expected to become quite prone to illnesses/colds etc after the challenge was completed and my body would start to rest.<br />I will post a blog soon with some boring stats and an overview of 2012 plus what my 2013 challenges will be.<br />
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<strong>I had photos for this blog, but either blogger or my computer isnt playing ball and won't let me upload them to this blog. Sorry<br /></strong>Thanks for taking time to read my ramblings.<br />See you on the trails/roads</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN"></span></span>J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-72707695554894961052012-12-22T17:47:00.000-08:002012-12-23T03:09:21.463-08:00ULTRA 48 - 51<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Ultra 48 Edale Skyline Excursion </strong></div>
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A few hours after the Frostbite 30 I drove over to my Sisters (Andrea) to have a catch up and wish my Niece (Katy) a happy 18th. They both live at South Normanton only a few miles or so from the Peak District so I stayed the night and the next morning I travelled to Hope for an extended run of the Edale Skyline. John Vernon joined us for a few miles up over Lose Hill, Hollin cross and Mam tor. Here we parted ways and I continued over Rushup edge with David Cremmins. It was a stunning day with zero temperatures and an abundance of ice. Dave had his yak tracks with him while I relied on my x talons to keep me firmly planted to the frozen ground. The views over to kinder where stunning. On arriving on the Kinder Plateu progress was painfully slow over the thick ice which seemed to coat every rock in the vicinity. then the mist came down. After several cock ups in nil visibility we decided to head back off Kinder and retraced our steps to drop down towards Hayfield We took several paths and crossed over towards Rushup edge by this time not only had we thick mist to contend with but darkness too. All light from our headtorches was bounced back at us thanks to the mist. Our food supplies depleted and with sod all water left we missed the correct line and dropped onto the pennine bridleway. Deciding not to return to Hope by Mam Tor and Lose Hill we took the road for awhile and joined the old broken up road under Mam Tor. ( my dad many years ago had taken me on this road as a child when it been shut off to cars because as he had put it the 'shivering mountain' had put it's curse on it and the road kept falling to pieces. ) this Sunday night after hours on the hills in freezing conditions with little food inside me I felt the shivering mountain was only just letting me pass on this ghost of a road. The hairs on the back of my neck stood to attention until I left the 'Shivering Road' and joined up with the main road into Castleton. We reached Castleton which looked beautiful with dozens of little Christmas trees perched outside shops and house I was hoping for a chip shop but no joy. We passed by castleton and came into Hope. My watch showed we where missing Ultra miles yet we had been out for hours and hours so we ran along the road to Edale and back to round off the day with 28 miles </div>
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>John Vernon & Dave Cremmins -summit of Lose Hill</strong></span></em></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Lose Hill to Mam Tor Ridge</em></span></strong></div>
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<strong><em>kinder Scout</em></strong></div>
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<strong><em>Kinder Scout</em></strong></div>
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<strong>Ultra 49 'The Dreadmill'</strong></div>
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I had decided I wanted my 50th ultra to coincide with the Runfurther Party plus I wanted to fit 52 ultras into the year as it made more sense. (52 in 52 rather than 50 in 52) and my plan was that the 'Tour de Helvelyn' would be my 52 ultra not my 50th. The only problem was I had done 48 and the Runfurther party was in 6 days time. The solution was obviously to fit another ultra in over the next few days. With work I had not enough time to travel up to the North York Moors and plus the running would be slow. I needed something fast! I then decided upon a Treadmill Ultra. I could finish a P/T Session with my client and then directly after I could jump on the treadmill. So there it was ultra 49 ( I decided to make it a minimum of 30 miles ) around about 4 hrs 40 mins later I had covered the 30 miles. I was hoping to run a lot faster but I had been having a lot of problems with my left calf and anytime I increased the pace the feeling of something bad happening to it dropped me down to 10 minute mili pace When I first climbed onto the treadmill I had set my area up with 5 x 500ml water bottles Energy gels. Towel. iPod, iPhone etc much to the amused look of people using the other treadmills around me. As you can guess I saw people come and go. No one spending more time then 30 minutes in one go on the treadmills Probably sensible people Once 3 hours was reached the monotony was easier to deal with. I could play time and distance games with my mind. With less than 3 miles to go I increased the pace ( it's so obvious on a treadmill how much more distance you can cover when you increase the speed, more noticeable then outside with all your speed/distance/time data right in front of you I finished the 30 miler with a 5 minute cool down. The Treadmill can be a mind killer but has a purpose. Efficient speedwork/ intervals tool if you havent a track to run on and several years ago was my main training arsenal for getting round the UTMB'S 9500 metres of ascent. I used to live in a very flat area and chances to climb hills never mind mountains would come 4-5 times a year if lucky, so I would spend one 3-4 hour session per week running on the Treadmill at full incline. Ultra 49 brought it all back to me :0)</div>
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<strong>Ultra 50 'Edale Skyline with Extra Again'</strong></div>
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The route yet again was the Edale Skyline with an excursion at the end to Edale and back. Karen mcDonald joined us along the ridge from Lose Hill to Mam Tor. Karen is the backbone behind the Runfurther series she is not only an ultra runner but a damn good mountain biker and adventure racer. Shes a real gem tough as old boots and great fun to be around. We all ran in kahtoolas and the ground was thick with ice. Further over towards Rushups edge was snow and Kinder Scout was a winter wonderland. We bumped into Richard Lendon. I had first met Richard on the Lakeland -100, Richards a great guy and a seasoned Ultrarunner. He was putting the finishing touches to his training for the 2013 spine race ( the spine race is the 268 mile Pennine way route run in winter ) After we dropped off Mam Tor Karen left us ( same place where John Vernon had left us the week before, I don't blame them, my jokes are pretty rubbish at the best of times )</div>
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<strong><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Karen on the Mam Tor Ridge</span></em></strong></div>
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Rushup edge was a real treat runnable but thick with snow in places. Stuart walker joined us on the climb up to Kinder. Stuart is an awesome ultra runner and had jointly won the Hardmoors 60 at the end of September with Ian Symington in a record time Stuart had also earlier in the year ran the entire length of the Alps ( 1100 miles) in just over 30 days!!! Stuart is a true inspiration and an all around nice guy. A real toughy too in shorts and a long sleeved baselayer opposed to my full length tights. Calf guards and skins short,. Merino wool baselayer and windproof plus hat and gloves He flew along the paths of kinder with great ease but held back so not to cause me to increase my pace when in reality he could of left me for dead at any moment. Running along the more technical paths of kinder in the snow was great fun and the views stunning.</div>
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The ascent up to Win Hill proved tough for me. This was my 4th ultra in 8 days and it was beginning to show. Dave and Stuart went ahead and I eventually joined them on the summit We descended off the summit together and ran to Hope's train station with Stuart where he would leave us Myself an David ran the out and back to Edale completing in total just over 27 miles ( there I say 27 tough hilly miles ) we drove to Bradwell and showered at Karens before driving to South Normanton to pick my sister and niece up to take them to the Runfurther party in Sheffield After the runfurther party we drove back to my sisters to sleep the night before driving to Stratford upon Avon the next morning to run ultra 51</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Dave C on Mam Tor Ridge looking over to Kinder</em></span></strong></div>
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<strong><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Rushup Edge</span></em></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Kinder</em></span></strong></div>
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<strong>Ultra 51 Broadmeadow Trail Marathon</strong></div>
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Ultra 51 was the Broadmeadow trail marathon. The route was more bridleway or should I say old railway lines turned into cycleways. We arrived there at 0800 for a 0900 start and the route was pretty confusing. Lots of out and backs to the race start ( an old railway carriage converted into a cafe. I clocked it as 27so decided to run a further mile to bring it up to 28 with the route being pretty flat.) I completed the 27 miles in 4hrs 26. What was interesting in the mild conditions opposed to the Edale skyline was as I felt my long sleeve top was far too warm I saw people running in 200 weight full zip fleeces and others in bandanna's pulled up round their noses! And one guy in an 800 fill down jacket !!!!!!</div>
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And no they weren't training for the MDS or Badwater. Just very cold they reckoned !!!</div>
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<strong>Egypt</strong></div>
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I am currently in Egypt at the moment sunbathing in 27 degrees writing this on my iPhone ( using the chance to catch up with my blog at last. Friday I return back to the UK. Friday night I go over to the lake District in anticipation of the 'Tour de Helvelyn ' which commences Saturday morning. Last year it was freezing cold with thick snow. This week I have been running 3-6 miles daily in pretty warm conditions. Ultra 52 is going to be a shock to the system ;0)!!!!!!</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Tour De Helvelyn</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Unfortunately I arrived back from Egypt with food poisoning so TDH was 'out of the window' but there are still 9 days left of 2012... watch this space......</span></div>
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J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-47663575574924906522012-12-05T18:43:00.000-08:002012-12-05T18:43:13.629-08:00Ultras 45--47<div align="center">
<strong>Ultra 45 Hardmoors 55 Recce</strong></div>
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The Weekend after the Palermo Marathon was to be a double Ultra weekend. Saturday a 55 Recce and Sunday a Hardmoors Osmotherley Trail Marathon Recce.</div>
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I picked David Cremmins up pretty early Saturday morning and drove over to Cold Kirby (North York Moors) The route started with running a few road miles up to High Paradise Farm to pick up the Hardmoors 55 reverse route, back through Cold Kirby (refuelled at the car) to Helmsley taking notes along the way for the new race route description. It was a pretty cold day and stopping often to add notes to my iphone then sprinting off to try to get warm turned the run into a huge interval session. Once at Helmsley we had a quick coffee at a cafe and set off on the 5-6 mile journey repeating the route but in reverse back to Cold Kirby and the car.</div>
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Towards the end of the run it started to get dark much to Davids delight! He had just bought the Petzl Nao, a pretty expensive headtorch which corrects the amount of light emitted (or should I say lumen's) to the amount light there is already available (streetlight, other headtorchs )Apretty powerful headtorch. David jumped at the chance to wear it and he acted like an excitable puppy!!! On arriving in Cold Kirby we bumped into Gerry Orchard (Osmotherley Phoenix organiser) (lives n Cold Kirby) he invited us for a coffee at his caravan (his house is being rebuilt at the moment) I forget the exact number but he has ran over150 completions of the Lyke Wake !!!! (the Lyke Wake is a tough hilly 42 mile route across the North York Moors from Osmotherley to Ravenscar)</div>
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The route is beautiful and a pleasure to run on and no I'm not bias ;0)</div>
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Oh just to prove Ive been stretching between runs ;0)</div>
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<strong>Ultra 46 Osmotherley Trail Marathon Recce</strong></div>
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The Following day I met up with David C, Garry Scott and Mark Dalton to run the Osmotherley Trail Marathon Route ( The Osmotherley Trail Marathon route is the first Trail Marathon of the Hardmoors 26.2 series) I had run this as an ultra by sticking a couple of miles on twice before. Once on my own and the second time with Garry Scott. The second time while out running the course we could see some oppurtunities for improving the route. So we were back again to get elevation data and exact mileage plus a feel for the course. </div>
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There had been some pretty heavy downpours during the night before and the course was pretty wet and </div>
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muddy in places which slowed us down but we had a great run. </div>
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Garrys skin's tights kept working their way down so in the end he took them off and ran in his underwear until 8 miles later we reached a strategically parked car (Mark's) at Lords Cafe and he put his waterproof trousers on (it was a very cold day) I changed my top for a merino wool one and we set off over the Cleveland Hills. Dropping off the back of Cringle Moor I took a decent a bit too quick which left me hobbling about at the bottom after I felt a twang in my calf. </div>
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Several hills later we had ran out of food and were bloody hungry. Darkness yet again came upon us and I ran across Carlton Bank without headtorch ahead of the others to preserve my night vision. David had put his new headtorch on at the first available oppurtunity and belittled Mark's and Garry's headtorches power.</div>
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(we'll get the last laugh don't you worry won't we lads ;0)) )</div>
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The day had been a good one and we covered 28miles in total and ascended over 4000ft</div>
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Pictures courtesy of Garry Scott</div>
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<strong>Ultra 47 Frostbite 30</strong></div>
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The Frostbite 30 was a new race for 2012. A 30 mile circular race open to solo runners and relay teams. Set around Nidderdale in Yorkshire (slightly outside the Yorkshire Dales National Park but by far an equal of any of the areas found in the Yorkshire Dales.) T Rob Jarman was the race director and what a fantastic job he did as well! A really well organised event in a stunning location.</div>
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I picked David up and drove through to Pately Bridge (the race start) I met up with Garry when we got there and had a chat with Rob as well as various other runners including Andy Norman and Sarah Booth who both looked vibrant (young love and all that ;0) ) We piled outside for the race start.. </div>
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I wasnt taking any chances. My knees and calf was taped up with Rocktape (this stuff performs miracles!!) I was wearing Compression calf guards and warmed up/stretched before the event (My calf had been giving me a lot of pain throughout the week and was I very unsure if it would hold out for the duration of the race.)</div>
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left to right David C, Garry Scott. Me, Andy Norman</div>
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Pic nicked of Sarah Booth ;0)</div>
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I took it very steady for the first couple of miles. Strangly I felt strong on the climbs and had a great run through the first 14-15 miles. The views throughout the dale where breathtaking but underfoot there was quite a bit of ice which made progress a little slower. </div>
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The route was well marked and several hours later I found myself pushing hard to get in under 5hours (my original target was 6 hours) The last mile was tough and seemed to drag on forever. Eventually I reached the finish with Dave in 4hrs 59 mins taking joint 20th place, Garry had ran fantastically and came in just over 4hrs and only narrowingly missed 3rd place!</div>
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I caught up with Rob and had another chat before searching for a chip shop which may be open, and of course all 2 of them where shut! </div>
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The Frostbite 30 is a great event and I truly reccomend it for 2013!!</div>
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<a href="http://www.never-rest.com/">http://www.never-rest.com/</a></div>
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J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-62520391068734207292012-11-29T16:43:00.001-08:002012-11-29T17:46:38.278-08:00PALERMO MARATHON (Ultra no 44)<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Palermo Marathon. ( Sunday 18th November )</strong></div>
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Palermo is the capital city of Sicily. A hustling bustling city situated on the coast in the North West of Sicily<br />
The buildings are decadent and portray past elegance still apparent through all the rubble, decay and graffiti Palermo is a city with a lot of character. A place to people watch. A place full of charisma!<br />
The people are friendly, helpful, jovial and pretty laid back.<br />
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We flew from Manchester to Bergamo. ( close to Milan, Italy) and spent a day looking round the beautiful old town quarters. Later that day we flew to Palermo, Sicily. The day before the Marathon we went for a 4 mile run ( Ok it ended up being 6 plus miles ) to loosen our legs off and see a bit of Palermo's seafront. The weather was 24 degrees A bit different to the 8 degrees in the uk. Shirley was feeling pretty rough after having come down with a cold bug a day or two before flying and with no running since the Hardmoors 60 6 weeks before, Palermo Marathon was going to be tough for her.<br />
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The morning of the Marathon came and the streets where full of runners. Alongside the Marathon there was to be a half marathon. The marathon route was two laps of the half marathon route The half marathon runners had red writing on their race numbers while the marathon runners had black numbers. As the only Brit Male I was wearing the flag for the uk with a union jack buff and Odlo socks with a union jack logo on the hem of the socks with A pair of brand new brooks pure flow cadence shoes ( promotes a forefoot/mid foot land ) going on their first outing. I was all set to go. <br />
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For the first 10 miles I ran with Shirley who was really suffering with her breathing (due to the bug she had) but was pushing on regardless proving how tough she was! I decided to press on and push for 4 hours. <br />
Passing the race start on lap 2 I noticed a lot of people had stopped ( majority of runners where Half Marathon runners) The first half of the 13 mile lap took the marathon into the outskirts of Palermo, while the second half of the lap went back into the city and through the main streets of Palermo passing by beautiful buildings full of history and character. A few miles into the second lap I noticed at points there wasn't a person in site, either runner or spectator, crazy for a Capital City Marathon. Cars where being stopped by the Police to keep the streets safe to run on, and the Drivers didn't appreciate this, holding their hands down on their car horns (at the time I thought this was in support of the runners, I now know much differently now.)<br />
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Passing by the race start the music had stopped and there was not a spectator in sight. Further on the aid tables which had been handing out water had gone!! Sicilians where on the streets but not taking a blind bit of notice of the runners.<br />
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I enjoyed running down the main streets window shopping. With 1km to go I set off on a pretty fast pace and with 200 metres to go turned it into a sprint. I could hear someone right behind me so I decided to not let them pass and pushed as hard as I could, but the faster I got the faster the pitter patter I could hear behind me was.<br />
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I crossed the finish line and looked behind me, there was no one there, it had been my shoes making the noise :0)) I looked around for my Medal, this turned into quite a mission, eventually I was handed one. <br />
Not one person near the finish line had clapped me or said well done. I looked over to where a tent which had been providing massages earlier was. It had gone!!!<br />
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I set off to rack another 2 miles in (28.4 in total) by running up the Marathon Course to Shirley and back to the finish with her. She had suffered with her bug but was still pushing on. For 10 miles of the course she hadn't had a drink because they had removed all the water stations!!!! <br />
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Looking back, they were purely catering for the half marathon. After the Half Marathoners had finished they had stopped the music and started to take aid stations down while runners where still out on the course with miles to go. Crazy!! Local Sicilians had no interest in the Marathon and the traffic hated us being there. The City itself is beautiful so worth running the marathon as a form of sightseeing though!<br />
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I finished in 3hrs 58 mins in 131st place. <br />
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The Brooks Cadence where brilliant and the Rocktape on my knees did its job! <br />
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We spent a few more days in Palermo before flying to Milan. We had two nights in Milan.<br />
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Italy and Sicily are beautiful and by far the best way to go there is with someone you truly love.</div>
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J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-89951924035492547102012-11-28T18:04:00.000-08:002012-11-28T18:04:41.192-08:00Ultra 39 - 43<span lang="EN">
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<strong>Ultra 39 Ennerdale Trail Ultra</strong></div>
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<strong>Ultra 39</strong> was supposed to be the Round Rotherham and the Ennerdale Ultra would have been number 40. </div>
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I had stopped with Dave Cremmins at the Premier Inn a couple of miles away from the start of the Round Rotherham 50. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5E8c-1ViUe-oeE8kSGamLCEJe6yIb5KYnXPJi7ibJt27zIDRxJUlrKAfh8PC3uOiT62yv3hMLivFqZxGc6kTZd2ZSevhmfRoj41CXn447SqKBUeJnN0lP_pIRvpMcrubCAatmxGpkESeU/s1600/ennerdale+trail+race+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5E8c-1ViUe-oeE8kSGamLCEJe6yIb5KYnXPJi7ibJt27zIDRxJUlrKAfh8PC3uOiT62yv3hMLivFqZxGc6kTZd2ZSevhmfRoj41CXn447SqKBUeJnN0lP_pIRvpMcrubCAatmxGpkESeU/s320/ennerdale+trail+race+2.jpg" tea="true" width="320" /></a>First thing Sat morning we arrived at registration and caught up with Garry Scott and Mark Dalton who we would be travelling to the Lakes after the Round Rotherham, I had a great time catching up with Sharon Gaytor, John Vernon, Martin Dietrich to name a few before the race started. Alas Rotherham wasn’t to be. Minutes into the run I was in a lot of pain with my knees and my legs didn’t seem to have any speed in them, after 20 miles of pain and struggling on I asked Dave to head off without me. I pulled out at the next checkpoint after about 25 miles, 2 miles off an Ultra but I had had enough. I was given a lift back to the start and spent awhile chatting to Ian Symington and Dan Shrimpton plus others. Later on I caught up with Sarah Booth, Andy Norman, Dan Aldus, Charlotte Charmain and Nic Ham (I apologise if I have missed anyone) After a lengthily chat to Si Berry The gang (Mark Dalton, Garry Scott, Dave (The Creminator) Cremmins and myself ) set off to Buttermere Youth Hostel via a chippie in Ripon. Buttermere Youth Hostel is beautiful and we had a 4 person room for less then £10 each. The next day I toed the start line with a knee support on courtesy of Mark Dalton and wearing a pair of inov-8 x-talons courtesy of Rorie at Runfree. My aim was to concentrate on landing midfoot to prevent any overpronation which may aggravate the knees. The course for us was 2 loops of the Ennerdale valley, each loop was about 16 miles, while there where other runners running 1 lap and a 10k option was also available. The event was organised by High Terrain Events and was sponsored by Salomon and 9 bars (I love 9 bars, Gluten free, high in omega 3, healthy fats and a massive 8grams of Protein, plus they taste pretty good as well! ) </div>
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The weather was perfect, chilly but the sun was out reflecting the mountains in Ennerdale Water. The scenery was just beautiful. I ran with Garry and Dave for the first lap, the second lap I dropped back quite a bit and ran / walked to the middle way checkpoint and then with a reasonable amount of decent I picked up a good pace. In the last 5 miles I came back alive and passed 7 runners finishing with a sprint. My knees had given some pain throughout the 30 odd miles but no way as bad as the day before at the Round Rotherham. The combo of X-Talons and a support bandage seemed to help. I had also given my new pack ‘The North Face Enduro 13’its first proper outing and it had passed with flying colours. I finished the 32 mile course in 6hrs 20 mins.</div>
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We left Ennerdale and headed to Keswick and yes you guessed it! The chippy. ;0))</div>
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<em><strong>Garry Scott</strong></em><br />
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<strong><em>L-R Mark Dalton, David Cremmins, Me, Garry Scott</em></strong></div>
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<strong>Ultra 40 Tadcaster 28</strong></div>
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<strong>Ultra 40</strong> was a 28 mile run around my local area, Tadcaster--Boston Spa-Wetherby-Bramhan etc</div>
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My run was racked with pain. Knee pain, hips and quads too where screaming out in agony. A tough 28 miles. (Ran in Salomon Speedcross)</div>
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<strong>Ultra 41 Kilburn Kanter ( plus extra miles)</strong></div>
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<strong>Ultra 41</strong> was the 24 mile LDWA Kilburn Kanter, an event which as you can guess starts at Kilburn in North Yorkshire. Very close to the White Horse on Sutton Bank. The village is beautiful and the route was too. I had a little chat with Sharon Gaytor before the start and later ran with Andy Knowles (A great way to catch up with a good mate) The event took me on several paths around the North York moors I hadn’t been on before so was a big plus. No knee pains.!</div>
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A pain free run ;0) (Ran in Inov-8 x talons)</div>
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<strong><em> Andy Knowles</em></strong><br />
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<strong>Ultra 42 Hardmoors 55 (recce 28)</strong></div>
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<strong>Ultra 42</strong> was 28 miles spent on the Hardmoors 55 2013 route (Reverse 2012 route) with Shirley crewing. A great day out with some stunning views. (Ran in Inov-8 x talons)</div>
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<strong><em>Roseberry Topping</em></strong></div>
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<strong><em>View over to the coast from Guisborough Woods</em></strong></div>
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<strong>Ultra 43 Osmotherley Trail Marathon 30</strong></div>
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<strong>Ultra 43</strong> was ran with Garry Scott and what a good day with great company. Initialy the run was to recce the Osmotherley Trail Marathon Route (Hardmoors 26.2) The course was measured at 30 miles (gps) The weather was beautiful and we chatted the whole way round, no knee pain and felt as fresh as daisy<br />
(Ran in Inov-8 x talons)</span>J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-77107027941774342362012-10-27T10:43:00.001-07:002012-10-29T05:10:47.797-07:00Ultras 36 - 38 <div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><strong>Ultra 36 SALTERGATE CIRCUIT (Sat 6th October)</strong><br /><br />I had wanted to run the ' Saltergate Circuit ' for a few years and now I had the oppurtunity and it lived up to my expectations. The Saltergate Circuit is an LDWA event which starts in Stape near Pickering (North York Moors) passes by the 'Hole of Horcum' and crosses the Railway track that runs the Steam train from Pickering to Goathland. I also had a chance to run with Shirley which put the icing on the cake. Shirley had ran the 63 mile route of the HM60 the weekend before and even with those recent miles in her legs I felt like I was holding her up for the duration of the event. My knees caused me a whole world of pain on every descent and I had to stop to walk on numerous occasions.<br />Shirley had ran in the event several times before and knew the route luckily. (numerous people had made various different navigational errors along the way, we covered 24 miles where others had covered up to 29 miles) After finishing the event I set off on an extra 3 miles to turn the distance into an Ultra and on returning we got to chat to Roy Mc Dougall and Mark & Wendy Colling who had ran the Hardmoors 60 the weekend before. A trip to the Lion Inn a few miles away for some food finished the day nicely.</span></div>
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<br /><br /><strong>Ultra 37 & 38 HARDMOORS & LIVERPOOL MARATHON(13<sup>th</sup>-14<sup>th</sup> October)</strong><br /><br />Originally I was to enter the Pathfinder 25 but Garry Scott invited me to join him on a training run following the Hardmoors 55 reverse route from Lords Stones to Helmsley (2013 the Hardmoors 55 will be run in the reverse direction for the first time)</div>
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<strong>View across to Carlton Bank</strong></div>
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I drove up to Helmsley in stunning conditions, the temperature hovered around minus one and the sun was shining bright in the sky. I met Garry in Helmsley and we set off to Lords Stones in his car.(later I would drive him back to his car) We chatted non-stop, actually we chatted non-stop for the duration of the day, and what do Ultra runners chat about when they are running?? Yep other Ultras including kit, past and future races and Hallucinations/blisters/injuries etc etc. ( my Fiancée is an Ultra-Runner and yep the vast majority of our conversations evolve around running, mind you we met via running ultras ;o) )<br />
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<strong>View from Carlton Bank </strong></div>
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<strong><br /></strong>Garry was making the run tougher for himself by not eating before the run (in fact the last time he had eaten was over 13 hours ago) he was experimenting and would try to use his fat stores for energy. I was quite glad because that meant it would slow him down and he may suffer more then me ;o). We set off up Carlton Bank and flew over the top at speed, I was pushing hard to try to match his speed, so far the lack of food wasn’t slowing him down, damn! The route in reverse was stunning. I was looking forward to running from Square Corner to Helmsley as I had never run this section in reverse. Twenty odd miles in Garry hit the wall and pretty hard! He slowed down a bit and stopped talking. I gave him a gel and minutes later he was back yapping on and pushing the pace, I kicked myself for giving him the gel ;o)) <br />On arriving at Sutton Bank the sky was so clear we could see for miles and pointed out the three peaks of Yorkshire. With about 7-8 miles to go we both were feeling sick so decided to nip to the pub and had a couple of pints of coke. The coke as per usual did the trick, unfortunately it didn’t work for the continued pain in my knees, with a short distance left I risked the Diclofenic Sodium (non steroid anti-inflammatory drug) to get some pain releif (I advise anyone reading this to not use these in Ultras, they can cause serious stomach problems and an electrolyte imbalance, both can lead to hospitalisation ) Running into Helmsley was stunning, I felt sad that the vast majority of the runners competing in the Hardmoors 55 would arrive here in the dark.<br />We headed for the local chippy and gorged on essential special recovery nutrients ;o))<br />I returned Garry back to his car at Lords Stones and the sun was still in the sky, Carlton bank beckoned me, but lack of time and knees that would have vastly objected to such stupidity directed me to the car not up the hill, plus I had a marathon to run in well under 24hrs time.</div>
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<strong>Garry Scott</strong><br /><strong>LIVERPOOL MARATHON (4hrs 39mins of suffering)</strong><br /><br />I was to help guide Paul Watts (Paul is a blind runner who has completed over 200 marathons) David (Cremmins) usually guides Paul at various marathons throughout the year. For David it was his 100<sup>th</sup> marathon and official entry into the 100 Marathon Club! I got to chat to Richard Webster, Ross Moreland and Elizabeth Tunna before the Marathon. This was my first road Marathon. <br />I ran with Kelly for the first 10k, I found myself drenched in sweat and yet again my knees were crying out in pain. After awhile I caught up with David and Paul and we took it in turns to guide. Liverpool was stunning and the weather yet again gorgeous. I started to feel very rough and had to resort to a walk, David and Paul continued running. The 26.2 miles was kicking my butt! A combination of knee pain and what felt like a virus was making every step feel like a mile.<br />Finally 25miles was reached and I decided to dig in pretty deep and pull out a faster pace. The last 400 metres I managed a sprint. <br /><br />After the event I felt like death warmed up, frozen, cramping up and very hungry.<br />Well at least I know Ill be able to beat my Marathon PB time ;O)</div>
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<strong>TO BE CONTINUED........</strong></div>
J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-62556060205147444822012-10-02T01:57:00.002-07:002012-10-10T07:05:27.545-07:00Ultra 35 and this and that<strong>Ultra no 35 </strong>was supposed to be my 4th 100 + mile distance run this year, unfortunatley it wasnt to be.<br />
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<strong>Tooting Bec 24hr Track Race (Self-Transcendence) Saturday 22nd September</strong><br />
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I had <strong>2 </strong>goals for this race.<br />
<strong>Goal 1</strong> - 10hrs for 100k for a Spartathlon qualifier (hence entering a 24hr Track Race in the first place)<br />
<strong>Goal 2</strong> - If 100k reached in 10 hours then I would have 14hrs to complete a minimum of 38 miles to reach 100 miles (but with my usual arrogance, I beleived 14hrs could give me a second 100k no problem, to reach a total of 200k (124 miles) in 24hrs and in the Glenmore 24hr which was trail and hilly I had reached 112 plus miles, just another 12 miles on a flat course, how hard can that be? I had never understimated the challenge though, I knew it would be mentally tough and running on the flat would cause havoc with my joints and muscles.)<br />
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The course was a 400 metre track situated in Tooting Bec London. I travelled down on the train early on the Saturday morning, the race start would be at 1200. The night before I couldnt sleep, (nightmares) and had managed a total of 2hours, all week I had been suffering from night sweats and nightmares. Possibly I guess a mild bug, the insides of my knees causing me a huge amount of pain (overpronating when I forget to concentrate on landing midfoot and end up heel striking, I have worn superfeet for years to cure fallen arches/severe overpronation and they worked, taking me from a 13.5 foot to a 12 - 12.5 foot, over the last year I have concentrated on running more as a midfoot runner to avoid pronation, thus removing my superfeet, this works well but sometimes after running 15-20 hours I falter back to my heel strike. While I am wearing Hokas landing on my midfoot is great but Heel striking in them with the added height they have with all the cushioniong causes more pressure on my ankles and knees when I overpronate, strangley enough my ankles dont notice it but my knees do and so does my lower back.)<br />
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I met Ernie Jewson and Debbie who were to crew me at the event. I had first met Ernie when he had supported both myself and Mike Mason in the 2007 West Highland Way (the 2007 WHW had seen me collapse at Kinlochleven with Rhabdmylosis, while at the checkpoint, Ernie had removed my shoes and had taken them away to stop me from continuing on at the race and risking my life. Hours later I was in Fort Williams intensive care unit) Ernie has run countless GUCR'S plus 2 Thames Ring Ultras (250miles non stop) Ernie had texted me a while back trying to get me to sign up to the Thames Ring Ultra by text, his message went 'Jon you need to enter this, you'd love it!, I was talking to the flowers for 4 hours'<br />
(extreme sleep deprivation makes you do funny things!!) that year at the Thames Ring runners had fallen into the canal, mmm that would of been me! I had supported Debbie on her last few miles of a GUCR in 2011, one tough lady!! Julien Pansiot also came along to support me, Julien has a fantastic blog called 'life is an ultramarathon' <a href="http://www.life-is-an-ultramarathon.org/dotclear2/index.php">http://www.life-is-an-ultramarathon.org/dotclear2/index.php</a> Julien has been a good freinf for a few years and lives in London. We had met via the UTMB, Julien had also ran the innagrual Hardmoors 110 in 2012, and regularly runs the Hardmoors 55 and last years Hardmoors 60. In my 2011 Hardmoors 110 run, Julien had directed the race for me while I was competing. Aside the Hardmoors Julien had completed the PTL (the UTMB on steroids) My support team was VERY experienced and an awesome bunch of freinds. They set up camp alongside the track and we waited for the off. I was running in Hokas and the great thing with 24hr track events you dont have to carry a thing! 45 off us set off, some walking, others jogging slowly, I set off at a comfortable pace (10 minuts miling) as I looked around me there was only a handfull running at this pace. I found myself alongside Jim Rogers ( Jim has been ultrarunning for over 20 years and is a hell of a runner, representing the uk on numerous occasions, he resides in Hull and a man I have a huge amount of respect for, his best distance for a 24hr track event being 151 miles!) we chatted for a while, he was using the event as a qualifier for Spartathlon too, but would stop when he had reached 100k.What slighly worried me was that I was running at his pace, so I was definatley running too fast!<br />
I dropped the pace down and gave myself the target of running for the first 5 hours then would walk a few laps. We had been allocated lap counters and every hour our position and mileage would be placed on a board for us to see, in the first few hours I was in about 8th place ( this would drop and drop) Every step I took in those 24hrs I was conscious of, I didnt switch off for one minute! couldnt loose myself in my thoughts, I knew exactly where I was and couldnt remove myself from the situation. <br />
Alan Rumbles popped by to see me (he was due to fly out later to Greece to compete in this years Spartathlon) he knew this was my qualifiying attempt) I found myself more and more walking laps, the pain in my knees only subdued when I walked. I was eating and drinking well, my crew where doing a fantastic job, Alan told me I needed to run a marathon in about 4 hours to be in line with my 100k in 10 hrs, I started to make a concerted effort but after a few strong laps I found myself walking again. I started to feel really awful, I looked at my watch it wasnt happening! I couldnt do it. I had nothing in my legs, I couldnt escape the pain and any motivation I had, had vanished, I struggled through a couple more laps and staggered up to Julien and told him that was me done. I was unsure if I was going to burst into tears or throw up. They guided me into the tent as I started to shiver, I was so so cold, and apparantley as white as a ghost. I shut my eyes and tried to sleep. That was it, I was not going to run another lap, I was beaten.<br />
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Thirty minutes or so later Ernie cooked me fried eggs and beans, I wolved it down and felt a lot better. They talked me round into getting back on the track, the colour had returned back to my face. It was freezing, I put tights on, buffs and a down jacket and set off walking, after awhile I satrted to run and warm up.I started to feel motivated again and set my aim on 100 miles. A while later I was back to walking. <br />
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The rest of the 24 hours was scattered with motivated sections of running strongly and less motivated sections of walking plus a first for me, I stopped for an hour to have a sleep, I never sleep on Ultras, even on my 2009 UTMB when I had ran for over 42 hours I didnt sleep! Lack of mental stimulation was destroying my motivation and every footstep I took I was aware of I just couldnt switch off. This was one tough race. My body apart from my knees (what stopped hurting after 16 hours) was fine, possibly strong thanks to all the conditioning 35 ultras had given it plus regular massages of my quads and calves Ernie kept giving me. I ran and chatted on and off with Matt Moraz, a great guy who had ran the L100 and the WHW plus various desert ultras's Matt certainly helped the minutes go by. We also ran for breif stages with Antonia Johnson, Antonia was running strong ( completed over 190k in the end) She had ran a 22hr WHW this year and was still pretty young. I imagine we will see great things from this lady if she keeps on ultrarunning!<br />
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20 hours into the race I started to feel stronger and ran more, and when I ran my pace was faster. Eventually we where down to our last 20 minutes or so, now it was easy to run. It felt strange running with the person next to me who was 30 miles ahead of me! and the person in front of me was in fact 15 miles behind me! Crazy! everyone was starting to get quite emotional, patting each other on the back, the cammerderie was phenomenal. It was fantastic to see and feel part of. We where passed our small sandbags (we would place these where we finished when the hooter was blown to mark the race finish. This way they could measure the exact distance we had run.<br />
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With the last minute slipping away I realised I could get another lap in, so I sprinted as hard as I could and completed the lap with seconds to go. The hooter went and so did my legs, Debbie caught me, it was over at last!<br />
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Later in the day I got the underground to Kings Cross carrying a big heavy bag and of course the majority of bloody underground escalators werent working, not good on tired quads! My train to York wasnt until 2200hrs, it was 1330hrs (I booked the cheapest trains I could for the trip) I popped into the ticket office to see if I could transfer my ticket to an earlier train, well for £90 I could, so I sat and waited for over 8 hours (Heavy rain outside, tired legs and a heavy bag stopped me from doing any sight seeing. I think I probably spent £90 on coffees ;o)<br />
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Looking back, the event was something very special! not the running round the track but the competitors/support crews/organisers/marshalls/timekeepers and most importantly Ernie, Debbie and Julien who looked after me for all those hours, who encouraged me, put up with my moods, fed and watered me, massaged me and tried to keep my spirits high. Thank you!<br />
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My distance wasnt great compared to my goals, 89 miles instead of 120 miles and a personal worse in the shape of 100k in 16hrs on a flat surface!! but hey this was my second 24hr in the space of less then a month. My body didnt let me down my head did! <br />
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Would I do it again? maybe! still got unfinished buisness! still want 200k. Well what about Sparta? Well looks like Im entering the 147 mile Viking Way Race in March 2013 then!<br />
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<br />J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-32610942366170093582012-09-12T05:03:00.000-07:002012-09-12T05:06:29.756-07:00ULTRAS NO 30 - 35Yet again I have been pretty busy so sorry for not posting for ages.<br />
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Since the Lakeland 100, I have ran the 'Dovedale Dipper' a 26mile route (plus 2 extra miles to make it an ultra) The event took place on Sunday 5th August, 1 week after the Lakeland. The Dovedale Dipper is a beautiful hilly course in the White Peak. (Ultra 30)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimolvkU7pof5j7EmWI0TqYeiS23Tqt1FFuoklw4CiLSLNPqWO-2QKFotwgpinIgO-uUQXRe_CZGyVFUl53ZCGoy0A2Qv3ZLh7d874JEAp7XJ9ojCqDKephITlU1kTf23K-Mxi-1CT3smVY/s1600/430313_10151797809781549_1706567006_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimolvkU7pof5j7EmWI0TqYeiS23Tqt1FFuoklw4CiLSLNPqWO-2QKFotwgpinIgO-uUQXRe_CZGyVFUl53ZCGoy0A2Qv3ZLh7d874JEAp7XJ9ojCqDKephITlU1kTf23K-Mxi-1CT3smVY/s320/430313_10151797809781549_1706567006_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Jenny Wyles to the left and David Cremmins behind at the Dovedale Dipper</div>
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The weekend after I decided to rest and went down to watch a great race in the Peak District called the 'Long Tour of Bradwell' I wildcamped the evening before and did a few miles of running around Hollins Cross. Lose Hill and Edale. The race looked pretty brutal and good fun, certainly one for next year.<br />
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The reason for the weekends rest was to help prepare myself for another Bob Graham attempt. <br />
I travelled down to the Lakes with Shirley on Friday 17th August, met up with Garry Scott, Flip, Jen and Ken Wyles, Karen Mc Donald and Craig. Leg 1 went well despite a very wet and claggy descent of Hall's Fell which ate away at the time and gave myself and Garry kittens (especially as I remembered and then decided to tell Garry the story of a friend who was supporting on a BGR and had fallen of here and had woken up a month or so later in a hospital with a broken neck!) Garry of course thanked me for that story;o). We eventually dropped into Threkeld bang on time and set off up Clough Head with Shirley, Flip, Jenny and Andy Scaife (plus mate) Clough Head felt exceptionally steep and painful on the quads. My climb was pretty slow and there seemed to be nothing left in my legs to push with.(more the lack of recovery time in my legs then running the first BGR leg.<br />
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On reaching the Summit of Clough Head the clag was down and once again no visibility ( becoming a regular occurrence with leg 2) Then the heavens opened up and Andy really had his work cut out navigating. Without reliving another painful story Ill cut it short here. The weather deteriorated pretty badly, some of my pacers headed off the hill and I pushed onto Fairfield very much behind schedule, I recognised the symptoms of Hypothermia and in haste managed to take a bad line off Fairfield, in our confused state we ended up dropping off quite a way west off Fairfield. Hours later we arrived at Dunmail Raise and could see John Vernon and Garry Scott in the distance looking for us. I greeted them both and a dozen or so metres away was Shirley, I ran over to her and we hugged each other. I had been missing for hours and purely by mistake my warm kit was in somebody elses bag who had dropped off the hill earlier. She had been so worried that something pretty serious had happened to me in the awful weather conditions. They had been on the verge of calling Mountain Rescue. Shirley had told me that John V had been watching the mountains for hours without a break, scanning the area for signs of us! What a guy to have on your team. Many thanks to my support team (some I never got chance to actually meet) who had generously given up their weekend to help me have another BGR bash<br />
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I had completed over 27 miles in the two sections plus the extra few miles gained taking the wrong line off Fairfield, so an Ultramarathon distance was reached! (Ultra 31)<br />
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L-R Ken Wyles, Jenny Wyles, Craig, Me and Shirley, Flip, Garry Scott outside the Moot Hall (Keswick)</div>
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SMUGGLERS TROD (Ultra 32)<br />
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I ran the LDWA's 25th Smugglers Trod, an event I had wanted to run for several years but due to it being usually on the same weekend as the UTMB I had always missed it. The event starts at Robin Hoods Bay and dips between Moorland and coastal paths. A beautiful but pretty muddy route. The course was 26 miles long, I did a fraction short of 30 ;0). One course that is better to reccy first, or follow somebody who actually knows where they are going ;0))) I passed the same runners 6 times in the course and I never saw them overtake me once!!<br />
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GLENMORE 24 (Ultra 33)<br />
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Wow what an event! I need to do a bigger write up then this so for now ill just post the stats<br />
Glenmore is a 24 hour event, which incorporates 4 mile hilly loops with the Cairngorms for scenery.<br />
I took 5th place and completed 112 miles. Blog to follow.. (Ultra 34)<br />
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YORKSHIREMAN OFFROAD MARATHON (Ultra 34)</div>
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This was my second running of the event, last year I had completed it in 4hrs 19, this year 5hrs 26mins. Lovely route, fantastic weather. Trashed quads from the Glenmore 24 downhill (taken a bit fast) and the loss of most of my toenails plus the attached skin, had left my toes as bloody stumps, made the last 15 miles of the event pretty painful. I had to walk the majority of the last 10miles as my quads felt like I had completed 3 hours of weighted squats prior to the race. ( throughout the challenge, my quads seem to have been the one muscle that takes longer to recover. Glutes are never touched, sometimes DOMS in my calves and no real problem with my hamstrings. Flat courses I'm fine running but don't have the speed in my legs at the moment, the ascents are where I currently have the problem and descents I just suffer and take them at speed using gravity. I believe there may be quite a bit of inflammation around my knees but just try to ignore it.) 27 miles in total (added just under an extra mile to make it an Ultra) <br />
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Coming up..... Tooting Bec 24hr Track Race (Self Transcendence) <br />
My aims for this event are 100k in 10 hours (Spartathlon qualifier) 200k in 24 hours<br />
This will be my first track race so should be pretty interesting. The laps are 400m long.<br />
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EEX344444444DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444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J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-63853098362684462882012-08-09T08:11:00.000-07:002012-08-09T08:12:13.666-07:00Lakeland 100<span lang="EN">The pain in my feet ,seems to dominate my very existence ! Every footstep is agony and it had been for the last 37 odd hours, I had 5 miles left to run/walk/crawl, Only 5 miles and the Lakeland 100 would be completed and I could stop, I could sit down, I could end this continuous forward progression, but this wouldn’t just be 5 miles, it would contain a steep climb then an excruatating painful rocky descent on badly blistered feet and trashed legs. I look to my left and hanging from the trees are 2 rotting corpses, I look away and back at the trees, they are still there, I know they are hallucinations, but for a second I think they are real, I have had dozen of hallucinations in past 100 milers but nothing so sombre, at least I hope they are Hallucinations? I look ahead and Carl is moving quite well ahead of me so I try to speed up and thus doing so catch my toes on a rock and am wracked by pain. Will this torture ever stop? I open my eyes and realise I have stopped, I am facing the opposite direction of where I am going to and I have an arm forward with my palm out almost like I am accepting something? I have no recollection, am I going mad? I carry on for a bit, I shut off again, the pain in my legs brings me back to life, I’m trying to kneel down? Why? Its like something is taking me over? I try to focus but my body is shutting down, this is 46 hours without sleep, I’ve gone longer before, much longer. I look to the floor, there are dozens of skulls scattered around my feet, How am I going to step over these?<br /><i>In 2011 Shirley and I had run the Lakeland 100, Shirley had pulled out at the 75 mile point after bravely pushing on to the point she couldn’t take anymore pain with her feet . I finished the race in just over 36 hours, the pain in my feet had started to become too much when I tried to run and had to walk the majority of the way from Dalemain after arriving in pain at Dalemain but being up on a sub 30 schedule. <br />We had both worn Sealskin socks from the start to keep our feet dry while heading over to Boot through the marshy ground, unfortunately water got into the socks and stayed there for 50 odd miles, by the time the socks got changed at Dalemain the damage had been done and ‘Trench foot’ had taken hold, every rock stood on or caught proved to be agony. When the 2012 entries came out I bought Shirley her entry for her birthday and I entered to get my revenge on the race and get my time down nearer to the 30 hour mark!<br />The Lakeland 100 was to be one of my 4 big runs of the year (95miles plus) A month before I had run the 95mile West Highland Way Race in just over 24 hours, facing 19 hours of constant torrential rain escaping with a couple of blisters, not bad for spending a day in what seemed ankle deep water. <br />The Lakeland 100 would also be the 29<sup>th</sup> Ultra I had ran in 2012.<br />Lakeland would be an experiment, would all the Ultras already ran effect me, would I be stronger or weaker?<br />Shirley had been working in Saudi Arabia since October 2011 and had also undergone ankle sugary before she had flown out there, so Shirley’s Lakeland 100 training had started in January 2012 but was confined to running on a treadmill in a ladies only gym in Jeddah. We had run the 45 mile Wadi Bih in Oman in Februrary and the Blubberhouses 25 a month or two later, plus a 30 mile training run on the Cleveland Way in June but apart from that her training had been Treadmill and the odd ‘Hash’ (and no! not the type you smoke)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</i>We arrived at the ‘John Ruskin School’ at 1500 hours a couple hours before the race start leaving enough time to register, put up the tent and relax, the relaxing didn’t happen! At 1730 after chatting to Nick Ham and Garry Scott and a few more familiar faces we set off on our adventure. I ran with Shirley for 10 minutes or so, kissed her and pushed on up to the ‘Walma Scar Road’, the going felt ok but still very early to comment. The descent down to Seathwaite didn’t feel as good as it should of done, I passed a dozen or so runners but still ran cautiously not like my normal self, my quads felt sore and my knees were giving me some pain which was worrying at this early stage but slowing down on the descent would of put more pressure on my knees by holding back. I arrived at the Seathwaite checkpoint and saw Mark Dalton and Helen Witham leaving, I would of liked to have dibbed my dibber ;0) and jetted of to catch them up but I needed a pitstop and this checkpoint had the luxury of a proper toilet. I set off over to Boot and ran with Dudley Manning I knew Dudley from running the Hardmoors110 in June and we both struggled over the boggy ground after Grassguards. It was particularly bad this year and I ended on the floor more times than I care to admit. The descent down towards Boot was just as bad, I slipped and slid down the hillside several metres on my backside, to any onlookers the sight must have been hilarious but I was sick of been caked in mud, the mud on my hands getting everywhere, water bottle tops etc, it was a relief to run on country lanes where I caught up with Tony Holland, I knew him from face book and he had run the Hardmoors 55 earlier this year but never really met him then with me running the route too. Tony was doing an Ultra a month for charity and this was his first year of running Ultras! What an inspirational guy! <br />Boot checkpoint was reached and my legs felt very sore, almost like ‘DOMS’ which worried me a little as in the 2007 West Highland Way Race I had been hospitalised with Rhabdmylosis, and in the early stages of the race my quads had felt the same as they did now! I reasoned to myself that all the Ultras were taking there toll and my legs weren’t getting time to fully recover.<br />The brief climb up to Burnmoor Tarn is worth it for the stunning views over to the Wasdale mountains with the water in the foreground, this is one of my favourite sections, skirting by the Lakeland Giants, Scafell close by and Gable, Kirk Fell etc in the distance with Yewbarrow opposite, not as tall but bloody steep as any one who has ran a Bob Graham Round will tell you. The descent down to the valley which I had flown down last year racing another runner for fun, had to be at first taken slower due to the wet grass then it was my quads and knees screaming out in pain as I took the stone path. I reached the bottom and eventually joined the road, this was easy but painful running. I left the road to join a very slippery path where again I spent more times on my backside then on my feet , minutes later I was at the Wasdale Head checkpoint filling up on coke, I donned my head torch and set off for Black Sail and the way my legs where feeling, a climb I was dreading. On the climb itself my legs seemed to have no power and I fell into a slow trudge. John Kynaston caught up with me, John was a good friend and I didn’t recognise his voice at first. John holds a very impressive sub 20hrs time on the West Highland Way Race and has ran the Hardmoors 110 and 55. This year he was having a break from the WHW (which he is now part of the Race committee) he was looking strong and pushed on at a speed I was jealous of. I had a nice chat with Steven Foster who was looking strong and he pushed on ahead as I slowed down. The summit was reached and I followed a long line of runners down the treacherous descent down into Black Sail, last year I had flown down this descent but this year it seemed to be so slippery and last year I was wearing fell running shoes. Eventually the valley was reached and I looked in through the window at the Black Sail Youth Hostel with jealousy, looked so cosy in there.<br />I climbed Scarth Gap over to Buttermere, the descent is pretty tricky in the light but by head torch isn’t easy. I enjoy technical descents and soon was on a decent track. I dropped down to the shores of Buttermere and enjoyed a nice runnable route to checkpoint 4, I passed several runners who were walking and felt pretty strong (for once) Buttermere Checkpoint was outside and quite surreal, I filled up on coke and grabbed a handfull of gels (this impressed me, being a celiac Im usualy resigned to my fate as checkpoints are never gluten free friendly, ie I cant eat flapjacks, cake, biscuits, soup as it contains noodles etc etc, but this cp had energy gels and energy bars) The Montane photographer was there taking hundreds of pics, he was looking for pain on peoples faces, no smiling, he took dozens of me ! He said I looked haggard or something similar :0). <br />The route to CP 5 (Braithwaite) involved a couple of smaller climbs and contouring a hillside, <br />at one point I slipped off the path and fell a dozen feet or so downhill, a pretty close call!<br />I missed the Braithwaite Checkpoint and had to retrace my steps. The Checkpoint was inside a village hall and on entering took a few seconds to adjust to the light. Mark Dalton greeted me as I came in, this started to become a regular occurrence, I would arrive at a cp just as Mark was leaving (maybe I smell, well actually I did, pretty bad!!) I saw Carl Hobbins and we exchanged greetings, for the rest of the race we would be running together on and off.<br />Leaving the hall it had started to pour down, so on came the waterproof. Parts of the next section are my least favourite. I ran alongside the main road for awhile (luckily quiet in the early hours of the morning) and then with a group of runners we ran alongside an old railway line track. The route then cuts over a footbridge onto the Skiddaw/Latrigg path, this bit I don’t mind, I have been up here dozens of times on Bob Graham Rounds/attempts etc, the climb isn’t too steep but a good excuse to walk and after the flat running gave me a great stretch in my legs. The Latrigg carpark was reached and we headed towards Jenkin Hill, but luckily not climbing it as it is pretty steep to say the least! A couple of runners passed us heading up that way, a woman not carrying anything and a man carrying a bag, I thought this must be a BGR attempt, I called after them and asked if they were, she replied ‘yes’ so I wished them luck! ( I found out later the lady was ‘Nicky Spinks’ she was attempting the Ladies Bob Graham record and she did it, she got round in 18 hours or so) Running as a group we contoured around the hillside to reach a self dibber at the out and back point and continued contouring the hillside at the other side of the small valley. We soon reached checkpoint 6 Blencathra Centre.<br />Blencathra Centre cp was indoors this year, I stuck into the coke had some gels, yet again Mark Dalton was sat at the checkpoint when I arrived there, he left a few minutes before I did. I headed off with a few others to the next checkpoint. We descended to the old railway lines, The others pressed ahead while I slowed down. John Pitchford rang alongside me and we had a good chat. John lives about 7 miles away from me (small world) he is also running the Hardmoors 60, we chatted about other races, triathlons etc. Along the path a lady walking her dog asked us what we were doing, we explained we where running a 100 mile race , she smiled and said her brothers were fell runners, only turned out her brothers where Stuart and Billy Bland! Billy has the record for the fastest Bob Graham Round completion in under 14 hours while Stuart ran it in 15 hours, Billys record has stood for years.<br /><br />Cutting across the marshlands to the Old Coach Road I started to feel pretty rough. I went for my water bottle and realised I hadn’t filled it up at Blencathra! Classis mistake.. The more I thought about it the worse I felt . John had pressed on by this time, I just pushed on as best as I could, another runner passed me, I explained the situation and he gave me some of his drink but he didn’t have much himself ( I was that out of it at the time, I cant remember who he was, so thank you if by chance you are reading this, actually I will apologise because a lot of the races events are a blur so if I chatted to someone and have not included it in this race report then I have forgotten at this point of time) The Old Coach Road seemed to go on forever. Ahead of me taking photographs while I was staggering about the track like I was dying from dehydration in the Sahara desert was the Montane Photographer, catching me yet again looking VERY haggard! I asked him how far the checkpoint was and he said it was pretty close. He looked and sounded pretty worried about me, I smiled and thought this is nothing, I’m still upright and not on a drip in a hospital ward like I have been several times after pushing myself to and through the limits. Eventually I arrived at Checkpoint 7 and what a surprise Mark Dalton was there. I must of looked pretty bad as the marshals where milling around me getting me fluids etc, according to one of the runners I was as white as a ghost. After a quick drink and remembering to fill my water bottles up I was on my way, the next checkpoint was to be Dalemain around about the 60 mile mark, then all that was left would be 45 miles. <br />The route follows a few roads before coming to a climb up to Gowbarrow, the sun was shining and it was all very reminiscent of the 2011 L100. The views over Ullswater from Gowbarrow are stunning, its always a shame not to stop and relax while taking in the view of this beautiful scene. I continued down roads over fields and coming into Dalemain caught up with Carl. Dalemain is a busy place, the race start of the Lakeland 50 and also the point to access your drop bags, entering the marquee/checkpoint there were bodies splayed out everywhere, all either eating or fixing their feet, low and behold amongst the group was Mark Dalton. I refuelled and changed my socks, John Pitchford had given me a spare pair after I realised I hadn’t put any spare socks in my drop bag, the socks where a size medium and I take a size xl 12-13, strange enough even with swollen feet I got into them okay. John was a lifesaver. My feet where bad, but not as bad as in 2011. In 2011 I had arrived here 2 and a half hours quicker but with wrecked feet (trench foot and badly blistered on the soles) walking had been so painful after. I checked my watch, aggravated that I was so much slower this year (I suppose all the ultras where eating up my speed, but I can look forward to 2013 and coming into races fresh and smashing my 2012 times)<br />Mark Dalton had left, so I set off on my quest to try to eventually catch him up. I bumped into Danny Aldus who was waiting for the race start of the 50, he had a great race coming in under 10 hours! Danny was saving himself for the TDS (one of the UTMB races, shorter but in some ways tougher than the UTMB) We had a catch up and then I set off walking, Howton would be my next port of call. After a mile or so I caught up with another runner, Ben Leigh Brown We decided to run together and talked about running and other races as we pushed on through Pooley Bridge and followed the path towards Howton. Ben had ran the L100 in 2011 but had not finished the race, this year he was back to make amends, he looked strong and I believed he would finish, but it ant over to the fat lady sings or so they say and you never know what may happen later in the game. (Checking back on the results I was pleased to see he had finished several hours in front of me) Along the stretch to Howton the Lakeland 50 runners started to pass us by, the lead runners were flying, I looked on in envy what I would have given to have some of that speed and energy in my legs at that time. The majority of the L50 runners congratulated us as they went by. Our race numbers also have our names on and which event we are doing on , the race numbers are on our bags so any runner coming up knows if you are a 50 runner or a hundred runner plus your name, after 65 miles of running you forget these things and when they pass you and say ‘well done Jonathan’ you are left thinking ‘How do they know my name?’ We arrived at a very busy Howton checkpoint , but no Mark Dalton, obviously I had now either slowed down or he had speeded up. Or more likely both. I was looking out for Danny Aldus and Andy Cole, both running the 50 and was expecting them to pass me at anytime along the way. Looking back it must have been at this checkpoint , while I was inside they must have passed through quickly. My feet were really starting to become painful, so I necked a handful of painkillers and we left Howton for Mardale. <i>In 2011 I reached Howton on my own to a very quiet checkpoint being run by Si Berry and Karen McDonald from Runfurther, I had awful toothache so Karen gave me some sensodyene toothpaste to put on it, in minutes it worked, it wasn’t until close to Mardale the lead L50 runners had passed me.</i></span>Leaving Howton checkpoint we passed Carl who was going into the cp, I wasn’t sure at Dalemain if he had being going to pull out, he had been suffering with his stomach, we told him to catch us up. The route towards Mardale takes you on a muddy journey along a valley floor and then up what seems at that stage a big climb and then a descent down to Hawsewater, the route follows an undulating path along the side of the Lake/Mere? For several miles (which seems a dozen) to the Mardale Checkpoint. I could imagine on the 50 after the climb it’s a pretty fast piece of ground to cover. After 20 odd hours of running on battered feet and trashed legs it isn’t. The climb lasted forever and Ben pushed ahead on this climb, I didn’t see him again, Carl caught me up and we suffered together, eventually reaching the summit we started the descent but my quads refused to leap over water filled ditches and on steep sections of descents my legs wouldn’t bend due to the pain in my quads. Last year I had flown down this descent, no problems with my legs just pain in my feet. I remembered a waterfall on the way down and we filled up with water, I washed my legs and the cold water seemed to help loosen them off a bit. We joined the lower path and set off on a walk with an occasional jog. What seemed to be hours later I arrived with Carl at the Mardale checkpoint. The checkpoint was predominately 2 tents, the weather had started to become pretty chilly and wet, I found a seat in the first tent and Carl got me some soup, this tent had quite a few people sat in it waiting to be shipped back to Coniston, they were L50 and 100 runners who for whatever reason couldn’t continue, a couple of the 50 runners looked in a bad way, one shivering uncontrollably . I took my socks off, my feet where a mess, a combination of trench foot and huge blisters between my toes and on the soles of my feet. A runner who was sat next to me very kindly gave me his spare socks, he was pulling out here and said he didn’t need them. While I was changing my socks, my friend the Montane photographer popped into the tent and recognised me, he saw my feet and gave me a worried look. He had this knack of turning up while I was at my worst, or was I at my worst all the time? Another cup of soup later one of the marshals entered the tent and said ‘whose for a lift?’ one guy pointed to nearly everyone in the tent including me, tempting as it was I declined and got up quickly (well kind of quickly ;0) ) With Jacket hat and gloves on I set off over the pass with Carl to head for Kentmere.
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The climb over the pass was tough but changing my socks had temporarily helped. I looked behind and saw a couple catching me up on the climb. I took a double look, it was Shirley, or was it? I stood there glaring, as they got closer I apologised. It wasn’t Shirley, I explained why I had been staring, they passed by and I continued on, Carl was quite a bit ahead by this time. I stopped to take a leak. Unsure of how long later, seconds?, minutes? I awoke and realised I had gone to sleep while having a wee! I looked around luckily nobody had seen me. I pushed on to make a concerted effort to speed up and at the top of the climb I caught Carl up and we took the long descent down to the valley below. Thank god I was wearing Hokas!, the path was a mixture of boulders, and rubble all pretty easy to twist your ankle on. I blotted out the foot pain and we both made the most of gravity, we flew down the track passing a dozen of runners along the way, feeling quite good and strong when the bridleway levelled out we continued running. This felt more like it, at this pace we could get some time back and I would stand a chance of catching the elusive Mr Dalton up! Then a spanner was dropped in the works! We missed the turning off the road, looking at the map we decided not to retrace our steps as the next right would join us up with the route we were supposed to take, by this time a l50 competitor (sorry I forgot your name) with his dog who had made the same mistake caught up with us and we all tried to rejoin the route. Cutting through a farmyard following footpath signs we where only a short distance away from the L100 route and then all the markers vanished, there was one path off to the left, so we followed that one which led to a stone wall,. To cut a long story short we wasted well over an hour looking for the route and had possibly covered several miles of knee height bogs. Eventually we stumbled on the route. We said goodbye to our new friend and his dog and set up a pretty good pace to try to catch all the people we had passed a couple of hours ago back up. The route into Kentmere can be quite confusing but we were luckily behind some runners who knew the way. Last year when I had done this section I was blindly following another runner so didn’t remember this section. The Kentmere Checkpoint was reached and we had completed over 75 miles. The Kentmere checkpoint was indoors, well stocked and full of runners relaxing or being massaged. We had agreed to get in get some food and get out of the checkpoint as quick as possible. Carl caught up with some friends, I necked a couple of fruit smoothies and we set off. <br />
The next checkpoint would be in Ambleside. First though we would have a climb over the Garburn Pass, a descent into Troutbeck and then another climb out of Troutbeck followed by a wooded descent into Ambleside. I felt pretty strong ascending the pass, Carl’s friends who were running the L50 caught us up and we all climbed together, we left them on the descent and once again got a descent pace over the rough track down to Troutbeck, yes it hurt, it crucified my feet but if I had gone slower then it still would of hurt. We climbed out of Troutbeck and I had to stop at a bench to sort my feet out, the pain was pretty intense, I took my shoes off but I had no more spare socks, so replaced my shoes and got back to my feet. By this time we were back in a group and we all headed over to Ambleside. The descent down to Ambleside is a pain in the backside. It is a steep woodland section which isn’t the easiest to negotiate on tired legs, eventually we reached the road, Carl and I left the group and ran ahead arriving at the Ambleside Checkpoint based in the Lakes Runner Shop.<br />
We refuelled, and set off for the leg I had been dreading since the start of the race<i>. Last year 20 minutes after leaving Ambleside my body started to shut down and I could barely keep awake. Bits I remember where a haze of pain and hallucinations, a combination of tiredness from lack of sleep, sheer pain in my feet and too many painkillers. </i>This year I was in sheer pain with my feet again but at least awake. We cut through Ambleside, and headed on our journey to the next checkpoint, I was awake but don’t remember much of this part of the route, only it seemed to go on forever, running alongside rivers, houses down lanes, we only saw a couple of runners and eventually we reached the Lamgdale Checkpoint. Again my memory fails me at this point. We left the Checkpoint heading for the next Checkpoint at Tiberthwaite. We followed a very muddy and slippery path for quite a while, every minute or so I would slip over, regain my footing and repeat the process, at long last we climbed uphill and joined a road briefly. <i>Last year just before this climb, I had been in such a bad way that I had stopped and had sat down and slept a little. From just outside Ambleside I had bumped into another runner and we had teamed up, he had been trying to keep me awake, I told him to continue while I had stopped for awhile. Dozens of people had passed me while I had stopped, I realised I couldn’t quit there as Id have to go to the next cp to quit or back to the last one. I had thought ‘sod it’ and necked some more painkillers, put on my headphones and listened to ‘Guns and Roses ‘ and started to run, I began to pass people, the more people I passed the stronger I got, I had made my own path through the bracken to pass a good chunk of runners, I kept the pace up to Tiberthwaite and must of passed well over 3 dozen runners! At the top of the descent down into the Coppermines it had hit me, the pain in my feet, the tiredness, everything! That was it the temporary lift I had received had gone! I literally staggered the last couple of miles to the Race Finish where Shirley had come out to greet me. I didn’t have the energy to smile at her. (The guy who had helped me from Ambleside and I had told to go on while I rested, actually finished 2 hours after me,) </i><br />
We headed through some woods then the hallucinations began to occur, I have had hallucinations dozens of times before but not like these, these are like my worst nightmares, corpses hanging from trees, rotting flesh hanging from them, skulls everywhere. This is first light, my head torch was off and everywhere I look there is something barbaric. We pushed on to the self-dibber and dropped down the road and passed the farmhouses on the track to Tiberthwaite. Carl looked back every now and then just to check I was still there, I was there in body, nothing else. I keep drifting off asleep and waking up facing in the opposite direction, then would push myself to continue on, a few minutes later I would be back asleep again and I would wake up to find my arms outstretched to the side as if accepting something off someone. I could see the checkpoint at last and I pushed myself on to jog.<br />
We left Tiberthwaite for another climb and headed up high for a couple of miles. At Ambleside I had put my Garmin Forerunner on so I could count down the last 15 miles, my Garmin will only give 7 hours of GPS on a good day. We had about 4-5 miles left. Eventually we reached the descent which took us down to the Coppermines, this descent is pretty technical when you have been on your feet for over 38 hours, it was wet and my Hokas wouldn’t grip on wet grass. On reaching the bottom there was a track/road descent which we start running, there were 3 of us L100 runners and we picked up the speed as the descent steepened. We come into Coniston maintaining the speed and eventually reached the road leading to the Race finish, Carl started to sprint, I felt someone behind me so I did too, I heard someone say, ‘wow look they are L100 runners and look how fast they are running now‘, this spurred me on and I increase my speed again, and just as I am about to reach the finish line the guy behind me just passes me and dibs his dibber seconds before mine. I look at his pack and after all that he’s a L50 runner. They announce a Lakeland 100 runner is entering the finish, Carl had gone in seconds before me, the guy who piped me at the post is walking in front of me, he hears the announcement and realises everyone thinks he’s a l100 runner, he then realises the two he was racing where L100 runners not L50 runners. On entering the building to a huge applause, my eyes started to dampen and the medal is presented to me plus the T-Shirt, I look for Carl and shake his hand. Another Ultra ticked off!<br />
Shirley came in a couple of hours after me, looking fresh as a daisy. We spent a couple of hours after the race chatting to Friends, catching up with Nic Ham who couldn’t run due to illness, Mark Barnes who was manning his Hoka stand. Andy Cole who put in a superb time in the L50 sub 10hrs at 64 years of age! Garry Scott who had a great race in 31 hours, bettering his time by 5 or so hours. Mark Legget and Helen Legget, Mark had finished in just over 30 hours! John Kynaston who with blistered feet had got round in 34 hours. Dave T who smashed it and came 11<sup>th</sup> in just over 25 hours!! Helen Witham who came in around about the 31 hour mark. Julie Gardner again around 30 hours, and John Vernon who dropped out late in the race, feeling pretty tired still from a rather hilly 100 mile race he had ran in Spain a fortnight ago.<br />
I apologise if I haven’t mentioned everyone I chatted to .<br />
The elusive Mr Dalton finished around the 34 hour mark! 4 hours quicker than me.. Maybe next time………………J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-76877399553135088102012-08-07T16:51:00.001-07:002012-08-07T16:51:17.994-07:00Lakeland and other RacesSorry but yet again I have fallen behind on my write ups, have been pretty busy setting up a new personal training business etc, so that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.....<br />
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I have just realised I have missed 2 races out from before the Osmotherley Phoenix<br />
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1. 'The Sterne Encounter' An East Yorkshire LDWA event based around the Howardian Hills in Yorkshire, a pretty but very muddy route taking in some paths I think people haven't used this millennium ;0) This was the first running of the route. I ran with Mark Dalton, Danny Aldus and Andy Knowles and loved every minute of it, the route was 2 miles we covered 26 after a few wrong turnings and then with Danny and Mark we ran a further mile or so to make it an Ultra.<br />
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2. This Ultra is a bit cheeky but I don't care.. Take into account my defence! I had run the West Highland Way race (95 miles) in torrential downpours two days before this Ultra of sorts. The ultra of sorts is 2 runs I have combined now into one. On the Tuesday evening I ran the York Summer League 10k ' The Bishop Wilton ' The Bishop Wilton has a big climb and painful descent on tired legs, 2 hours or so after this I ran 'The Real Relay', 2 sections which totalled 22 miles with a big bloody baton fitted with a GPS, so there you go 28 miles... I'm having that!! Oh and it bloody hurt a lot more than a 50 miler on fresh legs!!<br />
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Friday 27th to Sunday 29th saw the Lakeland 100, I'm in the middle of a write up on this race (I have started to write it in Microsoft Word and then I will copy and paste it to here, after losing the WHW write up I am not taking any risks) My Result was 38 hours something, not pleased with that time but to be fair to myself if I had seen the blisters I had on the bottom of my foot on anyone else I would of thought there was no chance of them finishing. That's not saying I'm tough, its just saying it was a case of getting to the end in a hell of a lot of pain! anybody sensible and tough would of pulled out at Mardale! only daft buggers like me continue! Shirley completed the L100 on sod all training!! just the odd treadmill run in Saudi!! Pretty Impressive or what! she also looked a lot fresher than I did too, so too complete opposites, I was well and truly overtrained with all the Ultras (became evident 10 miles in, my knees where killing and my quads didn't want to know about any up and coming climb) While Shirley came in with no decent long training runs under her belt this year, apart from the Wadi Bih.<br />
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This Sunday I ran the Dovedale Dipper (26 miles) plus extra to make it an ultra, took just over 5 hours, beautiful route based in the 'White Peak' starting at Hartington.<br />
I ran with David Cremmins and we caught up with Nic Ham who was feeling pretty rough after a chest infection we had a good chat (who says only women gossip!)<br />
I felt good until mile 21, then I started to bonk and every step was a mission. A few of us somehow missed the correct path and did an extra mile.<br />
Dovedale is a beautiful part of the country and as a lad (here come the Hovis bit) I spent many a Sunday ambling through there with my Dad, I guess this would be 30 years ago now, never thought then Id be running through it all these years later.<br />
Had a great catch up with Jenny and Ken Wyles, Sarah Booth and Andy Norman afterwards plus bumped into Mark Collinson and his wife, his next big race being the UTMB, I was slightly jealous. Andy and Sarah jet off to the Pyrnees in a couple of weeks for the ' Tour des Pyrnees' (roughly translated as 'I need a new pair of Knees' 100 miles and 8000 plus metres of climb I believe?) oh and yes I am a bit jealous of that too, apart from the 8000 metres of climb bit.<br />
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<u><strong>AUGUST AND SEPTEMBERS ULTRAS</strong></u><br />
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<strong>BOB GRAHAM ROUND</strong> (Lakes) Friday 17th August (65-70miles dependant of info source)<br />
<strong>SMUGGLERS TROD</strong> (North York Moors) Saturday 25th (26 miles plus extra)<br />
<strong>GLENMORE 24hr</strong> (Cairngorms) Saturday 1st September (hopefully 100 miles plus, but we will see)<br />
<strong>YORKSHIREMAN MARATHON</strong> (Haworth) Sunday 9th September (26 miles plus extra)<br />
<strong>HIGH PEAK 40</strong> (Peak District) Saturday 15th September (40 miles)<br />
<strong>*SELF TRANSCENDENCE 24hr TRACK RACE</strong> ( Tooting Bec, London) Saturday 22nd September<br />
<strong>HARDMOORS 60 NOT RUNNING HAVE MY RD CAP ON</strong> Saturday 29th September<br />
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* The Self Transcendence will hopefully be my 2013 Spartahlon qualifier, I need to complete 100k in under 10hrs 30 mins, after that my aim is to run in total over 100 miles in the 24hrs<br />
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<strong>LAKELAND 100 REPORT TO FOLLOW......</strong><br />
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<br />J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-86082188689605406422012-07-08T15:22:00.000-07:002012-08-07T16:53:41.186-07:00Osmotherley Phoenix Ultra no 27<strong>Osmotherley Phoenix</strong>, 33 miles 4700 feet of ascent<br />
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Great event but a pretty crap effort from myself coming in at 6 hrs 31 mins, 1 hour slower than last year. <br />
Felt pretty tired and had some electrolyte/hydration problems leading to sickness/feeling dizzy and bad cramps. Had a great time after the race though catching up with so many freinds! next year I ll be back to pull out<br />
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<img border="0" height="320" sca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3D_0sr81MsZU1mVSDMp-ih5sENU3GORoTpjz5D5mpxc9bDJT0B_mERFHnSRdDKtxxlPU6L58FCsBwtrZ6_wDBgCgEtmakCq5JlhZ0Q6gsV1ZKaW5V5YEBvqAL1Q_XlO27JXTpip3kXO35/s320/405985_253682748080654_2109345056_n.jpg" width="239" /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgr6Owj7fuRVVKq3aq8Q1nkS2vdSHrM7VbSckVnu9410kR0eyn49_3zOj28Ff9IHS2QDUC-IP3adEm4WU5NfvkuFk6J58l15mzcmoJibZTwQ0h3_3SO_A6RxyeiDLcFMKrP2Lj9yBVAUn/s1600/480040_253682538080675_1536314078_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" sca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgr6Owj7fuRVVKq3aq8Q1nkS2vdSHrM7VbSckVnu9410kR0eyn49_3zOj28Ff9IHS2QDUC-IP3adEm4WU5NfvkuFk6J58l15mzcmoJibZTwQ0h3_3SO_A6RxyeiDLcFMKrP2Lj9yBVAUn/s320/480040_253682538080675_1536314078_n.jpg" width="239" /></a><br />
Garry Scott and Nic Ham Mark Dalton trying to get some trade ;0)<br />
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Ken & Jen Wyles, Andy Norman and some ugly git<br />
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Sarah Booth, Jen & Ken Wyles<br />
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<strong>Ultra no 26 was the Hamsterley Marathon,</strong> a 27 mile trail lapped course marathon based up near Durham with a big bloody hill in the middle, very tough after the WHW the weekend before and 56 miles in between both the events!!<br />
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<strong>NEXT BIGGIE!!! ULTRA 30 LAKELAND 100</strong></div>J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-80382948257254757822012-07-08T14:39:00.000-07:002012-07-08T14:39:00.689-07:00Fame at last!! (only joking)Runfurther interview ;0)<br />
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<a href="http://www.runfurther.com/featured-runners/featured-runner-jon-steele-c-534_919.html?p=shop">http://www.runfurther.com/featured-runners/featured-runner-jon-steele-c-534_919.html?p=shop</a>J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-73467295262965005972012-07-05T07:19:00.000-07:002012-07-05T07:19:17.998-07:00WHW Write UpSorry, I spent several hours writing up the WHW race report and the whole thing was lost, I cant bear to write it up again, id rather run it again!!<br />
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I will attempt to write up the Bob Graham Round in the very near future, leading up to the Osmotherley Phoenix I have completed 3 ultras since the WHW race , so am back on track with the challenge.<br />
Osmotherley Phoenix will be Ultra no 26J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-54518989085010475902012-06-24T14:04:00.000-07:002012-06-24T14:04:37.344-07:00Ultras 22 and 23Just a quick recap, I'm sorry I haven't been on top of this blog for awhile but I have just set up my new personal training business (Steele's Inspirational Fitness) also being finishing off relevant qualifications and Hardmoors 60 prep plus the aftermath of the Hardmoors 110.<br />
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ULTRA NO 22 - Baslow Bootbash 27 miles in about 5hrs 15 (started run late)<br />
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ULTRA NO 23 - West Highland Way 95 miles in 24hrs 26 (WET WET WET WET)<br />
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Ultra 23 was originally going to be a 2 section BGR but due to weather conditions over the Helvelyn range we had to cut the first day short, ran up Scafell Pike and surrounding areas on Sunday but didn't do the golden distance. I have entered a 24 hour track race (Tooting Bec) in September so will use this as one of my 100 finishes. I damaged my leg on the WHW so the plan of adding 5 miles to the race to make it 100 miles wasn't very practical with my leg .<br />
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I plan this week to write up reports for the WHW race and the BGR<br />
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This week I have a 10k race Tuesday night (will possibly scrap this) followed by running 8.5 miles from Barkston Ash to Boston Spa via Tadcaster for the 'Real Relay' at 23.15. A 5 mile Fell race over Carlton Bank on Wednesday night, this is all dependant on my bad leg. Saturday would possiblyly be a 32 mile recce of the Osmortherley Phoenix route with good mate Garry Scott and Sunday the Hamsterley Forest Marathon (North East Marathon Club)<br />
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Saturday 7th July will be the Osmotherley Phoenix <br />
Sunday 14th July Marlborough Downs 33 (not an event)<br />
Sat / Sun 21-22nd Weekends grace to rest before the Lakeland 100 (never happens though ;0) )<br />
Fri - Sun 27-29th Lakeland 100 (A race of the year)J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-65682978598255658962012-05-30T10:07:00.003-07:002012-05-30T10:07:44.861-07:00Ultras 17, 18, 19, 20, 21Sorry I havent blogged for awhile just been incredibly busy and the following is a very quick short catch-up. This weekend is the Hardmoors 110 and I am up to my neck in admin so will file proper race reports next week.<br />
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ULTRA no 17 The Ingleborough Marathon (27miles) 2nd place (12th May)<br />
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ULTRA no 18 The Bob Graham Round (65-72miles, 28000ft) Finished in 28 hours after a fantastic day shared with some great people.We hit bad mist on the Helvelyn range and lost a lot of time finding the route, leaving us to abort the 24hr time. (19 - 20th May) (re attempt August 18th 2012)<br />
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ULTRA no 19 3 days after the BGR I ran the 27mile Osmotherley Phoenix Route with Shirley (24th May)<br />
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ULTRA no 20 Dukeries Ultra 40 miles -Sherwood Forest (cracking event) (26th May)<br />
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ULTRA no 21 Leaden Boot 27 miles (6000ft) - Dovedale (Beautiful route) (27th May)<br />
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No Ultras next week (2-3rd June) Organising and Directing the Hardmoors 110. <br />
9th June Baslow Bootbash<br />
16th June 3 x Bob Graham Round legs (Wasdale to Keswick)<br />
23 - 24th June West Highland Way Race<br />J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-915531776041539622012-05-02T16:09:00.000-07:002012-05-02T16:19:35.226-07:00Bob Graham Round Recce Ultra 16<span lang="EN"><strong>Bob Graham Round Recce Ultra 16</strong> (Keswick to Dunmail)<br /><br />Saturday 28<sup>th</sup> April saw four great races on one day, the ‘Fellsman’ the 3 Peaks, the Highland Fling and the lesser known East Yorkshire LDWA Woldsman 50. <br />After much deliberation I decided to enter the Woldsman, the Highland Fling I had run the year before plus Id also be on the same route while running the West Highland Way Race in June (the Highland Fling is the first half of the West Highland Way)<br />Then there was the Fellsman, I had never run the Fellsman before and was on my to do list. The deciding factor was that some of the top runners who usually take podium positions at the Woldsman would be running the Fellsman leaving me a good chance of getting a top 3 Woldsman placing, I knew I would be capable of pulling out 9 hours for the course (its always good to be optimistic ;0) ) Also at the Woldsman friends Steve Walker, David Cremmins, Mark Dalton and Danny Aldus would all be there too. Decision made!! <br /><br />3 weeks before the Woldsman the ‘Bomb’ was dropped, I had to work :0( So 4 great races and I couldn’t run any of them! So Friday night I decided to hit the Cleveland Hills after work for 4 hours of Hill Reps<br /> (14 to be precise and 14000+feet of climb,) Dead legs helped a little way to ease my disappointment and Ultra fix. <br /><br />Monday 30<sup>th</sup> April was to be the next Ultra after missing an Ultra the previous weekend. This Ultra was to be a Bob Graham Round recce (27miles 11000 feet) Keswick to Dunmail Raise (sections 1 and 2 of a clockwise round) <br /><br />I met up with Rorie Macintosh from ‘Runfree’http://runfree.co.uk/(specialist in minimalist footwear, ie vibram fivefingers/Inov 8 Bare grips etc) at Scotch Corner. He is also having a bash at the ‘Bob Graham Round’ Rorie had brought me some Inov 8 X Talons 190’s with a 3mm drop and sticky rubber studs, today was the time to test them out..Rorie drove to Keswick and we arrived in sunshine at 0850!<br />We had packed numerous layers of warm clothing plus waterproofs expecting a very wet day after the weekend that had seen the ‘Fellsman’ close in the early hours due to weather conditions and people becoming hypothermic. Plus 8-10 hrs of food had to be carried too. Water was going to be a problem, I carried 1 and a half litres of water and 1 litre of Hammer’s Perpeterum ( Protein/Carb drink) So all in all 4 hours worth of fluids ( Im too spoilt with checkpoints providing water at races :0) )<br />Fingers crossed I would find another source of water along the way. <br /></span><br />
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<strong>Hall's Fell Blencathra</strong></div>
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We eventually stopped dithering about what layers we needed or didn’t need to wear and headed up Spooney Lane towards Latrigg and ultimately Skiddaw. Ten minutes later Rorie stopped in his tracks, he had spotted a Red Squirel, the Squirrel had vanished before I could understand what Rorie was going on about. The steep climb up Jenkin Hill soon passed and we reached Skiddaw summit dead on a 23hr BGR schedule time. The Summit was being assaulted by some very strong winds, we decided not to hang about Rorie found the best line off the back of Skiddaw towards Gt Calva and we lost 1000 feet in minutes. ‘Back of Skidda’ was boggy as per usual. We trudged up and down Gt Calva across a river (shin deep) and up to Mungrisdale Common. This climb was steep, very wet and relentless with no redeeming qualities apart from one; it eventually finishes!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjulMp41YjgPJJfeyKk2G43GOVL9jaVDBJAe_Gduq_72MIGfEHhLtnkjtVS3J1Eh0BMUur86BdXtKU_NpdljwN4WXQuuuebecqrtLDsGTzQlynoMmBwfhJaRrTEYqzSHIxgFtXzyY-1Qo6B/s1600/545634_10150728855263441_2101672556_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjulMp41YjgPJJfeyKk2G43GOVL9jaVDBJAe_Gduq_72MIGfEHhLtnkjtVS3J1Eh0BMUur86BdXtKU_NpdljwN4WXQuuuebecqrtLDsGTzQlynoMmBwfhJaRrTEYqzSHIxgFtXzyY-1Qo6B/s200/545634_10150728855263441_2101672556_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFprq37d0ASfMm5caKpUfWlw35X2cThn6k1opoE137fGKGs3CVPR4mJ7Md4MfQgicC_6gp7t4PmfZ1UWjSC0oZEsTrvCdjJr1cuO7s-n6dgo_YKfcQaeVSt3sJZzDpNxMvxVslDsIFRoA/s1600/542061_10150728853733441_625653440_9571625_389427250_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFprq37d0ASfMm5caKpUfWlw35X2cThn6k1opoE137fGKGs3CVPR4mJ7Md4MfQgicC_6gp7t4PmfZ1UWjSC0oZEsTrvCdjJr1cuO7s-n6dgo_YKfcQaeVSt3sJZzDpNxMvxVslDsIFRoA/s320/542061_10150728853733441_625653440_9571625_389427250_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>Blencathra summit was cloud free with superb panoramic views over most of the Lake District. The continuation of our route ahead (The Dodd’s) was hidden in the clouds. We dropped down to Threkeld via the exhilarating Hall’s Fell Ridge.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6UMY_PbYbWZgSwj76RNOsUPuYYAoH0asAJEWYucJDWVaC73rLYh8VAr4Ue9h3miWvuBF5h1DArAhFpX1KqLTS8cu5tABDfWvr1VB5v9WGhSb60Hb6yp8_lu7dzCgyQ-FzCJkKmmuP5Op0/s1600/529880_10150728872788441_625653440_9571703_1215228242_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6UMY_PbYbWZgSwj76RNOsUPuYYAoH0asAJEWYucJDWVaC73rLYh8VAr4Ue9h3miWvuBF5h1DArAhFpX1KqLTS8cu5tABDfWvr1VB5v9WGhSb60Hb6yp8_lu7dzCgyQ-FzCJkKmmuP5Op0/s200/529880_10150728872788441_625653440_9571703_1215228242_n.jpg" width="200" /></a>Reaching the bottom of Hall’s Fell and hitting ground level we where taken aback by how warm it was. We stopped for 5 minutes then set off up the steep grassy slog that is Clough Head. The Roseberry Reps had trashed my calves (possibly the 2 hours of incline treadmill the day before the Roseberry Reps could also take some of the blame too) Within 10 minutes of the climb my calves had swollen up to the size of basketballs, so much so I had to pull down my calf compression sleeves to stop them from cutting off the circulation to my legs. Following Rorie’s technique I sidestepped up the slope for awhile to take the strain off my calves. We reached the summit and made our way over the Dodds which were now cloud free! I focused in the distance at Helvelyn. Once again the views where superb in every direction. The Dodds/Helvelyn range consists of the following mountains Clough Head, Great Dodd, Watson’s Dodd, Stybarrow Dodd, Raise, White Side, Helvelyn Low Man, Helvelyn, Nethermost Pike and Dollywagon Pike. We made short work of the range and eventually dropped down a 1000 feet or so to Grisedale Tarn. I filled my water bottle up from a small stream, circumnavigated the Tarn and headed up the steepest climb of the 2 sections, up to the summit of Fairfield.</div>
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<br />This climb to me was arguably the toughest climb of the day and half way up the steep slopes my calves went on strike and started to go into convulsions. I dropped my bag off onto the floor (the route up Fairfield, bgr style is also the return journey, so I would be back to my bag within 10 minutes) As soon as the weight was taken off my back I found I could negotiate with my Calves and get on track , 5 minutes later I picked up my pack on the descent back down to Grisedale Tarn. After dropping off Fairfield a climb up Seat Sandal was in store, this climb was much easier on my legs and on reaching the Summit the views which we had been so fortunate to enjoy where still there waiting. Directly ahead after the main road which passes by Dunmail Raise sits Steel Fell and the start of the notorious leg 3 of the Bob Graham Round (Dunmail to Wasdale via the Langdales and the Scafells) To the south views of Fairfield, Rydal Water, Coniston and Esthwaite waters plus Windermere, it was tempting to sit back and take in the views while relaxing on the summit of Seat Sandal but we had a date with the 555 (bus back to Keswick) So we descended down to Dunmail Raise and jogged down the road to the bus stop .<br /><br />Back in Keswick to keep the tradition we visited the Moot Hall Chippie (purely like I said for tradition, and it would be rude not to order food, wouldn’t it?)<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />We had kept to a 23hr Bob Graham pace all the way comfortably (except for the calves) while taking pictures, chatting and carrying weight.<br /><br />I found the shoes to be perfect, exceptionally light and responsive to the ground, A great fell shoe and just right for the decent of Hall’s Fell ridge off Blencathra <a href="http://runfree.co.uk/products/inov-8/x-talon-190">http://runfree.co.uk/products/inov-8/x-talon-190</a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<strong>NEXT Ingleborough Marathon - Saturday 12<sup>th</sup> May </strong></div>
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<br /></div>J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-60351956703835250152012-05-01T15:17:00.000-07:002012-05-01T22:25:16.429-07:00Ultra's 11 to 15<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN"><strong>Sorry</strong> I haven’t ‘Blogged’ in a while just haven’t had chance due to lack of time. This blog is really a Catch up with only a few lines about each race ( if I wrote full reports on each race, you would be then reading this in August :0( )<br /><br /><strong>HARDMOORS 55 (Ultra 11 )</strong><br /><br />I managed to get 2 hours sleep the night before the race ( Last minute race organisation ) A fast start fuelled by adrenalin (again Race Directing nerves) and optimistically following a 10 hr schedule. Fell to bits at about 37 miles (Blowarth Crossing) Picked back up at Kildale felt good at Roseberry and finished in 11hrs in 26th place, 2011 time was 10hrs 28 mins….</span></div>
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<strong>HARDMOORS 110 Recce (Ultra 12 )</strong></div>
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This run I helped a 110 competitor with a 30 mile recce of the route from Square Corner Osmotherley to Slapewath. I was pretty ill throughout the duration of the run to the extent that if I hadn’t felt like this before at the TDS in 2011 then I was sure I would probably die on route :0)</div>
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Very High Pulse, chest tightness and pains, excessive sweating etc (Yes I was well hydrated)</div>
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Needless to say no I didn’t have a great time ;0(</div>
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<strong>BLUBBERHOUSES 25 (Ultra 13)</strong></div>
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Beautiful course made even better by having Shirley with me for this race. Ran with and enjoyed the company of Dan Aldus and Mark Dalton for a while. Came off course following 2 other runners who had taken the wrong turning and ended up adding an extra couple of miles to the course. Finished the route in just over 4 hours. Sat and chatted for awhile after the race then ran the extra 2 miles I needed for the event to be an Ultra (note to myself, never <u>sit down for awhile </u>before adding the extra miles on to the end)</div>
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<strong>BOB GRAHAM RECCE (Ultra 14 )</strong></div>
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Ran with Rorie Macintosh section 3 and 4 of the Bob Graham. Dunmail Raise to Wasdale via the Langdales, Bow Fell and the Scafells into Wasdale, then from Wasdale to Honister Pass via Yebarrow, Red Pike, Steeple, Pillar, Kirk Fell and the Gables. Weather was pretty wet and nasty, a trip to Keswick Moot Hall Chippie saved the day!</div>
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<strong>CALDERDALE (38mile option well kind of ;0) ) (Ultra 15)</strong></div>
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A fiasco from the start but highly enjoyable fun and was actually running well for the duration.</div>
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We arrived 20 minutes late at the start after being sent in the complete wrong direction by a man walking his dog. We went through registration and pressed on, everyone had left awhile ago and I hadn’t marked out my map and started running blind. Eventualy without the aid of my glasses (in the car) I managed to mark on the map the checkpoints but couldn’t work out from the dozens of footpaths the best ones to take. While searching for CP2 I received a call from the organisers asking if we were okay and if the challenge was too much, if we were fit enough to complete the coures (our route choices where possibly the longest routes we could take, and we had lost a lot of time) I knew the best way to the next checkpoint (this particular bit was similar to Haworth Hobble but in reverse) so we made pretty quick work of it and then rang the organisers, they realised with our timing it was a navigational error rather then fitness. We finished the 38 mile route in 10 hours covering a distance of closer to 48 miles but due to missing one early checkpoint we were classed as 27 mile option runners ( I wasn’t too fussed as it was another Ultra and David Cremmins got his marathon) I ran the event in Hokas, in areas where I thought Hokas would let me down And no they proved me wrong and where once again fantastic! </div>
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Recently I have missed a weekly Ultra. (This was one of my planned Ultra free weeks) I still managed to get some decent runs in around London and up and down Roseberry. </div>
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<strong>NEXT FEW WEEKS (May to June)</strong></div>
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<strong>Sat 12th May Ingleborough Marathon (27miles)</strong></div>
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<strong>Sat 19th May Bob Graham Round (65 - 72 miles?)</strong></div>
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<strong>Sat 26th May Dukeries Ultra (40miles)</strong></div>
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<strong>Sun 27th May Leaden Boot (27miles)</strong></div>
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<strong>After Bob Graham next big races - </strong></div>
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<strong>June -West Highland Way Race 95miles <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Adding 5 miles on the end to make it 100)</span></strong></div>
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<strong>July - Lakeland 100</strong></div>
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<strong>August - Glenmore 24hr (minimum target of 100 miles)</strong></div>
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<br />J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-54540657842021287882012-04-06T14:26:00.000-07:002012-04-06T14:26:05.587-07:00Ultra no 10. Haworth hobble aka Wuthering HikeUltra no 10 was the 32 mile Haworth hobble. The Hobble is the first race in the 2012 runfurther series starts in the West Yorkshire town of Haworth. I had first ran the event in 2011 in 5 hrs 32 mins ( this year as things were going 2011's time would be a tall order to match) <br />
The Friday night before the Saturday race I had driven from York to Sheffield to meet John Vernon and then go on together to see top fell runner 'Angela Mudge' talk about the book ' the 'Worlds Ultimate Running races' ( hardmoors is in the book :0) ) firstly I was hoping to see 'Unbreakable' ( the story of the 2010 western states 100 race) but alas I had no ticket. John and I had waited to see if they would let me in but no such look the film was sold out. After a long but good night I arrived back home at 0300 in the morning. Time for 2 hours sleep then up to prepare for the Howarth Hobble, yep!! great prep I know!!<br />
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I picked David Cremmins up on route (David is planning on completing his 100th marathon this year, so he can join the 100 club, at last count he is on 77, a lot of the qualifying events he has completed are trail ultras rather than road marathons, as David cycles but doesn't drive he often gets a lift with me and we split fuel) <br />
Arriving at Haworth we join the mega long ques for the toilets ( outside portaloos ) Come to mention portaloos, I forgot to mention in my last blog about arriving late for Ultra no 9 and having to jump in a portaloo minutes before the start of the 'Golden Fleece' while a couple of hundred walkers and runners waited for the off! I stepped out of the loo and everybody was really quiet?, I then realised this wasn't just a race brief but also a few words about the past Scout leader who had recently died and the event was in memory of, and of course I had flushed the chain just at the wrong moment .<br />
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I chatted to a few <span style="background-color: yellow;">familiar</span> faces including Nick Ham, Daniel Aldus, Mark Dalton, Martin Dietrich and John Vernon and then it was time to gather for the mass start. I said a quick hello to Richard Webster and Ross Moreland and then we where off. Not a huge amount to say about my performance only it was pretty dire. I pushed on at the start but quickly felt shattered. After awhile I caught up with Nick Ham exchanged pleasantries and pushed on, David was running with me, I knew I was holding him up but he was pretty happy at the pace I was running. The lack of sleep the night had affected my energy levels. I knew I wouldn't come anywhere near my 2011 time so gave myself another target to catch Mark and Danny up. Studley Pike eventually appeared and played havoc with my average pace, I decided to take a very steep shorter route up the hillside and suffered for it, my legs filling up with lactic acid within seconds and fellow competitors who were 5 mins or so behind me at the start of the climb had already summitted the hill and were descending the other side.<br />
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Switch forward an hour or so and more suffering was to be had, a combination of a bad headache and a lack of carbs = one hell of a bonk, anyway enough of my misery, coming up to the last 100 metres and my body decided to wake up and manage a sprint to hopefully come in under 6hrs. Well it sprinted but failed to come in under 6 hours by a minute or so. Mark and Danny came in after myself and David, they had been behind us all the time. As I recovered again I got to chat to Martin D, John V, Mark and Danny, Nic Ham. Karen and others, sometimes the best thing about a run is the finish!! the chance to chat to such great people made all the suffering well worth it!! cheers guys.J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-85234883387662050712012-03-31T14:25:00.000-07:002012-03-31T14:25:24.043-07:00Ultra 8 and 9At last a breather! A chance to catch up with this blog before I have a dozen to write up or so ;0)<br />
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<u>Ultra 8</u><br />
Ultra 8 was a return to my old training ground and top mate Steve walker. Steve was my Sunday morning partner in crime. When I used to live in Seaton ( nr Hornsea on the East Yorkshire coast) we would meet up at 0530 and run a 20 miler every Sunday morning, through sand along cliff tops and occasionally sea :0) <br />
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Steve and I needed a catch up and what better way to have one while running a 30 miler!. I drove over to his house the night before ready for yes! Another 0530 start. A tooth abscess derived me of anything more than three hours sleep. The time came, Steve drove to the seafront at Skipsea sands and we started running, Steve chatted, I grunted. The lack of sleep, darkness and diclofenic sodium ( NSAID ) I had taken for the abscess made me feel very drowsy and all I wanted was my bed, I knew though as soon as daylight came I'd be ok. We ran along the sandy beaches to the holiday resort of Bridlington. Brid was just beginning to wake up. We passed by fisherman lobster cages and locked up fairground rides a lull before the storm of summer. <br />
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We headed up onto the cliffs and ran by Sewerby hall heading towards Danes Dyke. Steve slowed down and then stopped in his tracks, a couple of seconds later he started to walk like John Wayne ( he needed the toilet really bad!! ;0))) but of course his bowels had waited until the whole of Brid was out walking their dogs! He staggered out towards some bushes. The way he was walking looked like it was already too late ( hasten to add it wasn't ) We ran down Danes Dyke and back up my pet hate 'steps' half way up these steps they become quite steep and lactic acid flows through my quads to make running impossible and I spend a few moments gasping my last. Steve makes light work of the steps. He always used to. It used to frustrate me that I would incorporate hill work etc into my training but the steps always did this to me in fact the stronger I became the more my legs would blow up. Id always call Steve a few choice names under my breath as he would fly up past me! We ran along narrow footpaths looking out to the sea and the cliffs ahead. After a few more descents and steps!! Flamborough lighthouse was in our view, we passed by South landing and headed over the extra mile to the North landing . <br />
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The views along this coastline have their own beauty just as good as anywhere in the world. Blue sky, deep blue sea and the White cliffs of Bempton. We headed inland briefly to come to the top of Flamborough head. Flamborough head north landing is a small inlet ( cove) surrounded by caves and cliffs. In summer it can be packed out and was a place I used to come with parents in my early years on holiday when I lived in Chesterfield (Derbyshire). The route down to the cove follows a lifeboat launch track The track and the climb afterwards up to the cliff path was Steve's and my hill training for a past Bob Graham round attempt, we would park up down the coast and run 8 miles here and rep out 20 hillreps and then run back. <br />
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We dropped down to the cove to do a rep of the slope before turning round at the 16 mile point, the climb was just as steep as I remembered and we returned back on the path we had come along. At the side of the clifftop path along the banks of a bungalow there used to be dozens of stones and signs covered with funny anecdotes . The owner of the garden had also put a pot out to raise money for charity. All that was left now was a few broken signs and a small memorial to the man who had spent so much hard work entertaining passers by. Another sign had been written quite a bit more upsetting than the first one. The pot where charity money had been thrown in by passers by had been stolen. This wasn't the centre of a town but a clifftop path. Well by posting this on this blog his memory may live a little longer. <br />
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We continued along the clifftop path with views of Bridlington to distract our attention from tired legs. Arriving at Bridlington I diverted off the route to get some more food and drink before 8 miles of sand running along the beach back to Skipsea. The sand felt tougher than I remembered it. After what seemed an eternity we ran back onto the cliffs and cut through a couple of caravan parks. A house which had been there last time I had run on this route was now gone. A victim to the severe Coastal erosion this part of the uk's coastline gets I doubt if the road I was running on would still be there in 10 years time. Eventually we reached the car in 5 hours 50 mins. We had completed 32 miles. The second half had been into very strong winds proving to be a battle all the way. Well I had a great run with a brilliant mate on tired legs.( 3 days before I had ran up and down Roseberry Topping 10 times, a total ascent of 10,400ft in 2hrs 40mins )<br />
What more could I ask? Oh yeh a bottle of diet coke and some sleep!!! <br />
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<u>Ultra 9</u><br />
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Ultra 9 was the first running of the Golden Fleece circuit an ldwa event organised by the South Cave scouts group. The event was 26.5 miles, I ran with David Cremmins and completed unintentionally 29.5 miles. It felt a bit of a mix between the other ldwa events 'the Rudolphs romp' and the 'Woldsman'( the original route before it moved to Driffield ) the event was well organised, pretty countryside and a reasonable size field didn't stop the event being painful and hardwork for me. A fast start ( should know better) = blowing up at the 20 mile stage and resulted in walking for several miles. Daniel Aldus and Mark Dalton flew by and no way did I have it in myself to catch them up. I finished the race with trashed legs and 3 days of doms afterwards. Was it the pace? No. The doms where the result from not wearing my compression shorts for the first time in ages. This has certainly convinced me they work ! Before I was sceptical, now I'm convinced, they work. We finished the event in just under 5 hours. Good event but my heart or legs weren't there. J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-75003755010933879802012-03-03T11:51:00.001-08:002012-03-03T11:53:33.809-08:00Ultras 8 and 19Reports coming, snowed under with Hardmoors 55 admin at moment...<br />
Ultra no 8 was 30 miles of sand and cliftops in strong winds with Steve Walker, finished in 5hrs 50 mins<br />
Ultra no 9 was 29.5 miles on the Golden Fleece LDWA event ( the event was supposed to be 26.5, Ill let you guess how the extra came in place) Finished it in 4hrs 50 mins....<br />
Next week Wuthering Hike, then Hardmoors 55 followed by the week after Cleveland Survival then Blubberhouses 25 plus on the same weekend Allendale Challenge (unsure if I will do the Allendale, all to do with Work) then ............J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-73671221899381353292012-02-24T17:02:00.001-08:002012-02-24T17:13:40.243-08:00Ultra no 7 Wadi Bih Run (Oman)<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I arrived in Abhu Dhabi airport after an eight hour flight from Manchester, trying in vain to get some sleep on the flight to no avail! I missed a nights sleep and hoped to catch up with some 40 winks before arriving in Abhu Dhabi but I was too wired! I was to meet Shirley, last time I had seen her was 5 weeks before and now her flight from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia was delayed by over an hour. We where picked up at the airport and taken to Hotel, our home for a night and then for 4 nights after returning back from the race. (all this luxury, and we would be leaving it for a night to sleep in a tent!</div><br />
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The next morning we packed the car with camping gear (Tent, Thermarests, 2 x 4 season sleeping bags, jetboil, etc etc) and embarked on a 180 mile journey through the United Arab Emirates and across the border to Oman. Shirley drove!! safest idea really! (they all drive on the wrong side of the road ;0) )<br />
Several hours of motorway driving later we turned off inland and saw the beautiful Sandy mountains of Oman.<br />
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We eventually arrived in<strong> </strong>Dibba, Dibba was beautiful with golden sands, rich blue sea and mountains quivering in the haze of the sun. After passing through border control we arrived close to the 'Golden Tullip' Hotel and the race start. We where pretty early, so we had a walk over to a hive of activity where the race organisers where setting up the registration table, we chatted for a bit and met the Race Director, John Young.<strong> </strong>We pitched the tent and set the thermarests up ready for an early night. The solo runners start was 0430.We pitched the tent a good distance away from the race start on the beach close to the sea. Some runners where stopping at the Golden Tulip, we had tried to book a night but by then all the rooms had gone (I was secretly quite pleased, I liked the idea of camping on the beach, even if it meant carting extra weight all the way from the U.K ) On the evening there was to be a barbecue and with over 200 relay teams competing (5 runners to each team) and 40 plus Solo runners there would be quite an atmosphere. <br />
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We drove out to a local store and bought some supplies including some gas for the jetboil so we could make a cup of tea at least, by the time we got back the beach was full of tents and vehicles everywhere you looked. The area was buzzing with excitement. We sorted our running kit out and placed it strategically on the car seats (easier to find in the early hours of the morning ) and prepared 2 drop bags each. (Solo Runners are allowed 2 drop bags for the race, One for the 12 & 33 mile checkpoint and one for half way, 22.5 miles) Our drop bags were filled with crisps, gels, water and a can of Coke each. We would also leave our headtorch and any other items we didn't need anymore in them as they would be then returned to the start after the race had finished) After an age of faffing about we registered and received our Wadi Bih mug, T-shirt and race numbers (solo runners race numbers were coloured black while relay teams numbers were red).<br />
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With all the admin sorted we went about filling our bellies on barbecued chicken Kebabs, boiled rice (cooked to perfection by me and the jetboil ;0)). We chatted to a real nice guy (only to find out later he was John Gregory the originator of the race. He introduced us to a great bunch of people and I got chatting about ultra-running to a relay runner who was racing the next day in a red cat suit which in his words resembled more of a grandad thermal underwear suit thingy with a hood, he was Heinz Tomato soup, the rest of the team would be Heinz Salad cream, Heinz Baked beans....you get the picture..<br />
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We retired to bed at about 2200hrs as the Solo runners would start the race at 0430, this would mean a 0330 rise, to change, faff about some more and eat, drop our drop bags off and wait for the start. Shirley was pretty cold while outside and I had noticed alot of competitors wearing jumpers etc while I was lovely and warm in a T-Shirt! mind you when I had left the U.K it was -7. We found the tent in a swamp of other vehicles and tents and guessed we weren't going to have a quiet night. I had brought 4 season sleeping bags as I had been told numerous times how cold it gets on a night and I sleep really cold! Well we stayed warm, but we probably slept in total 2 hours each as the nearby tents all seemed to have party's going on until 1 in the morning, and there is always someone, usually a man, who likes to hear the sound of his own voice. I wasn't sure of the punishment for GBH or manslaughter in Oman, so decided to keep my fists to myself . (The noise would of been from Relay runners all excited about the race after a few drinks and not such an early rise to contend with as us they would of been making the best of the evening, and the race is as much about the BBQ and the social aspect as actually running and probably more so for some people, its all about fun , and that's the reason we do it! do we as ultrarunners??? is pain fun??mm?? ) <br />
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We gathered at the start line and a few group pictures were taken. Everyone looked fit and healthy and pretty tanned, apart from me with my Lilly white legs!! after a race brief, which in tradition goes in one ear and goes out of the other, I found myself nervous and pretty apprehensive, unsure what the course would bring and without any acclimatisation to heat being my biggest worry, I knew Id get around but what time?? 7hrs-10hrs?? <br />
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0440 and we were off, I ran alongside Shirley and tried to control my breathing and adjust my mind into running mode not crawling back to bed mode. The first few miles where through the local neighbourhood streets, eventually I got into the stride of things (no pun intended) and began to increase my speed. Over 2 miles or so passing over a dozen people not intentionally just running at a pace I felt comfortable. The Road started to become more of a dirt trail and the odd couple of climbs began to appear. I felt pretty strong and was sticking to my 500ml of water/ 1 gel per hour formula. the terrain underfoot became much more rugged and the Wadi began to make its first appearance, imitating a canyon but in a much smaller scale, it had become much lighter and I could see how beautiful the Wadi was. 12 miles in and I had arrived at the first checkpoint. I ditched my headtorch into my drop bag, grabbed my Oakley's and some more gels and filled up with water from the race marshalls supply. The Oakley's proved to be a godsend later keeping all the dust kicked up by all the 4 wheel drives from going into my eyes.<br />
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My pace seemed to slow down yet I was still putting the same effort in, I looked behind and then realised why, I had been climbing uphill steadily for awhile, the gradual ascent seemed to go on for miles until I turned a corner and there in front of me was quite a long steep dirt track up to I guess the1000m summit of the mountain and the 22.5 mile turning point. I could just make out a 4 wheel drive climbing up the track. Eventually I reached the start of the climb and made the transition from running to walking. As I climbed another solo runner walked by me at speed disappearing round one of many of the switchbacks. I was putting effort in but without running there was no way I could match that speed and running up this, at close to half way point with a further 22.5 miles to go would be bloody foolish, well for me it would!! I consoled myself with the thought of descending this at speed. The top of the climb appeared, no checkpoint, I continued on for a while and 3 solo-runners who where on the return leg flew by me, and then a couple more. At last the Checkpoint was in view, my pace quickened and minutes later I was delving into my dropbag for crisps and gels, I filled my water bottles up and helped myself to a can of coke followed by a can of Mountain Dew! As well as admiring the views I had the welcome sight of a donkey that was receiving huge amounts of attention from Relay support teams. <br />
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I set off on the return journey happy in the knowledge there was less than a marathon to cover and a decent amount of downhill (my favourite) I reached the hill and this time the road was packed with 4 wheel drives and relay runners. I took the hill at speed and after the first switchback I ran into Shirley who was doing brilliantly (Shirley had had an ankle operation in October and had been out of action for several months, the longest run since September she had run was 10k and with great pain to her ankle, for her to have got to this point of the race in the time she had was inspirational) We kissed and took photos of each other, said our goodbyes and I continued to fly down the steep descent. <br />
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As I passed Relay runners who were running up the hill, there faces steeped with pain while gasping for air they still managed to give me words of encouragement and 'well done's' In my mind it was them that deserved the praise with the pace they were running up a pretty steep climb. 4 wheel drives passed by, beeping there horns and cheering as they passed me, I reached the bottom of the hill and running was a little bit harder then it had been on the descent, I was drenched in sweat and started to feel like I was overheating, a short period of flat followed and then back to descending. As I let gravity have its way and pull me down the descents while dodging the odd vehicle I started to feel pretty rough, a strong desire to walk came over me. The temperature had increased to what felt like 30 degrees to me (Just a cool day to the locals) to me after minus figures it felt like a sauna! I started to slow and a couple of Solo runners passed me, then I started to walk until the next descent appeared again, using gravityI began to run again, this system of walking and running seemed to last me to the 32 mile stage where I had managed to pass the runner who had earlier strode up the hill as if it wasn't there. Another can of Mountain Dew a refill of the water bottles and I was off, feeling like death warmed up and spaced out. I knew it was the heat, my nutrition had been bang on, and my pace had been good, deliberately leaving plenty in the legs for the final few miles. It wasn't the distance, I was a veteran of half a dozen 100 mile races and at least a dozen 50 milers. It wasn't the climb, compared to some races I had run in over the last couple of years the climb was pretty small. So by elimination and how I felt it had to be the temperature. My pulse was sky high and I felt as sick as a dog with nothing left in my legs. Quitting wasn't an option, I only had 12 miles to go, if I walked every step I would still arrive several hours before the cut off time was reached. <br />
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I seemed to be playing a leapfrog game with a fellow solo runner, I wasn't intentionally trying to pass him but he would stop to walk and I would run by him, then I would walk for a bit and vice versa (eventually he kept his pace and I slowed down, half a mile before the finish he vanished out of sight and I had no intention of trying to catch him up.) Still relay runners were passing by me and shouting words of encouragement. The same 4 wheel drives would pass by me over and over again cheering and waving giving me a huge boost and bringing a smile to my face each time!,<br />
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I ran out of water and by some grace of God, a man jumped out of his jeep and gave me a bottle of water, I thanked him and polished the water off and he proceeded to give me an ice cold bottle of Gatorade, it was like nectar, instantly giving me a boost and taking my temperature down several notches. This guy was a saviour and a true Gentleman!! I carried the empty Gatorade bottle for a mile or so and decided to get rid of it at the next opportunity. There it was in front of me, a relay changeover point, several Team vehicles cluttered the road while anxious looking relay runners waited for the baton to be passed to them. In my delirious state :0) I passed my bottle over to a relay runner to disperse of, only did it occur to me several hours after the race that the runner was just about to receive the baton and I had passed him some rubbish which I imagined would of left him running round in circles trying to ditch the bottle before being passed the baton seconds later...<br />
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After coming into Dibba I was a mile or so away from the finish, still taking walking breaks and when running or should I say shuffling my legs screamed out to me in pain. (looking back dehydration had caused this not the climbs or distance, my body had adopted well to the onslaught I had placed on my legs over the last few months) The famous 'Pink Ladies' (Relay Team ) offered me kind words of encouragement as they went past me. Minutes later I was cutting through the deep sand seconds away from the finish and then it was over I heard my name mentioned on the microphone.."Jonathan Steele, Solo Runner!!" I was given a bottle of water and a handful of ice by one of the race staff, still dazed and slightly delirious I headed through the many seated people and past the buffet until I got to the bar and asked for a can of coke, I found a wall to sit down on the floor and rest my back against, the Coke was finished in under a minute, I tried to drink the water but to me it tasted foul, I must of sat there for 20 or so minutes feeling very rough and tired. I dragged myself to my feet and noticed a shower on the beach, I stripped to my waist and stood under the heavenly cold water for awhile. <br />
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I finished the race in 16th place in a time of 8hrs 28mins. Shirley did incredibly well and finished the race even with a dodgy ankle and no distance training for 6 months. On returning back to the Hotel on the same night I weighed myself an discovered I had lost over 5kg of body weight even after drinking 5 litres of water and taking electrolytes throughout the race.This was what had made me feel so weak and rough as well as the pains in my legs and the high pulse rate<br />
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The race was fantastic, the course, the scenery, the camaraderie, the relay teams were fantastic and offered so much support. What I saw of Oman was beautiful and the whole event had a party feel to it. I hope I can return to this event sometime and with a few days of acclimatisation do the course some justice. <br />
Our adventure didn't stop at the race but continued on our journey back to the hotel...but that's another story......<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">The break with Shirley in Abhu Dhabi was fantastic and what a city!! We both limped around the city with incredibly sore legs for a few days after...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4951806675837772891.post-33064047769995032992012-02-19T01:05:00.000-08:002012-02-19T01:05:45.802-08:00SorrySorry, I hoped to have updated this by now, but with it getting closer to the Hardmoors 55 I have been swamped with emails by competitors plus usual race admin so I hope to have this wrote up soon or ill have a backlog of about 3J.Steele's 50 in 52http://www.blogger.com/profile/04851247851734130814noreply@blogger.com0