Tag: ultra

With later in the year some of our club members doing the Ladybower 50 ultra I thought about this as maybe step up for those doing it after being recommended of it by a friend.  Myself (Rob Beers), Dan Valencia and Clive Kent travelled down to Coalport, Shropshire alongside the stunning River Severn and just a few miles away from Ironbridge to do “How Hard Can It Be Events” Railway Ultra. The firm are well established for ultra events and the fact that you could bow out at 28 miles or do the full 37 did sound interesting if things got too much.

10:00am start and the three of us take a gentle pace, it’s a lot harder underfoot than I’d have believed certainly better in road shoes and I’ve worn trail shoes with very little give. The trail is a 4.5 mile stretch there and back (so 9.3 miles) which you have to complete four times, didn’t know this before the race! I guess it was quite pretty, apart from an old station and a farm with some animals, knowing where you were landmark wise was pretty up in the air and a lot of guesswork was done. The path also was very uneven and certainly as the miles pressed on we really felt it on the quads, many who went out too quick seriously felt it later. It was quite nice reaching the 4.5 mile stage and having a quick drink and setting off again knowing where the next feed station was, seeing the same people pass, certainly it was very friendly and encouraging.

I took off somewhat on shuttle no 3, and by shuttle no 4 was tracking down an Ultra runner who runs for the England ultra team! I must mention the said lady is also the one who recommended the race to me and must take some of the blame for me doing so many OTT events this year. Unfortunately about 33.5 miles in, suffering with dodgy tum most of the day and fatigue it came the time for a cheeky walk. That swathes of the field were walking and very few were now actually running (Must point out Dan and Clive ran the lot), got going again twice more. The final run I managed to hold on and keep going those last few almost never-ending miles, coming in 10th place and clocking up my greatest race distance of 37.4 miles (in 6hours 5mins)!

Dan and Clive came in together (in 6hours 22mins), a very tired Dan, we were energized and inspired throughout by the great support of Jenny Kent (who also got a PB at Telford Parkrun). Despite the obvious tiredness we had a great day, when it sunk in we were all massively proud of our achievements and promoting Stilton Striders in Shropshire (pity no team prize we’d have won!) [Rob]

100 miles along the Thames Path is the goal. 28 hours time limit. Start in Richmond, finish in Oxford. A well marked trail that rarely leaves the riverside and obscenely well stocked checked points staffed by incredibly supportive volunteers mean that all the runners have to focus on is putting one foot in front of the other. And again. And again….

This year’s race broadly split into 2 halves – the first 51 miles to Henley, run on mainly well maintained paths, during a warm spring day with the promise of a cup of tea and hot meal at that checkpoint (just over 10 hours in) – before night time brought the rain and attempts to grind out the miles on increasingly rural paths. A brief detour through Reading town centre just as the beer festival was kicking out was perhaps the least scenic section, but at least there was only 40 miles to go!

Approaching the 71 mile checkpoint just before 2am, sole Strider Rich Gray was on course to beat last year’s 24:46 and feeling (relatively) good. However, a brief stop for tea and hot food became an hour’s stop that nearly finished the race there and then. Eventually getting going again around 3am (by which point the leaders had finished – only 29 miles ahead!), with renewed energy, the focus was on moving forward – little running, but every step getting closer to Oxford. 

However, the stretch through to 85 miles proved too much, with no food going in and the pace completely slowed, he had to call it a day (it nearly was by then…). Around 180 finishers from the field of 260 (plus over 100 volunteers, and support from runners’ friends and family), this really is a great event that grows more popular (and sells out quicker!) each year.  [Rich]

So, here’s the thing about ultra marathons – just when you think you know what you’re doing, something comes along and reminds you who is boss (clue – it isn’t you…).

The Peddars Way is a 47 mile trail, from the edge of Suffolk, heading up through the whole of Norfolk to finish on the coast at Holme next the Sea.  Adding a half mile at each end to get the right start and finish areas, this ultra ends up as 48 miles (if you make it all the way).

The first four hours, heading towards the half(ish) way checkpoint at Castle Acre, were very pleasant – cold, sunny at times, and solid trails helping keep the pace (relatively) good.  Heavy snow at this point just added to the picturesque views as runners grabbed hot drinks and food before moving on.

Leaving Castle Acre, the trail follows an old Roman Road – on this occasion directly lined up with the headwind blowing straight down from the arctic.  The snow became sleet – just enough to soak you through, whilst hitting you in the face with lumps of ice – and most runners grabbed any shelter they could to put on the extra layers of warm and waterproof clothes that organisers had rightly insisted were carried.

At the next checkpoint, with 12 or 13 miles still to race, the most exposed section still to come, and struggling to get warm even whilst running, sole Strider Rich Gray decided enough was enough.  35 and a bit miles in 6.30-ish made it a decent training run, with bigger goals on the calendar for later in the year.