Lakeland 100 race report

The Lakeland 100/50, since it's first running in 2008, has grown in numbers and prestige, and rightly takes it's place as the UK's premier mountain ultra race. I've now run the race twice and watched once, seeing the race atmosphere grow from year to year. There is such a great buzz surrounding the event; from the pre-race social media frenzy to the moment you grudgingly drive away from the camp site on Sunday afternoon.

I had some great recce runs on the route (with John, Jonny, Marco and Rick) and felt really well prepared physically and confident in my ability to run the whole route without need to look at a map.

John and Jonny arrived in Keswick early on Thursday evening and we spent the night talking about the race and enjoying a lovely chicken lasagne (thanks Tracey). All my kit was packed ready for the drive down to Coniston the following morning. I find it interesting how little you pack when you have to carry everything yourself in the race (plus one drop bag) compared to the ridiculous amounts you throw into the car for a supported race like the West Highland Way Race.

We headed down to Coniston mid-morning, hoping to avoid any queues for registration and wanting to start soaking up that electric atmosphere. Within moments of arriving I was back to being either "John's mate" or "The guy in the videos" - well, I suppose it's better than just being a number. Then I registered and was number 296 ;-)

It was lovely spending a few hours chatting to friends and putting faces to social media friends. I even had a chat with a couple of runners over from America who introduce themselves after recognising my voice from the videos John and I made during our recces of the route in 2012. It was surprising how quickly time passed and before I knew it we were making our way into the pre-race briefing. I thought I was fairly calm until I came out of the briefing with race director Marc Lairthwaite whipping the runners into a frenzy - thanks for that.

Myself, John and Jonny pre-start. Photo Rick williams

Then suddenly I found myself on the start line. Time to put this plan into action.

It was no secret that I wanted to get back to Coniston in under 24 hours, I felt I was in good enough shape to do this but needed to put my game plan into operation. A disciplined start was needed, particularly as  the first three legs are relatively runnable. Although I have been training recently with a heart rate monitor, I decided not to wear one for the race and just run what felt like a comfortable pace. The Walna Scar Road is a perfect opening trail; not too steep and nice under foot and I felt great as I topped over the col and started the descent to Seathwaite (CP1). A nicely uneventful first leg.

A couple of miles after the start. Photo Debbie Martin-Consani

In 2012, I found myself in an early dark spot on the second leg, but this time I was skipping along nicely, enjoying the improved path alongside Grassguards Gill and through to the col below Harter Fell. One part of my game plan was to run well on the rough rocky sections. I have identified this as one of my strengths and figured I would play this card as often as possible, meaning I could conserve energy on the big climbs as I would be able to make time on the rough stuff.

I arrived at Boot (CP2) roughly on my expected time, but feeling great and, once my bottle was filled with water, I was on my way, running most of the way through the woods out on to the fells towards Burnmoor Tarn. I slowly caught up my friend, Dale Mathers, little knowing that we would be running together on and off for the next 16 hours. Once again, the sunset over Burnmoor Tarn was stunning, almost worth the entry fee alone with the surrounding fells basked in a red glow.

I knew that I would be turning my head torch on somewhere near the top of Black Sail Pass so wanted to get some warm food in me before night drew in. As I came into Wasdale (CP3), I was met by a club mate, Steve Angus, who informed me that another team mate, Andrew Slattery, was well up the field in 4th place (even though he had been suffering with illness in the build up to the race). I knew I was feeling good and took great pleasure in stuffing some soup and bread in.

The long climb to Black Sail Pass seemed to go without stress and I picked a great line down the technical descent into Ennerdale. I had only had the head torch turned on for 20 minutes, but on the climb to Scarth Gap I felt that my legs were losing power - I was putting in too much effort at this point in the race. At this point, I was just allowing myself to be dragged along by Dale and was glad to get onto the rough path down to Buttermere as it gave me an excuse to slow the pace down, hoping to recover somewhat. Unfortunately, once on the flat path along the lake, I was back to the struggle and to compound matters I started to feel a little nauseous. This was not part of the game plan, especially this early in the race.

At Buttermere (CP4), I managed a mouthful of soup and a swig of coke, hoping some caffeine might wake me up. I also made the decision that I would just use some Mountain Fuel Xtreme energy drink over the next section and not try to put any solids in at all. I needed to try and settle things down a bit as I was starting to lose my positive frame of mind - I should be enjoying this more than I actually was. I felt I should not try to keep pace with those around me but run my own race at this point; pushing on at this point could prove disastrous later.

I don't remember much about this leg, but do recall turning my focus back on to pick up the correct path to Barrow Door (always a good moment) - I guess it was just a grind. I hoped I might feel better once I got to Braithwaite (CP5) and walked in with the intention of eating some rice pudding. I sat down, looked at the bowl and knew that there was no way any was passing my lips. OK, same again, swig of coke another bottle of Xtreme energy and off we go.

Although I was feeling like crap, I was still covering the ground OK - not as fast as I wanted to be, but still putting one foot in front of the other and I knew that the easiest few hours of the race lay ahead of me, hopefully giving me time to get through this patch. At this point, I felt that I had lost more than enough time to make the 24 hour target fairly unlikely and this did little to brighten my spirits.

As far as I can remember, it was just more of the same through to the Blencathra Centre (CP6) but I had made another decision - I would try a new flavour. I forgot that I had some beef jerky with me and thought I would try that. Even if I couldn't stomach the food, I would at least chew the jerky and spit it out. The first few bit stayed in my mouth for ages but eventually I spat them out - it felt like progress. I had one other thought on my mind; lets see the sun come up.

I played a little psychological game with myself here. In 2012 I turned my head torch off as I stepped onto the Old Coach Road. This time we had started 30 minutes later, but I had turned my torch on at the same point. If I could turn my torch off at a later point, I must still be generally running faster than last time so I made the point of covering a mile or so of the track before turning off my torch. As the sun came up, I managed some more beef jerky which was swallowed; I'm going in the right direction. I managed a couple of small Mountain Fuel Power Pancakes which are really easy to eat and felt that I would leave things like that until Dalemain. A bit more coke and a few minutes sit down at Dockray (CP7) saw a bit more of a recovery and I set of with renewed vigour towards the drop bags at Dalemain.

Issues started to sort themselves out on the leg as a few elements conspired to aid the situation. The sun was coming up, I had my favourite part of the course to run on (the terrace path round Gowbarrow Fell overlooking Ullswater), I had managed to hold down the pancakes and jerky and my drop bag was waiting.

As I approached Dalemain, I knew I was really starting to get things back together, though I was still behind the time I felt I needed to run sub 24. I thought I would sort all my kit out first before even thinking about food - but I had a plan.

The marshals at Dalemain, and at every other checkpoint for that matter, were just amazing, nothing was too much effort for them and you had the feeling that you were the only person that mattered to them at that moment. What a wonderful event!

During the UTMB, I had Clare, on the Lakeland 100 I had Tom. Sometimes something just happens at the perfect moment which makes a huge difference. As I came into the tent at Dalemain, my friend Tom Sutton, who I met and ran with in the 2012 race, was there to give support. We chatted as I sorted my kit out, he said all the right things and he provided a familiar face just when I needed one. I can't thank you enough Tom.

I used my "Must do, might do" list, which everyone was very impressed with and by the time I had sorted my kit out, I was ready to think about food again. In training, I had been experimenting with using a Mountain Fuel Morning Fuel mixed with chocolate soya milk and had prepared the right mix of milk for one portion which Tom sorted for me, with everyone enjoying the paper party bowl I had in my drop bag.

Looking back at the results, I was in 23rd place at Buttermere as I started to feel rough and, despite easing back on the gas through the night, I was up to 15th by Dalemain. I stood up after a 14 minute break in the checkpoint and knew I was back in the game - time to get back into the sub 24 hour groove!

Everything was just so different now. I timed my departure to leave a few runners to chase in the early part of the leg to Howtown and felt like I was in a race now. I passed a couple who were taking a mile or so to get their legs moving again and pushed on trying to catch another friend, Richard Lendon, who was having a storming run, well ahead of his time from last year. I didn't hammer it to catch Richard, but used him to draw me along towards the checkpoint on the long drop down. Just before the CP, I finally caught my club mate, Andrew, who was starting to suffer. I have just found out that, not only did Andrew suffer with illness in the run up to the race, but he twisted his ankle somewhere in the first 25 miles, and has just been confirmed with a broken metatarsal. This is a tough race, but you try doing 80 miles of it, over that terrain with a broken foot and still come in 15th place overall! #machine #legend

Andrew and I approaching Howtown. Photo Andrew Slattery

Another friendly face at Howtown (CP9) as I was greeted by Mike Raffan and I quickly left with Richard for the longest leg of the race, up Fusedale, over High Cop and along the side of Haweswater to Mardale.

I do like this leg. That's the only attitude to have. Simple plan; don't go into the red zone on the climb up to High Cop so you can run most of the rest, especially the technical single track along Haweswater. I could see some runners further ahead which gave me something to chase and I just found myself in that comfortable zone, covering the ground and, most importantly, smiling. I knew I was going well and the results show that I was 3rd quickest on this leg. Just as I approached Mardale (CP10), I finally caught up with Dale again who still looked strong, which made me feel better still.

If I'm being truthful, I really used Dale to drag me along for the next three hours or so. He was looking smooth and covering the ground well, so I was able to just concentrate on my running style and tried to do some calculations as to whether sub 24 hours was back on the cards or not, but I wasn't able to get my head around that so thought I'd wait until I was nearer Ambleside. On the ridiculously long descent to Sadgill Farm, all I could think about was the fruit smoothies at the Kentmere checkpoint. It was quite warm at this point and I was craving a different flavour.

Dale and I arrived together and I looked on enviously as Dale threw down a bowl of pasta. I stayed a minute or two extra to enjoy my smoothie and some coke and then headed out, once again using Dale to drag me up to Garburn Pass. At times, Dale pulled away from me, sometimes out of sight, but I felt that I was running the pace I wanted to and was still feeling OK. Every MOT I gave myself was a pass; head, shoulders, stomach (just), legs and feet. If those elements stayed as they were, I was going to finish strong.

I caught Dale again as we approached Ambleside (CP12) and I was able to make some calculations. A nice easy training run would see me take about 3:20 to 3:30 hours from Ambleside to Coniston. As we arrived in the town, we had 3:45 hours to break 24 hours. The game was on.

In Ambleside. Photo Rupert Bonington

I had one final boost at the checkpoint as my friend Rupert Bonington was there to cheer me on. Rupert, who is part-owner of Mountain Fuel, really revved me up and gave me some information on those runners just ahead of me. I was in 8th place, but more importantly the chance of sub 24 hours was there and, possibly, a couple of extra places to grab.

The leg to Chapel Stile is relatively flat and short so it's a bit easier on the psyche and I left Ambleside feeling like I was on my way home. I lucked out here as I left just behind Lawrence Eccles who has a metronomic gait, perfect to drag me through the flat tracks past Elterwater and into Langdale. My plan was to make a move on the rougher ground after the Chapel Stile checkpoint as we made our way into Langdale.

I arrived about a minute after Lawrence but, as ever, the marshals did a fantastic job and by the time I had swigged some coke and had a few mouthfuls of stew, my bottle was ready and I was off. I hoped to open a small gap and then make use of the rougher terrain in the valley. It was great to be on my own again and running well so close to the finish, but as I approached the first of the big wooden stiles, I caught up with Kevin Perry who said he was going through a bad patch. You know you must be doing well if you are anywhere around Kevin; his record in this race over the years is phenomenal - 6th, 5th, 7th and 4th! This put me up to 6th place and I, stupidly, assumed that I would just waltz off into the distance. Kevin had other ideas. I would run on for a while, look back and there he would be. He hung on magnificently for a while and it wasn't until after the dibber on the gate above Blea Moss that I finally started to pull away.

I enjoyed the small climb and drop round to Tilberthwaite (CP14) - it really is a gorgeous, quiet part of the Lakes. My eyes flicked between the trail and my watch as I ran round the road to the CP. Could I make the 24 hours? In 2012, it had taken me 59 minutes to complete the final leg and as I arrived this time, a quick glance showed that I had 1:02 hours to break 24 hours. This is sooooo on!

I already had my poles out ready, dibbed, got half a bottle of water and set off up the stairway to heaven/road to hell (depending on your physical and mental state). It was all about rhythm; if I could get into the right groove, I would cope with the climb and still be able to drop like a stone back into Coniston. I didn't want to be cutting it fine, I wanted to enjoy the finish.

It didn't take too long to climb the steep part and, most encouragingly, I was able to run some of the lesser climb up to the start of the final descent. The poles were already stowed away as I crested the brow and I quickly got that short, fast step gait going to make an efficient drop down. In no time, I was on the tarmac road going past the Miners Bridge, swinging round past the parked cars and onto the main road through the village. Great support from the beer gardens of the pubs put just that little bit extra spring in your step and I crossed the finish line in 23 hours, 47 minutes and 18 seconds.

I managed a hug with Tracey on the way to the line and was greeted by a smiling Andy Cole. Then you get to experience on of those special touches that makes this event so good; you are taken, by your own personal marshal, through the canteen area where you are announced to receive cheers before being taken into the hall to be awarded your medal and finishers t-shirt. That marshal will only leave you once they are happy you are OK or they have passed you onto someone else who can look after you - a lovely touch.

Tired but happy!

The camper van bed was all set up ready for me, so I had a bit of a chat with Tracey and a bit of a doze, but within 40 minutes, I was ready for a shower - which was fantastic!

It was time to be on the giving end, so Tracey and I went into the canteen for some food and had a nice meal and chat with Tony Holland and family. Congratulations to Tony, who smashed 10 hours in the 50 race after being injured for much of the year. It's great, having a conversation that is broken every 2 minutes by applause and cheers, then you just carry on as you were.

What I would say is that I know some hellish good runners - congratulations to my friends who kicked some ass over the weekend; Jayson Cavill winning the 50, Matty Brennan sprinting to take 2nd in the 50, Debs being the machine she is taking 2nd, also in the 50, Marco grabbing 2nd in the 100 and Paul Tierney for getting the big win.

We waited for John to finish and had our fingers crossed that he would break 30 hours and we didn't have to wait too long as he rocked in at 29:36 hours - much bigger smiles than last time. I couldn't quite wait for Jonny as I was too tired, but was delighted to find out the next day that he had completed in just over 36 hours.

This event, and ultra running in general, was kind of summed up at breakfast the next day. I sat there in the sunshine, eating my fry-up, around the table we had runners of every ability from those delighted to finish the course to Great Britain internationals - you gotta love that :-)

Like every runner, I have to thank the whole crew that put this event on; from Terry and Marc to every marshal at the checkpoints to the event centre staff. This event is special and long may it remain so. I will be back... I'm not sure when, but I will be back.

It's the final countdown

It's the final countdown - diddy der der, diddy det det der..... sorry, I couldn't resist that ;-)

Well, there has been a fair bit of water passing under the bridge since my last post and I've had a few great adventures in the final stages of my preparation for the Lakeland 100 which is now less than two weeks away.

Racing-wise, the season continued with yet another podium place, only this time I managed to get on the second highest podium (still not the top one though). In the middle of May I raced the Keswick Mountain Festival 50km trail race. The route was a cracker, with a bit of everything and despite starting and finishing in Keswick, it still took me to a few trails I hadn't run before. As has been the pattern this year, I ran a solid first half and then really pushed on over the latter stages, finishing really fast. In hindsight, I had probably left myself just a little bit too much to do at the end. With about an hour and a half to go I was about 8 minutes down on the leader, closing in to just over two minutes at the finish. This was a great boost to my confidence and I knew that I still had another block of training to fit in before the Lakeland 100.

At the finish of KMF 50km

Through June, I managed to cram in three fantastic weekends, all very different but equally pleasurable in their own right.

Firstly, I was joined by John, Marco and Jonny for a Lakeland 100 recce weekend. We somehow managed to put together the logistics to get down to Coniston on the Saturday morning and run the route back to Keswick, some 37 miles. We had some fantastic weather and I found it really useful to look at those sections again, most of which I haven't seen since the race in 2012.

I was pleased with my memory of the route and am confident I can shove the map in my pack on race day but how the hell did Marco win that race last year when he made sooooo many navigation errors? All we seemed to talk about for the last two hours was how much chicken we were going to eat when we got back. When we finally did make to home, we were confronted by bowls of nachos and cheese (thanks Tracey) which have now gone down in history.

The following day we covered another 30 miles from Keswick to Dockray and then returning via Sticks Pass over the Doods back to Keswick. Unfortunately, the weather was not so kind for the majority of the day, but as is always the case, just as we were finishing, the sun came out.

A cracking weekend with some big miles covered and I really felt my mind was now focussed on the big race.

The following weekend, I again made the pilgrimage to Milngavie for the West Highland Way race, like last year I was on support duties. A work colleague, Adam, was having his first shot at the race and I jumped at the opportunity to join him and his wife Kate for the weekend. To cut a long story short, Adam had a great race, arriving at Fort William in 21:45 hours for 27th place and I had the pleasure of running with him for the last 35 miles of the race, cajoling him on to finish in daylight (which we did). It was great to catch up with so many friends over the weekend and wonderful to be a part of the emotional roller-coaster  that is the WHW race prize giving.

And so to my final adventure before the Lakeland 100 which was The Billy Bland Challenge. To quote from the challenge website

The Billy Bland Challenge relay is based on the five legs of the 24 Hour Bob Graham round, starting and finishing at the Moot Hall in Keswick. It covers about 66 miles, 28,000 feet of climbing and 42 peaks. The challenge is open to all teams of 10, split into five pairs. Each of the pairs is designated one of the five legs and a baton is passed from one team to the next. The relay is to be completed at any time in the month of June.

Keswick AC were attempting to break the male vets record held by Dallam at 17:10 hours. Well, to say we had a good day out would be quite an understatement. We set a rough target of 16:50 hours, but I think we all knew we might be able to go a bit faster than that. What we actually did was blow the record out of the water. We finished in 14:35 hours! This was so much faster than we dared hope for that we stood around at the Moot Hall (the start/finish point) at the end, double checking the times. We were, in fact, only 11 minutes off the seniors men's record. Chuffed? You bet!

Photo Steve Angus

 As you can see, we we left nothing out there!

Photo Kirsten Ogden

What it did bring home to me was how pathetic I have become at running downhill on really rough terrain, something that was always my forte when fell racing. I suppose it is a case of horses for courses.

Anyhoo, these adventures have brought me to a point where I think I am ready to do battle against the iconic route of the Lakeland 100. I am now officially in taper mode and can already feel myself turning into a cranky hypochondriac, I'm off to write out a list which will itemise all the lists I have written and I might do another kit pack as it's been over an hour since my last one. 

Recovering and moving on

Following the WHW, I had a rough plan of recovery in mind; roughly three weeks of occasional jogging then try a normal easy week of training with the aim of being back in full training by the end of the summer term. This would give me time to get four weeks of good training done before a short taper for the Ring O Fire Race at the end of August.

The first part of this plan went well and I limited myself to some easy jogs and was quite happy to do nothing on some days and not beat myself up about it. After three weeks it was time to get the old mojo flowing again and what better way to do that than spend another weekend training with Richie over some more of the Lakeland 100 route? We spent a couple of hours running back to Keswick from Buttermere on the Saturday evening climbing via Sail Pass.

Dropping towards Braithwaite

On the Sunday, we had a look at the final few sections of the route, from Ambleside to Coniston and once again spent most of the time trying to take in the full beauty of The Lake District looking her Sunday best. I have really enjoyed showing Richie around the Lakes and again, as last year with John, watching someone else obviously loving this part of the country, it reminds me how lucky I am to live here. Mojo levels through the roof.

Langdale

The final week of term, when I intended to have a normal steady training week, kind of didn't happen. I found that having spent a lot of the day out in the sun, by the time I got home I had had enough and just wanted to stay inside the house where it was a bit cooler. Part of me was saying this was such a waste but, on occasions, I really felt it would be ridiculous to spend another hour or so back in the sun. In an ideal world I would have gone out training in the morning but my body clock does not live in the real world, my body clock likes to live snuggled under the sheets on a nice fluffy pillow.

I made my annual pilgrimage to The Open golf championship on the weekend of 20/21 July and, as you can imagine, on a lads weekend away there was no time, energy, inclination or desire to train so, despite the rough plan, training post WHW started on Monday 22 July, just over four weeks from the race.

Tracey and I decide to spend a bit of time away in the camper van and headed off down to watch the start of the Lakeland 100 in Coniston. It was great to catch up with friends and watch this amazing event from a totally different perspective compared to last year. Folk kept asking me if I wished I was running and, for the most part, the immediate answer was no. This event was never on my radar this year and it was nice to just chat to friends and not worry about how the next 24+ hours would pan out. The only time I did waver and felt like I wanted to set off on the adventure again was as we watched the runners go past us on the way up to the Miners Bridge just after the start. A short run along the shore of Coniston Water seemed to get that feeling out of my system.

The adventure begins

I wont go into the full blow by blow account of the race itself, you can see details on the race website or for more personal accounts try the race Facebook page, needless to say I spent most of the Saturday glued to my phone checking for updates on friends running the race.

I spent another day watching golf on the Saturday, this time at Birkdale for the Seniors Open and then we finally made our way in the van to Anglesey so I could have a look at some of the route for the Ring O Fire race.

What a spectacular course it is! In essence it is really simple; three days of racing round the 131 miles of the coastal path round the whole of the island. I had it in my head that it would be relatively flat with a few ups and downs but, if nothing else, the recce has given me some food for thought with regard to a race plan.

In an effort to make logistics a bit easier, I ran a long first day (around 45 miles!) and a shorted second day (23 miles) and have now covered all of Day 1 and Day 3 of the race. For the most part, the route is really well signed so navigation is not too much of an issue, though I did spend odd minutes here and there just making sure I had got the correct route. What was important is that I now know what to expect with regard to the terrain which I think is really important so I know how pay out my energy levels over the course of the day.

Top tan lines!

One thing is for sure; if the weather is good it is going to be a stunning journey and if the weather is bad it is going to be man-suit time in a big way. Check out the video of the two days to get a flavour of the route.

Ring O Fire Race recce from Recovery Beyond on Vimeo.

Sun setting on the Mother Ship

Although I am not making the race a major priority for the year, I am really looking forward to the run and cannot wait to see how my body will cope with three consecutive days of ultra marathons. My right foot has been very sore the last couple of days (I think I may have tied my laces too tight on the first day of the recce) so I have taken a few days off and will spend this weekend having a couple of cycle rides before I try running again. I'm not sure if I will have time to go down to Anglesey again before the race to recce the full 65 miles of the second day but I may have a look at some of the route. Any excuse to get out of decorating/gardening!

Summer says hello, briefly

It seems strange, sitting here, looking out of the window as the rain lashes against the glass, thinking back on the last two days, with my shoulders plastered in Sudocrem to heal the sunburn. Like most folk running the West Highland Way Race, this is now my last week of hard training before a taper, so I thought I'd better make it a good one.

Since the Highland Fling Race, I have struggled through the week to get out and do anything meaningful, basically just ticking over, though I have still done the weekend workouts that I planned. I'm not overly worried that I might have missed some important training, I just thought that I would have more oomph for some training after work in these last few weeks of build-up.

Last year, in my final few weeks of preparation for the Lakeland 100, I spent one weekend supporting my stepfather as he completed the Two Saints Way. This gave me lots of hours on my feet without trashing my legs and I felt that it was a weekend well spent, so I wanted to replicate that same kind of weekend this year. When talking to my brother-in-law, Rob, he was keen to have a walk up Scafell Pike as a recce for an attempt at the Three Peaks Challenge so I suggested we should have a yomp up together, hoping I would get that same kind of benefit as last year.

We had a great day out in the mountains, even managing to see a fair proportion of the field doing the Old County Tops fell race on Scafell Pike. Still, it was a bit strange to be walking up through snow almost at the end of May!

Just below Esk Hause

Great views on the summit #fail

This weekend could not have been more different. Two times West Highland Way Race winner and all round legend, Richie Cunningham came down to stay with us in Keswick. I think the unspoken deal was that I would show him round part of the Lakeland 100 route and he would allow me to pick his brains for training and racing tips - we both got exactly what we wanted from the weekend, though I also got sunburnt shoulders into the bargain.

Richie arrived on Saturday morning and we immediately headed out, running the 4 miles to the Braithwaite checkpoint and then continuing on the route through Keswick, Glenderaterra valley, Blencathra Centre, the Old Coach Road, Dockray, glorious Gowbarrow and through to the dropbag station at Dalemain. What a day we had! The miles flowed, the conversation flowed and, boy, the sweat flowed!

Looking back towards Derwent Water (middle right) from Lonscale Fell

Richie on Glenderaterra terrace

Like the following day too, it was one of those occasions where you are just so pleased that you do the sport we do; what better way is there to enjoy the mountains?

Refuelling on The Old Coach Road

Shoulders don't look too red there! Wait until later!

There was the usual highlight of running round Gowbarrow Fell and the stunning views over Ullswater, by which point Richie was already hooked on the course.

Ullswater from Gowbarrow Fell

We finally trundled into Dalemain just under 6 hours after setting off from home with 30 miles under our belts; two very happy bunnies. We had just missed one bus so had to take refuge in a pub for 40 minutes and this was the first time I really noticed how sore my shoulders and arms were. As a PE teacher, I normally build up a reasonable colour over the summer term (even in Keswick) and have never been sunburnt, but this time I have to hold my (red) arms up and say "school boy error", it looks pretty comical but is actually really sore and I'm using Sudocrem like it's going out of fashion - still, you live and learn!

After a great refuel that night (how on earth did we eat that much?) and a sound kip, it was time for another 30 miles the next day. Normally, after 30 miles in the mountains, I would expect to be stiff as a board the following day, but I had no problems and, in fact, we both commented early on that we felt stronger than the previous day. I know that Stuart Mills has commented on this phenomenon, and I agree with him that the mind somehow accounts for the fact that you are doing back to back days and prevents you going into recovery mode, keeping inflammation at bay, allowing you to go again. I hope this works for the Ring O Fire Race later in the year!

This time we covered the sections from Dalemain to Ambleside, taking in Howtown, over the high point of the route at High Cop, Haweswater, Mardale, Gatescarth Pass, Sadgill, Kentmere, Garburn Pass and Troutbeck.

Richie on the banks of Haweswater

I was taking no chances this time and ran in a long sleeved top and we both plastered ourselves in factor 30, though I did spend most of the day with the image of an open stable door and a horse bolting off into the distance!

Once again we saw the fells in their full beauty and it was yet another 6 odd hours of big smiles.

Near the high point on High Cop

Refuelling with some Twiglets at Kentmere

Once again, we just missed a bus back to Keswick so were forced to sit in the park in Ambleside and eat ice-creams.....as you do!

So that completed my biggest back to back weekend ever which, if you ignore the sunburn, I came through totally unscathed and full of confidence. Both Richie and I had a fantastic time together, chewing the cud over important things (and irrelevant things), Richie is totally sold on the route, I've learnt a few tricks of the trade  from a proven race winner and we are already planning his next visit to continue the journey round The Lakes. The final dot on an i (or maybe it is a cross on a t) before the West Highland Way Race is a gentle jaunt from Bridge of Orchy to Fort William at the end of this week, just to reacquaint myself with the top part of the course which I've not been on since 2010, then it's taper time.

Getting excited now!

Training - Dalemain to Ambleside

Last weekend I originally intended to go up to Scotland and run from Tyndrum to Fort William but things conspired against me with a combination of work commitments and the final throws of building to a house move. So instead of using up a full weekend with travelling, I stayed at home and managed to fit in a long run on the Lakeland 100 route.

John and I did this route last year in lovely weather conditions but this time I woke up to a covering of snow, fog and high winds on the fell tops. Should make for an interesting day out!

I was really pleased with the speed at which I was covering the ground and my ability to maintain this over the full route - a sign that I'm starting to get into shape for the first ultra of the season; the Highland Fling, in only 5 weeks.

This last week has been a wipe out with regard to training, without a single run from Monday to Friday. I always intended this to be an easy week but those same stress factors mentioned earlier meant that I just wasn't able or inclined to get any running done. By pure coincidence, I recently listened to a podcast with a section on overtraining by Marc Laithwaite. In this, he made it clear that overtraining is not just running too much or too fast but is linked to the amount of stress placed on your body. For most of us, this stress usually comes in the form of physical stress from running too much, however, at times, this stress can come in the form of work related issues or other stressful situations (like moving house - tell me about it!!). I am aware that I am running/training well and don't want to jepodise this by pushing myself (over stressing my body in what ever form) and then suffering a major setback.

With all this in mind, I have taken the last five days off from running, not stressed about it, got some major work related issues out of the way, planned a re-wire, planned a new heating system, planned a kitchen (or actually watched Tracey plan a kitchen), planned a bathroom and planned new windows and doors.

What stress?

Enjoy the video trip from Dalemain to Ambleside :-)

Dalemain to Ambleside Training from Recovery Beyond on Vimeo.

Lakeland 100 race video

I have put together the various video clips and photos I collected over the weekend. I hope it gives some flavour of the race, though I have to apologise for the deterioration of the sound (particularly the buzzing background noise in the later stages) and the lack of video in the final stages as the camera started playing up (and I got more and more tired).

Enjoy!

Lakeland 100 Race Report

I'm not really sure how to go about documenting my thoughts on the race weekend. You are always advised to write an essay plan before starting a piece of work; well bugger that, if ever a blog post deserved to be written as a ramble, it is this one!

I was confident in my preparation, particularly as I had completed every long training run that I had intended to do. The result from the Highland Fling 53 mile race back in April where I ran a 40 minute personal best also told me I was in good shape, so in the final week before the Lakeland 100 it was good to have that feeling of wanting to get started rather than any feelings of trepidation.

I collected all my kit together on Wednesday and split it into that needed for the 1st half and the gear I would need in the drop bag for Dalemain. I ummed and ahrred about certain bits of food but finally decided to put everything in; better to be safe than sorry. On Thursday morning Tracey and I (mainly Tracey) cooked my last meal (for the condemned man?) of noodles, chicken and cashew nuts, which I intended to eat on Friday lunchtime at the event campsite.

John and Katrina arrived at lunchtime on Thursday and, despite spending so much time with them over the year, even as we opened the door and greeted each other, this time felt different. We talked about the time we sat down at John's dining table some time in December and planned our long recce runs round the course, starting the whole journey in the snow at Buttermere in March and here we are now with one day to go. John and Katrina had a walk round the shops in the afternoon, while I put together the remains of my stuff for the weekend's camping. That evening, we had a lovely lasagne (thanks Tracey) and tried not to stay up too late talking into the night.

We all headed down to Coniston on Friday morning, wanting to get there before registration got too crowded. It was a lovely day which made the hours before the race so much more pleasurable as we were able to sit around the campsite, chilling out in the sun. As soon as we arrived at the event and walked into the school, a chap came up and introduced himself as Gancho, saying how much he had enjoyed the videos John and I had made of the route. This became a bit of a theme for the weekend as we became known as "the video guys".

Registration involved being weighed with the details added to a wristband, a full kit check, collect a goody bag and finally having your dibber attached to your wrist. This now gave us a few hours to relax, eat lunch and sort out kit again before the race briefing at 4 o'clock. I met and chatted to a few friends but generally tried to keep a low profile as it is easy to spend these hours standing up walking around when I feel my legs are better served with a sit/lie down.

Finally, at about 5:15pm, John and I said goodbye the Tracey and Katrina and made our way into the start area, ready for the off.

Leg 1 - Coniston to Seathwaite

My battle plan was to take the first couple of legs nice and easy, just trying to ease myself into my running. With this in mind, I had a point on the road out of Coniston from which I intended to walk and then would just go with the flow from there. I saw Tracey and Katrina part way up the track and then settled into the single line up to the track by The Bell. Once the track widened out and all along the Walna Scar Road, I tried to run my own race but it was difficult with so many people around. I was constantly questioning the pace I was running at, tagging onto some groups and letting others go.

The important thing was that I reached the Brown Pike col feeling good and immediately started to pass runners on the run down to Seathwaite. I tried to stay comfortable on the descent, saving my quads for later and trotted into the village hall, looking for a quick turn round. The marshalls were so helpful, even with the large numbers, and I was on my way in less than two minutes.

1:28 hours (99th place)

Leg 2 - Seathwaite to Boot

With such a quick turn round, I got ahead of the crowds and the field already felt a little thinner as I made my way up towards Grassguards. On our recce run, both John and I found this section quite hard and I made a note to self to accept the fact that this is going to be muddy, slow, slippy and damned hard work. It is the same for everyone and there is no point in fighting the route; just relax and get through it.

I must admit that at this point I didn't feel that I was really into the race and I was struggling to say I was enjoying the experience. On the plus side, I was covering the ground well and looked more comfortable over the rough terrain than most of those around me. I had a pain in what felt like my bladder; that pain you get when you need a pee when one the motorway and the next services are still 20 miles away. I tried a few pit-stops but it still remained. I was fine on the uphills but the jarring of a downhill caused problems.

I got through the plantation and out onto the open fell and thought that the whole experience hadn't been too bad. I had remained reasonable clean and was ready for a nice run down into Eskdale. As ever, as soon as you get cocky, this course will kick you in the bum - literally! A small slip and I was sitting on by backside in the marsh, feeling like an idiot. No damage done and, with the fine weather, I was already drying out by the time I ran into the Boot checkpoint.

2:57 hours (71st place)

Leg 3 - Boot to Wasdale

My race took a turn for the better as I climbed up out of Boot. To put things bluntly; I farted, nearly blowing my shorts off and immediately felt the pain in my lower regions ease. I spent the next 10 minutes "easing the pressure" and apologising to the runners around me, who were very supportive, with some even joining in with the roosting chorus. I felt like I had been released and, although I had been moving OK, now I felt much smoother and in my mind the race had finally started.

The views out over Burnmoor Tarn were fantastic as the sun was making it's final efforts of the day. I was pleased with the way I was covering the ground, especially the uphills, using the other runners around me to pull me along with minimal effort on my behalf. To be running at this time of day in a t-shirt was lovely and the group I was with chatted our way down the Wasdale as it started to get dark.

The checkpoint was a sudden assault on the eyes after so long in the gloom. My eyes took a few seconds to adjust and I nearly missed the dibber box; so thanks to the marshall who pointed me in the right direction. I had a half cup of soup here as a marshall filled my bottle for me and I left fully ready to take on the night.

4:06 hours (61st place)

Leg 4 - Wasdale to Buttermere

I made the decision to leave my head torch in the rucksack for a while as my eyes seemed to adjust to the fading light well, coupled to the fact that most of the next 45 minutes I would be walking uphill. Looking around, everyone else seemed to be taking the same approach. On the first part of the climb, I settled into a gap, running about 20 metres behind another runner so they would show me the general direction but I could concentrate on the path immediately in front of me. I especially made sure there was no drama crossing Gatherstone Beck and even managed to run a small part of the climb, reaching Black Sail Pass right at the point where I needed my head torch.

Number one priority on this descent is to get to the bottom without injury, so I took things nice and easy, passing a couple of runners who had lost the path and were climbing back up; they sounded rather pleased to see another light and we tracked down to the bridge together.

On the climb to Scarth Gap, which is never as bad as you think it's going to be, a small group formed, including one runner who's head torch had packed up. He obviously needed the help of others here but his pace was really good considering he was only working with peripheral light.

It is always a relief to get down the first rough section of the drop to Buttermere and find the gap in the wall. Probably for the first time in the race, I allowed myself to turn up the gas a little here and really enjoyed the run along the lake shore to the checkpoint. After nearly 6 hours of the race, this is the first opportunity to settle into a proper rhythm for a couple of miles.

6:04 hours (40th place)

Leg 5 - Buttermere to Braithwaite

Leaving the checkpoint, I made a mental note that, even though I was on home territory, there were three significant turnings that I had to make on this leg. The first of these comes early on when you turn off the lower path to do a rising contour in and out of the three becks. I stuck to my guns when I could see head torches cutting off too early, though I don't think they lost much time as they were running parallel, just a bit too high. I ran more of this section than I thought I would and started to feed off the positive vibes I was getting from the enjoyment of the night section. At no point was I thinking about daylight and the point when you can switch off your head torch, which to me suggests I was having a good time.

I made the correct turning up to Sail Pass and was soon on the rough descent towards Braithwaite. The turning off here, towards Barrow Door, is the tricky one. I remembered that, of the potential junctions, it is the third one and there is a small, flat boulder just after the junction - I could almost have kissed the boulder when I saw it; I love it when a plan comes together!

As far as I was concerned, that was the last of the tricky night-time navigation adventures done; from now on I was truly in my own back yard. I skipped down into the rather splendid checkpoint at Braithwaite and spent 4 minutes having a regroup, drinking coke and eating rice pudding.

7:48 hours (35th place)

Leg 6 - Braithwaite to Blencathra Centre

By now it is about 1:30am and there is an eerie quiet as I make my way out of Braitwaite and along the A66. I catch up with two runners, Jules and Tom, who have formed a partnership on the course and we fell into a nice rhythm together, past the back of the school where I work, past the pub where I partake of an occasional drink and onto the hill (Spooney Green Lane) where most of my training runs start. I would be running with Tom and Jules, on and off, for the next 6 hours.

I gave John a quick ring to see how he was getting on and he sounded in really good spirits, running well, just on the drop towards Braithwaite. I warned him about the tricky path junction and wished him well.

I love the run along Glenderaterra and passed quite a few runners, even pulling away to be on my own for a while. Then, like most others, I had a small mishap with the dibber on the sheepfold. I arrived ahead of a group and couldn't find the dibber. I went right round the sheepfold three times, lifting stones, but still no sign. Someone suggested that we might not have gone far enough but I assured them this was the correct spot and showed them where the path was that we were supposed to take down to cross the beck. We agreed to carry on to the checkpoint and vouch for each other. No sooner had we started to run down the path, then we saw a dibber on a different sheepfold about 75 yards further down the track. It was a little annoying but I only lost about three minutes which is nothing in the greater scheme of things (others would lose much more!) and I was quickly able to put it out of my head - no negative thoughts!

As I ran back along on the main track towards the Blencathra Centre, I could see two runners (well their lights) heading down the "short cut path" which I found rather strange after all the instructions we had been given and as I caught another runner and commented on the dibber being in the wrong place, his response was "What dibber, I thought the extra dibber was much later." At which point he stopped and was obviously mulling over whether to go back or not.

Without even realising, the sky was suddenly starting to look a little lighter and I thought it wouldn't be too much longer before I could turn the head torch off - a spring in your step moment.

The loop round Glenderaterra really seemed to thin out the field, the checkpoint was less crowded and from now on it became a rather quieter race.

9:45 hours (22nd place)

Leg 7 - Blencathra Centre to Dockray

As I left the checkpoint, again with Jules and Tom, I started to estimate when I might be able to turn off the head torch, thinking it would be somewhere along the Old Coach Road, so just had this as my next target, making my way there with the minimum of fuss. I was really pleased with the way I was able to cover the ground and felt that I had a good pace along the old railway, though I could feel a small blister forming under my left little toe. If that is the worst niggle I get - give it to me now!

The muddy section from Newsham to the Coach Road was everything it should be and I soon gave up trying to find a dryer line but, again, I was climbing strongly and reached the track feeling that was a job well done. I felt this deserved a treat, so switched off my head torch on the first climb, allowing my eyes to adjust and finally making the decision that I was good to go in natural light. You cannot underestimate the lift you get from this moment and it was great watching the countryside come to life as the morning gathered pace.

Jules, Tom and I continued our way towards Dockray with J & T seeming that little bit stronger. Their running pace was just a little faster than mine but I was able to run a little longer on the uphill sections which basically kept us together for the duration of the leg.

11:32 hours (20th place)

Leg 8 - Dockray to Dalemain

This next leg is split into two extremes; the first half is simply gorgeous, taking the wonderful singletrack round Gowbarrow Fell, whilst the second half is across muddy fields and along roads, which simply has to be endured.

I might have been in the middle of a race but you just can't help yourself pausing and taking in the view round Gowbarrow. The three of us stopped and were all pulling out cameras, soaking up the special moment as the sun rises over this stunning landscape. Sounds a bit Zen-like that, but it was nice!!

Once we were over the muddy (though I think it might have been more than just mud) fields to Bennethead, the same pattern continued along the roads with J & T pulling away and me slowly catching them. I wasn't particularly pushing myself to stay with them but I think I was using them to pull me along, I certainly made sure I did not go "into the red" at any point and, although I could feel the small blister, every quick MOT I gave myself was passed with flying colours.

On the final track into Dalemain, Jules and Tom decided to walk in preparation for a good regroup in the checkpoint, so for the first time in 6 hours I was on my own. I ran round to the marquee where the marshalls did another great job, collecting my drop bag, setting up a chair and sorting my bottles for me.

I decided not to rush this checkpoint and set about changing my socks and shoes, giving my feet a good dry and reapplying Sudocrem to my toes. Looking around, most of the other 5 or 6 runners looked worst than I felt (though I am free to admit I may have looked worst than I felt too) and I started to feel this could be my day. At this point I had no idea what position I was in, it was always a case of get to Dalemain and see how things go from there.

I had originally intended to change tops here too, but decide to just keep going with the t-shirt as it was such a nice day, a decision I would come to slightly regret later. I had one more look down my list of jobs to do at Dalemain; split into "must do" and "might do", heaved myself out of the chair, lugged my rucksack onto my shoulders and set off for the rest of the adventure.

13:43 hours (17th place)

Leg 9 - Dalemain to Howtown

I had a little walk out of the marquee, just to get my legs going again but soon foun that I was able to get into a run up towards the woods. Sometime before the race I had had a look at last years results, looking to see where Dalemain comes in relation to overall time. I had a rough idea that if I doubled my time, that would be a good target and there was a chance that I could run a slight negative split. Based on that, I was looking at around 27:30 hours if I could hold things together. I would be delighted with that but felt I was running better at this point than I expected to be - time to put on the game face, there is work to be done.

I had a great boost on the way through Pooley Bridge as four close friends came out to cheer me on. They said they were addicted to the race website and couldn't wait to see if I had moved up any more positions between each checkpoint. They were so excited for me and gave me such a lift but I don't think they realised how important that visit was. Thanks Mark, Kate, Simon and Viv. They said that at the last time of looking (Dockray) I was in 20th place.


Once I got over the shock of realising I was up at the sharp end, I gave Tracey a ring to let her know I was going well and feeling good. She told me I was up into 17th place at Dalemain and she too was glued to the screen back in Coniston. Knowing that everyone was watching me from checkpoint to checkpoint gave me a real boost and I felt that it was the next best thing to them being out on the course.


All this gave me a lovely trip down into Howtown and I started to get my mind ready for the long climb up to High Cop.

15:25 hours (15th place)

Leg 10 - Howtown to Mardale

During our recce run back in April, John and I had talked about how nice it would be to be able to run the technical singletrack along the shores of Haweswater rather than walk. I kept this in mind as I started the long climb up through Fusedale. Suprisingly, I felt that I could have really pushed the climb but in my head I kept that image of me on the singletrack. I made sure I didn't go into the red at any point on the climb and, although I was slowly catching two runners further ahead, I just kept them in sight and stuck to my plan.

I reached the first col and remembered John laughing at me as I finally took my gloves off on the lovely hot day in April. Looking up, I could see the other runners part way up the final climb which seemed to break the route down for me and without killing myself I made it to the top. I'm sure others found this an equally significant moment as this is the high point of the course, though you'd be hard pushed to say it is all downhill from here!

There is a nice, slightly downhill, soft underfoot section to Low Cop which gives a bit of respite for those aching knees but you are soon back onto the knee jarring drop to Haweswater. Although I could feel my quads were a bit sore, they were nowhere near as bad as I thought they would be at this point - perhaps all those long descents of Skiddaw in training were paying off?!

Along the shore, it was game-face on for the rough singletrack, be as smooth as possible, don't fight the trail and run as much as you can. This was the point where I really started to feel this could be my day as I ran the majority of this section, just passing the two runners I could see on the climb in the final half mile to Mardale.

The few runners in the tent looked like they were having a regroup before the big push up to Gatescarth Pass, particularly as the weather was taking a turn for the worse, I knew I was on a roll and wanted to keep moving to prevent any stiffness so kept my pit stop to 4 minutes, but I did enjoy the soup, just to warm my core before the battle to come.

18:04 (13th place)

Leg 11 - Mardale to Kentmere

It was this moment that I regretted not putting my long sleeved top on at Dalemain. As soon as I started the long climb, I put on my lightweight jacket and within a couple more minutes I had to put on my full waterproof jacket too. I thought about going for the gloves but really wanted to keep them dry for any later battles with the elements so just pulled the jacket sleeves down over my hands. I could see the weather was better in the surrounding valleys so figured I could tough it out.

As I looked back down the track I could see two runners approaching fast, though I didn't recognise them. I assumed they were catching me and thought I would just let them go and stick to my own race. It was only as they powered past and shouted encouragement over the wind that I discovered they were not part of the race but out training for the UTMB. I tried to get a drag from them but they were going too fast so I let them go, wishing I still had that spring.

The descent to Sadgill was going to be another test for the quads but I was becoming more confident that they could take it now; I figured that if they were going to fail they would have done so by now. I started to warm up as I made the drop and by the time I got to the farm I felt back to normal and in race mode rather than survival mode.

As soon as I started the climb over to the Kentmere valley, I had to take off a jacket and allowed my mind to wander a little, particularly trying to remember what big climbs were left. The only two that still held any fear were the climbs out of Langdale and Tilberthwaite - the end was starting to feel nearer. I was suddenly brought back down to earth with a thud as Ken Sutor shot past me like I was standing still. I had no choice other than to let him go, there was no way I could raise my pace to match his; he looked so smooth. We shouted encouragement to each other and I quickly lost sight of him.

I was somewhat relieved when I got to the checkpoint to find Ken still there as I thought I might get some kind of a tow over the next section with him, though as we got chatting over some snacks, he said he was starting to struggle a little. I told him how strong I thought he looked and fully expected him to be battling the final sections with me.

19:54 hours (12th place)

Leg 12 - Kentmere to Ambleside

I was out of the checkpoint before Ken and soon making the long trudge  up to Garburn Pass. Although this is a long drag, it is not a particularly steep hill, perfect for just a nice steady grind without going into the red. As I neared the top, I could see Ken not too far back but knew I had been running well on the downhills, so got on with the task in hand. The drop to Troutbeck is made a little easier as it runs diagonally down the hill and I was really pleased with the pace I had, just being careful to get the correct righthand fork just after the woods.

Climbing out of Troutbeck, I started to feel like I was turning for home even though I initially said I wouldn't entertain these thoughts until Ambleside. I took the climb nice and easy which meant I was able to run all the way down into Ambleside. There were obviously a few tourists in the streets who knew what was going on and I got a few cheers as I ran in, though the reception at the Lakes Runner shop was special. Nothing was too much trouble for the marshalls; I remember I seemed to do very little other than think this is a bit surreal as I sit here in the middle of a 105 mile race as people look at the latest Gortex jackets or fleeces.

I was out of the shop before any other runners came in so I knew I was building a small cushion in the race for Coniston.

21:47 hours (11th place)

Leg 13 - Ambleside to Chapel Stile

I metaphorically rolled my sleeves up at this point and really got the bit between my teeth; a top 10 placing was possible, though I had no idea how far ahead the next runner was. (in the end, I made up the final placing as someone withdrew from the race.)

My pace on the uphills was remaining fairly constant now; not fast but good enough. I started to walk with my hands clasped behind my back under the rucksack and this seemed to ease the pressure off my aching shoulders. I made sure I did not hammer (as if that was possible!) on the drop to Skelwith Bridge as I was determined to run all the flat sections to Elterwater. My reasoning was that, although I could have been a minute or two quicker on the drop, I could be 5 or10 minutes quicker if I could run on the flat. I think it worked!

As you enter the marquee in Langdale, you cannot help but smile. Here you are in the middle of a remote valley in The Lakes, on your last legs as part of a monster race and you stumble into this huge marquee with sofas and heaters. It wasn't quite Costa's, but at this stage it felt fantastic. I made the decision to avoid the sofas as, like many others, I knew that if I sat down, I might never get up.

23:07 hours (10th place)

Leg 14 - Chapel Stile to Tilberthwaite

As I left the checkpoint, I had the climb out of Langdale very much to the front of my mind. I managed to run quite a lot of the section to the foot of the climb, though I wish someone was filming me as I climbed over the two big ladder stiles. As I negotiated the stiles, all I could think of was "don't get cramp, don't get cramp". I put two feet on every rung, sat on the top and repeated the process on the way down, sitting on each rung - seemed to take an age.

The climb itself was just a trudge, no dramas, no red zone, almost a little anti-climatic (give me that every time!!)

I found the small trod round to the extra dibber without any problems though I was pleased I came and had another look four weeks ago. The track was hard work and I was conscious of the fact that I was starting to stumble when my head was saying run but my legs were saying walk (though I think my legs were using stronger language than that!)

As I ran down the road, I looked across Bleamoss to see if anyone else was making their way round and I hoped to be out of sight before they did. At the time it seemed to be really important to avoid being the hare for someone, whereas, in reality, there is not really anything you could do at this point and if someone had caught me, I probably wouldn't have cared.

The climb over to Tilberthwaite is not too bad and is broken up by the post John and I designated as the 100 mile point. We have no idea how accurate it is but it's a nice psychological marker. I found the last half a mile round the road to the car park quite hard; the checkpoint just never seemed to be getting any closer.

I had taken a caffeine gel to blast me through the final leg and I was desperately trying to do the maths and project a finish time. I had slowly come to realise over the last few hours that I had a chance of breaking 26 hours, though I possibly never wanted to admit it and put pressure on myself. In my head, I had a time of 1:10 hours for the final leg and I arrived at Tilberthwaite in 24:53 hours so I knew things were going to be touch and go. I thought back to when John broke 20 hours for the West Highland Way by only 27 seconds and knew I didn't want that kind of close call. With all this in mind, it was just 30 seconds at the checkpoint and away up the steps.

The race was on!!

24:53 hours (10th place)

Leg 15 - Tilberthwaite to Coniston

Having seen some video clips of people dragging themselves up this climb, I was pleased with the way I plodded up. It was hard and my calfs were burning but I made good progress. Once round the corner onto the open fell, I was taking quite a battering from the wind and really needed to stop and put a jacket on but If I had done that and missed 26 hours by a few seconds, I would have been a little annoyed. This was the perfect time to zip up the old man-suit and get on with it. I had my gloves in my pocket and they would just have to do.

The cold may have encouraged me to get into a run more than I would have expected and I made good time up round to the small tarn at the col. At the top of the final drop to Coniston, I took a deep breath, said to myself "This is it!" and went for it!

On our training run, John and I had said how great it would be if you were still able to run all the way down into Coniston, so this was the final task I set myself. I had no idea how long this would take but knew I must be in with a good shout of breaking 26 hours. After the first couple of minutes, down the really steep and rough section, my quads were basically numb; if I couldn't feel the pain, I was quite happy. There were a couple of spots where I had to pick my way through some rock steps but apart from that, I ran all the way.

As I hit the tarmac road and could see the museum, I knew I was going to break 26 hours and could really enjoy the run through the town. There were huge cheers from the crowd in the beer garden of the Black Bull and I was even able to run up the short raise past the garage. Turn into the school lane and I could see the small group of people around the finish area. A huge grin swept over my face and I punched the air as I crossed the line and dibbed to finish in 10th place in a time of 25 hours, 52 minutes and 24 seconds.

Tracey and Katrina came straight over and I sort of folded myself around Tracey. I think my first words were "I nailed it!"

You are taken by a marshall across to the school hall, though nothing can quite prepare you for the wave of emotion that hits you as you enter the building to be greeted by whoops, cheers, applause and whistles. Everyone in there seems to understand what that moment means and want to play some small part in your elation. It was a moment I will never forget and I enjoyed being on the other side of the fence later in the day, playing some small part in others success.

Two years ago, after finishing the West Highland Way race, I suffered a sudden drop in blood pressure and nearly passed out so now, straight after getting my medal and t-shirt, I went over to one of the crash mats (never was there a better named bit if kit) and lay down with my feet up on a chair for 15 minutes. Eventually, I thought it was safe to head out back to the van.

With some careful manipulation, I managed to get into one of the shower cubicles and have a clean up but I couldn't face the prospect of someone touching my legs, so gave the massage offer a miss. Once I was tucked up in a sleeping bag I had a look at the messages and tweets with which my phone had been going berserk. I got quite emotional reading the comments; some of my family and friends had spent almost the whole day glued to the race website following the updates. I also had a phone call from my Mom and Dad but by now I was starting to drift off. The last thing I did was set my alarm to give me enough time to wake up and hobble over to the school to see John finish.

A few hours later I joined the screen watchers in the school and started cheering each finisher. I gave John a call to check on his progress (you can read his report here) and tried to keep up with Katrina who was devouring strawberries by the punnet.

John came in to the finish about 4am after having suffered with really sore feet for half of the race - this was a serious case of zipping up your man-suit and getting on with it. Tracey and I now felt it was time to get some proper sleep, so it was another hobble to the van and then zzzzzzzzzz.

The following day revolved around the full cooked breakfast made by angels and the prizegiving hosted by a comic.

It is difficult to portray in words the scale of this event; the complexity of the organisation, the severity of the course, the enthusiasm of the marshalls, the amount of Jelly Babies, the lack of sleep from everyone. Thank you so much to the organisers of this event, regardless of your role, and congratulations to all of you that managed to drag your body round that course.