Nearly there....

It's now Monday and the UTMB is on Friday.
The biggest challenge of my life so far and it's nearly here.
I think I have done reasonable training but it's never enough is it?
A lovely run with Helen (left) over the top of Helvellyn gave me a bit of confidence because we run well togther.
Then a back to back of Hanging Stone Leap in about 4hours 15 (1st lady) and Long Tour of Bradwell in 8 hours 15, running with Kirsty a lot of the way, also gave me a boost.
Now back from a week of chilling and comparative rest in Cornwall, I am all set to run through the mountains for as long as I have ever run and at least 12 hours more.
Scary!
Will be back to let you know how I do.

Lakeland Training run

Training is generally going well for UTMB -I am getting all sorts of pbs and good times - mainly because the weather is good for off road runs, but it makes me feel better!
(Lyke Wake: 8:02, Osmotherley Phoenix 6:04 - 1st FV)
The only thing I am worried about is the lack of severe hill work.
So - today I met Jenny and Ken at 8.30 in Wilf's car park and we went and did the Kentmere horshoe plus a bit.
The weather was horrid at times - lots of wind, rain and mist, but we did get a little sunshine to warm the freezing hands.
We ran/climbed 15 miles which took 5 hours and was all hills - long ones - so excellent UTMB prep.
Am tired out now so will rest until the 10k road race handicap on Tuesday and then not do a lot until the Lakeland 50 on Saturday.
More after that!

Marrakech Marathon
Photos:

Fellsman - my Nemesis no more

Everything felt better this year. The weather, my stomach, my sleeping pattern and the fact that I was going to run with Mandy and Hannah.
So, I knew I would do it and there would be no DNF.
Slept well the night before and got up at 3.30am in order to get to Threshfield for 5.45. Met Mandy and we got on the 6.15 bus over to Inglebrough.
We queued to register and do our kit check and then chilled before the start.
Then we all set off, nice and slowly on our part. We chatted away and climbed Inglebrough following a long stream of runners.
Up to the top and it was very windy but promised to be a lovely day. First checkpoint done and then down the rocky path, over the boarded walkways and on to Hill Inn. My feet were already hurting so I stopped to rearrange my socks. It dawned on me wearing high heels for the week before the race had not been a good idea!
A quick pit stop in a field before going up Whernside. Very windy up there and hard going but nice to see the faster runners coming down and then the slower ones as we came down.
We were gently trotting along and then realised we had missed the stile over the fence, so climbed over and cut a path down to the river which I managed not to fall in this time, before the checkpoint at the foot of Gragareth. That was some climb, but great to get to the top. Mandy and I jogged along, slowly over taking a few people on our way along Great Coum. Hannah was falling a little behind but we knew she would catch us soon.
The route down to Flinter Gill was so much easier in the dry conditions and my feet werent sliding all over the place like they did last year in the wet.
Even the rocky path down to Dent was easy going and not slippery.
We had a nice snack in the Dent checkpoint and waited for Hannah to catch us. Her achilles was troubling her and when we set off along the road she made the sensible decision to pull out.
The route to Blea moor seemed so easy this year, mainly because we could see the runners in front of us and could plot a straight route rather than struggling through the bogs.
Up to the checkpoint, along the top and then down to Stonehouse via the handsome turkeys in the farmyard.
The road section hurt my feet but I knew I wouldnt pull out.
We made we sure we ate lots and had a good sit down before setting off again. Hannah had only just been given a lift in the mini bus, which came into Stonehouse on it's way home.
Walking up to Great Knoutberry and managed to avoid the thigh deep bogs!
Someone passed me who remembered the fact that I had been stuck last year and I reassured him that I would miss them this year.
Down from Great Knoutberry and over Redshaw to the next checkpoint feet hurting but ok otherwise.
Snaizeholme, Dodd Fell, both came and went and we were still going ok. By this time we were travelling alongside Jim Drummond and a few others and we knew they would make good partners overnight, so when we got to Fleet Moss I asked Jim not to go without us.
We fuelled and replenished water supplies, got our torches and more clothes on and then set off straight across Fleet Moss whilst it was still slightly light. One guy had a hand-held sat nav so he took us on direct lines and in the dry conditions it was perfect going.
Middle Tongue was hard for me with my blisters because of all the rough ground. I slowed them down a bit I am afraid and I didnt like the fact that I was the weak link but they got me over there so much more confidently than last year.
More fuel at Cray and Jim helped me to treat my blister before the steep climb in the dark up Buckden Pike. All through the night, plodding away, there were certainly times when Mandy and I were saying to ourselves that we didnt ever need to do the event ever again but secretly I was enjoying it so much more, or at least hating it so much less than last year, that a repeat was beginning to cross my radar.
How good it felt to get to Park Rash and not feel sick. We didnt take a very good route up Great Whernside. We were climbing straight up on hands and knees as opposed to using the path which Jenny and I reccied last year. However, we got to the top and watched the dawn across the hills as we walked at a good pace towards Capplestone Gate. By then I wanted to run but the others didnt so we walked fast to Yarnbury.
From there it was a short couple of miles into Threshfield via Grassington and I just HAD to run.
It felt so good to be coming home despite the blisters. I didnt feel tired or sick and running seemed the only option. Besides which it saved so much time.
I arrived at the finish after 21 hours 45 minutes and waited for the others.
Then a shower, lovely cooked breakfast, a natter with the ones who had finished before me and a short snooze in the car. I heard familiar voices which woke me, but I was ok to drive home.

So- thanks to Hannah and Mandy, Jim and the others in the overnight group. A fabulous "day out" and I am sure I will be back!!

Hardmoors 54
I had been poorly for 10 days with a horrid head cold -sore throat, deaf ear and headache.
Ran Wuthering Hike last Saturday and really was not race ready for Hardmoors but wanted to do it anyway.
Rog dropped me off at 6am at the cricket club in Helmsley and I assisted with registrations and met up withe lots of old friends from various races, then we set off at 8am.
I felt ok so set off well, chatting to Andy Cole as we approached the White Horse.
A quick water top up and up through the woods and on to the track which wends its way to Black Hambleton. Ususally fabulous views were obliterated due to the fog and mist which was a real shame.
I ran into Osmotherley with Martin, Andy and others far behind me. I was feeling quite cold by then and needed a cup of hot water to warm me.
From there Iwent the true Cleveleland Way route, past the TV mast and then down to the road, before going through the woods and up on to the moors.
I kept expecting people to be catching me but I was running alone most of the time and it got a bit lonely, so it was good to see Dave walking down from the moors.
Up on the tops it was really nasty - cold, wet and windy and my hands were getting ever so numb so I had to keep on moving to keep the warmth in them.
Just after Carlton Bank I caught Mat who was lost in the fog. Luckily the Hardmoors is one race that I know the route for, so I was able to tell him which path to take and we climbed up and up. over the three peaks to the Wainstones and then down to Clay Bank where he stopped to sort out his feet.
I ran on and up to Bloworth Crossing where John was sitting in his tent, just about keeping warm.
Further on and on and i was tiring and my legs were aching. I kept on counting the miles down and telling myself that I just had to get to Kildale then it would only be 3 hours to the finish.
So - down to Kildale - by now the mist had lifted and I could see the fabulous sight of the fabulous route I had covered. Into the village hall and a cup of tea served by Mike M and Lee who told me that Sharon had hypothermia and was trying to get warm in a sleeping bag by a radiator.
A sit down and some pasta out of a pot and on I went. Mat came in and went out and I never caught him again. He told me at the finish that he had drunk some magic potion that gave him a kick start - I NEED some!
On to Captain Cooks Monument and the light was fading but the sunset was a lovely sight. Onwards to Roseberry Topping and I walked up the hill, texting as I went to Elaine and Roger.
Contact with them helped me along. It was dark as I went up the steps to RT but I didnt put my head torch on until the top. I saw the two guys who had been in Kildale Hall and as I came down also saw Martin and Andy who finished 10 mins behind me.
I ran on over the bogs in pitch black, up towards Flip at Highcliff Nab. Mandy texted me and I wanted to answer and tell her about the owls being my only company, but I decided I needed to crack on.
I had told myself that once I was down from RT I only had the woods to do and I would be finished. However, they seemed to drag on and on and my knee was hurting and I was dead on my feet. I waited for the couple of guys who somehow had got behind me and then they left me as they powered on through the woods, whilst I dragged myself along!
Finally I got to the end and all I had to do was find Dave at the end of the railway line. There he was calling out and I turned along the track, looking out for the rugby club.
Suddenly it was there and I found new energy to run down the field and into the finish. Sue and Yvonne were there to meet me with a smile and a cup of tea.
Fabulous!
Nice shower, massage and chat to Hannah and then it was all over.
Now it's Sunday and it has been a lovely Spring day with sunshine!
If only it had been like that yesterday- what a difference it would have made.
However, now the pain is fading, thanks go to Jon for a great event, where I saw so many old and new friends.
Maybe next week the weather will be better.
Time?? Oh yes. 12.45 which was about what I expected.

Falcon Flier

Really looked forward to this race because it was so nice a route last year.
This year the route had changed but I didnt know this until 15 mins before kick off!
I hastily marked my map for some of the route but then decided to take advantage of Mandy's good nature and run with her because she is good at map reading and had marked the route!
We set off at 9 and after a hasty good bye to Roger, Mandy and I started to overtake in the woods leading to the Falcon pub.
The weather got worse as we ran - some rain showers made it feel cold but they didnt last long.
The mud was probably the hardest factor but we kept going through it over Jugger Howe moor to where a tent seemingly in the middle of nowhere offered a welcome yum yum.
From there we followed the Lyke Wake route to the main road and then up to Robin Hood's Bay, via the railway track both ways.
It seemed like it was uphill all the way to Ravenscar which is because it is! However, we managed a good pace all the way and ended up doing 4:48 and being joint second lady.
It was a great run with Mandy and made all the nicer for Roger being there too.
Next week is the Tandem and I hope I dont let Geoff down too badly!

UTMB

I'm in!!!
Got the news yesterday - very exciting!
Helen and Sarah too so it will be a good run so long as I get the training done.
Too tired today!
The club handicap on Sunday was good - only 5 miles and could only manage 7.50 minute miles but felt good.
Marrakesh Marathon next week. Hope it's a bit warmer than here.