Once in a while a race catches your
attention and you think I fancy having a go at that and would it fit into my
racing/training schedule?
I first saw the website for the BIG RUNWEEKEND in May when I was getting back into proper training after a set back
with depression, the route looked great and covered some of the old terrain I
used to run on when I was a member of Dark Peak Fell Runners at the turn of the
century (why does that make me feel so old?!). The only problem was: could I
get fit enough to run 56miles of rolling trail?
Two weeks before the Anglo Celtic Plate I
took the decision to run at the inaugural New Balance Ultra Tour of the Peak
District or the NBUTPD. Thankfully I recovered quickly from the 100km and put
some quality long hilly runs in the Lakes and on the Pennines and squeezed some
big hill sessions in.
The BIGRW started on the Saturday evening
with a series of talks from the inspirational Nikki Spinks who shared her
running highs and lows so humbly and honestly, then Stuart Walker who in 10
questions talked inspiringly about his fund raising run across the Alps, the
stats were mind blowing! Then Darryl Watton talked about his training and competing
in the Marathon des Sables.
We then had a Q&A session with the main
speakers, Julian Lings British Duathlon Champion, and Jason Ward who has ran 29:05 for 10km and 65:59 for a half marathon.
The weather during the evening had been
pretty awful with heavy down pours of rain which continued during the night
making for an unpleasant night in my tent. And when my alarm went off at 5am
I’m sure I had had no more than 4hours of sleep if I was lucky!
I had a dilemma of what footwear to wear
for the race, Inov8 had given me a pair of their new Trail-Rocs 245 which felt
great on and I had also been given a pair of Hoka Mafate 2, I had worn Hoka
Bondi for the Anglo Celtic Plate 100km. Leading up to the NBUTPD I had been
struggling with a swollen metatarsal which made me wince anytime I stood on a
stone whilst trail running. I had worn the Mafate’s for an easy 2mile run the
day before the race and found they protected my metatarsal I had also been
advised by a podiastrist from Honeywell Clinic that I needed to protect my
metatarsal. So on his advice I opted for the Hokas, only time would tell during
the race if I had made the right decision.
The race started at 8am under cloudy skies
with a light drizzle, Stuart Walker, Dan Gay and myself set the pace at the
front but even though the route was taped to the first control up on Burbage we
still managed to make a small navigation error. Even Stuarts local knowledge
didn’t help us. The pace was steady to start off with and we quickly found
ourselves out up on Burbage Moor where the vista revealed some of the hills and
terrain we would be covering before returning to back up onto Burbage.
The quick pace made the first section fly
by and even with the delays at some of the checkpoints where the SI control
boxes weren’t working we were running inside 8min/miles. From Burbage car park
we skirted round onto Stanage Edge before heading down to Stanage Pole and then
down to Rivelin Edge, the pace felt good and quicker than I had expected but it
felt comfortable and even on the rough terrain across the top of Stanage the
Hokas were performing well.
After crossing the A7 we climbed up some
farmers field where Dan set a brisk pace, I opted for a steady walk whilst
getting some food in and let him and Stuart open a gap. On the road to the
first Feed Station at Moscar, Stuart disappeared for a quick comfort break, Dan
still kept a quick pace along the road. I decided not to chase him down knowing
we had a big climb shortly after the Feed Station, though Dan did slow his pace
down and the 3 of us arrived closely together into the Feed Station only to
discover our drop bags hadn’t yet arrived! Thankfully I had a small bottle of
Elete water in my bumbag which meant I could make up a bottle and I filled my
other bottle with Clif Electrolyte drink. Just as we were leaving the Feed
Stations our drop bags arrived.
As we climbed up out of Moscar towards the
Wheel Stones Dan was beginning to sit at the back of the group, up on Derwent
Edge I slowly increased the pace over the rough boggy terrain and across the
flag stones towards Back Tor I set a good tempo of pace to see how Dan and
Stuart would respond, without looking back I sensed I had quickly opened a gap
and whilst I knew I could go quicker there was at least 36miles of running
still ahead. As we dropped down to Lost Lad I had eased off the pace and let
Dan and Stuart catch me up.
Just as we came of Green Stiches and
started the long decent to the reservoir road my left inside quad suddenly
cramped up, I couldn’t believe we had only done 21miles and I was feeling so
fresh. I washed down some Clif Blocks with Elete Water which appeared to flush
the cramp out, unfortunately the cramp was to become a reoccurring theme for
the rest of the race.
As we descended back down to Moscar we
passed some of the tail end runners on the Ultra who cheered us on, I soon
discovered back at the Feed Station that my Drop Bag for Feed Station 2 had
been brought to Feed Station 1, I had a slight panic as my nutritional plans
were now out of the window and I was going to have to improvise when I got to
Feed Station 2. Stuart was the first to get out of the Feed Station, I was soon
on his heels. Unfortunately it was becoming clear that Dan was slowing down and
it would be the last time Stuart and I would see him, he did manage to make it
round to Bradwell where he had to pull out with stomach problems.
Stuart and I headed up onto Stanage Edge
where again I increased the pace to see how Stuart would respond again a gap
quickly opened up which was only closed as when I got to where a checkpoint
should have been there was no-one there. We dropped down the rocky path to the
Feed Station 2 where I was hoping my Drop bag had been brought round
unfortunately it hadn’t, and the marshals offered me only 1 Clif Shot, 1 Clif
Block and 1 Clif Bar, I declined the bar and took a few more shots and blocks.
I knew I had a long leg round Bradwell and would need some calories especially
as my drop bag hadn’t arrived.
On the short downhill road run to Yorkshire
Bridge my left inside quad vastas medial kept cramping up. The Hoka Mafate 2’s
felt great on the tarmac and I quickly opened a gap on Stuart again, the climb
up Win Hill through the trees was hard going, Stuart and I being reduced to a
walk up the rough uneven path.
We left the summit of Win Hill together and
then flew down the smooth grassy track towards the Kinder Plateau at the col
before the climb up Crookstone Knoll my vasta medial quads both cramped up
really badly reducing me to a walk, I struggled along the rough bridleway as
Stuart pulled away and began to climb up Crookstone Knoll strongly, I knew I
was running out of water and still had a long way to Bradwell before the next
feed station. By the time I got to the checkpoint at Crookstone Knoll Stuart
had opened up a minute lead on me, I filled my water bottle up with brown
looking peaty water running down Jaggers Clough I didn’t care about the colour.
The weather changed and as we were cooled down by a heavy down pour Stuart
descended down Ringing Roger to Edale rapidly and contuined to open his lead
whilst I was trying to ease the pain in my quads on the long descent into
Edale.
I could see him climbing up Hollins Cross
as I began the short muddy climb up and as I reached the col was told that
Stuart now had about a 2 ½ minute lead on me, the race was now on, I knew I
couldn’t afford to let Stuart get any more time on me. After the descent off
Hollins Cross I increased my pace on the road run into Castleton, the rain had
now cleared and the skies were clearing as the temperature began to rise. I
needed more water. I was getting ready to dive into a local shop to buy some
but thankfully I was able to fill up a bottle from race organizer Stuart Hale,
who told me I had closed the gap down on Stuart and that I was looking very
strong.
I began the climb up Cavedale not knowing
how far Stuart was ahead but I kept my pace up on rough limestone trail hoping
that I would catch a glimpse of him. As the dale began to open up I could see
Stuart, I closed the gap down and deliberately went past him, he stayed with me
as I eased the pace off. We ran up onto Bradwell Moor together and Stuart
opened a small lead as I stopped for a comfort break, as we began the long
tarmac decent into Bradwell I closed the gap down, Stuart placed his hands on
his head and looked fatigued.
I used the long tarmac descent into
Bradwell to open a lead on Stuart arriving at the sports pavilion in Bradwell
first, as I found my drop bag my quads cramped up again after the long descent,
I filled my drinks bottles up and grabbed a banana I decided to decline the
pork pies on offer and set off out of the Feed Station just as Stuart arrived,
with a banana and a bag of crisps in one hand and a bottle of coke in the
other, proper ultra running food!
I was not looking forward to the next climb
up onto Bradwell Edge having ran it many times before from a friends house in
Bradwell, the climb was as a tough as I remembered and was ankle deep in mud in
places after the last few weeks of rain, I worked hard up the climb hoping that
I continued to open the lead I had on Stuart, after the steep climb up Bradwell
Edge I dropped to Shatton and onto a footpath which runs along the side of the
River Derwent, I tried keeping my pace around 7min/mile but my quads didn’t
enjoy the undulations around tributaries that ran into the River Derwent. The
temperature was rising too and I could feel the sun on my bare shoulders as I
ran through the fields.
The climb up to the Millstone Pub on the
A6187 from the checkpoint on the Grindleford Road was hard going and I was
struggling in the heat and trying to reserve my fluid intake, I turned off the
A6187 up towards Hathersage Moor to the penultimate checkpoint, I had two route
choices: up the road and then cut across to Carlswark below Higgar Tor or cut
up across from Whim Plantation. I regrettably chose the latter and struggled up
the trail and between Winyards Nick, I could see Carlswark as I came through
the Nick and managed to find a small trod which led me to the base of the
Carlswark knoll. I climbed up the south side of the knoll surprising the
marshal at the checkpoint. I decided to take the main path to the north coming
off Carlswark and headed down to the corner of woods and Burbage Brook. As I
crossed the stone bridge I spotted the taped route used in the 12.12 Trail
race. I followed to a small track uphill and back onto Burbage Moor. My legs
were feeling really trashed and were cramping up regularly. I had forgotten to
pick up any Clif Shot Blocs at the Feed Station in Bradwell so was running out
of fuel, I decided to take my last gel as I ran across Burbage Moor before
getting onto Houndkirk Road unfortunately the thick glupy chocolate Clif shot
didn’t go down very well causing me to be sick 3 times! I knew my energy levels
would be low now and I was running out of fluid.
I didn’t know how far Stuart was behind me
as I ran along Houndkirk Road on the moor, though with my legs tiring I was
unable to run under 7min/mile hoping that Stuart wouldn’t be able to close me
down. The last checkpoint was at the top of the Limb Valley and as I left the
Checkpoint I finished the last of my fluid and began the fast run down the
trail, half way down the valley my quads were cramping up again and I had to
just push on through the burning pain in my quads, the last two stiles which
led to the path back up to Whirlow Hall Farm caused my legs to cramp again
thankfully with the finish now in sight I was able to push on through the
cramping pain.
As I arrived at Whirlow Hall Farm I was greeted
by a cheering crowd of spectators, I crossed the finish line in 9hrs 19mins and
23seconds I had won the inaugural New Balance Ultra Tour of Peak District.
According to my Garmin GPS the route was longer than advertised at 59.71miles
with 2776m of accent: more than the Lakeland 50.
Stuart held onto second place finishening
in 9hrs 41mins with Lewis Banton in 3rd in 10hrs 59mins and Sally Fawcett was
the first lady home in 11hrs 36mins and it was her ever Ultra Marathon!
Other than there not being enough water
stations out on the course it was great weekend of running with lots of other
races going on during the Saturday and Monday. Thank you to Stuart Hale &
Lisa and all the helpers from Whirlow Hall Farm for organizing a great weekend
and thank you too to all the marshals who helped out at the many checkpoints. Thank you to the guys at Acceralate for taking such great photos and more photos can be seen on the BIG RUN WEEKEND facebook page.
Here is a map of the route:
