Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Options
Hadrian's Wall 2013
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
Hi Weedy and all - prompted by posts talking about B&B's i have wimped out of camping and have booked a room at the Twice Brewed Inn so i will see you there, Weedy. The prospect of decent nights sleep on the sat was too much to resist.
After the winter xc season i am building up to start a 16 week program on 4th March that Sleepy Bear and i will be trying to follow. Its pretty high mileage so it may be inbetween the one on the Wall website and this one. The web site one is pretty gentle. Plenty of 20 mile races planned in the spring as buildup and a week in Cape Wrath in May.
Nice one Oscarr. Anyone else going for the Twice Brewed option?
Sun was shining this morning and no snow forecast so I headed over the Lanercost to pick up the recce. The good news is we hit the first bit of wall. The bad news is there's a fairly grim hill straight after Lanercost. Here's the elevation profile from my Garmin, and I'll wrestle with my phone and computer and try and stick a full report and pics up some time over the next few days. It's 6.38 miles from Lanercost to the east side of Gilsland, but because I returned to Lanercost, the second half of the profile shows a mirror image of the first half.
Okay, here goes. Lanercost to the east side of Gilsland, 6.38 miles (according to Garmin). Min elevation 161ft, max elevation 518ft, elevation gain 432ft.
It's all on tarmac from Lanercost to Birdoswald, flat for half a mile, then comes a monster hill from 0.65 miles to 1.73 miles, with a 330ft gain in elevation. I managed it without stopping, but that was on a fresh pair of legs. It's going to be tough to run up it having run from Carlisle. You're nearly at the top when you see the phone box on the right hand side in a place called Banks.
From Banks to Birdoswald it's undulating, but fairly flat and you come across the first bit of Hadrian's Wall called Banks East Turret. As an aside, for anyone interested in Roman history, there's a good podcast I found. Search the web or itunes for Mike Duncan's History of Rome. From Banks East Turret onwards, there's some quite impressive sections of the wall, including towers and forts. The official Hadrian's Wall path runs alongside the road, in the field to the right, but judging by the recce route on the Rat Race website, they're keeping us on the main road. The traffic's fairly light - think I was passed by a car about every five minutes, although I guess it'll be a lot busier in the summer.
At Birdoswald, there's a visitor centre with toilets, and you leave tarmac and head onto track, joining back with the official Hadrian's Wall path. It was hard to see its condition with the snow cover, but it looked fine from what I could tell. Just past Birdoswald you run past a fort, then it's down a short, steep hill to Willowford Bridge. Watch out on the bridge as the first half of the bridge is flat, then the second half of the bridge is steps. I made the mistake of reading my map as I ran and nearly came a cropper when I came to the steps.
Almost immediately after the bridge you hit a big section of wall. It's one of the most impressive sections at nearly 1km long. Here's some aerial shots of the area I found - http://www.visitcumbria.com/car/willowford-bridge.htm
There's a big set of stone steps running alongside the wall to climb, then it's flat past a farm and along a track to Gilsland, where the official Hadrian's Wall route and our route diverge.
At Gilsland, you cross a cattle grid, with a school over the road. It's back onto tarmac all the way from here. Turn left and follow the road. Down a dip, you turn right onto a secondary road and after a short flat section you begin to climb the hill, crossing into Northumberland as you go. Follow your nose on that road, which goes under a rail bridge, then keep on up the hill until you meet back up with the official Hadrian's Wall route.
The first section of wall at Banks East Turret
Looking east from Birdoswald. The track we run on's on the left of the picture, running parallel about 100 metres from the wall
Looking west, with Birdoswald in the background. Guess the snowman will be gone come June.
The short, steep hill we run down just past Birdoswald. We run left to right down the hill, then double back on ourselves and run right to left, so we're only running in the bottom third of tthe photograph.
The bridge at Birdoswald. This is the flat half, with the far side of the bridge stepped. On the left is the long section of Hadrian's Wall, running up the hill to the farm.
That same section of wall, with the farm at the top, with stone steps leading up to it.
The start of Gilsland with the school over the road. We run left on the main road.
And finally the rail bridge we run under as you're nearly out of Gilsland.
Liking the photos - hopefully slightly less snow in June...?
Don't count on it Bees!
Legs feel good. Think I've had a breakthrough with ITB. Decided my gait must have changed, and the only thing I could think that would change it was the new orthotics I started using six weeks before the bother started. So I went back to my old orthotics and, hey presto, touch wood, cross my fingers, no trouble.
You get out Saturday Blakester?
Hi guys, haven't been in for a couple of weeks but thought i'd pop in and see how everyone's training is coming on.
I've just been ticking over throughout January and will start base training this week with main training schedule to start in March.
So where is everyone up to? Anyone in full swing training for this yet?
Basically just started, had some niggling injuries through Jan which has meant since maybe 10th Dec my running has been limited - mostly just doing weights and a bit of light running where possible. Did 26miles Saturday, very slowly, but just want to start getting the miles in (I was also incredibly hungover and sleep deprived which didn't aid my speed). Going to try and do another 26.2 and then maybe 15 on the Sunday this weekend - Not intending on doing many long runs during the week at all, just do a lot at weekends.
Been ticking over for a good while now ... 31 mile ultra just before New Year, my first 'track' marathon on March 9th, Pars Marathon April 7, Shakespeare Marathon 29th April... trying to hit around 45 miles a week at the moment but I'm now starting to build in some back-to-back runs after the weekly LSR to build up Ultra resilience.
Thank god the snow's gone!
You got a link to it Blakester?
Amster - did you get across to do the recce today?
Hi, does anyone know what the total elevation is for the full 69miles?
thanks
89 miles run in Jan despite a week off ill. Longest =14.5 cross country.
Know this is going over old ground but which running pack should I buy???
Right think I'm abandoning the idea of staying in the dorm - still says to phone customer services, and they said they weren't the people to talk to (the correct link was supposed to be in by the end of that week). Reckon I'll be signing up to a night at the Travel Lodge.
Get in while you can, travelodge take bookings at around £25 until they realise there is an event on, and then they cane you, recently I booked York for the marathon at £48 for the 2 days by the following night other runners were paying double this for one night. Its particularly bad at the Newcastle end
Bit of a pain Bees. Hope the rest of it's more organised.
Blakester - that video's amazing. Didn't show how they managed the swim sections tho. Any idea?
Ian - there's an elevation profile here http://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/120746581
Can't see anywhere that gives a total number in feet or metres tho.
RaRa - I've got a CamelbakUltra Reckon it's going to be a squeeze fitting everything in, but doable. I'm fairly tight and i'm trying to avoid forking out for another pack. The only downside I found is there's a few straps to tighten it around your body, but they kept slipping loose as I ran along. I've had to stitch all but one of them in place. I'd say packs are probably as personal as shoes. What works and is comfortable for one person might not be for someone else. Might be worth going to a decent running shop and asking to test a few on their treadmill.
Pack-wise, just managed to get my OMM Last Drop to fit perfectly so I barely notice I'm wearing it. Going to have to go through the same process with my Classic 25 so I've got some choice, but currently thinking Last Drop and a front chest pouch.
Good call on the booking EKGO - will try and sort it soon.
Right, that's another two joining the party at the Travel Lodge - "The Dashing Accountants" are hitting Carlisle Central.
Hey everyone - late entries here as I only stumbled on this forum yesterday!
There are 4 of us travelling up to do the 'expert' run; two from Colchester and a couple from Nottingham - mother and son combo included!
The Colchester duo have 8 marathon's in the bag, and have reached 34 miles over the LSR weekend, with 30+ miles during the week, including back to back sessions (am and pm) and a 10k before breakfast 4 days a week.
Any chance we're peaking too soon!!!
Add another one to the Carlisle Central party!
Nice one Blakester; sounds like you have been looking ahead and getting recognition for all your hard work.
I had toyed with the London Ultra (30) in a couple of weeks, but it's x-country instead for me at Wellingborough.
We have booked Richmond and MK marathons back to back in May - nice to receive a medal for the effort as opposed to just a smug feeling!