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Lyke Wake Race 42
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I was at the end with Timothy
I was partaking in a fine pint of murphy's in one hand and some gin in the other.
I should have piped up and introduced myself but I find that after 30 miles I am not quite a cohesive as I normally should be so sorry about that.
However I will be trying to round up a Forum Team for next year.
I just need to work on Bog Trotter and Loz - who both really want to do it again, they just havent realised it yet.
I'm sure Tim will do it, as long as we hide the event name from the top of the application form!
I DNF:((((((((
Race report to follow when ive got a gin in situ
Well, bogs or what!! What I want to know is how everyone else got down Jugger Howe ravine and found their way up to Lila Cross, there was NO path, just point and crash through the heather.
After I'd got to the Stape road checkpoint with Caspar and Hippo I had to run to the next checpoint which was only about 3 miles, so far so good. Then finding my way up to Lila cross was a nightmare, fortunately I saw someone coming up behind me and waited for him to guide me up to Lila cross for which I was very grateful. Got to teh cross just as it started raining and I was surprised to see that the path down was quite obvious but often the smothest route was along the bed of the stream but no matter as my feet were so wet.
Hard but runnable-then I came to the ravine, had to slide down there holding on to the heather and bracken so I didn't plunge down in freefall, jump across the stream and climb up an equally steep hill before arriving at the next checkpoint.
I thought it would be easy after that with only two miles to go, the last mile being on road but no-one last bog to contend with and no way round. Ah well, sprinted down the road to the finish where Shelley (who I nearly beat to teh finidh after she couldn't find it) NMP, Caspar and Loz were waiting (with gin).
Someonw told me this was the worst conditions ever. I'll wait for a long hot summer to do it again but I'd love to have another go. 9 hours and 53 minutes of running and walking and wading. I have never run through so many bogs or waded through so many streams and then Loz tells me my legs looked too clean.
Last year they said it was too hot.
Bryan, please pass my thanks to Alan. He was brilliant. It must have saved us loads of time in the first half not worrying about navigation.
Ive just reached mile 25, and will soon start the really pathetic bit
BTW, im having a rest day
42 days continuous running
Ok
Race report---and this is going to be a long and sorry tale
Race prep:
In the middle of a house move and at the end of a week on call. Since both my walking partners had dropped out due to injury, there was a panic buiying of OS maps and compass the night before.
awoke at 3 am on the day before in a panic, did a 4 hour clinic then trekked to Ozzie in 5 hours via bus, train and car, lugging a large bag.
Met Sluggie and her triathlete hubbie, and enjoyed some very nice pie and chips in the Queen Catherine. Had one pint of lager. then it was back to Sluggies room for a qick recce of the maps. Sluggie had cut up the maps, and had worked out all the times and distances!
Bed at 10.30, cant have slept more than 30 minutes, not helped by the quarter hourly “bong” from the Priory.
Race day-part One:
Got out of bed at 3 am , and got ready. Decided to wear running shoes, and change into boots later. Mr Sluggie very kindly drove us to the start.
Odd standing in the half light with 15 other nutters.
Then we were off, at 4.02. The walk started very pleasantly, down a road, then onto a forestry trail. The air was clear, and I felt good. Sluggie and I even had a couple of little jogs.
Next was the Sheepdrift, which shall henceforth be known as the sheepshit hill. Phew! Id forgotten about the hills in the North York Moors!
Base training it was not, I was dripping! At this point Sluggie wanted to carry on run walking, and I wanted a rest, so she jogged off into the distance. A nice walk along a ridge, then onto a horrible stony steep downhill. I was petrified, but managed to get down in one piece to reach checkpoint one(6 miles) in 1 hour 47.
Next was the walk around Cringle. It was bit claggy to say the least, and I found my first bog to staturate the shoes. My old running shoes had no grip, and I was sliding around all over the place, and had the first of many falls. The walkers bounded ahead of me , and I realised Id be doing most of the walk on my own.
Then there was another horrible hill, and I managed to waste time straying off the path. Rescued by a nice couple(Gary and Sarah) who werent in the race, but were doing the walk. they had a GPS, and thanks to them, I got to the disused railway track, and started run walk.
The railway track was very lonely, and yes , it goes on interminably. I couldn’t see anyone in front or behind of me for miles. I carried on run walking, this is just like most of my marathons. Bryan’s instructions had told me not to despair, and so I plodded on grimly. Eventually, some proper runners caught up with me, just as I was wondering if id gone the wrong way! Got a little bit lost trying to find the entrance to the Red Lion, more extra walking I didn’t need.
Them we had a welcome cup of tea at the 18 mile pint(5 hrs 33 ish), and I was given----EWWWWWWWWWWWW------Rice Pudding!!!!!!!!
I know it’s a sensible food, and they werent to know , but
anyway---I ate a couple of peach slices and said I wasn’t hungry.
Time to change to boots-the bogs were looming.
Race Report: Part Two
My father had kindly reminded me that last time I did this, I fell in a bog up to my waist(and my then boyfriend didn’t help me out—he was history after that). So I was a tad apprehensive.I walked round to white cross via road, as I was on my own and wanted to be sure where I was going. I could see others in the distance, which helped.
We turned off the road, and onto a well marked bridleway. Then-------------- the Black Sucking Mud struck------------
I managed by following others footprints, and grew in confidence. Several bog trotters ran past, one cheerfully told me there were bogs for 23 miles—oh how I laughed(I didn’t believe him).
Except that wasn’t the bog at all
The REAL bog was next, with proper marsh grass and evil things grasping your boots. It was definitely Mordor. How the hell people run in this-------
I realised that this was where I nearly me an untimely end 20 years ago
Once I had stopped worrying about getting wt, it wasn’t too bad
After more Black mud, it was a long haul up to Shunner Howe, and then down to Hamer .I was tripped up by a dog, and fell flat on my face in the heather just before the 25 mile checkpoint. Cramp had started in my legs. Id been going for 8 hours, and I knew I couldn’t make the cut off, there was no way I was running in the boots which were welded to my feet with goo.
At this checkpoint was Bryan. I was truly amazed when he got a bottle of Gordons out of his car-marvellous! I could not face food , and so didn’t have the bacon sarnie, though Sluggie tells me it was wonderful.
Race report: Part Three
It starts to get pathetic here
Up to the Blue man on the moss----loads of runners like whippets passing me now.
managed to get well and truly lost as the path disappeared, Id forgotten my compass.
was a bit freaked by seeing bright green cacti
????????????????
Was saved by spotting Tim Raineys Sale Harrier vest---oh dear, more extra walking.
Joined Tim and Caspar, and then there was a nasty stony and wet descent down to Stape. It was wonderful to have company, I was glad Tim wasn’t running this bit.
Tim decided to run, and Caspar had to withdraw cos of his knee.
Next there was a horrible descent to Wheeldale Beck—I was sweating with fear all the way down. I really don’t do downhills. I crossed the stream and started the climb up howl moor. by now I was flagging, and had to keep stopping for a rest. lots of walkers passed me, including Gary and Sarah who had caught me up despite my earlier “running”
Then followe what should have been a path, but was a stream
I fell over at least 4 times in the heather, my legs just didn’t work. I had a bit of a cry and plodded on. No one behind me, and I couldn’t see anyone in front either.
I felt very sorry for myself at this point, but I suppose I was at around 31 miles, and I hadnt really eaten.
Reached Ellerbeck (32.5 miles) and was officially withdrawn from the race-and my coffin checkpoint card was taken away. I should have pulled out then really, I could barely climb a stile.
Went on towards Lilla cross
It started chucking down, and I didn’t really know which way to go, my brain wasnt working.
Gary and Sarah then reappeared, and told me id never find a path through the heather. They were going on a detour of about a mile but there was a good track—so I followed them.
My legs and feet hurt, but id gone too far to turn back to the next checkpoint. I couldn’t even tell anyone how late I was going to be as it was MOD property, and phones didn’t work. A police car pulled up along side, but they couldn’t take me to the road, and believe me, I would have gone with them. All pride was gone, and I just wanted this to end.
Paddling on through thick yellow mud and puddles, eventually we arrived at Lila Cross. Gary and sarah went on ahead, and seemed to be going downhill
And then my nemesis-Jugger Ravine
I dont remember this from last time at all
It was a sheer drop of slippery mud
I lost count of the number of times I slipped and fell
At one point I just lay in the mud and wept for 5 minutes. I was SO terrified.
At last I got to the bottom. Gary and Sarah were waiting to help me across the brook
Then it was a climb up the ravine and what seemed like an endless walk to the road
I had contacted my dad, who had told me that everyone was packing up at the end(it was about 5.55)
Thank God the nice man from Raynet was still at the checkpoint to give me a lift down the road
all in all, it took me just over 14 hours to do what was probably 40 miles with the detours
I will NOT do it on my own again. Running marathons alone in urbanareas is one thing, walking alone on that sort of terrain is risky and demoralising
I would think about trail shoes
Binoculars to see people ahead and thus not get lost
Lucozade sport—I managed to eat a handful of nuts, 2 peach slices and a finger of kit kat all day
Walking poles-when your legs are that shot you lose all propriception
Injuries
VERY painful quads and glutes-almost as bad as my first marathon
One large blister which looks a week old and has already burst
Any self belief I had in my walking ability has now gone
Thankyous -most importantly
To the organisers and marshalls---this was well organised, I just wasn’t upto it
Special thanks to Bryan for the gin
Thanks to the Raynet man for being so kind
thanks to Gary and Sarah
and to Sluggie for the map briefing and company, and to Tim for the company
and to my dad for waiting for me and taking me home
PS
I would actually rather do trailwalker again!
((((((((((HIPS))))))))))))
I agree 100% with Plummie. I doubt whether I would have attempted it on my own.
Superstar and make sure you remember THAT
SO
Are you doing Trailwalker next week?
;o)
next week its a nice tame 50 miler-multiple loops
as you know!
i pulled out at the 38.5 miles checkpoint
words fail me.
Your tenacity is unbelievable.
(oh - OK - there's four to be getting on with!)
you are truly a superstar
Lots of people this weekend DIDN'T walk 1.5 miles.
How many DID walk 38.5?
You got further than most people would have got.
You did over 90% of the course. In exam terms that would easily be a first.
(Well thats the way I think about it).
as i did 20 years ago
sure we did it the other way round though
what should have been dry tracks you could run on was pools of mud and gloop
i darent open the bin liner with my boots and trainers in