This day, more than any other in my opinion, will help decide the final standings. Last year I was three hours ahead of the next finisher which meant I could take it easier for days five and six and get to know some of the other runners a bit more. I expect no such luxury this year and given Paul's obvious quality over long distances I have a hearty breakfast of vegetable hotpot to see me right for the first couple of hours. It was this day last year that I started with chilli for breakfast after I'd swapped a dried meal with Ivan at the drop bag evening feast the night before. I just couldn't handle another day of porridge, despite having porridge every morning usually. I'd planned for this to happen this year and reduced my breakfast meals accordingly so I had more variety to choose from. Effectively having two evening meals a day - one for breakfast and one for tea.
At the start I am concentrating a bit more than usual. I've checked my bag a couple of times and moved my food for the day to accessible pockets. I've got water and sachets of sports drink on hand for later when food may be too much. I know the terrain but know that Paul does too - we are still on The Pennine Way for most of the day so there's not much advantage there. I decide my race strategy for the day is to go out hard and hold on. Those who know me know that's not really much of a plan and that I normally set off too fast in races and then hang on to the finish. I've never mastered the art of negative splits or even pacing and like (maybe that's too strong a word) running with a bit of fear to keep me moving. (Those of you reading this and running in 2020 please note I will have mastered all racing tactics including these and many, many more by then!)
I bolt off the start line at the sounding of the starter and grab a gap on the first climb up the side of Penygent. It's risky but it's also controlled. I do glance behind frequently and see my gap growing. I hold it at a comfortably uncomfortable pace and crack on. This stage is really a wonderful variety of terrain and a real showcase for where I live. Arriving at Malham Tarn I adjust my clothing and bag a cracking photograph shot on my way past before checking in and out of the checkpoint. Really I do have an advantage here because I can break up the stage in to chunks that work for me. Push on to Malham, take it easy down the limestone staircase and then plod along the river to Gargrave.
https://www.facebook.com/BeyondMarathon/videos/2328528167164255/?t=1
Approaching Gargrave I see someone running towards me and it's Tom come out to say hello. He knows me and also Paul, both of them having a Spine Race pedigree. He runs with me for a bit and knows he can't offer any help or assistance so stands by admirably silent while I nearly get lost a few times. There's an especially tricky bit around the canal where the trace seems to be on the other side, there doesn't seem to be a path and I'm trying to manage my rising mini-panic when I remember to look at the map and then where to go and calm down. After a bit of a chat he turns around and runs back to spend a little time running with Paul as well. This is a lovely, and unexpected, boost and before I know it I'm approaching my home ground. I can hear my family cheering and ringing cowbells as I approach the gate and they zoom round to wave at me from the road as I cross in several places up and down through Lothersdale and Cowling before I head off on my own. Again this is a lovely boost and in a turn of tables Kate is Facebook live videoing me instead of the other way around which makes me smile.
https://www.facebook.com/sally.golightly1978/videos/10155607281767256/?t=7
I'm up and over Ickornshaw moor, which is a slog at the best of times, and coming down to the next checkpoint at a reservoir when another friend, Gary, comes into view around a corner. 'Blimy,' he says, 'you're moving fast and I know it's not for the camera because you didn't know I was here.' He's hurt his leg and jogs to keep up as we descend having a chat before getting to the checkpoint where I sit for about 3 seconds, fill up my water and then get off.
https://www.facebook.com/sally.golightly1978/videos/10155607281767256/?t=7
I'm up and over Ickornshaw moor, which is a slog at the best of times, and coming down to the next checkpoint at a reservoir when another friend, Gary, comes into view around a corner. 'Blimy,' he says, 'you're moving fast and I know it's not for the camera because you didn't know I was here.' He's hurt his leg and jogs to keep up as we descend having a chat before getting to the checkpoint where I sit for about 3 seconds, fill up my water and then get off.
Andy from last years race is on this checkpoint and he's encouraging and I know he understands that I just need to crack on so I get rid of my race food rubbish, say my goodbyes and head up towards Top Withins.
This next section is another lovely stretch which is undulating and with a real variety of terrain; sometimes open moor with what seems a wide choice of direction options and sometimes narrow, walled paths rollercoasting over the land, slowly grinding uphill and then shooting over the top and down the other side with views worthy of being more than just background to a race narrative. There's often a checkpoint on The Long Day that offers officially sanctioned additional race snacks as a boost. It's not guaranteed, of course, and it could be anywhere. This year it's just before Stoodly Pike. Last year I refused to take any because I wanted to finish the race on what I'd planned to carry. Well I may be daft but I'm not stupid so this year I grab something and head off.
Walking up the path to Stoodly Pike with a steak slice in one hand and a can of coke in another I feel like a king. I'm not much for fine dining but I can't remember any meal tasting or feeling so good. The section from Stoodly Pike itself to the next checkpoint, at The Whitehouse Pub, is another that always feels to me to be longer than it should. There's often a headwind, which is a pain, and it's flat enough that there's no real excuse for not running it. Which is also a pain, and potentially painful on sore feet. For what seems like forever there has been a diversion around one of the reservoirs and sure enough there it is on my trace so I jump over to start it. Then I glance over and realise the thing that's nagging my brain is the absence of fences and workmen and machinery on the main route. I stop and get out my map, which means adjusting my pack but I think it's worth it. Sure enough the line on the map doesn't use the diversion and keeps to the path. That was a good decision to take a little time over and I jump back over to the main path and find my cruise gear to take me along the path.
https://www.facebook.com/BeyondMarathon/videos/2329325383751200/?t=16
The end is fiddly, there's no two ways about it. It's well signposted this year but I did go back and forwards a few times last year wondering if I was right or not as there are plenty of times when you think the end is near and then the path seems to throw you a curve ball. But eventually I drop down to the road that's along from the campsite and run through the finish line. Nailed it. Last year I finished in 13 hours 46 and I was made up with that. This year it's 12 hours 56 minutes and I let out a shout. Happy with that, really happy. I collapse into the checkpoint and am looked after immediately by a wonderful volunteer who asks all the right questions. Hot water? Not yet. Sit down? Lovely. Shall I show you where the showers are? I'm ok, are they the same as last year? Yes. Right then let's get this routine done and look after myself before I think about anything else. One aspect of multi-day, self sufficient racing that I've found (with a grand total of 12 days experience so far) is it's the little things that make the most difference. I've got some dehydrated single use flannels and some soap leaves that take up no room at all but provide enough to wash and clean me every day after each stage in the mostly warm showers and an Alpkit travel towel that really is small but dries wonderfully well and then dries out quickly afterwards. I get clean and dry and head back for the hot water on offer to make a drink and my meal just in time to see Paul arrive, somewhat less than amused about the fiddly end to the stage. A while later Andy and then Greg arrive but it will be longer still before anyone else comes in to camp.
Paul finishes in 14:13, Andy a bit further back in 15:03 and then Greg in 16:48 before others come in into the morning. So another chunk of time added to my lead however unless you've met Paul I don't think you have a good understanding of what the word competitive means. If I slow for a moment he will make up time hand over fist and with a long flat day, 31 miles of canals, to come tomorrow it's less a case of fitness and more a case of mental strength to keep moving at speed when there's no reason to slow down except those you find for yourself. As I ponder how to tackle the challenge of the next day I'm mindful of the fact that there are still some people out on the course who won't get in until breakfast time and then go straight out on to the next day's stage. That's a cumulative total of 91 miles non-stop, with a full pack and no sleep. Suddenly the thought of getting a nights sleep and then waking up and running a shorter stage doesn't seem quite the task it was before. As there is a later start in the morning there's no sense going to bed too early as I'll only wake up early and when I finally do decide to go to sleep I decide to let tomorrow just happen and roll with it, it could be an interesting day on the flat.
This next section is another lovely stretch which is undulating and with a real variety of terrain; sometimes open moor with what seems a wide choice of direction options and sometimes narrow, walled paths rollercoasting over the land, slowly grinding uphill and then shooting over the top and down the other side with views worthy of being more than just background to a race narrative. There's often a checkpoint on The Long Day that offers officially sanctioned additional race snacks as a boost. It's not guaranteed, of course, and it could be anywhere. This year it's just before Stoodly Pike. Last year I refused to take any because I wanted to finish the race on what I'd planned to carry. Well I may be daft but I'm not stupid so this year I grab something and head off.
Walking up the path to Stoodly Pike with a steak slice in one hand and a can of coke in another I feel like a king. I'm not much for fine dining but I can't remember any meal tasting or feeling so good. The section from Stoodly Pike itself to the next checkpoint, at The Whitehouse Pub, is another that always feels to me to be longer than it should. There's often a headwind, which is a pain, and it's flat enough that there's no real excuse for not running it. Which is also a pain, and potentially painful on sore feet. For what seems like forever there has been a diversion around one of the reservoirs and sure enough there it is on my trace so I jump over to start it. Then I glance over and realise the thing that's nagging my brain is the absence of fences and workmen and machinery on the main route. I stop and get out my map, which means adjusting my pack but I think it's worth it. Sure enough the line on the map doesn't use the diversion and keeps to the path. That was a good decision to take a little time over and I jump back over to the main path and find my cruise gear to take me along the path.
https://www.facebook.com/BeyondMarathon/videos/2329325383751200/?t=16
The end is fiddly, there's no two ways about it. It's well signposted this year but I did go back and forwards a few times last year wondering if I was right or not as there are plenty of times when you think the end is near and then the path seems to throw you a curve ball. But eventually I drop down to the road that's along from the campsite and run through the finish line. Nailed it. Last year I finished in 13 hours 46 and I was made up with that. This year it's 12 hours 56 minutes and I let out a shout. Happy with that, really happy. I collapse into the checkpoint and am looked after immediately by a wonderful volunteer who asks all the right questions. Hot water? Not yet. Sit down? Lovely. Shall I show you where the showers are? I'm ok, are they the same as last year? Yes. Right then let's get this routine done and look after myself before I think about anything else. One aspect of multi-day, self sufficient racing that I've found (with a grand total of 12 days experience so far) is it's the little things that make the most difference. I've got some dehydrated single use flannels and some soap leaves that take up no room at all but provide enough to wash and clean me every day after each stage in the mostly warm showers and an Alpkit travel towel that really is small but dries wonderfully well and then dries out quickly afterwards. I get clean and dry and head back for the hot water on offer to make a drink and my meal just in time to see Paul arrive, somewhat less than amused about the fiddly end to the stage. A while later Andy and then Greg arrive but it will be longer still before anyone else comes in to camp.
Paul finishes in 14:13, Andy a bit further back in 15:03 and then Greg in 16:48 before others come in into the morning. So another chunk of time added to my lead however unless you've met Paul I don't think you have a good understanding of what the word competitive means. If I slow for a moment he will make up time hand over fist and with a long flat day, 31 miles of canals, to come tomorrow it's less a case of fitness and more a case of mental strength to keep moving at speed when there's no reason to slow down except those you find for yourself. As I ponder how to tackle the challenge of the next day I'm mindful of the fact that there are still some people out on the course who won't get in until breakfast time and then go straight out on to the next day's stage. That's a cumulative total of 91 miles non-stop, with a full pack and no sleep. Suddenly the thought of getting a nights sleep and then waking up and running a shorter stage doesn't seem quite the task it was before. As there is a later start in the morning there's no sense going to bed too early as I'll only wake up early and when I finally do decide to go to sleep I decide to let tomorrow just happen and roll with it, it could be an interesting day on the flat.
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