Ultima Frontera 166km 2014 - Spain 1st + CR

It might sound a little bit of a crazy idea running 2 100 mile races in 2 weeks (the last was Magredi Mountain Trail 100 mile in Italy) fair enough.... Though seeing as I've done worse things before and I just love running, especially if there is an odd mountain about, the trails here are amazing, (which is one of the main reasons I'm holding a coaching and training week here too) I just had to get it booked! 

I've been to the Ultima Frontera race twice before in 2011 and 2013 (2011 slightly shorter course with less ascent and in 2013 the same course as this) The organisation is great and the flights to Malaga from the UK are pretty low priced meaning it can actually be cheaper to go to Spain than it would have been to head down towards southern England or up into Scotland for example. From leaving the hotel at 8am to being back home by 1pm on Monday it's pretty good! 

To the actual race! Registration was on the Friday or pre race on Saturday. I arrived in Loja and grabbed some food before collecting my number etc and catching up with the crew! Headed back to base for a good feed in the evening and an earlyish night. 

View behind the hotel, the final couple of km comes around the front of that hill.

The checkpoint distances (35km and 64km were the same place and also 118km and 147km were also the same place) The route is 2 x 83km laps with about 5500m elevation total

Race started out at 9.15 on Saturday morning with an 83km race, 55km race, half marathon and the 166km all out on the same route for the first 10k, I was running around 6th person here although 2nd in the 166km. In my head I was expecting something between 18 and 20 hours considering the MMT and the hot weather forecast (apparently it sailed past 30 degrees) it felt hot and there isn't a lot of shade until it goes dark!

I noticed that the climbs felt easier than last year and felt really good, I moved into the lead of the 166 although still behind one runner of the shorter 83km event until about 30km where I passed him on the long 8km climb to cp2 and the highest point of the course.

Reaching 35km feeling good I headed off to 48km cp and made light work of the long climb and chewed up the descent pretty fast too. Roughly ... I was getting through 500ml of water and about 300ml of coke between most cps and adding 10 drops of EleteWater to the water. I did have a few additional gulps from the odd fountain as we passed through the small towns here and there too! Next up is a small climb followed by a long single track section before a gradual but exposed climb to the 64km cp, a very runnable section if you can handle the rocky single track. It was getting hot though and I drunk my fluids so eased the pace for 3 or 4km to reach the cp.

Next up quite a short section about 6-8km to the final cp with little ascent to deal with. I made use of a stream and lay in it to cool down, I was pretty hot but held the pace off and tipped water over myself whenever possible. It was a fairly brief cp stop before running on towards the half way point (aka the finish line in another 83km!) I think a lot of people who didn't finish get to the half way point just as night is arriving and the pressure of a 30 hour cut off combined with the fact that your hotel is a mile away and you're about to set off for ANOTHER 50 mile lap... if you're not totally focused beware of that! I got through in plenty of light, about 8 hours something for half way so about 5.30 in the evening, not too bad. I went in and ran my head under the cold tap for a couple of minutes before topping up my bottles and doing a few mobility exercises and heading out for some more trail slaying!

Despite being later in the day I felt hot and made use of a couple of springs to cool off thinking of it more as time invested rather than wasted. I knew I'd moved a little slower here to the first cp but I felt great and arrived at 103km before dark. There is a decent hill between here and the next cp 10 miles away and I knocked it out in about 1 hour 40 looking back. I had received a message to say that 2nd place was over 2 hours behind at half way and I was still moving comfortably. As I hit the cp at 131km I got a message to say that 2nd place had just left the 103km cp. We were both heading to the same cp next although it being my 147km point and his 118km point... Who would arrive first....?

I ran better on this section than I did during the first lap as it had cooled down to around 20 degrees now and it was dark, I was feeling even better than I did during the afternoon! I was enjoying the trail but suddenly felt something in my right calf..... I kept going, few minutes later felt it again... I eased off to a steady run then suddenly again I felt something weird... A little tiny dog had been following me for I don't know how long and made me jump big time! There was nothing wrong with my calf just the dog had brushed against my leg, being dark and totally focused on what I was stepping on in front I didn't expect it at all. Anyway it stopped and ran back and suddenly I had hit the cp, no sign of runner number two who would now have to be at least 3 and a half hours behind. I knew it was 'in the bag' now and changed my head torch batteries, had a quick chat and topped up my water before heading on for the final cp!! Last 14 miles to go! 

I moved well over the last section and made my way up the gentle climb towards the last descent into Loja. I wasn't sure on my actual time at that point but knew I hit 161km at 17 hours 30 something and decided that the final 5km with a decent uphill could be doable in under 30 mins. I pushed pretty hard for it but came home in 18 hours 2 minutes! Not quite the sub 18 but I was happy that I had run well without any particular low spots other than being a bit hot during the day.

Some might notice I ran in road shoes, the tracks and trails are firm and there are a few short tarmac sections through towns, it's not too technical if you're regularly on the trails and fells although if you're only used to running on the road I guess it would feel quite technical in places.

A few of the questions I've been asked about this one so far...
Did I eat anything? I had a banana in terms of food during the race, calories from 2 fruit juice cartons and an orange juice carton, literally a couple of crisps at a checkpoint and coke for fluids.

Before the race? 3 breakfast 9bars on the morning. The night before I had Spag Bol and a massive sandwich which had everything from eggs to chicken, ham and bacon in it. Delicious!

Is it easy to do a race abroad? The ones I have done YES. Organisers tend to be very helpful from my experience, at the airport or bus terminals etc there is always someone speaking English too if that is a concern you have. It's not too difficult to learn a few words though either and I wouldn't be surprised if someone has an app that translates things on those fancy phones?

So have you another 100 mile booked in 2 more weeks?
Haha... not as it stands, having an easy week and then looking at training and racing plan for next year and then what events to fit in where! Thanks to winning this I now have an entry in the AAUT for 2015 too! Should make a nice summer holiday after the Dragons Back.

If you'd be interested in finding out more about the trail running coaching week held towards the end of February 2015, to see if it's right for you, hear some more details, just send me a message through the contact form on my website and I'll keep you in the loop! 

Isle of Man Mountain Ultra

Well I'd never been to the Isle of Man and any race with the words Mountain and Ultra in the title have got to be worth a look right?!!

It's a short flight away from Liverpool airport, literally before you finish going up the plane starts coming back down again! One of the organisers had arranged for a quick tour of the Island on the Friday after arriving. We drove about and pointed out which hills were which and had a little stroll up Snafell, about 10km into the race then drove down towards the finish where I would be staying for the weekend at Cherry Orchard (a hotel with some self catering apartments too) in Port Erin. Port Erin is a nice little town with nearby headlands overlooking the sea. Had a little 10k run around on the Friday afternoon in some stunning weather.

It's a linear route finishing at Port Erin so staying there made sense and also there was a shuttle from there on the morning of the race to the start. Very easy for runners in terms of logistics. The bus to or from the airport straight to Port Erin is only a few £ and about 7 miles away.

So race day starts with a 6am bus to the start line. There is a 7.30 start and an 8.30 start so those planning to mostly walk or take their time can get going a bit sooner. Kit check and registration in a village hall so sheltered from the elements although at this point it was fairly nice and fantastic watching the sunrise!

As the early group set out I had a run up the first mile or so of the course for a warm up and then back to the start. The route I would describe as a bit like a fell race initially then turning into more of a trail race around half way then finishing as a fantastic section along some coastal paths! If you want variety and scenery then you're in the right place! There are some flagged sections and on the whole in clear weather it's easy to stay on the route, on the day it began cloudy however...

From the start I led out along the sea front and then on to the first climb, nearing the top of the first climb a runner edged past and off into the mist. The route essentially follows a ridge so although the path was relatively obvious an eye on the map was useful. I was moving well but wary of pushing too hard as I was literally flying to Italy 3 days later for a 100 mile race at the weekend, the plan was to run just as hard as needed if at the front, but try and get by with fresh legs as possible as I was really focusing on the MMT 100.

After the first 10k or so there was another decent climb up Snafell which had been clear on Friday was now in the cloud, being a little bit more like a fell race at this point choosing the best line up the hill was important. I kept seeing some of the local guys along side just a few meters away on a better 'path' so a quick shuffle across to catch back up kept me in the game. I enjoyed the descent next before picking up another little trod wiggling its way along the road side. One thing I did notice was a lot of support at road crossings there were a surprising amount of spectators and friendly faces!

Over the next few peaks the same thing happened, I'd pass runners only to be caught as I was looking for the right trods and tracks to follow in the cloud, whilst I never got lost and was always heading in the right direction it was becoming clear that local knowledge was keeping me from getting any significant ground on anyone. I eased the pace a little and just focused on running smoothly over the rough terrain. There is quite a lot of ascent (2500m) in the 30ish mile course which although there are no giant climbs, means there are lots of smaller ones, some with a bit of a bite to them! 

After another ascent up into the mist again I was just struggling to get the best lines across the fells although heading the right way, a few meters to one side or the other would make a significant difference to the quality of track.

Approaching half way the paths are more defined, and the route becomes more like a trail race, after a section wading through gorse I wasn't all that pleased about (sharp stuff that!) we descended down to a roadside cp. There are quite frequent water stops and they had jelly babies on them too, if you're running it though you'd probably be best to carry what food you want as they are technically just water points.

A pretty good climb up through the woods and I had resorted by now to just jog it in to the end and enjoy the route, on a clear day it likely would have been easier to spot the tracks over the fells but I guess some of the locals were happy with the cloud who seemed to know the route well not even needing the maps out! The weather brightened up by now and a good fast section along firm trail led to a road crossing with an out and back up to the top of a hill, It was quite good to be able to see other runners who were just infront and behind and shout some encouragement to each other. I had guessed it to be 8-10 miles from the end at this point and there are only really 2 climbs left and some undulations from there.

The final 5ish miles runs along the coast with some stunning views out to see! It was fantastic weather by now and I really enjoyed running along this section! There is a very short but quite stiff climb before you gain the final headland and then it's a run around towards Port Erin on nice coastal trail! The finish was a hive of activity with many people out to support and cheer the runners in.

The finishers medal was made of slate and was pretty unique! There were beers for finishers too and everyone just lay about on the grass in the sun clapping in other runners! Overall the event had such a friendly and welcoming atmosphere and the organisation was spot on! The Manx Fell runners and all the volunteers involved did a great job, literally at every road crossing there would be someone cheering!

There is time for everyone to get showered and changed and  fed before the presentation in the evening at the Cherry Orchard where it was great to be able to catch up with local runners and some of those who had travelled over too. Lots of clapping all round with some fantastic performances! I rolled in over the 6 hour mark inside the top 10 but having had a fantastic run! It is definitely very cool running pretty much the length of a whole island too!
Jump on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/IsleOfManMountainUltra?fref=ts for more information and for next years event! A fantastic running holiday without a long flight!
Thanks to all those involved for looking after us tourists, especially Mark, Lloyd and the Manx Fell Runners!


I think the race would suit someone with a bit of fell race experience yet equally there are some good fast trails to be had later in the race and on a clear day the scenery is fantastic! I think I played the sensible option dropping off the intensity as it meant I didn't get tired legs and could go on to run well in Italy (a win at the Magredi Mountain Trail 100 mile, blog here this week once I get the photos together!)

Inov-8 Grand Tour of Skiddaw

The Grand Tour of Skiddaw... In their words... '44 miles of fast trail taking in a climb up the might Skiddaw at the halfway point' ... Pretty accurate I reckon. Not sure how many people would call the ascent of Skiddaw fast, give or take a few seconds it took me about 45 mins, but on the whole it was a mix of good firm trail and a couple of grassy fields, with an odd mile or two of country lane. 

The route is basically a lolly pop shape starting nearish to Carlisle at the Hq, which was a sports hall with showers etc and large field for camping, some catering guys there to prevent an angry mob of hungry runners and Tony H was out in force ready for any last minute gear purchases. First 7 or so miles to the first checkpoint are following fields and rivers to Caldbeck, then off up High Pike which is a gradual grassy climb followed by a long fairly easy going trail following the Cumbria Way to Skiddaw Bunk House and along to the car park at Latrigg near Keswick.
A good 4-5km uphill to Skiddaw at, I believe 931m, descend towards Bassenthwaite down the Longside Edge to reach the 3rd cp at Peter House Farm before an undulating couple of miles along the Cumbria Way in places to reach the road down to Caldbeck before retracting steps to reach the first cp (now cp 4) and the final 7ish miles back to base and a finish line!

                                             
A cool start which soon warmed up nicely as we set off at 8. I was even at the start line on time! I had a pretty relaxed morning waking up about 7ish and wolfing down a couple of breakfast 9bars and some water and that was pretty much it, ready to go (kit check and registration I did Fri evening) The event had a very relaxed feel about it which was nice and the crew all over the course were fantastic! 10/10 for the crew and organisation! Nice one guys!

Seeing as I had done no recceing at all (except the first and last 3ish km - I entered last minute) I only knew about 5 miles of the course, but figured there'd be a group of runners on the first leg (which was also the last leg) so should be fine along with the really good map and directions we received. I took the gpx file on the handheld Garmin for a back up and used it quite a lot to keep on track without worry.

Cheers Sports Sunday for this one! Beware photographers hiding in the bracken! 

We set out at a pretty slow pace of about 7 runners near the front which soon became 3 despite nobody making a particular break it seemed. The trail wound along the river and fields although there were a few opportunities to get confused it was pretty straight forwards. I kept an eye on the gps and let the other 2 runners, Ian and Nick run ahead whilst I took some photos and enjoyed the sunshine. We rolled up at cp 1 and for some reason mine and Nicks cards didn't scan. I grabbed a bit of water and jogged on. It's a gradual uphill on the next section which had been marked out for us to an intermediate marshal taking numbers, I followed Ian and Nick up the climb, Nick had a fast walking speed and was local to the area.

Handy route guide

Enjoying the run out towards Caldbeck

The descent on the other side was a little bit thin on the ground and covered in ferns I took my time down and was surprised at how much gap had opened up I was sat about 3 - 5 mins behind the pair I guess over the next section that rolled along a good trail to Skiddaw Bunk House. I was happy at the pace we were running and just carried on at what felt pretty easy. (despite running easier than I normally would over the first half as a bit of an experiment I didn't actually feel any more energetic in the 2nd than normal - interesting)

The first hill there in the distance

After the bunk house there is a short run to Latrigg car park below Skiddaw where the 2nd cp was. I stopped to splash some cold water on myself in a stream and turned to start running again and I heard a voice shout from in the fearns! It was only David from Sports Sunday and his huge camera! Got caught with an arse shot good style! I said a quick hello and was on my way down to some smiley crew to chat to briefly before I grabbed a bit more water and heading back up Skiddaw. The front 2 runners had about 5 mins on me as I passed them, Nick looked most strong at the time, so I set out to catch them up.

High Pike 'summit'

It wasn't long before I'd caught the pair and stuck with them for a couple of mins before jogging on up to the summit, as far as I can remember the first time I had actually been able to see whilst on the summit which was pretty cool! A quick hello to Joe and I even snapped a photo of him before the short backtrack to pick up the loose rocky slope to the ridge. A fantastic route down which I enjoyed and before I knew it Ian had pulled back up along side and there was no sign of Nick as we jogged into the 3rd cp. I had a quick slurp of coke and then topped up the water.

Mr Faulkner on Skiddaw

The next section had a few fields to weave through before a mile or so on the road. Running together with Ian I noticed his footsteps were getting heavier as I nudged the pace up a little. He dropped back slightly and apologised for putting the headphones on and battling on. We left the road and skirted around the fell towards the final cp for a few miles and Ian seemed to be pushing quite hard and stayed probably a minute ahead. I stopped at a couple of streams to tip water on myself and slid down a couple of gels in a bit of an experiment to see if I actually felt any more energetic than usual. I was thinking about the remainder of the course and decided that it'd be a bit silly to finish 2nd when I was feeling pretty strong still. I planned to put a fast descent in on the mile or so road downhill into the cp to close the gap up and so I would leave the cp with him, turned the corner and immediately saw Ian walking down the road, I guessed he must have been having a tough time and I slowed to check he wasn't injured before running on enjoying the downhill into the cp. I topped the bottle up one last time and set off back out the cp before Ian arrived. He had been going well all day it seemed so I didn't want to risk having him too close and making a silly error in the final 10km that could cost a win. I was running well still and just concentrated on the route. On the way out this morning I had turned back at major junctions so I knew what I was looking for on the return so had no troubles polishing off the final few miles. I had an interesting moment were I was swooped at by a buzzard running across an open field with nothing to really hide behind before hitting what I knew was the final 3 km from running it on the Friday night... steady to the end to break the course record and finish in 7.09 9 or 10 minutes ahead of Ian who finished well and Nick about 40 minutes later who, with no pressure from 4th had enjoyed the run in I think. 

All done!

After that it was time to lay in the sun for a while, eat soup and do some clapping before I got a shower and did some more laying in the sun and eating soup. There were finishers coming in up until nearly 4am (just under 20 hours I think) which must have been a tough day so well done to those guys especially! It was great to catch up with lots of friends and meet some new ones too as always!

Breakfast by 9bar! 

 The prize presentation was the following day at noon so a relaxed evening and morning went down well before that. I even got my photo taken with some famous running chap called Billy! What a guy!

Running Celebs! Gaynor Prior and Billy Bland!

All in all a great event with great support, the route is varied without being too difficult terrain wise. The relaxed weekend away with a bit of running certainly worked well. A few more mountains in the route would liven it up a bit although I'm sure there are enough people who think that was plenty ;)
I believe the next event being held is The Cumbria Way Ultra in September at 73 miles. I haven't really a spare weekend but if it's something you fancy jump on their website to find out more

http://www.pureoutdoorsevents.co.uk/index.php/the-cumbria-way-ultra

Nice finisher medal, a t shirt and a pair of Inov8 shoes for winning! That'll do! Off to Switzerland for a run this week! 

Berghaus Trail Chase 2014

The Berghaus Trail Chase. First time the race has been put on by Shane and his team who has stacks of racing and organisational experience so it was bound to be a good one!  (organiser of The Dragons Back race - I'm in for 2015 and crewed it last time)

Basically the race is split over 2 days, 3 different coloured courses black - longest, red medium and blue was the shortest. All met in Osmotherly on the Saturday morning to register then the 3 different groups were rounded up and transported to the relevant start by bus. From there run the well marked course back to our overnight camp location which was a field with a village hall. Our overnight bags and tents were transported here so on arrival set the tent up and tuck into some food! I took a few dehydrated meals and breakfast 9 bars so made the most of the free cups of tea but didn't sample the veggie meals you could buy there on the Saturday night as nice as they looked. (I like animals - especially beef  ) ;)

So anyhow we started around 2.15pm somewhere in Yorkshire and ran 35km the first day on the black course. I led out the first couple of km on a single track path then 2 runners passed by local chap Duncan the overall winner and another runner David.

There was a good strong wind on the day and running on the tops of the moors for the majority with a few ups and downs was basically how it went. Generally the tracks were pretty good under foot, the biggest issue was some of the descents that had ferns growing over the narrow tracks meaning you couldn't see what was on the floor, I slowed down a lot on these sections and had my hands outstretched in front to try and break the way through. Even on these sections the markings were easy to follow, it was rare that a flag wasn't in sight unless on a straight path with no potential turnings at all.

It was great to see Mr Corless popping up all over the place hiding in the bracken and jumping out with his camera, he took some awesome shots and they're up on here http://iancorless.photoshelter.com/gallery/Day-1/G0000r7A1PugutGw/C0000R0U4V260Jl4

After about 10 miles there was a gentle climb up onto the next track and I rapidly caught up with then 2nd place, we said a few words and I carried on past when the path opened out and that was the last I saw of any runners on the black course until the end of the 2nd day! I think in the middle of the pack there were some exciting chases going on but it was a little lonely out at the front end. 

There was a few km maybe 5 or 6 along the top of a ridge on a stony track with a meaty cross wind and just as I was thinking hmmm it'd be nice to have some good climbs, the route went off into the bracken covered track around the end of a valley and dropped into a ravine, pretty exciting, a quick crossing of a river then wading through some more ferns to a small climb and then looking down I could see the camp and finish area for the day, a little more climbing through the heather to then enjoy a fast descent for a couple of km into the finish. With 3 different length courses starting at different times from different places it was quite exciting looking out for the next finishers. I finished day 1 in 2nd about 10 mins behind the leader and about 14 minutes ahead of 3rd.

After finishing it was a case of whipping the tent up and recovering for next day for us all. I've had a bit of practice recently with the multi day recovery from Spain and lots of back to back trail marathons and long runs in the past few months so to be honest this was pretty short for me and one of my lowest mileage weekends for a while but it had a good bit of intensity keeping up with these fast ones!

 In the AAUT I had stuck to breakfast 9bars x2 for breaki so I went with the same for today, besides it was only 13 miles so pace would be quite high and the 7.10am start felt a bit early for a cooked breakfast! Despite not having to prepare breakfast and simply just open and eat I still managed to dordle about enough to be late for my start! The Chase part of the name is due to the fact that runners set off on day 2, in the order they finished on day 1 and with a time delay too! So first runner start at 7am, me in 2nd 10 mins behind started at 7,10 (well a minute or 2 later oops) then 3rd starts 14 minutes after me and so on....

Cool idea but a 10 minute gap or a 14 minute gap is a minute or mile or more to make up on only 13 miles on what was really good fast tracks with a few short sharp climbs. I think it would have been great fun mid pack with more runners close together or if the distances were reversed. So the 13 mile the day 1 would mean the gaps would be smaller and the longer 21 mile on day 2 so there is more time to pull those gaps back for runners. Also in 21 miles it's long enough to notice a bit of fatigue and make for some exciting chases towards the end! Maybe it's only me that thinks that, I had a fantastic weekend and race as it was, to me that would make it more exciting. The only problem with a chasing start is that runners nearer the tail end may be a bit disheartened if they focused on the leader nearly finished when they are setting off... Although they do get a lie in and I think the key is to focus on the runners near you time wise instead.

Day 2 was much more enjoyable route than day 1 to me personally, just seemed more varied and it was great following the line of hills along. The route set off gradually uphill and onto the Cleveland Way which I believe features in the Hardmoors races somewhat (not done any of those events yet. Maybe next year?) I managed to trip in a hole on day one which I didn't see as it was whilst following the track through ferns so despite the legs feeling fresh and no noticeable aches I was just a bit cautious initially to check all was ok which it was. I snapped a couple of piccies. The purple hills went by quite quick and it wasn't long before I was nearing the end. I glanced at the watch just as I was heading towards a hill to see the distance... 19km... hmmmm I thought 'worse case' scenario is we run up and over that hill, 'best case' is we turn right before it and go down the valley and a medium option would be skirting around the hill with a little climb, although I wasn't expecting to catch 1st place I knew there is always a chance someone can run off course or take a tumble so whilst I wouldn't wish it on anyone I kept the pace on hoping we might get one more good climb where I might be able to pull some time back. After a very fast descent we took a right turn down the valley and I was flying, suddenly around a bend the flags for our route were now accompanied by blue and red flags indicating the point where the 3 courses shared the last mile or so back to the finish (I knew roughly the distance from a peek at the map at registration) so I pushed on down and got a glimpse of the marquee at the end and kept the pace on all the way to the line. Duncan had been back about 10 mins so didn't gain any time on me on the 2nd day but held tight at the front end.  There was a tasty veggie meal and piece of cake for finishers, luckily I smuggled some beef jerky in my car too haha.

There were some impressive runs all round for many this was the longest they'd run in a weekend and for some it was the chance to race hard and get a great introduction to multi day trail  running events which is fantastic! Being a variety of distances well marked and organised also makes it accessible to most, so definitely one to look out for next year!

Thanks to all the extremely helpful marshals and well done on the organisation! For me it was great to do something a bit different rather than knock out long runs every weekend! Nice wooden engraved trophies too! I think a medal would be nice for next time too and showers at the overnight camp so I could wash my hair would be perfect or is that just me being a bit of a diva? ;)