The Hadrian Hundred recce

Short notice for a last minute recce of the Hadrian Hundred. Might have been a bit ambitious in doing this 3 days after the 10 in 10, I still felt a bit knackered, but running out of weekends before the event.

The Hadrian Hundred is this year's annual LDWA 100 mile event, on the last bank holiday weekend in May. I'm doing it as part of my fundraising challenge for my friend Hannah: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/runningforhannah

It's one hundred self navigated miles, in a circular route, starting and finishing in Hexham in Northumbria. The recce weekend is a chance to figure out the route, get some training in, and have a holiday. It was really tough, even broken up over four days with some B&Bs and lots of nice food thrown in. I've done two hundreds before (neither very convincingly), but this route feels harder, and I'm now quite nervous! 

We started on Friday in Hexham, and ran 22 miles, about 10 of them along Hadrian's Wall....

...and finished for the day in Haltwhistle, which is the Centre of Britain, and had everything you need really.....

 

Plus the B & B, being on the Coast 2 Coast route, was obviously accustomed to having people to stay who were undertaking long journeys under their own steam, and as well as all the usuals, provided extra luxuries - deodorant! Plasters! 

Saturday was 34 miles, from Haltwhistle to Dufton. I had another running dream the night before, like usual. But not like usual, in this dream, I was running well and feeling good, and dreamt I got to the end with no problems at all. Which was in contrast to the Bible at the B&B which was open at a page in Isaiah where there was mention of beasts devouring dead bodies on a mountain. Which sounded ominous.

The day started off in a dream, beautiful sunny skies, and 18 nice flat miles through the valleys, woods and old railway tracks to Alston.

The heaviest downpour I had ever seen (up until that point) then happened, conveniently as we had just gone into to the local Spa (the shop sadly, not some luxury hotel) to stock up on supplies for the next two days. I secretly added in two giant Dairy Milk bars, which I planned on rationing at checkpoints over the next 2.5 days. Happily, the downpour stopped as we left, and as we headed on up to Garrigill it was just a bit drizzley. Here, we had an impromptu checkpoint in a toilet block to shelter from the wet, and then set out on the last 16 miles of the day, up over the fells; Cross Fell via Greg's Hut, along the ridge, and down to Dufton. 

Things started to turn more Isaiah-esque pretty soon after setting out in the 10km up to Greg's Hut. A long and tedious climb could turn into a long a tedious tale, so in summary, we got caught in a blizzard (which I later found out was called Storm Hannah!), and taking shelter in Greg's Hut (during which I consumed all chocolate rations, old and newly purchased), chose a different route down off the mountain to safety at Dufton. The wild beasts will thus remain hungry! And I am in no way nervous of the fact this is now the only part of the route I don't know, it's over a mountain, and it's likely going to be the part that I will do in the overnight bit. But I refuse to think of beasts!

Happily, our alternative route took us back to the valley quickly, and we ran the last 8 miles through fields filled with lambs, and rescued 3 who had 1) got stuck between a tree and a fence, 2) got the wrong side of the fence, and 3) got it's head stuck in a fence. Lambs are cute, but they really aren't smart, especially when it comes to fences. Which reminds me, the Sheep of the Year competition got some good contenders this recce...

Happy to be in Dufton safely, a lot of calories were consumed to replace energy lost via running/ stress/ surviving a blizzard, and the annual Luxury Item competition was held. During the recce, all kit for 4 days must be carried, and The Luxury Item competiton is a test of what, in addition to what you actually need, you are willing to carry that far, for a bit of luxury. There was good competition this year, a spare pair of underpants, slippers, a face mask.... 

I put my face mask on, went outside to let the rain wash it off, and crossed everything the weather would get better...

Sunday was 28 miles, from Dufton to Allenheads, up over the Moors, via High Cup Nick. 

The storm had passed, hurrah! And it was a beautiful day, with fantastic views, and quite a lot of climbing. We had been making good time, and had time for an extra long checkpoint at Cowshill. The last section was along rivers and round a beautiful forest,

Which was made extra exciting by the discovery of a Mine Museum around the other side, which we arrived at 10 minutes before the cafe shut...which meant an extra ice cream stop was scheduled. Yes!!!

A good rest at Allenheads on the last night and the final 18 miles on the last day back to Hexham. Most of the climbing was already done, and the last three sections were lovely along the valleys with some climbs up into the moors, with some good bogs. First stop of the day was in Allendale Town, which has it's own Tardis-mobile.

Yes it actually does. Hopefully it will be working on the event, and I shall record my fastest ever final 8 miles of a 100. The next section was up into the moor/bogs, and we met the farmer who owns the farm where the final checkpoint will be, who was the freindiest man, and gave us a low down on all the people (a lot) who he has met recce-ing the route so far, and also where we could find an old sofa in his farm yard, should we need to lie down on the event. 

The last section was really pretty, through woods, past the racecourse and then a long downhill section to the finish, which was a bit painful as my left quad has seemed unhappy for a couple of days now. It had better sort itself out asap!

It's a tough route, but beautiful. I'm hoping I found it difficult because I'm still tired from the TiT, so I think I'll stick to a rest next weekend, one marathon on each of the next weekends, and then that will be it, 100 time!