The Lyke Wake Race - 12.07.2014

The Lyke Wake weekend arrived! After much anticipation it was finally here! Before I left Leeds in May I signed up to this race with my running club in Leeds - Chapel Allerton Runners. The Lyke Wake race has been going for 50 years, and CAR has traditionally supported it, both by running it and supporting it. Due to the demands of organising a race, this was unfortunately going to be the last year it was able to be held, the 50th anniversary, and so we wanted to put out a team for one final hurrah!

Unfortunately, due to some minor problems with our team registration and an injury, our team got disqualified twice before we started. But it takes more than that to deter our team from a challenge! And so, we arrived, at 6.30am in a small car park in the North York Moors, for a  quick photo shoot before kick off (Kath, Craig, Steve, Micheal and me in the picture, and the final member of our team was Mike, who set off later on).

The start consisted of a man in overalls shouting "7.10ers - GO!" and we all unquestionably did as he said, and set off. There is no set route for this event, you start in the small car park near Osmotherley, and you end at the Raven Hall Hotel in Ravenscar, but how you get there is up to you. If you're smart, and handy with a map and compass, you will choose the shortest route, 40 miles. Therefore, this was the plan. I was nervous, as having moved away, I had missed the recce of the first two stages, which looked the most complicated part. I had tried to be prepared, but as you can see, the maps are upside down, which is just a technical hitch with my computer, but actually isn't too far from the truth when I am handed a map.

It was so good to see the running club again! The first two stages passed largely unnoticed body-wise, catching up with people, but some beautiful views were around already - gradually coming up through the woods onto the moors, high up above the ground in the quiet early morning air. It is indeed a treat to be able to be out in the world in such a place at such a time when it seems that every leaf and every dewdrop is shimmering with anticipation of a new day. And what a day it was!

But quickly back down to earth, and a quick custard cream (it can hardly be 8am, and it's acceptable to eat biscuits - if for no other reason, that alone is enough to do this) and re-group at checkpoint 1. Then we pressed on to checkpoint 2 where the support crew had arrived - it was a big and lovely surprise to have so many people supporting us today - John, Jas, David, Rhian, Kath's Mum - with refreshments and encouragement and advice. And of course my Mum too, who had planned for hours how to get to the different checkpoints to see both us runners, and also my Dad who was walking the route. Logistical nightmare, but not a match for my Mum! Huge thanks to all - it makes such a difference to know that in a few miles there are going to be familiar faces and smiles to spur us along. And of course, this is HUGE amounts of time to give up to come and support people at an event like this, it's incredibly kind.

 

Then it was off again, to tackle the next section before the Lion Inn at checkpoint 3....



It was starting to get hot now, and there would be no more shade all day up on the moors. I ran out of drink only half way through this stage. The sun beat down harder. You could fry an egg on these rocks. Argh! Thirst! Then, we turned a corner, and there was the Lion Inn in the distance, where cold rice pudding and peaches were waiting! This had been widely promoted by Micheal in the run up to the event, but truthfully I had been slightly unenthusiastic by the prospect of cold rice pudding. But oh, what a delight! Never has anything tasted so good or provided such needed energy!

At the Lion Inn Kath decided to run her own pace, and run separately. I didn't want her to and was worried about her, but on the other hand, I had already met some lovely people running during the morning, and was confident that we were really all one large team, and I knew we would all look out for each other. I have found this on all long races I have done, there is definitely a feeling of all being in this together, in fact, someone I spoke to described these types of run as "less of a test of speed and more of a test of survival", which is a bit ominous, but I get what he meant. 

So, we set off, along the road for a while, and past a signpost for Fryup, surely the most desirable place name in the UK. A bacon sandwich? Don't mind if I do. And a fried egg? Yes please! There was a cycle race coming in the opposite direction along the road, and it was a great few minutes where runners and cyclists were all shouting out encouragement and grinning to each other - a big boost to moral for all.

Then it was up onto the moors. Initially, this was brilliant! The peet bog had dried out enough so that it was firm, but still bouncy, and running on it was like bouncing along a trampoline! A welcome relief for sore feet. Bogs are brilliant! Happily bouncing along in our false sense of security, we brusquely disappeared knee deep in the first non-bouncy/ actual bog, part of bog. Strange to say this, but it was unexpectedly pleasant - feet feeling so hot and dusty that the bog felt as luxurious as a foot spa!  The shout of 'BOG!' became our frequent battle cry as the runner in front tried to find a safe path through the moor. Mostly unsuccessfully.

At about half way, the conversation turned to pee. I have never run this far with a group of only men before. I remained on the outskirts of these conversations, not being entirely sure about contributing to the detailed and enthusiastic discussion of body experiences. After 30 miles I didn't care any more, and joined in the conversations. No, actually, now you mention it, I haven't been able to pee either, and no, in fact, I don't feel like I need to. As soon as I said this out loud, I immediately began to worry - surely it can not be normal to not need to pee for 8 hours?! Is it?! I have been obsessing about this ever since, and have calculated I drank about 5L of fluids (mostly electrolyes, but some water, squash, lucozade and flat coke - flat coke! Amazing!!), but this must not have been enough. I am still worrying about this. Was I dehydrated? Or was by not peeing mean I was retaining water? What does it mean????

The last few miles became tougher, and I am so proud of all my team who carried on in the face of discomfort with good humour, and maintained the ability to laugh always! Especially my team-mate Craig who only started running in January and had never run more than 13 miles before today - whenever anyone (including myself) says that something is too difficult to attempt - he is proof that if you want to do something enough, if you put your mind to it, victory will be yours!

Around this point I used my emergency energy gel. I hate energy gels. They are sickly and sweet and sticky, and somehow manage always to get everywhere. But I always carry one in my pocket on long runs for emergencies, as like it or not, they pack a lot of calories in a very small punch. I have come to have a sort of a "lucky gel". I got it free after some race ages ago. I have been carrying around so long without needing it that it is now a few months out of date. But by having it, it's like a security blanket. But not today! Still a few miles from the next checkpoint and starting to get the unpleasant sensations of your petrol tank running low, I cracked open the gel with some sadness. It worked though, within 10 minutes I was feeling better. I suppose I'd better get a new one.

Soon the sea came into view! And the mast which signals the official end of the walk (although, rather unkindly, to finish the race you have to carry on a bit after that to get the the end in the Raven Hall Hotel). Anyway, the mast is approaching! There's an "up" to the mast, but it's a gentle incline, Micheal assured us. Indeed, filling our field of vision was a gentle hill, rising up to the mast of our dreams (the end), even broken by the final check-point at Jugger.

Jugger. I knew there was something about that name. Indeed, a few minutes later, we reached the edge of what I would unhesitatingly describe as a vertical drop, a cliff even, to a stream, with an equally unpleasant vertical climb up the other side. "Gental incline" indeed. We put a plan into action. Walk up the hill to the small tree where it flattened out a bit, and then start running, as we were approaching the checkpoint and must give the impression to our supporters that we were still holding things together.

Things became slightly tense at the checkpoint as after comparing watches (those which still worked) it became clear we had about 35 minutes to get to the end within our 9 hour aim. It was about 30 minutes run from here to the end. We cut short our final break and set off with purpose.

We made it! 8.57 minutes (3 minutes spare, loads of time, don't know what all the fuss was about). The end was fab - we crossed the line together in a band of green and couldn't stop grinning!

Kath was hot on our heels. I almost missed her come in, as I needed to set off again with my Mum to go back to meet my Dad who was coming through an earlier checkpoint, but I just caught her and was so happy to see her sprint down that last road still smiling - her first ultra, what a finish!

And.......we were un-disqualified and won the team prize! A trophy!!! Totally worth all the blisters. In fact, what blisters? What pain? All forgotten already!

My Dad was powering through, looking great, and strangely non-muddy and serene for someone who has just walked 40 miles through bog. Here is is having just climbed the hill at Jugger, near to the end.

So, I was lucky to be a part of two fantastic teams - CAR and also my awesome family! Big congratulations go to my Dad who finished within 15 hours, in spectacular style, walking off the moor at the exact second it went dark and a storm of biblical proportions hit! Here were are at the start..

...and the end...

...and, of course, my Mum, by the official finishing stone - without her, neither of us would have made it there with body and mind (largely) intact - thank you!

For more info on the Lyke Wake walk check out the website:

http://www.lykewakewalk.co.uk/race.html

Keeping everything crossed it will be on again next year!