Day 36 = The Bolton Hill Marathon! This was the best day 36 ever! I was looking forward to this marathon, a great local event around the beautiful countryside around my home, but admit to being a bit intimidated by the tag-line of the events organisers:
Yikes. But my worries were vanished once we arrived at the start, and every single person both race people, runners and supporters were so friendly that I instantly felt at ease and ready for the start. Great to have my Mum and Dad along for the day too. Team Lomax = awesome!
3-2-1 Go:
Boom - no easy warm up, straight into those hills! This was the route elevation, so pretty much straight up for the first few miles, up to the radio mast on Winter Hill. This could have been really unpleasant, but met some really great people on the way up and chatting to them took my mind off the hills and put a smile on my face.
The going was quite bumpy underfoot, so it was a great feeling to finally reach the top of Winter Hill where there was a paved path, and then a long long downhill on the road. Fabulous views for miles around in the sunshine. The wind was pretty fierce up on the hills and it was a bit chilly, so nice to loose some height and gain some heat. Seemed to be lots of Ironman athletes out today 'training'. I cannot imagine running a marathon after swimming for 2.4 miles and cycling for 112 miles. In fact I can't imagine cycling for 112 miles after swimming for 2.4 miles. And if I'm completely honest, I can't imagine swimming 2.4 miles full stop. I feel challenged enough by one marathon on foot.
Along to the Pigeon Tower at Rivington, the focus of many childhood walks around here. I met a guy who was doing his first ever marathon. I remember when choosing my first marathon I chose the absolute flattest one I could find (Fleetwood, which was basically along the sea wall which is flat as a pancake) and complained bitterly each time I had to step up a curb, as I considered this tantamount to a hill. So, fair play to choose this one for a first! Team Lomax were at the Pigeon Tower, shouting encouragement from up above as I came up the road, which come to think of it, is pretty much how it worked when they took us for walks here when we were little. My enthusiasm for hill training has improved a little since then.
Then it was down a stony track to Horden Stoops , which is surely one of the best names about. I looked it up, and it might be from the Anglo-Saxon 'heorde' = herd, and 'hyrne' = nook/corner. So I suppose this means a herd in a nook. I can see that, I think sometimes there are sheep there, and it is sort of nooky. Then there was a great bit along a track on the moors and over to close to the Wellington Bomber Memorial at the top of Lead Mines Clough. A Wellington Bomber from Wymeswold in Leicestershire crashed here on a training flight in 1943 and all on board were killed - there is a memorial now near the crash site where poppies are placed. Could see them today, bright red flashes up on the green hillside.
Then it was don the road to the Waterman's Cottage by Angelzark where there was a feed station stocked with a runners gourmet feast, and a merry band of supporters. One man recognised me from Day 2 at the Bluebell 10km - he had asked me then what day I was on and I was a bit embarrassed when I said 2 as it didn't sound very much, so was happy to be able to say I was on day 36 to him today. Then it was up along the Goit to White Coppice where my parents had relocated to. This was my absolute favourite part of the run - it was a few miles out and back section to Brinscal, and so runners were running in both directions and calling out/ smiling/ high fiving each other. A greater feeling of camaraderie I haven't felt so strongly before, and it was brilliant to be a part of.
At this point I met a guy training for the Marathon Des Sables next year - 156 miles in 6 days. In the desert. Yikes! He was also listening to Rocky when I met him, so I had that tune in my head for the second half of the race, which came in pretty handy for The Hill at 21 miles.......
...but before then it was along Anglezark which is where I run a lot, so it was comforting to be somewhere familiar. Although we went up a path that I had no idea about until now! You learn something new every day. The race was thinning out now, and it was a bit lonely sometimes along this part. But again friendly marshals to keep us going (thanks to the lady who took my empty waterbottle and gel!) and then along Rivington, the smell of bacon sarnies (I am so hungry by now) and through some beautiful wildflower fields, again I'd never been through before....
...and then The Hill began. A few people had mentioned this near the beginning of the race, but I'd ignored what they said about the 'brutal' hill at mile 22. I'd be nearly back then, I thought, I won't mind it too much. Ha! On and on and on and on it went.....a colourful little trail of runners snaking up the hillside before me. All were walking, so I followed their lead and walked this part. I had started running, but I swear I was going backwards, and was actually getting further behind those in front of me who were walking. Then it flattened out a bit, and I thought it was over. Then it went up again, and I knew it wasn't. Adopted a scouts pace, running 20 steps and walking 20 steps. Finally! Reached the top. The hill seems to have caused my watch to have a total meltdown, as the last time I looked it said 21.88 miles, now it says 21.81, and it stayed frozen at this distance for the next 3 miles. I quite enjoyed not having a watch to obsessively look at at this stage of the race, which is quite easy to do once your legs start hurting ad every few seconds you look hopefully at your watch in case you've somehow got to the end quicker than you thought. I felt quite free. A nice fellow runner updated me on the distance at 24.25 miles, and then I saw the 25 mile sign and knew we were nearly back.
Well. I would have been, had I not made a slight/ fairly major navigational error after coming down the Miners 63 Steps back onto the road we came along at the start, and turned left back up the hill to begin on another lap of the entire marathon. I realised after a short while of climbing another hill that I shouldn't be going up any more hills at this point, and promptly turned back down it, trying to look nonchalant and like I had planned all along to climb a hill I didn't need to. Like there haven't been enough ealready.
Back on track, and along the last 0.2 miles through Moss Bank Park to lots of nice cheering people and Bolton FM shouting out our race numbers. Brilliant moments!
Now, I feel a little Oscar speech coming along, so make yourselves comfortable.... Thank you to all the runners who I was lucky to meet along the way, who made today so enjoyable, it was great to meet you all, and good luck for all of the running events some of you are training for. Also to all the marshals for giving up their sunny Saturday to look after us runners, and for being so positive and smiley. Also to the race organisers for a perfect race, and all your kind comments at the end. And to Bolton FM for your shout out for my fundraising at the end too! And to Team Lomax of course - the Dream Team!
The Bolton Hill Marathon has just leap-frogged straight to the top of my favourite marathon list, and I want to do it again already. See you next year Bolton...
Finishing time = 4:06:57.
Stats
Days: 36
Total miles: 352.4 miles
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