Howgills Half : Brutal
I made a comment and posted some lovely photos on a facebook status by Epic Events, which resulted in my winning a race entry for myself and a friend to the Howgills Half or full Marathon!
I was very excited, I love winning running stuff, and after being unable to attend the last race entry I won I was determined to make this one!
I in boxed my friend who loves running the hills and trails, she jumped at the chance to come along. We entered and received our email confirmations. Only as I entered did I actually look at what I had actually won ... I thought that I had won a nice trail run in the lakes. No. It was a Mountain running race! I've never run a mountain, the hilliest hills I had done were Rivington, and they killed me!
I didn't think too much more of it, afterall it was only 13 mile, and I had recently run/walked the Darwin 10k [Jackals Run] and I had Rivington to practise on. I could get up and down those ok ... I'd be fine!
As the event loomed I had seen a profile of the hills [mountains] on Trail26. I worried at first about the going up, then the sheer looking decent caught my eye! "are we abseiling!" I asked my friend. Luckily she was looking forward to it and didn't seem phased, she reassured me that we'd be fine.
The big day arrived and Maria picked me up at 7am to travel to the Lakes/Yorkshire. As we got nearer the sky grew grey and the mountains loomed covered with clouds. I was slightly shell shocked at where we were running. "Didn't you google it?" Maria asked. "Uhm, No" I replied! Some things you're better not knowing!
We parked up, walked a little way to the start and registered, all the time I fretted about the huge hill[s] in the background. We met up with other friends and chatted and took photos. The weather brightened and the clouds lifted so that we could see the top of the hills. It was mentioned that it was 3-4 mile up, then undualting and finally downhill. Something to look forward to!
The marathon guys set off and we made our way to the start for our race briefing. "If you need the toilet, it's too late, if you need to apply suncream, it's too late, if you haven't trained, it's too late ..." Then we were off!
Just O.M.G ... the first climb! It set off up toward Winder. I looked up and saw Maria making light work, I kept going. This was nothing like I has ever done! I was out of my comfort zone and wondered if I had made a big mistake! I struggled. My calfs were busting and my breathing was ragged. But Maria kept stopping and shouting encouragement. Head down I kept going and after much suffering I made the first Trig Point! I'd done the first bit. In the distance I saw people climbing up and up. I was only 2 mile in and I wanted to throw up!
We kept going, I slowly plodded behind maria enjoying the trails and fells then the next hill. Tough again, but my breathing was better, my calfs still exploding. The first four mile was up hill.
Then we reached another Trig Point at The Calf. I was over the moon to have got this far and not given up. I had wanted to go back in the first few mile. It was just undulating from now? I can do undulating. Well I thought I could but the run was hard going for me. My legs were so tired from the four mile constant climbing up hill, but the views were fantastic. Miles 6 and 7 were all downhill, and the downhill fell running was lovely. Great views, across a little stream. I knew that I had done the hardest bit, or so I thought!
We descended down by the waterfall. I didn't actually see the waterfall as I was too busy minding my footing and on coming ramblers! I'm sure it was lovely though. We had to run out to the feed station. Had to, as here we were checked off. If we didn't go we were presumed missing and the air rescue would be brought in! It was stocked with coke, orange, jaffa cakes and jelly babies! I drank some coke, ate a jaffa cake and stuffed jelly babies into my skirt pocket. Then we were off again! We had to go back to the previous marshall where we were directed onto our route. At the checkpoint we saw the winner of the Marathon distance Charlie Sharpe.
I remember looking at my watch at mile 10 and smiling I thought only 3 mile to go and it's all downhill from here! I could get a nice time, just over 3 and a half hours! The route was a gentle undulating trail which I was enjoying especially as I thought the worse was behind us! Then I heard a muffled "on your left" I jumped out of the way as a female marathon runner hurtled past me! Startled at first I was then amazed at her speed ... I carried on my plod. I even tried a smile for the camera man from Sport Sunday Event Photography.
After some trails we came to a stream crossing. Lovely and cooling on tired hot feet! Then I saw the hill ... it was up up up, I died a little inside. The route had been changed! A runner was resting at the gate and commended us, we thanked him and trudged up. Then came the next one in mile 12. It was sheer! I was actually on my hands and knees and I wanted it to end and I almost lied down. I heard maria shout for me to keep going, I got to the top.
Just a mile left and now it was downhill! I told Maria, who had stuck with me throughout, to go on but she said no, we started together we'll finish together. I picked up my pace a little and kept Maria, a faster more established runner, in my sight. I crossed the line about 5 minutes afterwards.
It was over. Thank God. It was the hardest anything I had ever run.
Afterthoughts. Despite me wanting to give up over and over and saying "never again" over and over I think that this might be a demon that I need to run again. Get that 3 and a half hour time.
I was very excited, I love winning running stuff, and after being unable to attend the last race entry I won I was determined to make this one!
I in boxed my friend who loves running the hills and trails, she jumped at the chance to come along. We entered and received our email confirmations. Only as I entered did I actually look at what I had actually won ... I thought that I had won a nice trail run in the lakes. No. It was a Mountain running race! I've never run a mountain, the hilliest hills I had done were Rivington, and they killed me!
I didn't think too much more of it, afterall it was only 13 mile, and I had recently run/walked the Darwin 10k [Jackals Run] and I had Rivington to practise on. I could get up and down those ok ... I'd be fine!
As the event loomed I had seen a profile of the hills [mountains] on Trail26. I worried at first about the going up, then the sheer looking decent caught my eye! "are we abseiling!" I asked my friend. Luckily she was looking forward to it and didn't seem phased, she reassured me that we'd be fine.
The big day arrived and Maria picked me up at 7am to travel to the Lakes/Yorkshire. As we got nearer the sky grew grey and the mountains loomed covered with clouds. I was slightly shell shocked at where we were running. "Didn't you google it?" Maria asked. "Uhm, No" I replied! Some things you're better not knowing!
We parked up, walked a little way to the start and registered, all the time I fretted about the huge hill[s] in the background. We met up with other friends and chatted and took photos. The weather brightened and the clouds lifted so that we could see the top of the hills. It was mentioned that it was 3-4 mile up, then undualting and finally downhill. Something to look forward to!
The marathon guys set off and we made our way to the start for our race briefing. "If you need the toilet, it's too late, if you need to apply suncream, it's too late, if you haven't trained, it's too late ..." Then we were off!
Just O.M.G ... the first climb! It set off up toward Winder. I looked up and saw Maria making light work, I kept going. This was nothing like I has ever done! I was out of my comfort zone and wondered if I had made a big mistake! I struggled. My calfs were busting and my breathing was ragged. But Maria kept stopping and shouting encouragement. Head down I kept going and after much suffering I made the first Trig Point! I'd done the first bit. In the distance I saw people climbing up and up. I was only 2 mile in and I wanted to throw up!
We kept going, I slowly plodded behind maria enjoying the trails and fells then the next hill. Tough again, but my breathing was better, my calfs still exploding. The first four mile was up hill.
Then we reached another Trig Point at The Calf. I was over the moon to have got this far and not given up. I had wanted to go back in the first few mile. It was just undulating from now? I can do undulating. Well I thought I could but the run was hard going for me. My legs were so tired from the four mile constant climbing up hill, but the views were fantastic. Miles 6 and 7 were all downhill, and the downhill fell running was lovely. Great views, across a little stream. I knew that I had done the hardest bit, or so I thought!
We descended down by the waterfall. I didn't actually see the waterfall as I was too busy minding my footing and on coming ramblers! I'm sure it was lovely though. We had to run out to the feed station. Had to, as here we were checked off. If we didn't go we were presumed missing and the air rescue would be brought in! It was stocked with coke, orange, jaffa cakes and jelly babies! I drank some coke, ate a jaffa cake and stuffed jelly babies into my skirt pocket. Then we were off again! We had to go back to the previous marshall where we were directed onto our route. At the checkpoint we saw the winner of the Marathon distance Charlie Sharpe.
I remember looking at my watch at mile 10 and smiling I thought only 3 mile to go and it's all downhill from here! I could get a nice time, just over 3 and a half hours! The route was a gentle undulating trail which I was enjoying especially as I thought the worse was behind us! Then I heard a muffled "on your left" I jumped out of the way as a female marathon runner hurtled past me! Startled at first I was then amazed at her speed ... I carried on my plod. I even tried a smile for the camera man from Sport Sunday Event Photography.
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After some trails we came to a stream crossing. Lovely and cooling on tired hot feet! Then I saw the hill ... it was up up up, I died a little inside. The route had been changed! A runner was resting at the gate and commended us, we thanked him and trudged up. Then came the next one in mile 12. It was sheer! I was actually on my hands and knees and I wanted it to end and I almost lied down. I heard maria shout for me to keep going, I got to the top.
Just a mile left and now it was downhill! I told Maria, who had stuck with me throughout, to go on but she said no, we started together we'll finish together. I picked up my pace a little and kept Maria, a faster more established runner, in my sight. I crossed the line about 5 minutes afterwards.
It was over. Thank God. It was the hardest anything I had ever run.
Afterthoughts. Despite me wanting to give up over and over and saying "never again" over and over I think that this might be a demon that I need to run again. Get that 3 and a half hour time.
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