It was quite a climb, up, up, up we went, I hadn't expected such a big climb so early on. The views were beautiful as I looked back and across the North Sea
The clouds were starting to draw in.
We ran from Saltburn (the pier is in the background) to Skinningrove a short way to the south. As I approached the descent to Skinningrove there was this amazing sculpture
I ran down on the soft sandy track between the dunes, I'd never run on sand like this before, I wish I'd worn my DirtyGirl gaiters, I took my time not wanting to get sand in my trainers.
I ran through the gap in the pier to see checkpoint 2, more sweets and water. There was a boat with wooden sailors looking out to sea
Next event is Hardmoor's 55. Another 24 miles. That is going to be a long day out. 19 March.
And another climb. Eventhough it was nice and bright on the cliff top, it was getting a bit breezy, as over to the left the snow was starting to fall.
At this point I was still with Nicole and Kelly, I wasn't purposefully running with them, but it was lovely to run with friends who are normally away off on the horizon.
Mud, mud seemed to be the order of the day, this muddy trail was really slippy, I was glad of the grip on my Brooks Cascadias at points like these. Uphill meant walking for me, I'm not bad at walking the ups, and it gives me chance to get my breath back.
And the snow began to fall, big fat flakes floating down to melt on the mud.
Soon the muddy trails were behind us for a bit of welcome descent on Tarmac. It looked like a herd of cattle had run down the road where the claggy mud had dropped off hundreds of trainers as we ran towards Skinningrove and checkpoint 3.
Now the route became urban for a while, and I made up a bit of time on the Tarmac. I found myself running with a different group for a while, they knew the route which was good. The group split and I was with Gill and Amy (I hope that's their names, I'm rubbish with names ath the best of times, but when I'm doing phys, I think my brain stops working all together) we ran together a while, and as the snow started to fall again, I drew ahead, trying to keep the runners ahead in view.
Not easy as the snow fell heavier and heavier. I ran down a muddy field, saw a sign pointing forward and left. There was none of Jon's yellow tape so I went straight on into the woods, down a wide muddy track. I started to notice that there were less footprints and as I exited the wood into a field I knew it had to be wrong, as there were only a few footprints, I turned back and saw that Gill and Amy had followed me, I felt really guilty, we heard voices above and saw colour at the top of the wood. I trekked back up the hill and Gill and Amy scrambled up through the trees. As I got to the top, others were coming down, I told them it was wrong and we reached the sign and turned right, I could see Gill and Amy ahead.
Spot the mistake
I couldn't get past the runners ahead so I slowed down and used it as recovery, running past the woods and coming out above Fancy Bank. I ran down to where the marshal was waiting at Slapewith to help us across the road into Spa Woods and Guisborough Woods
I soon caught up Gill and Amy and we ran through the woods avoiding motorbikes who were having an event of their own, their path crossing our path in a couple of places. This hazard was signed.
At the next marshal point, the lovely man had made a snowman and gave us some crisps before pointing us back into the woods, where we passed a pond.
It was familiar, we had passed it last week from the opposite direction when we had mislaid our route. I was struggling to keep up with Gill and Amy now but we caught up and passed other runners. As we ran through the the woods along the path there was seeking and creaking as a tree was felled, it made me feel nervous. Around the corner there was another checkpoint with more sweets, peanuts, Jaffa cakes and water. We didn't stop around, we turned and was faced with a massive swathe of mud and runners struggling to walk up it, As I set off I noticed Nicole and Kelly at the top.
My legs and lungs were burning as I slogged up the hill in the slippy slimy mud and emerged onto a track, the mud led across the track and up a further muddy track, another tree was felled, I needed to clear the woods. Finally the woods were behind and looming out of the mist were the rocks of High Cliff Nab, muddy steps there were a couple of marshals up here and one had a dog. There were then some stone steps which led out of the rocks onto the top. Gill stopped to put her jacket on as it was suddenly very cold
The view wax very different from last week
The path off the top disappeared into the mist, I set off thinking that Gill and Amy would soon catch up as they were running so well.
As I set off down the forest track, I saw a runner ahead, but no tape. I shouted and asked if we were on the right track as I had imagined going right off the cliff when I had marked up my map, but asked to save getting it out, I didn't want anymore detours.
He said it was right and soon there was more lovely yellow tape to confirm, I ran on past the runner onto a very muddy lane
The muddy lane was well marked so I didn't need to get my map out. I ran through icy puddles and mud and then steeply down through a wood, through bogs and a stream befor heading up a muddy track out onto open moor.
It felt like I was out on the moor forever, to the left the sun was shining on the finish but ahead was muddy narrow heather tracks. Nicole and Kelly were just ahead. I would gain on them in the walking sections but couldn't keep ul on the unable sections.
I followed the group ahead across the seemingly never ending moor when suddenly the runners turned back towards me and there was a marshal with peeled tangerines. Wow that was inspired. The turn revealed slabs to run on, thew were wet and uneven but better than mud, as the slabs ran out and I crested a rise I could see a road and across the road was Kelly and Nicole, withTony at a checkpoint.
I recognised that this was the Guisborough to Whitby road. Even though it was roadside it was very bleak and the Marshall's were well wrapped up. I crossed the road to be Meg by Tony, who was marshalling, as Kelly and Nicole disappeared along the track. I grabbed some sweets and cola and set off after them. 24 miles done, about 10 km to go.
I tried to keep Kelly and Nicole in sight, it was really muddy and when it was a muddy walking bit I closed the gap, but they would soon pull away on the good surfaces. I kept them close and that got me through the housing estates in Skelton before we entered a wood and I had to stop to get my phone out for the next pic, the runners ahead disappeared.
I stopped again as I got closer to the viaduct, it was beautiful.
Especially as the sun was sinking behind it.
I thought I recognised where I now was, I felt it was the woods I had run through a few hours previously, but surely not, there was still a couple of miles to go., I followed the path upwards past a bollard, now this is the path we ran down this morning, out onto the road, over a bridge and there was the school and the leisure centre, I ran around the back, where Nicole and Kelly were heading back to get stuff from their car. I ran up the steps and to the table. Gave my number and stopped my watch.
Then started the fight to get my muddy wet trainers off my aching ankle. I couldn't get the laces undone easily because I'd tied them so tight to avoid a repeat of last week's Rombald's Stride where they kept coming undone.
I spoke with a man who told me that he had taken the same detour as me, glad I wasn't the only one.
I got a lovely tshirt and medal for my efforts, and lovely cup of coffee and some cake. I then caught up with Kelly and Nicole and Gill and Amy who had now finished too.
Afterwards I was going to go for fish and chips but I tried a couple that were both closed, it was getting darker and was snowing. Time to go home.
My ankle us a little puffy but some rest and compression and Its not too bad today
Kit
Montane waterproof jacket
Solomon race vest
Solamon soft flask
Brook's Cascadia trainers
2xu tights
Toe toe socks
Icebreaker merino base layer
RiponRunners t shirt
Garmin 910xt
Nutrition
Tailwind
2 X High5 gels
Peanuts, Jaffa cakes, sweets, tangerine, cola and water from the checkpoints
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