DEADWATER 2021
DEADWATER 2021
This event was due to be held in 2020 hut obviously got postponed, but time flew by and it was time to think about what we had signed up for. This is the 3rd running of this event. An event put together by Richard who is the race director of Beyond Marathon. He himself used to run but due to injury can do so no more. So, he became a race director. He put this event together, taking bits, ideas etc. from multi stage events He had done abroad in the past. The big difference with this one, is its self supported, there are no other events like this in the UK and probably Europe. There are many other multi stage events but in them you don't have to carry all you need and in one, which is less in distance, you get a rest day. So, this event was no soft option. This one, you get given water and a tent to sleep in. The event is 6 continuous days. There are no cut offs, the only rule is you had to be on the start line the next day. Theoretically you could take 23.5 hours, quick restock and go again for the next day.
Day 1 The Forest - 33.5 miles
Day 2 The Pennine Way - 37 miles
Day 3 The Wild Boar - 46 miles
Day 4 The Long Stage - 49 miles
Day 5 Canal Hell - 40 miles
Day 6 Rush to the Castle- 30 miles.
Mandatory kit
Once I'd got all the kit together, I discovered my 20ltr bag was of no use to me so I bought a 30ltr Salomon bag which did have enough room. Sleeping bag Head torch & spare batteries & a backup light. Compass & whistle Phone with gpx maps on Survival blanket, blister kit, general foot care items. Waterproof Jacket Shorts or tights, shirt, socks, hat, gloves. Eating Utensil 6 days worth of food with a 2000 minimum calories per day Hydration, ability to carry 2 litres.
Not Mandatory but suggested, I took Small towel (very small) Waterproof leggings Flip flops Warm top Roll mat. I took a very thin one, cut down so I had enough for hips area. All the food was split into 6 bags, labelled 1 to 6. Breakfast, main meal and desert were dehydrated packets which you pour hot water on. Each bag had either pork scratchings or beef Jerky, chocolate and gels. The main meals went in my backpack and the snacks went into a waist belt I would use as the Salomon lacked front pockets. The waist belt also had 1 x 500mil soft water flask in. We were allowed to put food for days 4, 5 & 6 into a drop bag which we would get back at the end of the 3rd days run. We also packed this bag with a treat meal for the end of Day 3. A meal we were looking forward to. My choice was 2 x pot noodles, 2 x pots of custard, biscuits & 2 tins of beer. I also put in a malt loaf for the following morning.
Running Gear
I took shorts and a top for days 1 to 3 and a the same again for days 4 to 6. I planned to bin the shorts & top after day 3. Socks, I took 6 pairs, I would bin them after each day.
Trainers were 1 x hoka challenger hybrids and 1 x new balance 1080's road shoes. We were all a 2nd drop bag which we could put 1 pair of trainers in, this bag also contained any charging cables we needed. We had access to this bag each night.
WHY DEADWATER
I started running age 46, I'm 54 now. The idea at 1st was to achieve one marathon. During the training for that 1st Mara, I met Sharon who helped me get there, we ended up getting married and myself and molly moving up to Cumbria. Running totally changed my life around and after that 1st marathon things just snowballed out of control. I'm not a natural happy clappy runner (Sharon will confirm that) so to keep me interested I constantly book up events to do and each year I pick one or two things which 1, I've not done before and 2, at time of signing up for it, is way out of my capabilities.
First marathon, a double marathon, 1st ultra (short one), 10 in 10 marathons, 1st long ultra, 1st 100 mile ultra is pretty much my running time line.
The last 3 years was losing more weight and revisiting a couple of ultras to see if I could do them better and also trying to break a marathon time of 3:30 (not achieved yet). Deadwater fitted the bill for the next you can't do this challenge. For me this was a monumental challenge. I don't get nervous before events but I always know the enormity of what I'm going into. For instance, the 1st 100 miler (Thames Path) I wasn't nervous but certainly had doubt as to whether I'd be good enough to complete it. With Deadwater I knew this is a whole new level of cant I do this. I wasn't scared of it but its definitely all new to me, as in multistage, the self sufficiency, the camping etc. Each day mileage never worried me either, nor did the route. Days 1 & 2 I knew. Days 3 & 4 I knew would be my Achilles heel so I decided not to look at the route for those days. Day 5 was canal; they are all the same and even this stretch I'd done before. Day 6, we've done lots of events around Chester so more than familiar with it. Days 3 & 4 I knew there was lots of terrain that is my least favourite and I am absolutely rubbish on. In the weeks leading up to this there was lots of chat on the Deadwater Facebook page so you got familiar with the names of your fellow runners, all swapping tips, sharing concerns etc. Friday the 20th arrived, leaving day. Fortunately for me, the starting point is only an hour from where we live so Sharon drove me there, dumped me there. It was time for the adventure to start. I arrived at the campsite around 4:30 pm. There was a few there already but not all as most were being picked up at Hexham and being driven to Keilder. There are about 8 large tents and a few gazebos in the camp. 1 tent for the women and the rest of us just chose a tent. In my tent there would be 3 others. Once everyone was there, except 1 who will turn up later, we registered, had a kit check and collected our tracker and chip timing. We were also given a deadwater shirt which I put in a bag I wouldn't see again till I crossed the finish line. I wouldn't wear it if I never finished. Then, for the umpteenth time I repacked the backpack. The rest of the evening was meeting my fellow runners and camp volunteers, it was planned, and we had all booked tables at the nearest pub for one last meal. Get there and no bookings being taken, even though we had booked. A mad dash in cars to the next pub 5 miles away and they accommodated us. So, burger and chips, and a few beers was had.
Back to camp, quick call to Sharon then cosy on up with my tent buddies, Brian, Andy & Dylan. Straight away I noticed my 1st mistake, no proper sleeping mat or inflatable pillow. The other 3 had proper mats, I may as well have a tissue. My lack of proper roll mat was another weight saving method. Let's get to the nitty-gritty
DAY 1 - THE FOREST - DEADWATER TO ONCE BREWED. 33.5 MILES, 3000ft ELEVATION.
Time on route 6:29:42 Our 1st morning in camp, 20 of us. I had a malt loaf and my dehydrated breakfast, few coffees then we all piled into cars to be driven a few miles north of keilder Reservoir to an old train station called Deadwater on the Scottish border. We had a few pictures plus posed for a few for the official photographers. Race briefing then a 2-minute walk to the actual start line. Off we went, with my 2nd mistake, iI had the hoka hybrids on but should have definitely had road shoes on. Sharon and iI have done this stretch before and always in road shoes. You travel down the old railway line until you meet the kielder Lakeside path. At some point it started raining and the rain stayed with us all day long mostly. Nothing torrential but enough to eventually soak you. After the lake came the actual forest, again, paths I’d previously run on. Forest is pretty much all you see till your at about 28 miles ish, then road and onto the Hadrians wall path. The forest route got a tad tedious, far too many trees to look at and nothing else. Bit of hadrians path then down a track to the campsite at once Brewed. This is now only 20 mins from where we live but iI wasn't allowed to pop home. It was a good run today, stuck to my plan of run but walk all the hills. On every stage there are water only checkpoints, roughly every 10 miles. So, all had went well and I arrived back in 4th position, little did I know that this will be as good as it got for me in the standings. The campsite was in a farm and we had the luxury of an indoor area to eat meals and even more luxury when the owner said he will tumble dry our wet clothes. The tent leaked and Dylan decided sleeping in a barn was the better option.
DAY 2 - THE PENNINE WAY - ONCE BREWED TO DUFTON. 37 MILES, 4185ft ELEVATION.
Time on route 9:51.03 The 1st half of today's miles I've done even more than the previous days run so wasn't totally looking forward to that stretch. The morning in camp all went well and everyone left with spirits high. Though once again it was raining and it rained all day, more than day 1. Our shoes had pretty much dried out but literally 2 mins down the road and into a field they were soaked again, they would stay soaked till I got home. Across fields we went, I wasn’t far behind the front 3 when they entered a field with about 12 stunning jet-black horses in it, they all started running uphill with the 3 front-runners behind them, it looked pretty cool. We made our way to and through Haltwhistle and onto the old railway line to Alston. It’s a nice track to be on especially as it goes over Lambley Viaduct but it’s a route that no longer thrills me, its been done to death. Least the photographers were there to capture it though. Somewhere along here I ended up with Beverly & Joe. We got to Alston then for the 1st time joined the Pennine Way. Myself and the Pennine Way are not good bedfellows. We made our way to Garrigil, 21 miles and topped up with water as the next stretch is the longest over the 6 days with no water. At some point we lost Beverly so Joe & I made our way toward Cross Fell, the highest mountain on the Pennine Way. We got to Greg’s Hut, quick photo stop and got going again. On the last stretch of the climb up Cross Fell Joe left me eating dust, figuratively speaking of course as there was no dust due to the rain. We had also been warned not to miss a left hand path after the hut, easy to do we were told because it will be so misty, not only that, but we wouldn’t see the top of Cross Fell as no one does because its always grim. Well, for a short while the weather gods were on my side, I may have lost sight of Joe but I could clearly see the top, albeit from a distance still. I eventually made it and the sky was blue, stopped for a breather and called Sharon briefly. I then had to make my way down and up again to the giant golf ball on Great Dun Fell. In between the two up popped the photographers, this would be an occurrence that happened throughout the 6 days, you just never knew when they would strike. It was always good to see them though. We were warned about the decent from Dun Fell, bit dodgy if wet. This is probably my biggest Achilles heel with running. I’m rubbish at running tricky downhill terrain, I mean really rubbish. Too afraid of falling. I never actually found it that bad but at mile 34, nearly at the bottom I came a cropper and went over, nearly banging my head on a rock. Fortunately, I made it into camp after 37 miles. Soaking wet but alive. Back in camp just before 6pm, plenty of time to shower, eat & chat. It was nice to run and chat with others today, it’s how got to learn most about your fellow runners. One thing happened this evening that ended up making me smile occasionally over the remaining days. In the tent the conversation went like this Brian “I’m calling it a day lad, had enough, washed kit, off home tomorrow “ Dylan “don’t make decisions now have a kip and You’ll be fine in the morning” Andy “that’s right, good sleep, start tomorrow and You’ll be good to go” Me “can I buy your roll mat”
DAY 3 – THE WILD BOAR – DUFTON TO PEN-Y-GENT. 46 MILES, 5290ft ELEVATION
Time on route 15:44:46 Before today’s ramblings I must say, up to now all is very good. I know each day I have to look after my feet, especially as I’m in soaked shoes all day. I try to go prevention rather than cure so I put compeeds on blister hot spots even with no blisters. Also, as soon as I felt any issue, I put another on. All good so far. On the subject of prevention, something I forgot to mention was before I left on Friday, I put the bag on with no top, drew lines everywhere a strap touched me and Sharon then put a pretty pink tape all over so hopefully I’d have no bag rubbing. Though it gave me a look of a camp dancer in the Julian Clary Joan Collins fan club video (one for us oldies there). By now I’m still putting in a decent chunk of running, admittedly slower, but still running. I’m in a relatively good place but getting more tired as the mornings pass by. The aches are a lingering but I’m Not injured and nothing has gone pear shaped. I knew however that this will be my longest day so far. I can’t actually picture most of the route in my mind, but I also know I’ll be using the head torch and I’ll be useless on the downhill’s. One important thing before today’s start, it was the end of the rain. Its expected to be sunny and hot forevermore, my worst weather condition. I seem to remember running with Joe for a while but before Appleby I told him to push on as he was moving better than me. I got through Appleby and onto the 1st checkpoint at 18.5 miles and who was sat there, Brian. He had now definitely had enough which (honestly) was not good to see but cloud and all that, I acquired a proper roll mat, ooh, I was looking forward to a good kip. Don’t forget, it’s also our treat bag day, beer and pot noodles for dinner. I honestly can’t remember anymore of the route. Most of it all looks the same to me. Farmland, moors, more moors and even more moors. Lots of uphill, lots of down hill. Tricky (for me) downhill. I never really study things much as all I do is follow the route on my watch. You see a line with an arrow, just keep the arrow on the line and your on route. I know I made it up Wild Boar Fell ok I then had to make my way to Garsdale train station for a checkpoint. Sean was just leaving the checkpoint as I topped the water up. The next stretch I certainly remember, tarmac road, uphill for 2.5 miles with millions flying ants, it was a horrible climb. By the top I had passed Sean and was on my own. Somewhere around 6 pm ish I had a nice encounter with a red squirrel munching on an apple. 1st one I’ve seen for about 18 months, if not longer. I was moving far to slow at this point, getting really tired, feet soaking from bogs and baking and burning in the sun. I was getting a tad despondent with today’s proceedings. I have by now though come to the conclusion that I can forget about times and positions on the race, this is purely a get to the end case. It soon became dark, head torch on heading to Horton. When you night run, or walk, the only thing you see is circle of head torch light. It was time for my 1st little scary moment, I had absolutely no idea where I was but the gpx on the watch was not playing cricket. It was saying the route goes to my right, but to my right was a big, very big drop into a river. Every time I turned away from the drop my arrow and map line separated. I had no idea where to go. Couldn’t get a phone signal to look at more detailed maps and though I can see the paper map were given each day, I couldn’t work out where on that map I was. Also, the battery on the map watch was running out so I had to put it on charge. I spent ages getting away from that drop. I should be tucked up in my mummy sleeping bag on my newly acquired roll mat by now, not s######g myself about dying in the wilderness. I also had an agreement with Sharon that I’d call each night I finished the run, it was now way past her normal sleep time and I had no way to tell her not to worry. I was worried though. Somehow, I got myself away from there and eventually made my way to Horton. It wasn’t an easy decent to get there. Time for my 2nd animal encounter when a dog jumped a wall and pinned me to a wall. Could this night get any worse? My watch was telling me I wasn’t too far away but it felt like ages. I eventually made it to Camp and called home. Because it was midnight though and I was exhausted I never got to eat all my treats. I was reunited with my treat bag but I only had time for half my rations. On the plus side, it was the best kip I’d had so far, cheers Brian.
DAY 4 – PEN-Y-GENT TO HEBDEN BRIDGE- 49 MILES, 7182ft ELEVATION
Time on route 18:49:44 As per normal I was awake early, I’m always awake early, even at home. It was lovely morning and we were at the foot of Pen-Y-Gent, was a nice place to be. Shame I was knackered, my feet hurting and legs aching. My toes are swelling, my feet covered and recovered in compeeds, I was properly feeling the accumulative effects of the last 3 days now but I’ve still not once thought I can’t do this. One good feeling was I put on my fresh running clothes and binned my previous shorts and shirt (sorry GBUltras) but I’m not carrying 3-day old soaking stinking kit around with me. I also still had treats left from last night so breakfast was a pot noodle and my dehydrated breakfast. I knew today was the longest day but only 3 miles longer so I hoped for at worse, another 11:30 ish finish. Instead, I was in for an even more brutal battering. We started at 7am, the front runners start an hour later so they get the pleasure of hunting us down. The 1st test was to get half way up Pen-Y-Gent which we mostly did as a group but for a while, heading toward Malham Tarn I was with Kerry & Andy (far too many Andy’s on this adventure). We certainly rounded Malham Tarn together but I lost them soon after as I approached the rocky paths and descents around Malham Cove. I’ve been here before with GBUltras on their Pennine Barrier race. This particular stretch, I hate with a passion. It’s beautiful and if walking there with a picnic it would be wonderful but attempting to run it, I struggle big time. I have to tip toe around losing so much time. I was extremely pleased to see it behind me. Saw the photographer s though, that was always good. I don’t really remember much more route details than this it all merged into one long struggle. Uphill, uphill, and more uphill. If you came to a fork in paths, and this is true of everyday and your choice was a path on flat ground or a path uphill, you know its the uphill one your taking. Apparently, this section had a wee bit of canal and a few Reservoirs but all I remember is wild baron moorland. But before that moorland I decided a break was needed, nice tree up there, will have a sit down. Yeah, but if you sit there, you still got more uphill after it. But the hills kept giving and I could take no more. I sat and enjoyed my malt loaf and custard creams. It was nice to take the bag off as its now back to being super heavy with the restocked food. My shoulders by now were aching properly, the nice pink tape has stopped any rubbing but the tired aching shoulders were killing me. A quick call to Sharon meant it must off been around 4pm. The moorland miles went on for hour after hour, light to dark, back to the head torch. When it was dark, I had a head torch approach me in the middle of nowhere, that messed the brain up. Turned out to be a night time photographer (not ours), he was surprised as me, he was even more flabbergasted when he learnt why I was there, he took some pics, I gave him my best knackered pose. Along this stretch your on very long flagstone paths, at this point I was pleased it had been baking all day and they were dry. I still couldn’t muster up the energy or will to run now as I was knackered and the stones are not level, one mishap, bad accident, its game over, no one will find you. Eventually I got to a checkpoint with just 9 miles to go. Hopefully I can still get to Camp for midnight, dream on. Between that checkpoint and Hebden Bridge I was lost again, not way of course but the map/arrow were falling out again. I just couldn’t find the right path. After an hour of to and fro ing I headed back the way I came to discover I’d missed a little small post, why make it 1 foot high, I want beacons. Amazingly I found my way down to Hebden Bridge only to be caught by Oliver who himself had had an eventful day. I thought it best if I stick with him. We were not in tents tonight but a bunk house, another bit of luxury. But of course, there’s a price to pay for this luxury. A 500ft climb to reach said bunk house, I promise you, if Oliver had not been there, I’d sat and shed a tear. The sun beating down on me, the hills, the weight on my shoulders all combined to the worse feeling I’d ever had in my running journey. We made to the bunkhouse, not last but not far off it. We were met by matron who guided us from that point to getting asleep, sorting our food, drink, wet shoes in between. I got to sleep at 2:30 am. I’d been awake and tackled day 4 in 23 hours. I felt exhausted.
DAY 5 – CANAL HELL – 40 MILES, 1516ft ELEVATION Time on route 11:29:17
Awake at 5 am. 2.5 hours kip. It took every fibre of me to stand up. I grabbed some things for the shower and made my way there. That was not easy. I was worried. I felt properly broke. My feet were on fire and I could barely walk. There is a seat in the shower and I used it. I had to inspect the feet and it wasn’t a pretty sight. I think one of my compeed blister plaster had got a blister. I decided I should take all plaster off and start again. Some compeeds come of easy, some stick to you like a limpet to a rock. I tried to get them off but my feet were so tender I was scared to touch them. It’s at this point I had my lowest moment of the 6 days. I was never in danger of wanted to quit but I was genuinely concerned that I wouldn’t be able to last half a mile no matter 40. Once dried I reapplied lots more, put fresh socks on and the long-awaited appearance of my road shoes. I had been dreaming of this moment for the last 2 days. No more stinking wet horrible trail shoes. By the time we had to start I felt marginally better and once started it wasn’t as bad as I thought and I knew I’d make it to the end of today, it won’t be pretty though and will have to be a shuffle – jog at best – walk along the canal. We had to get to the canal first though and Stoodley Pike stood in our way. A 1000ft climb in 1 mile. My plan was to be as metronomic as possible and attempt 4 mile an hour, but that has to wait till I get to the canal. My main thoughts were happiness about dry feet all day. We got to the top and worked my way down, actually doing some feasible impression of a run. I met up with Gordon the Cheesemaker and Sean and we headed toward the canal, unfortunately for us we had to cross a bog. My gpx had me on the right route and there never seemed a way around it. B#####ks, straight through, feet full of bog. Least we were on the canal. I think I left them behind for a while, doing my 4 ish miles per hour but they soon caught up and past me. We played yo yo for a good few miles. Not much to write about now as it’s all canal, a stretch I’d done before but there all the same anyway. The main aim here was to just keep going till I reached Manchester, one foot in front of the other. Which in the scorching sun wasn’t that easy? I know I had to leave the canal at Bridge 87, but it was relentless boring marching to get there. Made it eventually and you then make your way through busy Manchester streets to go in search of another canal, such joy. This bit was joined at Bridge 5, off at Bridge 2. I passed 4, then 3 and though crap I’ve gone the wrong was as I convinced myself it was Bridge 5 to get off. I hadn’t got it wrong but my brain was totally frazzled and unable to think, on top of that I’m exhausted. More Manchester streets, then more canal going past old traffic. I think the Manchester stretch had me stoned as they were doing a fine impression of Amsterdam. Got to the checkpoint at mile 30. Were our Race Director gave us an ice pop, it was heaven Sent and much needed, also my only concession to the self sufficiency rule. Back to canal marching, not a good place to need a pee when it’s scorching hot and hundreds of people around. I was getting very annoyed at cyclists also. Remember, I’m knackered, more knackered than I’ve ever been in my life. It’s hard work staying in a straight line but these cyclists, whether from behind or in front they all think one tinkle on their bell and the path will part like the red sea. I wasn’t capable of making speedy reactions and these idiots make no hint at slowing or departing from their path. They called a good few choice things under my breath of course. Finally of the canal and onto a bloody cycle path, will this torture never end, least it was a wide path. From this cycle path its 2.5 miles of road with very little pavement and a 12p toll bridge, 25p day ticket also available, bargain. There’s a reason I mention this bridge because it’s littered with coins, obviously dropped by motorists. Part of my charity fundraising I do is to pick up any coins I see and at the years end, donate them. So far this year I’m on £28. There was too many to ignore here despite my keenness to get to Camp. I stood by a coin contemplating if I should bend from the waist or the knees, either will be a struggle. In my head my legs said to me “go on then joker, you’ve got no chance”. I agreed and gave up, sorry NSPKU. Lack of pavements were no longer a worry either, I was fed up of making the monumental effort of stepping aside for cars, I thought, if I get hit, least I won’t feel it. I made it to Camp, in daylight, hallelujah. Completely spent but euphoric about just 1 more day. Chatted for a while but wanted an early night. I still had to be helped out of a chair. This day also highlighted another of my mistakes. Not taking headphones, they don’t weigh nothing I was worried about watch battery life so never took them. But a good dose of Half Man Half Biscuit would have made those canal miles far easier.
DAY 6 – RUSH to the CASTLE. THE FINAL DAY – 2012ft ELEVATION Time on route 8:35:21
Even though I woke with renewed enthusiasm for the last day my feet were still killing me. It was a 7am start for me but at 6am I was 1st in line for camp medic Chris. He cleaned the feet, removed old blister plasters and worked magic with the tape. Socks on and shoes and wow, unbelievable what he’d done. I could have danced out of his Gazebo. Thanks Chris, you helped save the last day. Off we set myself and Zukie led the way till he kicked my ass and sailed off into the distance, not to be seen again till the end. Road and footpaths for a few miles then back onto the canal. Bit more road which also saw our last checkpoint of the event. By this time ants in his pants Dylan flew past me. After the checkpoint is into the familiar Frodsham woods, been here a few times with GBUltras and I still can’t fly through them, paths everywhere, tree roots everywhere. The Sandstone Trail is rather nice though. Leaving the woods behind I share some miles with Joe & Andy (another Andy) till they surge on, a few later starters pass me but none of that matters, the only thing that matters is I will finish and my family will be waiting for me. The last 2 days have been an emotional roller coaster for me. Constantly during these past 2 days whenever I’ve thought of seeing them it brought tears to my eyes. I had imagined constantly I would be a blubbering wreck when crossing the line. I’d find myself happily plodding along then next minute I’m welling up. Bit more canal to go then into Chester, I was still following the map on the watch but probably could have found a quicker way into the finish line at the Abode Hotel. I was hoping I’d see the finish from afar and I could stop, have moment then sprint over the line. It never happened like that, your just across a busy road and your there. The family was there, as we’re the other finishers, the camp crew and photographers. I managed an attempt at running and was tearful and did cross the line.
Total mileage 235
Time on feet 70:59:50
Deadwater Finisher.
Now, I’m not a finish line leaper or fist pumping etc I just cross the line in relief. This time it was the biggest relief I’d ever felt at finishing an event. The end to the pain was fantastic, the thought that there’s no tomorrow was fantastic. The thought I’d achieved what I set out to do was fantastic.
I gave my wife a proper stinky hug and shed a tear into her new short blonde hair. So, it’s true, blondes do have more fun. The kids next and all of my fellow runners, the people in the same pain as me. Pizza and beer were consumed, thanks Richard.
And there it is, all over, well, nearly over. After chatting and seeing others cross the line and more pictures Sharon and I made out way to the hotel to get ready for the presentation evening The high of the last day was dispersed as the pain and ability to walk set in. Before the finish line I had to move as quickly as possible, now I don’t even want to lift my foot of the ground. The foot pain was doubled.
The presentation night was in the hotel we finished at, another of my mistakes was not staying there. The meal and medal/trophy went great and a good night was had. Though I was definitely running on empty. I also think I should have won a prize for the most impressive hobbling.
We said goodnight and goodbye to everyone and back to our hotel where I thought I’d crash out, but no, there is a nightclub next door, the other side of our wall so I was kept awake till 4am with s###e being blasted through the walls. Ended up with less sleep than the end of Day 4.
Some thank you thoughts.
Richard and all the camp volunteers you were all brilliant, was great seeing you around camp and at checkpoints I fully appreciate every single thing you did for us. It wouldn’t have been easy for you either. Your all-top people and I hope we meet again.
No Limits Photography
You were both amazing. Springing out on us all over the place. Often it would be hours since I saw anyone then you two cropped up. You made those moments happy ones for me. Thank you. Many of these pics taken by the photographers.
Camp angel/mother/matron.
Simply amazing, our brains were frazzled, you thought for us. It would have been a very different experience if you weren’t there. Thank you. All my dot watching, encouraging, supporting friends. I promise you, when times were low, I’d get my phone out read your messages, see your donations, get teary eyed and carry on. You have all been a huge part of this.
Fellow runners.
It was a pleasure to meet everyone of you. Was great to share some miles with you and wether you finished or not, you all played a part in my Deadwater experience. Your are all exceptional people and I hope we meet again. 2023 perhaps. Sorry if I got who ran with in the wrong order or if I forgot anyone. You know my brain is mush.
Kids,
you were fantastic and it made me very happy to speak to you both loads.
Sharon aka wifey & coach.
Well, I wouldn’t have been on the start line without you guiding me there. Your the brains of the outfit, I say, oh, can I enter this, you get me there. During the 6 days you were missed more than you’ll know. Sometimes when we spoke, I had to pretend not to be to upset, and certainly try not to get upset. You succeeded in helping me tick this one off. Love you loads beautiful. Xx
I have been attempting to raise funds for NSPKU throughout this. A charity very close to home for me. The fight for the NHS to pay for a drug that will make my daughters life better goes on. Till then, my fundraising goes on. I have been humbled once again by your donations and any who reads this can help then please do. https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ian-spriggs5
For those that know me sausage, mash & beans , cheesecake was consumed.
Blimey, it’s taken so long to write this even my feet feel a bit better.,
