HADRIANS WALL CHALLENGE

HADRIANS WALL CHALLENGE 18/7/2020

WHY

During this covid time we are all in official events I had booked were cancelled so throughout the period I have had to come up with my own challenges. First was the marathon outside my front door, 13,000 up & downs of a very small cull de sac, then I switched to speed work and attempted a half Marathon PB and then a sub 3:30 marathon, I failed on the latter. What's next I asked Sharon, my wife. I said I fancy the idea of the Hadrian’s Wall Path.  " ok, go for it" I was told. It’s important to know that if Sharon thought it was a daft idea It wouldn't get done because she is the brains behind my running. She writes all my running plans and knows exactly what I'm capable of and not capable of. The green light was given. The only difference in doing this compared to other ultras I've done, there is no time to produce a structured plan. So, from that failed sub 3:30 marathon attempt it was only 3 weeks of plodding the streets as training, whereas normally I would do a 50-mile event 4 or 5 weeks before this type of distance.  So not ideal preparation but at the same time it's not like I'm attempting this distance for the first time.  Another reason why is because it's on our doorstep, I know parts of the path reasonably well so nothing along it will come as a surprise. And of course, taking on something this big gives me the opportunity to highlight the charity I try to help NSPKU and further highlight the issues of people with PKU.  

PREPARATION & KIT

As I mentioned there was no time for a proper structured plan so running wise it was plodding the streets at a slow pace, just getting some miles in the legs. Kit wise is was the same as all official events I do. I carried waterproofs, extra top, foil blanket, first aid kit, food, water, phone, watch and power bank, head torch and spare batteries. All the things we are made to carry on official events. Water was the downfall here because on an event you have checkpoints where you can top up so you don’t need to start by carrying 2 litres of it, as I did on this one, it adds too much weight to the backpack. One aspect of preparation was pre run fuelling, something I'm good at. Pizza and chips the day before and on the day hot cross buns, malt loaf and banana on toast. Enjoyed that bit of prep.

Kit on the day was long sleeve top, shorts, socks and Hoka Challenger shoes. Replaced in the morning by New Balance 1080 road shoes. 

FUELLING FOR RUN

This is a tried and tested thing. I don't go in for all the fad things lots of others do. It’s real food and water only. So, it was pork pie, cocktail sausages and sweets, strawberry bon bons and fruit jelly things. All were consumed and did their job.

THE ROUTE

The Hadrian’s Wall Path is by far longer than what's left of the wall, its longer than what the actual wall was in its full glory. I imagine the path was devised because it's a good plan to get walkers and tourists etc. at points either end. I doubt very much if either destination would be visited as much without the path. 

I chose to do the route east to west, starting in Wallsend, Newcastle.  Its starts right outside the main entrance to the old Swan Hunters shipyard, something I'd only seen on the news in the 70's & 80's mainly because of its demise. The path finishes in Bowness on Solway, not much there either. Even the top of the sign saying start / finish of the path had been nicked.  

You have about 35 to 40 miles on this route that have nothing to do with the actual wall. Sandwiched in between is what I call the wall path proper. It can be grim alongside the wall if weather is not on your side and there is a good chance of getting battered by the elements.  If, as I was going to be, alone and something happens to you, you best hope you have a phone signal. The stretch of actual wall path is obviously strewn with what's left of the wall and Roman forts etc. It’s a place I like the history of but for enjoying that side of it I'd have to walk it and take it all in. While trying to run it, you take absolutely no interest in what's up there. Plus, the fact it will be night time while I'm there so zero chance of enjoying the old Roman toilets etc. 

THE WEATHER 

You may have heard me once or twice say I don’t like the heat or the sun. Certainly not while running anyway. That is the reason I decided to start this at 6:30 pm. It will mean I get a good 12 to 15 hours in the cool if it's hot. It turns out it was a rather hot weekend so my decision was the correct one. Like I mentioned,  it can be a bleak place to be by the wall, I image the Roman Centurions who guarded it from marauding Scots folk could only of been standing there dreaming of sunnier time in Italy.  I on the other hand couldn't off asked for better weather. Was a tad warm when starting off but not too bad, it got proper chilly at 11:30 pm so my extra top was put to use and on the highest points of the route it was a tad windy. Come 5 am it was bright and warming up again. Rain, I never felt a drop of it till I had left Carlisle at around mile 75 is. Even then it was literally a few drops. The run itself hurt a tad but it would have hurt a lot more if the weather was like it so often is on this route. 

THE RUN

We arrived in Wallsend at the old Swan Hunter Shipyard just before 6pm so decided to set off at 6:15pm. pictures taken and off I went. 

As this was the first challenge of this type I have tackled outside of event conditions, therefore I'm on my own, it did concern me how I would cope. When in an event at night time, you will find yourself on your own but you can see either ahead or behind you a flash of someone's head torch so you know you’re not out there along and if anything happens to you, it won’t be long till help arrives. My worries were unfounded as providing I steer clear of mishaps the only thing that consumes you is to keep going, there was no time to worry. 

The first 15 miles were all on road, pavements and cycle track. First task was getting through Wallsend unscathed, war torn Beirut springs to mind. Burnt out cars, boarded up shops and houses, gangs of unsavoury characters hanging around. That was probably the most nervous I was on the whole run. From there you go through Newcastle city centre alongside the Tyne. I've come to the conclusion that the folk I saw there, queuing for pubs, sitting around, outside shops etc. must be cut off from the world with no knowledge of the Covid. If they are aware of the virus then they are doing their best to be the next Leicester.  I was pleased to be free of the crowds. Then going through parks on cycle tracks it was more gangs on unsavouries inc two idiots somersaulting into a prickly hedge, you don’t see that every day on a run. 

You then start a climb from the Tyne up to a place called Heddon on the wall, 1.5 miles of a climb to be precise but at least it takes you onto the wall path proper. 

That's at mile 17. The next 15 miles which takes you to Chollerford were all ok and relatively plain sailing. It’s after this the hard work really begins, well for me anyway. Miles 32 to 54, Chollerford to Gilsland is 1, going to be in darkness and 2, contains the toughest stretch of the route. I have done this stretch in the daylight on fresh legs and find it tough. It's up & down, flagstone steps, rocks, tree routes etc., just hard going, for me. Some runners just fly over this terrain, I’m not one of them. Before tackling these 22 miles I had already topped up my water supplies in a pub and put on my head torch and the extra top I had with me. The weather, though chilly and windy was good. It was a case of put one foot in front of the other and just keep going. All was going ok ish, I was much slower than expected but iI had to be careful of trip hazards and cows. The slow pace never really bothered me as I just reminded myself that my job was to get from A to B, time never really mattered though it did become obvious a 20-hour finish was optimistic. You don’t get to see any Roman delights along the way because its dark you do how ever see cows, lots of cows. In daylight it’s easier to avoid our bovine friends but at night time you hop over a style to be greeted by a sleeping cow, when cows at night approach you its ait's a tad scarier. Cow avoidance occurred regularly. 

Another thing that happens to you at this stage is the feet become a tad tender so if you catch even a small rock or scuff a tree route, it feels like you have kicked an anvil. It can bring tears to the eyes. Fortunately, throughout the night there were no demons telling me to quit and go home, that was good. The time, though iI was moving slow does pass by ok, while wearing a head torch your best friend is the circle of light just ahead of you, it’s all you concentrate on, it keeps the mind from wandering. 

During the night period you get to see a lovely starry sky and a beautiful sunset & sunrise, plus you have the whole path to yourself. 

Coming out of the night and witnessing a lovely daybreak iI had things to look forward to. First it was planned to meet someone at a certain point but that never happened as iI was so late getting there (sorry Jim). 

The other thing iI was looking forward to was meeting up with Sharon. The actual meeting point was brought nearer because again I was so late so we met up at mile 54 instead of 63 as planned. When you have been out on your own for so long in day or night it’s so good to meet up with your support. 

I still had the head torch and extra layer on, though not needed iI couldn't be bothered to stop again to remove them, all the stops add up and its more difficult to get going after each stop. So, we met at mile 54, Gilsland where I ditched any now unneeded kit and got fed and a much-wanted coffee. Also, i changed shoes and socks, didn't have to but it gives the feet a much-needed boost, iI changed into a pair of my favourite road shoes. I left there and it was 9 miles till iI would see her again. We are now in the stretch of path I have been on many many many times; at numerous points I am very close to home but luckily, I wasn't tempted to ditch the run. Though, had I not told you all about it, got tremendous support etc. and iI had gone out without anyone knowing about it, I definitely would have called it a day. Because by now at this mile 63 point I was knackered. 

Next thing was to get to Carlisle. Weirdly enough this section, miles 63 to 73 was probably my most enjoyable miles. I say weirdly because it’s been trodden many times and it’s not what you would call scenic. It also contained my mad dash behind a hedge pit stop at mile 67. Lesson for you runners out there, loo roll is a very important bit of kit to carry. 

It had been agreed that Sharon would drive to the finish line, run back toward me for 10 miles and then run back. The path is 84 miles long. Come 74 miles and out of Carlisle, no sign of Sharon. My watch told me I was on mile 77 when we met, just 7 miles left to do. But no, Sharon confirmed she had run 10 miles. Which means I'd have to do an extra 3 miles. Doesn't sound much and in the ultra-running world it is normal, but by this time iI was proper broken and totally submerged in a walk attempt to trot world. The news that iI need to do 3 extra miles properly devastated me. I pretty much whinged those last 10 miles and totally 100% refused to attempt anything resembling a run on hills, even the mildest shortest poor excuse for a hill. As iI went over the 84 miles iI was praying that somehow Sharon had it wrong, she had not. When I asked for the umpteenth time how much further and she said about 2 miles I acted like a 5-year-old and said if it is, I'm not doing it, had I the energy iI would have stamped my feet. 

THE END

Normally in events you have a finish line with lots of people cheering you home, you find the energy for what you think is a sprint finish, cross the line arms aloft, get a medal put around your neck. Not here. The last mile was torture and we arrive at a little car park on the coast. There is a big pole that declares the start/finish off the route, its concreted into a tractor tyre. You can’t even point to the sign on top of the pole as its been nicked. I just sat on the tyre, relieved it was all over.

STATS

Miles 87.82

Time 22:07:40

Elevation 4,433,5 feet

Calories burned 10,090

Ave pace 15:07

PHYSICALLY.

Thankfully I’m not broken. I come out of this unscathed. Toes are a tad tender, no blisters though. legs and body ache but no injuries. Though at mile 65 ish I got stung/bit I'm not sure what they do, by a horse fly. It explains the fat lip in the later pictures.  

*since writing this at 7 am today I have been out for a 2 mile recovery run. All was ok and definitely no injuries. 

THOUGHTS NOW ITS OVER

Run wise it was a poor display from me, probably the worse run I have done in a long time. It felt like it used to in my earliest days of long distances. Thankfully though the aim was to get from A to B and the doing it alone, overnight was a big challenge for me. Even though it was tough and I ran poorly I managed to achieve what I set out to do. For someone who's not in love with running I always need to set a challenge to keep me going. I do like the picking a challenge and finishing the challenge but the running bit is hard work. When you go out for a short run its easier to enjoy, on these long ones though there is no way it can be enjoyed from start to finish. But iI very much do enjoy the whole picture and the support I get makes it all worthwhile. I now need events to start up again because I don’t think iI can pick another challenge on this scale on my own. Maybe another crack at the sub 3:30 marathon, once the legs are talking to me again. 

One of the best bits of it being over is how I reward myself for completing this type of thing. Sausage, mash, beans & loads of brown sauce followed by a whole cheesecake. It was heaven.

FUNDRAISING 

Fundraising can be hard work; we are bombarded by requests for donations.  It’s even harder at present if you’re not fundraising for the NHS.  So, deciding as and when to go all out in fundraising mode has to be done carefully.  I fundraise for a charity called NSPKU who help people, like my daughter who have PKU.  It means the body cannot tolerate protein therefore the majority of foods we all take for granted are off limits. 

You can read all about the NSPKU & PKU herehttps://www.nspku.org

I have to thank each and every one of you who has supported my cause. It’s all been rather humbling. The good folk at work have had their first taste of my fundraising and have been absolutely brilliant in their response.  I genuinely thanks each and every one of you. 

There have been people I don't even know donate and lots of long-suffering friends who once again have come up trumps, I thank you all. 

The NSPKU is a very small charity and totally self-funded, we never got any government help during lockdown and our fundraising means have been battered so all these funds that you have raised means the charity can continue in a healthier state. 

Thank you all once again. 

Lastly, I want to thank my wife Sharon. The brains behind it all. It’s very nearly 7 years since I started running. Had I not of started I wouldn't of met her. But I did and in those 7 years I met Sharon, moved from Berkshire to Cumbria and got married.  In that time, and even before we physically met, Sharon was writing my running plans and guiding me along the way. She often tells me what I'm capable of doing even when I don't know it. Had she of said 3 weeks ago, no, it’s a daft idea, I wouldn't have gone near this challenge.  As per normal, the help she gave during the run was invaluable. Turns up at the right times and provides me with chocolate. Though the words “this is the last hill" have to be taken with a pinch of salt. 

Love you loads Mrs S xx.