Calderdale Way Ultra Sat 1st June

Back in 2017 I thought I'd set myself the challenge of doing a 50 mile race to celebrate my 50th in 2018. The Calderdale Way Ultra fitted the bill, it was 50m and I knew the route. Life intervened, and a lack of training meant the project got shelved.

Xmas 2018 and thoughts of 'can I do it' resurfaced, returning to the website I found the race had grown an extra 2 miles longer! The official stats were now 52.8m and 2128m of climb (approx 7000ft)

6 months later and I was on the start line. If I was to complete, it'd be the furthest and longest I'd be on my feet in one go. A total of 16 hrs allowed, starting at 6am and finishing by 10pm. In training I'd struggled to meet the required pace for leg 2, so this was going to be the critical leg.

Pacing schedule from the organisers was as follows

Start to CP1 11.90m   cut off  09:15am 16.4 mins per mile    time allowed for leg 3hrs15mins
CP1 to CP2 11.32m    cut off 12:30pm 17.2 mins per mile     time allowed for leg 3hrs15mins
CP2 to CP3 10.76m    cut off 15:45pm 18.1 mins per mile     time allowed for leg 3hrs15mins
CP3 to CP4 6.88m      cut off 17:45pm 19.6 mins per mile     time allowed for leg 2hrs
CP4 to CP5 6.83m      cut off 20:00pm 17.5 mins per mile     time allowed for leg 2hrs15mins
CP5 to finish 5.49m    cut off 22:00pm 21.9 mins per mile     time allowed for leg 2hrs

Well I won't keep you in suspense any longer this is what I managed.

I DID IT!!!!

These are my split times

35	Julie Laverock	Female	Female Vet 50
Finish Time: 15:43:10	T-Rank: 43	MF-Rank: 9	AG-Rank: 4
CP	Miles	Net	Pace	Gross
1	11.90	03:00:39	15:10	03:00:39
2	23.22	03:17:44	17:28	06:18:24
3	33.98	03:19:47	18:34	09:38:12
4	40.86	01:56:46	16:58	11:34:58
5	47.69	02:15:32	19:50	13:50:31
6	53.18	01:52:38	20:31	15:43:10

A bit of time gained for 1st leg, allowed a bit of slippage for leg 2, but I had 10 mins in hand for leg3, a bit of a stop at 30m point to change over my innersoles and take an opportunity to buy a drink. Leg 4 starts with a long road descent and barring one small climb is mainly flat, I was feeling good and was able to keep up a good run/walk strategy and got into the CP with 10 mins in hand. I'd done leg 5 in 2 hrs in training (very easy pace) and had 2.5 hrs.

I knew I had to be at the pub (Hinchcliffe Arms, Cragg Vale for 7.30pm to stand any chance of getting to the reservoir at the top in time for the cut off. I was there at 7.30pm and powered up in 15mins. We had to call in at the feed station before we were allowed to cross the timing mat for the next leg, so essential arrived with 15mins in hand.

Would I recommend it, yes but for this race you really do need to know the route like the back of your hand if you run at my pace. I helped a number of people stay on route, met one poor girl who'd been going round in circles for 40mins on leg 2! The longest run I'd done in training was 29m, but I had also done a number of 8-10hr days with lots of climbing.

Finally the trekking poles. I started with them at 4m mark on the first steep climb, and kept them in my hands until the finish.



(me at 3m, other photos available here https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipMDJrEJB1BkMLOxOmQ7aYCaObA2rPrbJerAjNICdmCFGdEMqAONgpPqlO38URwdZw?key=ZTczY2FhanFTcGxVQUw4UjJKNmduUkMtOGlqbVVn)

My next challenge, running a 5k in 1 week as part of a nhs team for the NHS triathlon. Start & Finish at the Leisure Centre in Bromley Cross.

TF