Amble PW

Apologies for taking so long to add my thoughts on the Amble. Suffice to say I've had a busy week job-hunting, learning new skills through training courses and correcting sloppy reporting in the media. Hopefully the job-hunting effort will bear fruit this week with numerous interviews.

This was the first occasion that my better half and I had both entered an athletics event - I'll not call it a race as it is not, it is a challenge event, but you would be surprised how competitive walkers are in these events. Julie and fellow Macchu Piccu adventurer, Jackie, made their debut on the 16 mile challenge whilst I was on the 24 mile event, with a plan to run in under six hours.
I had run over Winter Hill and up to Darwen Tower on the previous Wednesday, nearly 18 miles at sub 12 minute mile pace so everything looked optimistic for a decent time as the conditions, although cold, represented no barriers to a reasonable performance.
The start as ever was somewhat chaoitic, but at least I wasn't late. It was obvious that numerous walkers were early with some possibly setting off as early as 7.30! I took it reasonably steady early on but by the time we got on the mast road found that I was walking part of it - unusual for me but it did not concern me as I was well ahead of schedule for 6 hours. First checkpoint done and then through the kissing gate to descend towards the San Marino. 200 metres from the gate I came to a halt. My ribs were in pain. I'd felt a bit of discomfort on the the previous Wednesday's run but this just stopped me and I thought my AA may be over. I supect this is a recurrence of the injury at Decathlon two years ago which prevented me starting the Haworth Hobble. I walked a little and had a few abortive attempts at running but thought that I will just have to walk the rest if that is all I can do. After 5 minutes TM (Temporarily Misplaced aka Christa) came whizzing passed me. After 10 minutes I was able to cope with slow paced running.

Chatting with a bloke from Chipping

Having crossed Belmont Road, I found myself chatting to a fellow runner as we followed the route which took us to the east of Belmont before heading for the Strawbury Duck. I didn't know him but he knew me, as he'd been sweeper on the Pendle Cloughs fell race in 2014. I'd been persuaded to do the race by Albert as training for my GRP. My relationship with Pendle is not great and ultimately I retired after running from the previous checkpoint with the sweeper. At least the hours of toil did benefit me in my build-up for the GRP. He also said that he knew Ed and YJ, having supported Ed on his BG (20 years ago?). We ran together for the next 15 minutes. Just after leaving the road near Belmont Reservoir he headed off a bit quicker than me whilst I toiled with the terrain. Navigating the mud, I finally reached and crossed the Bolton to Darwen Road.

The incident

A couple of girls had got in front of me and took the northern side of the gully/beck which heads towards the pylons : I decided the southern track was likely to be a little drier. After about 100 metres I glanced to the left and saw what I first thought was someone delving into their backpack. I then heard shouts the revealed a more serious situation. I crossed the beck and heard "Quick, help, he's dying". I think there was either one or two on the scene with a chap on the floor and I was instructed to take over CPR. There was no pulse, no breathing. We kept going. As other runners reached, we shared out the CPR and after a few seconds (it seemed a lot longer), there were signs of life and he started to breathe. However, it was intermittent and we kept losing him. Eventually, after about 10 minutes, he was breathing continuously but still of great concern. A young lad also arrived on the scene - later an article in the Manchester Evening News appeared which reads as if he single-handedly saved the man's life! He contributed in the same way that half a dozen of us did, but the critical work had been done by the time he arrived. If anyone needs singling out, it was a South African lady who organised us into sharing the workload. I now believe that she was a nurse or at least had a nursing background.
Meanwhile, the emergency services had been contacted (using Michelle Sunter's phone I think) and told we were just off the A666 so odd that Bolton MR went first to Belmont! As well as Michelle and Abigail, YJ and Kev arrived. Kev supplied a bivvy bag which was important in heat retention - I know YJ was feeling the cold. I think adenalin was keeping me warm. Kev headed to the road to aid the emergency services when they arrived. 15 minutes after the incident started (exact times taken from my gpx track), the paramedic arrived so YJ and I decided that we were no longer needed. I recognised the runner as being the guy from Chipping who I had been running with - we were able to see his number which confirmed this - he had also parked just behind us and I knew he was 150 to my 146 from our arrival at the previous checkpoint. One of us thought he said his name was Colin so he probably wondered why we kept calling him Colin when in fact I found it to be Keith (I now also know his surname). Following our departure, we could hear the helicopter arrive and he was airlifted to Wythenshawe Hospital where he is recovering.
Sorry that it is so detailed, but there was much misinformation with the MEN article so the truth needed clarifying.

Back to the event

I ran with a John for awhile but the rib pain returned. At Batridge CP I took some ibuprofen in the hope that the pain would ease off. A mix of walk and gentle run which I now realised would be the formula for the remainder of the day. On Darwen Moor I caught up with Michelle and Abigail. Michelle was walking due to knee problems. Darwen Tower came and went and I was able to run on the ridge heading for Slipper Lowe. I caught up with a group  heading up Great Hill and then at the final bit of ascent caught up with Julie and Jackie, who to their amazement were not last of the 16 mile walkers. After a chat I headed on and finally after White Coppice managed a steady 13 minute pace for the last three and a half miles to finish in 6hrs 45.
Whether I get to the Haworth Hobble will depend on the next couple of weeks. I ran four miles on Wednesday and 5 miles including 5k in 22:57 this morning without rib issues so my next long run will be the decider.
As for YJ's suggestion it was a good day out, I am not so sure. From a running viewpoint, it certainly was not for me, probably not for Ed, and I don't think our friend Keith would want another day like last Saturday.