Distance: 82.93 miles/133km – Elevation: 16,240ft/4949m – Elapsed Time: 26:59:37
On Friday 27th September, at 18:00, I started my watch and ran under the start line of the 13 Valleys Ultra. This new race (2nd year) is organised by The Great Run Company and is partnered with the Lake District National Park Authority, and the route links all 13 valleys of the Lake District over a 180km/114 mile circular course. Along the way you are able to rest and refuel at 12 amazing checkpoints: Honister Pass, Wasdale, Eskdale, Coniston, Wray Castle (Windermere), Landgale, Rosthwaite, Grasmere, Ambleside, Hayeswater, Glenridding and finally Threlkeld. The cut of time for this race is 46.5 hours, and has a total elevation gain of 7018 meters/23,000 feet.
We set off into the night, and it was an amazing evening. The sky was clear, and the ground was lit up by the many stars shining down. You could just about make out the outline of the fells that you was running between, and the atmosphere was buzzing, everyone chatting and getting to know one another. Not far into my adventure I met someone called Suffian, who I would end up running with for majority of the race. The section to Honister Pass was undulating and runnable, I found this was a nice ease into it. After passing through Honister Pass, you climb out and head into Buttermere, as you make way to the next checkpoint at Wasdale.
Looking back towards Keswick
At Wasdale, it becomes yet another runnable section as you head past the National Trust campsite and climb up to Burnmoor Tarn, then down to Eskdale. I had recced part of this section and to my surprise, the boggy sections weren’t that bad considering the rainfall the day before. It’s funny how fast this first night seemed to go, and I struggle to remember sections of the route due to nattering away to Suf, but before long we had arrived at Eskdale, we sat and had some hot food then headed back out into the night.
I remember a few boggy sections in this bit, and a few woodland areas, but for the most part it was runnable forest tracks. I was only thinking about Walna Scar Road as I knew that was one of the major climbs on the route, and it was approaching. On this section we were yo-yoing with 2 other chaps called David and Thomas, 2 doctors from Newcastle. A weird coincidence that Suf had mutual connections with those guys as he was also a Doctor in Newcastle, and here we formed a little group that I would be with until Langdale. Safe to say I was in good hands as these guys probably had a full Pharmacy between them. We all breezed up Walna Scar Road, I felt great! Then a long steady descent down the other side was in between us and the next checkpoint, Coniston Boathouse.
Trying to capture the stars, whilst moving and eating, didn’t go well but you get the idea.
Coniston came by pretty fast, we sat and had some Leek and Potato soup, refilled our water then got ready to head back out. Still feeling really good in myself at this section. I was wondering how my body would react to staying up all night, as I’m normally tucked up in bed by 10pm. But my energy levels were up, I was eating well and I felt ready to get to the next checkpoint, Wray Castle.
The horror story of the first race was about a path within this next section, and apparently it was one of the main causes for runners dropping out. There was a section just before the castle where some trees had been felled, and the machinery using the forest path had churned it all up and created a 2 mile long ankle deep mudslide that was unavoidable. Suf had experienced this path first hand as he was one of the runners that dropped at Wray Castle last year. Luckily for us, the path had been restored, and was actually one of the nicest paths on the whole course! Plus at this point the sun was coming up, and we got the most amazing sunrise, a real morale booster.
Sunrise, need I say more…?
I was very much looking forward to Wray Castle, it looked amazing! I mean, a castle as a checkpoint? Couldn’t get a better checkpoint if you tried. Here we were greeted by a super friendly group of volunteers, and an amazing vegan chilli! We crushed up some ready salted crisps to add a bit of crunch to the chilli, sat for a bit to rest our legs and had our…breakfast? I must admit I’ve never had chilli for breakfast before, but it definitely hit the spot. I also needed to start treating my feet, the wet terrain through the night had started the slow process that would cause my adventure to fall short.
From here we headed north again, with our next destination being Lanty Slees in Langdale. Halfway along this section you join the Lakeland route, and I felt better being on familiar ground. Although this section is very flat, it takes it out of you trying to shuffle along, knowing how much further is still left to go. My Mum and Step Dad came to surprise me at Landgale, which was really nice. I sat and had some food and again, treated my feet. I feared this would only get worse, but I had some foot cream which seemed to help for a few hours, but would eventually seize to work at all. I left Suf at this point and decided to try move slightly faster than we were going, as I felt great in my legs! I thought I could make up some time whilst it was daylight.
The stunning Wray Castle on Windermere
From Langdale, the route follows the valley up towards Rossett Pike, then past Sprinkling Tarn, Styhead Tarn and down to Rosthwaite, where I was surprised by Andy, Rach and Shep. At this point my feet really were suffering, I could feel them all wrinkled up and blistering. No matter how much moisturizer I put on my feet, they weren’t easing up and continued to get worse. I still felt great in my body and spirit, I left the checkpoint as Rosthwaite and made my way up and over into Grasmere, which was the major milestone of the race. Not only was my drop bag there, it would be where I saw Liv, my better half for the first time of the race. She was volunteering at the Grasmere checkpoint, so she had been there all day. I was really hoping some hot food, a change of socks and shoes, and seeing Liv would help me get to the finish. My Mum was also there, so I couldn’t have had a better chance of picking myself up and finishing this thing. But my feet were not happy.
Ambleside was the next checkpoint, about 5 mile of tarmac was all I needed to cover before I could rest up again. Every step felt like stepping on a bed of nails, and that I’d rubbed my feet on sandpaper for the last 24 hours. It’s not the first time I’ve suffered this agony, as it happened to me on my first Lakeland 50. I really tried to ignore my feet, but the change of socks and shoes didn’t help, they were too far gone. Morale had hit rock bottom, I knew the section that was to come and it was equally, if not more wet that the previous part of the race. I was on my own and it had dropped dark, there was no one else around to team up with, and it was then I decided to not carry on. I got to the checkpoint and I had Liv, plus a full team of volunteers trying to change my mind, but I was done. The disappointing bit was that it was only my feet that were finished, I still felt like I had it in my legs, which I have taken as a massive win from this experience.
After being bullied by the volunteers at Ambleside (they were a good laugh, and I can’t thank them enough for bringing a smile to my face) I officially DNF’d and headed back to the van in Keswick. Elapsed time of 26:59:37.
I really thought I would regret my decision, but I don’t. I am very happy with how I managed this race, and it was the longest I’ve ever ran as I still managed to cover 80 miles. So I will look back at this race and take only positives from it, who knows the condition of my feet if I carried on as I still had at least 12 hours of running left to do.
I would like to finish this report by thanking everyone who made this race a special one. The organisers did a fantastic job, everything was smooth as it could have been. It was the fastest kit check I’ve ever been through, I think it took me about 10 minutes including queuing time to get my kit checked, my tracker fitted and my photo taken for the live tracking site. Also I would like to thank the volunteers because like every race, there wouldn’t be one without them. They know how put a smile on your face, and cater to your needs when you arrive, and how to kick you out the other side when you need the motivation, they are the true heroes of the running community. Lastly I would like to thank my family and friends who supported me both in the Lakes and through texts, it really meant a lot.
Anyway, I hope anyone reading gives this race a go, it really was a great weekend! Now to start my Lakeland 100 training…