As far as I’m aware, the Lakeland 100 is the most prestigious ultra running event to take place in the UK, and is a must for any ultra runner to take part. This year, me and my brother in law Matt were two of the 721 runners to start the line in Coniston to take on this 105 mile journey around the stunning Lake District. Only 460 would make it back to to Coniston by foot.
Me and my partner Liv arrived in Coniston around lunch time. Luckily, having done the Lakeland 50 before, I was well aware how loud the camping field can get through the night so we opted to stay in the Caravan and Motorhome club just 1.5 miles away from the start. We parked the van, got my kit and walked to the John Ruskin School, the start and finish of the Lakeland 100. Kit check was fast, which gave me plenty of time to sit, relax and get plenty of food down before the 6pm start.
After a few hours of eating and chatting with family, it was soon time for me and Matt to make our way to the pen, ready to start our adventure. The singing of Nessun Dorma was perfect as always, and as soon as Thunderstruck came bouncing out the speakers I knew it was time. The clock struck 6pm and we were off! The street was lined all the way to the Black Bull with crowds chanting, cheers and ringing cow bells, it was a surreal experience.
Patiently waiting in the pen for the 6pm start
Having heard about the bottleneck not even a mile out of Coniston, me and Matt thought it was wise to use our fresh legs to get ahead and try get through before it builds up, which worked a treat! As we got to the bottleneck it was just starting the form, so we were only stood for a minute or so, apparently Matt was there 20 minutes last time he did the 100!
The climb up Walna Scar road was nice, allowing us to spread out and start focusing on pacing the rest of the race. We crested the climb and started the descent down the other side, which was gradual and easy on the quads. Not long after the descent we were at checkpoint 1, Seathwaite. This year it was an Irish themed checkpoint with little shots of Guinness, nice.
Another 7 miles later we arrived at Boot, still feeling great and the weather was holding up. I remember having a decent amount of food here, flapjacks, macaroons and fruit. It was a quick stop and I was back out of the checkpoint. The climb out of Boot was steady, past Burnmoor Tarn and down into Wasdale. By this time it was dark, and headtorches were on!
I reapplied my Trench cream and changed my socks as my feet are always my downfall in races, the water makes them wrinkle up and become unbearable to walk. The plan of constant changing of socks, Trench cream and my Altra Olympus shoes was to prove successful in my race, so this is to be my tactic going into all my future ultras!
By this point I had gone ahead of Matt. I pulled out my Leki poles and began the climb up Black Sail Pass, I remember feeling great on this climb and quite fast on the descent down the other side! The route then takes you past the Ennerdale YHA, then up and over into Buttermere, the next checkpoint. The Buttermere checkpoint marked just over the marathon mile, roughly 26.5 miles in. Hot dogs were on the menu so I decided to grab one and sit down on the grass banking. The sound of a runner hurling up behind me got me swiftly back on my feet and once again into the night. I did enjoy the rest while it lasted.
I really enjoyed the section between Buttermere and Braithwaite. The narrow path was sandwiched in by ferns either side and winded its way up the mountainside until you joined the path at the foot of Sail. From here it takes a descent down between Causey Pike and Outerside, then dropping you into Braithwaite where you reach another checkpoint, shame that section is in the dark. At Braithwaite I once again reapplied my Trench Cream and changed my socks, ready for the section from Braithwaite to Blencathra. Matt had caught me up here so we shared some more miles along the A66, up the Cumbria Way behind Latrigg, around the Glenderaterra Valley and eventually arriving at the Trawden AC ran, Blencathra checkpoint. Matt was greeted here by his fellow Trawden AC runners who looked after us well! By this checkpoint the sun had come up and it was definitely time for breakfast, the jam on toast was going down easy.
Nothing much was to change from here to Dockray, then Dockray to Dalemain. The Old Coach Road seemed to go on forever like I thought it would, and the Aira Force section and alongside Ullswater was as nice as I remembered it. Arriving at the Dalemain estate you follow the road in which seemed to be getting longer by the step, it was just taking what felt all day to arrive at the checkpoint. But once there we were greeted by my family (Liv, my Mum and Step Dad) plus all the Lakeland 50 supporters, as this is also the starting point for the Lakeland 50. At Dalemain you can access your drop bag, so I changed my top, reapplied Trench and changed my socks, had plenty of grub then me and Matt set off along the Lakeland 50 route.
What really gave me a second wind is all the Lakeland 50 runners passing me and congratulating me on making it that far, telling me I’m looking strong and just boosting morale. It really is a team event when you think about it, picking up runners when they’re in a dark place and helping each other make it to the finish.
Howtown came and the real crux of the race was next. The Fusedale climb and Haweswater single file track. Anyone will tell you that this section is a real stinger, just a long steep slog followed by a sharp slippery descent down to a single file track that is very slow going. I knew that once I had completed this leg, my race was in the bag. Leading into it I felt great, the climb was tough but I didn’t feel like crying at the top which was a good sign. The descent down triggered a sharp pain in my right knee so my plan was to try tape it up at Mardale.
We reached Mardale at long last and I went to the medical tent to tape my knee. When I stood up off the chair my head went light and warm and I felt very nauseous. I laid straight down on the floor and gave myself some time, but every time I tried to stand up I felt light headed and sick, not a good sign. I told Matt to carry on as I thought this was it. The medic took some blood to check my glucose levels but couldn’t get the machine to work, so I had 2 energy gels and fell asleep for 5 minutes. When I woke I felt like I’d just started the race again, full of energy and ready to go. I guess it was also a massive relief that I was able to carry on, I really didn’t want my race to end like that.
My second wind got me up and over Gatescarth Pass and into Kentmere where I got my smoothie, I couldn’t wait for that! After Kentmere was Ambleside where I got to see my family again. They didn’t want me loitering so gently pushed me out the other side with a jam sandwich in hand. I wasn’t too keen on the flat section from here to Chapel Stile but it didn’t seem to go on too long. I had gone into the 2nd night at this point and it was making me very tired, I was fighting sleep on my feet and told myself I would have 5 minutes kip at Chapel Stile.
I slept for a couple of minutes then decided to just smash off the rest of the race. I took some caffeine pills and trudged away into the night. It took me 3 hours to get from Chapel Stile to the last checkpoint, Tilberthwaite. Waiting here was some amazing fire grilled cheese toasties that were just divine. I had 3 slices then off I went up Jacobs Ladder, through Coniston Moor and down the path to the Black Bull. I was really moving at this point, managing to run the whole section from the miners path and to the finish line, I wanted a strong finish!
I crossed the line with an elapsed time of 34:20:43. I couldn’t believe I finished my first 100 miler. One of the best feelings in the world was being announced to the whole tent that I’d finished my first Lakeland 100, my family there cheering as I got my medal, t-shirt and finishers photo, and I was also minutes, not hours off being able to finally sleep. A lot of training had gone into this moment and I was so thankful I could make it happen. The Lakeland weekend is the best weekend in the world, there’s just no event like it!
I’d like to give a massive thanks to my family for their support. I’d also again like to thank the Lakeland event organisers and all the volunteers that make this weekend so special. If there’s ever a race to enter, make it this one. You won’t regret it.
