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| Coming through one of the cuttings on the route |
So the third running of the St Peters Way Ultra was scheduled for the 1st of March 2015, a slightly smaller field entered this year. 81 entered with 63 starting on the day. The weather was scheduled to be kind during the day with mild temperatures and wind in the right direction but forecast for rain in the afternoon. As always it promised to be a mudfest out there. I would still argue this is Britain’s muddiest ultra for mud per mile. Although I think the wind dried some of it out this year and last year was slightly worse.
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| One of the Quicker groups with the Ladies Winner in it |
A few small hiccups at the start with me having a minor meltdown at a few runners due to runners not having the compulsory waterproof jacket. As a guide if seams are taped on a jacket then its waterproof, if they are not it is not waterproof! Oh and a 50p festival poncho really is not sufficient as one runner who got both barrels from me found out. I don’t ever want to stop anyone running BUT safety is paramount, after a bit of asking some kind runners in the race lent out spare kit. We found spare kit for all the runners and they could all start.
A very short brief later and they were all off bank on 8am in bright sunshine.
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| Brrrrk! |
As always I had a great team of volunteers helping out at the event, providing everything from checkpoint staff and first aid cover to general race support. Even a chicken!!! although he was none too impressed by the chicken nuggets on the checkpoint food tables! As usual we had loads of food out along with plenty of coke and squash etc. Homemade sausage rolls and nuggets went down a treat.
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| Marc Hills |
It was great to see so many previous runners starting the event with some of them clocking up three in a row although it was a shame the previous course record holder Richard Ashton could not be here to try to make it 3 wins out of 3. Last years second placed runner Chris Howe was here though and the clear favourite to push for the win. There had even been some banter on twitter about a record attempt and the fact that he had been out on the route training meant he was going to go for it. He did not disappoint with a cracking pace being set very early on. There was a very strong male field this year with several groups of very fast guys starting hard and pushing the pace.
With a much
smaller ladies field this year competition was not so fierce but still some very good ladies had rocked up to the start.
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| Nigel Harrison |
The weather was proving kind to the runners and marshals with only a few issues at checkpoints due to the wind throwing stuff around. Almost perfect running temperatures. Chris was still on for record pace at checkpoint 3, he was in fact a couple of minutes up on Richards time here last year. A record attempt was still on. I had a quick call from a marshal from CP stating that a runner refused to put his number on his front and had it on his pack at the back. This was soon fixed as he came into CP3 where he was told to swap it if he wanted to continue in the race. It may sound harsh but its easy to lose a runner and spend ages trying to find them if the number is not worn correctly so CP staff can read it as you enter the CP.
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| Naomi Newton-Fisher smiley as usual. |
Then I had a very upset call from a farmer who had an issue with a runner or group of runners who had cut across one of his fields and not followed the correct path. Even worse than that they had left a gate open and his cattle had got out and trampled a lawn and verge and other bits. You can imagine how impressed I was at this and how long it took to calm the farmer down and assure him it would all be taken care of. Please if you go through a gate close it properly ensuring it can not swing open again. Also please go over stiles and through gates, not over gates unless they can not be opened. Farmers do not like their gates being climbed on and I want to keep them onside as much as possible so we can continue the event for the future.
Once all the dramas were sorted out I headed to the finish to set up the finish line. Again we are lucky to be allowed in the Chapel and the right to use such an old building as a race finish. Me and my daughter Laura set up the finish including final checkpoint for food and hot drinks and the obligatory cake!
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| Finish at the ancient chapel dating back to 653AD |
We did not have long to wait for the first finisher to arrive, although he had slowed a little on the last two legs Chris Howe took the win in an impressive 5:53:38. Although almost 6 mins faster than last years second place finish Richards record of 5:34 stands. A great run Chris and hopefully see you and Rich race next year again.
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| Chris taking the win |
In second place shortly afterwards was Bronislav Novak in a great time of 6:11:02.
Then came James Neugebauer in 6:15:18, another great time.
First Lady was Helen Leggett in an impressive 8:12:00, great running Helen, and she smiled all the way round!
Second Lady was local runner, Lorraine Collins in 8:39:12. Well done Lorraine. I did not get punched at the finish this time, last time I got a punch from Lorraine at the end of the Flitch Way Marathon on New Years Eve for making her finish uphill.
Third lady was Naomi Newton-Fisher who has been a regular at our events since the start and as usual she cruised around the course looking happy all the way. Well done.
Some great performances over the day and everyone had a different challenge or target to aim for whether that was to finish or beat a time it was good to see the runners who had made friendships on the way round and realised just how awesome they are.
Unfortunately I had to apply a time penalty to one runner who finished without all of the required compulsory kit, the kit is there for your safety and I cant accept peoples decision to ditch kit or decide they wont carry it even after a very thorough kit inspection at the start. The weather was very kind to us but if it had been like the first year this individual would have froze on the last leg without their additional baselayer and other stuff. Again something I don’t like to do but other runners had spotted the lack of kit and raised it with me. Its not fair if one runner runs with full kit and another does not.
The last 25% of runners came in as it got dark and some experience a brief soaking as the predicted rain made a very short appearance. Overall the weather had been very kind to us and the runners.
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| Some nutter! |
It was great to see so many runners enjoying themselves and completing the race, with only 1 DNF in the whole race I see that as a great success. With everything packed up and the church cleaned before we left it was a late night I was shattered by the time I got home at nearly midnight and up again at 6am to go to work. Obviously I did not do this on my own and I need once again to thank all the people who gave us permission to use their property/land and those volunteers who give up their time to support the race and the runners. without them these races just do not happen. Also the great sweepers we had again this year who spent half the time hiding in fields watching runners get lost!
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| Back for more? |
Also my long suffering girlfriend Maxine and my daughter Laura who always turn out to help and do so much behind the scenes before and after the races.
Please take a look at our other races throughout the year and see what other challenges you might like to set yourself. Or come and volunteer at other events and earn yourself a free place on any of our events using our Volunteer Points system.
See you soon.
Lindley
RD