Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Event Report- The Gritstone Grind
This was tough! I had expected a lot of climbing but hadn't anticipated quite how much! 35 miles in one day was going to be a big ask considering my current fitness levels, and I fully expected to be trailing the rear.
It is a one and a half hour drive to Disley, near Stockport, which meant getting up at 4am Sunday morning so an early night was called for on Saturday (thanks Mum for accidentally sitting on your phone and ringing me at 10:30pm!)
Luckily the roads were really quiet and I reached the Community Centre in plenty of time to get registered and have breakfast before the coach left for the start at Kidsgrove. Rich had asked several times that the loos at Kidsgrove station would be opened for us and had been assured that they would be... so of course they weren't so picture a load of endurance nutters trying to find a private spot to answer nature's call!!
The Start- Complete With Spectators On The Bridge!
As I expected most of the others were really fit and serious ultra runner types, so I hung towards the back with a slow jog along the canal. This was the easiest part of the whole route, we left the canal and started climbing towards Mow Cop. It was getting warm already and the stiff climb soon had me sweating (it doesn't take much!) Good excuse to stop for a photo though.
View Over The Cheshire Plain With Jodrell Bank
It was at this point I went wrong... instead of walking in front of the Mow Cop castle I walked by it and ended up losing the Gritstone Trail way markers. A couple of ladies walking their dogs put me right but I cursed myself for the time I had lost. Still I got a good picture of the castle;
Back on route, the trail drops down towards a road with extensive views in all directions. I must say, this has to be one of the most scenic walks I have done, the views were awesome all day (although by the end I probably didn't appreciate them as I should).
Descending From Mow Cop
The next objective, Edge Hill, can be seen just above centre in the above photograph. Following this the trail descends to a track along a disused railway and the first self clip before crossing fields to the first manned checkpoint at Timbersbrook picnic area.
I was still jogging the downhills and flats, slowly, and kept leap frogging a lady who was a very fast walker (I also kept going slightly off route!) She was faster then me though and I lost her at the checkpoint as I stopped for a mug of fizzy coke and some flapjack. As I left the checkpoint a couple asked me what we were all doing, so I told them- they looked impressed but thought we were crazy!!
The trail immediately started to climb steeply towards The Cloud and I regretted the coke as my stomach started to churn! It was so hot my eyes were stinging from the sweat dripping into them and at one point I honestly wondered whether I was actually having a heart attack. Thankfully it levelled off a little and I made it to the top, where I managed an undignified scramble up the trig point on the summit to use the self clip there.
View From The Cloud Summit
A nice runnable descent to the road followed then a long descent along a path by Ravens Clough down to Barleighford Bridge.
Looking Back To The Cloud
Then it was back to climbing- a long climb up to the road over Wincle Minn. It was fairly steep in parts, especially once I passed the self clip at Drumkins, and I longed to reach the road... in my mind's eye I saw a gently sloping road with a nice long descent and I couldn't wait.
Except when I finally reached the road I could just see it going up, up and up as far as I could see... and when I got to what I thought was the top the was even more up as far as the eye can see! It was quite brutal, especially as there was no shade and it was really hot. It seemed to be taking me ages to reach the second manned checkpoint and I began to seriously doubt I'd make it- this was probably my lowest ebb. I could see the next hill just beyond which promised more climbing- Croker Hill with its huge transmitter mast- but my legs were starting to protest against this cruel treatment.
Finally the never ending uphill did end and it was such as relief to be descending, even though I was no longer able to run and could see the next climb just ahead.
Croker Hill
It wasn't as bad as I feared and there was a lovely long descent to the checkpoint where there were crisps- a bit of salt is always welcome on a hot day. I regretted bringing only one water bottle with me as I ran out of water before the manned checkpoints and suffered for it. I caught up with two ladies here and we walked together from this point on.
The View From Croker Hill
It is amazing what a difference it makes having someone to walk with. I felt so much better for it as I was convinced I would be last, and almost had a spring in my step as we approached Tegg's Nose. It didn't last! Tegg's Nose must be one of the steepest climbs I have ever encountered- those huge steps which are a nightmare for those of us with short legs! The two ladies I was walking with discovered that their respective partners, who had run the event, had both finished joint second!
Finally the beast that is Tegg's Nose was conquered, the self clip found and the descent made to the visitor's centre, where it was obvious that there was another charity event going on and we were very kindly given a bottle of water and a banana each to keep us going!
The route kind of meanders around a bit towards the road at Rainow and it did rain (for a few minutes)- and we saw a rainbow!!
Shutlingsloe
A killer climb followed, although mercifully quite short, to the top of the narrow ridge of Kerridge and the monument known as White Nancy (and another self clip).
White Nancy
It wasn't far to the last manned checkpoint where one of the ladies I was walking with decided to stop as her knees were really painful. She was happy though as this was the farthest she had walked in one day, so we were chuffed for her.
The two of us pressed on, determined to complete as many of the remaining 7 miles before dark fell. We headed out and uphill, legs protesting and burning, over a vast expanse of moorland where the signage was rather erratic. I must admit I had had enough at this point and just wanted to finish. The tops of my legs were aching after all the ascending we had done and felt exhausted.
Luckily we found the way without too much trouble (I couldn't bear the thought of getting lost at this stage!) and the track over the highest part of the trail, the moorland of Sponds Hill, was mercifully gentle. Twilight was drawing in in quite a spectacular fashion as we descended through Lyme Park and found the final self clip and we walked the long road (uphill of course!) out of the park in semi darkness.
I could see the streetlights of Disley but it seemed to be taking forever to get there. We succumbed to the darkness as soon as we left the park and entered a copse, and I put on my head torch when we turned down an awkward rocky path. When we finally reached a smooth tarmac road I could have bent down and kissed it (although I wouldn't have got up again!) We were surprisingly enough maintaining quite a strong pace and my legs had recovered a little!
It was such a relief though to reach the Community Centre and see Rich waiting for us, I felt rather guilty at making his day even longer. We didn't make it in the 12 hours- we took 12 hours and 33 minutes- but he still gave us a certificate! After a really welcome jacket potato, rice pudding and coffee I turned the car towards home, bath and bed!
This was a great event- really scenic, tough and well organised by Rich and Wendy of Beyond Marathon and all the other volunteers who gave up their time. I really hope it becomes an annual fixture... I will do it in under 12 hours next year!
I have the Ponton Plod on Sunday... should be relatively easy in comparison!!
It is a one and a half hour drive to Disley, near Stockport, which meant getting up at 4am Sunday morning so an early night was called for on Saturday (thanks Mum for accidentally sitting on your phone and ringing me at 10:30pm!)
Luckily the roads were really quiet and I reached the Community Centre in plenty of time to get registered and have breakfast before the coach left for the start at Kidsgrove. Rich had asked several times that the loos at Kidsgrove station would be opened for us and had been assured that they would be... so of course they weren't so picture a load of endurance nutters trying to find a private spot to answer nature's call!!
As I expected most of the others were really fit and serious ultra runner types, so I hung towards the back with a slow jog along the canal. This was the easiest part of the whole route, we left the canal and started climbing towards Mow Cop. It was getting warm already and the stiff climb soon had me sweating (it doesn't take much!) Good excuse to stop for a photo though.
It was at this point I went wrong... instead of walking in front of the Mow Cop castle I walked by it and ended up losing the Gritstone Trail way markers. A couple of ladies walking their dogs put me right but I cursed myself for the time I had lost. Still I got a good picture of the castle;
The next objective, Edge Hill, can be seen just above centre in the above photograph. Following this the trail descends to a track along a disused railway and the first self clip before crossing fields to the first manned checkpoint at Timbersbrook picnic area.
I was still jogging the downhills and flats, slowly, and kept leap frogging a lady who was a very fast walker (I also kept going slightly off route!) She was faster then me though and I lost her at the checkpoint as I stopped for a mug of fizzy coke and some flapjack. As I left the checkpoint a couple asked me what we were all doing, so I told them- they looked impressed but thought we were crazy!!
The trail immediately started to climb steeply towards The Cloud and I regretted the coke as my stomach started to churn! It was so hot my eyes were stinging from the sweat dripping into them and at one point I honestly wondered whether I was actually having a heart attack. Thankfully it levelled off a little and I made it to the top, where I managed an undignified scramble up the trig point on the summit to use the self clip there.
A nice runnable descent to the road followed then a long descent along a path by Ravens Clough down to Barleighford Bridge.
Then it was back to climbing- a long climb up to the road over Wincle Minn. It was fairly steep in parts, especially once I passed the self clip at Drumkins, and I longed to reach the road... in my mind's eye I saw a gently sloping road with a nice long descent and I couldn't wait.
Except when I finally reached the road I could just see it going up, up and up as far as I could see... and when I got to what I thought was the top the was even more up as far as the eye can see! It was quite brutal, especially as there was no shade and it was really hot. It seemed to be taking me ages to reach the second manned checkpoint and I began to seriously doubt I'd make it- this was probably my lowest ebb. I could see the next hill just beyond which promised more climbing- Croker Hill with its huge transmitter mast- but my legs were starting to protest against this cruel treatment.
Finally the never ending uphill did end and it was such as relief to be descending, even though I was no longer able to run and could see the next climb just ahead.
It wasn't as bad as I feared and there was a lovely long descent to the checkpoint where there were crisps- a bit of salt is always welcome on a hot day. I regretted bringing only one water bottle with me as I ran out of water before the manned checkpoints and suffered for it. I caught up with two ladies here and we walked together from this point on.
It is amazing what a difference it makes having someone to walk with. I felt so much better for it as I was convinced I would be last, and almost had a spring in my step as we approached Tegg's Nose. It didn't last! Tegg's Nose must be one of the steepest climbs I have ever encountered- those huge steps which are a nightmare for those of us with short legs! The two ladies I was walking with discovered that their respective partners, who had run the event, had both finished joint second!
Finally the beast that is Tegg's Nose was conquered, the self clip found and the descent made to the visitor's centre, where it was obvious that there was another charity event going on and we were very kindly given a bottle of water and a banana each to keep us going!
The route kind of meanders around a bit towards the road at Rainow and it did rain (for a few minutes)- and we saw a rainbow!!
It wasn't far to the last manned checkpoint where one of the ladies I was walking with decided to stop as her knees were really painful. She was happy though as this was the farthest she had walked in one day, so we were chuffed for her.
The two of us pressed on, determined to complete as many of the remaining 7 miles before dark fell. We headed out and uphill, legs protesting and burning, over a vast expanse of moorland where the signage was rather erratic. I must admit I had had enough at this point and just wanted to finish. The tops of my legs were aching after all the ascending we had done and felt exhausted.
Luckily we found the way without too much trouble (I couldn't bear the thought of getting lost at this stage!) and the track over the highest part of the trail, the moorland of Sponds Hill, was mercifully gentle. Twilight was drawing in in quite a spectacular fashion as we descended through Lyme Park and found the final self clip and we walked the long road (uphill of course!) out of the park in semi darkness.
I could see the streetlights of Disley but it seemed to be taking forever to get there. We succumbed to the darkness as soon as we left the park and entered a copse, and I put on my head torch when we turned down an awkward rocky path. When we finally reached a smooth tarmac road I could have bent down and kissed it (although I wouldn't have got up again!) We were surprisingly enough maintaining quite a strong pace and my legs had recovered a little!
It was such a relief though to reach the Community Centre and see Rich waiting for us, I felt rather guilty at making his day even longer. We didn't make it in the 12 hours- we took 12 hours and 33 minutes- but he still gave us a certificate! After a really welcome jacket potato, rice pudding and coffee I turned the car towards home, bath and bed!
This was a great event- really scenic, tough and well organised by Rich and Wendy of Beyond Marathon and all the other volunteers who gave up their time. I really hope it becomes an annual fixture... I will do it in under 12 hours next year!
I have the Ponton Plod on Sunday... should be relatively easy in comparison!!
Labels: Gritstone Grind, Gritstone Trail, Peak District
Saturday, September 07, 2013
Ready For The Gritstone Grind??
I have the Gritstone Grind tomorrow... this is an event organised by Rich and the guys from Beyond Marathon. It's basically the 35 miles of the Gritstone Trail in a day- hills and all.
I entered this event months ago, reasoning that this would give me loads of time to get really fit... yeah right!!
I have been training and have been doing hill work in the past few weeks but I think we always feel we should have done more... I had a bit of a hiatus whilst my Dad and Step mum stayed with me for a few weeks in August and came down with a virus last week so things have been a little sporadic.
There is a 12 hour time limit, which gives an average pace of 2.9 mph but of course the hills will have an impact. I will aim to settle into a nice easy (slow) run, run the flats and downhills and walk the uphills. With luck it shouldn't be too muddy!
Here goes...
I entered this event months ago, reasoning that this would give me loads of time to get really fit... yeah right!!
I have been training and have been doing hill work in the past few weeks but I think we always feel we should have done more... I had a bit of a hiatus whilst my Dad and Step mum stayed with me for a few weeks in August and came down with a virus last week so things have been a little sporadic.
There is a 12 hour time limit, which gives an average pace of 2.9 mph but of course the hills will have an impact. I will aim to settle into a nice easy (slow) run, run the flats and downhills and walk the uphills. With luck it shouldn't be too muddy!
Here goes...
Labels: Gritstone Grind, Gritstone Trail
