Sharon and Paul Sharples travelled East to Walton-on-Thames to compete in the Day at the Movies Charity run organised by Phoenix Running, hoping to notch yet another marathon. The 7 hour timed event took place on Saturday 28^th January and the scenic 5.3k course was an out and back flat lap along the Thames towpath. All proceeds from the event will go towards the fantastic Rays of Sunshine Charity, who are dedicated to giving children with life limiting or terminal illnesses.

The weather was perfect at start time. There was a well-stocked aid station at the turnaround point with lots of sweeties. Sharon and Paul ran together and completed the marathon in 05:14:44. This took their marathon tally into the eighties! Amazing numbers.

The running mad couple then decided to double up on the Sunday while taking part in the Hawker Challenge Charity Run on the same course the day before.

Sharon and Paul gritted it out to clock a time of 05:50:39.

On 26^th January Wendy Goldthorp headed down to Cornwall to take part in the Arc of Attrition race. To those not familiar, this is a 100-mile ultra-marathon going along the South West Coast Path from Coverack, all the way around Lands End and finishing at Porthowan,

Although the 36 hour cut-off seemed quite generous, the competitors had to carry a compulsory kit, climb 13,917ft and there were strict cut-offs around every 20 miles, with a couple of others thrown in for good measure.

Wendy quite enjoys a gruelling long race so it ticked a lot of boxes. She had five and a half months to prepare which involved a huge amount of hard training. Joe Hornsby, a coach at the Trotters, created a training plan to fit around work and home life, which worked really well. Wendy’s job was to follow Joe’s plan to the letter and Wendy also created a strength and nutrition program which dovetailed well with Joe’s.

Wendy joined the start line at midday Friday along with 395 other runners. The conditions were near perfect as they set off through orange flares and rousing music. There hadn’t been a lot of rainfall in the previous week so the ground was reasonably dry and the boggy parts were always going to be boggy whatever the weather. A glance at the forecast suggested daytime temperatures were going to be 5-8 degrees celsius, falling to around -1 degree celsius at night with the wind chill, depending on where you were on the course.

Wendy heeded the advice given to try and get ahead a little in the beginning as for several miles you’re running a lot of the way on a single-width track with limited opportunity to pass. From the off, the hills were tough going, but Wendy was well aware of this having looked at the course profile.

Wendy’s all-female crew consisted of 2 local triathletes who kindly volunteered to help having put out a request in the Arc Facebook group. They met Wendy along the route to feed her, give words of encouragement and swap soggy socks for dry ones. Knowing that they were going to meet her at pre-arranged points along the way made the miles go more quickly.

Wendy made the first checkpoint at Porthleven pretty much bang on target. From this point onwards Wendy would be running into nightfall so the head torch came out.

From here Wendy made her way to Penzance. A change in foot wear from trail shoes to road shoes was made to run on the tarmac. Whilst road running on the flat should have felt easier, Wendy found the transition hard so she speed walked to the next checkpoint.

It was here that Wendy had to ask for medical attention. The two and a bit hour drive down to the race, plus the 1 hour coach drive to the start line had aggravated Wendy’s lower back! The running vest that she was wearing wasn’t feeling comfortable and required an adjustment. Wendy consumed some pasta before heading out 50 minutes later having changed back into her trail shoes.

After that particularly long stop at Penzance, Wendy had figured that the cut-offs were going to be tight, but just about doable.

Wendy continued moving through the night. At various points along the trail she found herself scrambling over rocks and trying not to get her feet wedged between them on the descents. Wendy took the wrong path 3 or 4 times, but luckily enough she had a crash course in how to use the navigation on her watch a few days before, so it didn’t take too long to retrace her steps and get back on course.

Wendy never felt alone because in the distance she could see the little red lights on the back of fellow runners’ vests. Wendy slipped a couple of times in the mud, but recovered well. One competitor got trapped in some brambles and was alone for over an hour, so Wendy didn’t do too badly!

Although Wendy spent nearly 13 hours moving in the dark, the time flew by as there were lots to focus on with the tricky underfoot conditions. Wendy confessed to missing the Minack Theatre due to concentrating so much. Dry weather made for a more comfortable night.

Wendy got into Lands End around 5.20am on Saturday morning and tucked into a veggie chilli before seeing the medics again to loosen off her back pack before setting off.

Wendy saw the sunrise as she came into Cape Cornwall at 8am. Her crew was waiting for Wendy in the car park. It was at this point that Wendy had a big call to make? She had an hour to get to Pendeen Lighthouse for 9am, only 4 (hilly) miles away. However, given the pace she was now moving at and the discomfort she was suffering due to her back, Wendy decided to call it a day.

Wendy commented ‘although I would have loved to have completed this race, today was not the day’. This year’s event had a 37% DNF. In other years, when the weather wasn’t so great, the DNF hovers around 50%. One runner successfully completed the challenge on their fifth attempt! Despite not finishing, Wendy was pleased to have completed 66 miles (time 20:00:30), which was the furthest distance she had ever travelled in one go by foot and without any blisters or gnarled feet. In fact Wendy was walking pretty well all things considered but is feeling physically and mentally fatigued.

This is an extremely well-organised event by Mudcrew. You are taken great care of. It’s easier to do it with a crew rather than self-supported as a few did.

I’m completely in awe of the elite athletes. Gavin Dale, the first runner in, completed the course in 19:56:58. The fastest woman, Emma Stuart, came in fourth with a time of 21:22:16, shaving a few good hours off the previously held women’s record.

Wendy asked herself, would I do it again? You bet. I hate to be defeated by a course, so I’ll just have to wait for when the next opportunity presents itself.

Sue Tremlett, Ruth Johnson and Karen O’Brien attempted to tame the Blackdown Beast on Saturday 28^th January organised by Honiton Running Club

Described as a social 16 mile run with lots of beautiful countryside, great company and mud! A 10 mile shortened version was also on offer with transport arranged to transport the finishers back to the start at the Skydive Centre, Honiton.

The run was split up into four legs. Leg 1 – 7.25 miles to Smeatharpe Village Hall where Mulled wine and a pasty was consumed, part of the entrance fee. Leg 2 - Smeatharpe Village Hall to the Sidmouth Arms, Upottery (2.8 miles), Leg 3 – Upottery to the Luppitt Inn or Village Hall (3.3miles), Leg 4 – Luppitt to Airfield, Dunkeswell (2.7 miles).

The self-navigating route offered a wide variety of trails, country lanes and paths through the beautiful Devon countryside and panoramic views which of course meant hills!! Over 2000 feet of elevation!

The weather conditions were on the cool side but our intrepid ladies were dressed for all eventualities. Sue, Ruth and Karen put the beast to the sword and comfortably completed the challenge.