A few weekends ago I took on my first ultra in training for Hardmoors 55! I did the Endurance Life North York Moors race which was 34.6 miles (according to their website, it was actually over 35), with 4556ft climbing and 2 UTMB points.
The race took place within the National Park and utilised sections of the Cleveland Way, which is pretty much part of the route I will be doing at Hardmoors, so I guess it was good to get a feel for the terrain!
I had never actually previously gone beyond the 26.2 mile mark… so 35 was actually quite a jump, especially with the climbing!
Obviously, we had horrendous weather with 0 visibility – I would expect nothing less when up North, but it wasn’t too cold which was nice, but a shame we didn’t quite get the views the course could offer.
I did the race with my dad and H (both seasoned ultra runners) so I was in good hands… we all started together for about the first 10 miles before we all started to find our own pace. I didn’t find anyone new to run with (probably sensible in the middle of a pandemic), but the miles actually flew by pretty quickly!
You can watch the vlog here:
I was super happy to walk away with 3rdlady – such a nice surprise and a confidence boost for Hardmoors, though I am VERY concerned about how I am going to feel after an extra 20+ miles on top and a lot more clibing… wish me luck!
Em x
