half-marathon – Run With Dai

North Downs Way 100

Published on August 25, 2025 by runwithdaiLeave a comment

This was my second time running the North Downs Way 100 by Centurion Running, 5 years after my last outing. I’m not in a story telling mood so won’t be recounting step by step this adventure. 100 miles is a long way and I’ve described the course and experience in detail already, but I have captured some thoughts:

The why – Why did I sign up to do a 100 mile run I’ve already run? Why did I sign up when I swore I onl want to run 100 mile races that offer something truly different and special to me? Western States is why… As I mentioned in my last post about the Glossglockner Ultra Trail, I now needed to complete a qualifying event to be eligible to enter the lottery for the Western States Endurance Run. I toiled with many other qualifying races, but the logistics, costs and timings were all unfavourable. So it was really coming down to doing one of the Centurion Running 100 milers. I didn’t want to run the NDW, so it was a bad place to start in terms of not really being mentally invested, but the logistics were just by far the easiest to accommodate. Despite this, the desire to get that WSER qualifier was strong enough to ensure I would finish though.

The short notice planning – Signing up to a 100 mile race with just a weeks notice is weird. It did however remove a lot of anxiety involved with the lead up to big events. Whilst it was kind of silly, it also feels good to know that I can do that. Not just start. But finish strongly! In the week leading up to the race, I went back and compared my previous time with that of Paul and Maria. We were all similar (finished within 30 mins of each other’s times over different years) but had massive variations in our pace. Maria was consistent throughout. I blew up at 50k, but then covered the last 40k significantly quicker. Paul had a speedy mid section and then blew up at the end.

My 5,6,7,8 Plan – From this I made a plan. Finishing was the goal (that is enough for the WSER qualifier). Finishing quicker than my 2020 time would be nice. I figured if I could move more consistently it would be a good day. I broke the race into 4 x 40km and gave myself a really intelligent and thought out arbitrary timings for each. Do the first 40km in 5 hours. The second 40km in 6 hours. The third 40km in 7 hours and the last 40km in, yep you guessed it, 8hrs. That would give me a 26 hr finish. Nice. Now the more informed reader will be aware of a gapping flaw in that plan. The race is 103 miles. So not exactly 160 km as per my plan. It also didn’t accommodate for any ‘dwell time’, of which there would be plenty. But I didn’t care. That was enough of a plan for me to be satisfied.

The friendly faces – There were many people I met at the start, during the race and at the finish. At registration I saw Pierre who was working as the Official Photographer for the event. Thanks so much for the pictures! Sarah who I met during registration and then ended up running the first section with. We had a good ‘ol natter and put the world to rights. Come the first aid station I couldn’t keep up though and she sped off. After box hill I never saw her again as she finished an impressive 3+ hours before me as fourth lady. Incredible performance. There was also Frank who was volunteering at Box hill. Thanks for the mood boost and filling me with food and water! Ian and Jamie were at the finish line and were out pacing other runners throughout the night. I always see them both at various races, Ian I shared many miles with on the North Downs Way back in 2020! Then there was Jamie (another) and Robin who I shared some miles with throughout the day. Always good to have company.

The first 40km – The start felt good. There are lots of flat sections and runnable trails from Farnham to Dorking. I ran pretty hard. Think I did it in about 4.5 hours which I was very happy with. The section after St Martha’s in particular I don’t enjoy (it’s so flat and repetitive) so I was glad to keep moving through these sections. At Box Hill it amused me how people have turned Box Hill into a mountain. The amount of huffing and puffing and sweating. The amount of runners using poles. It’s become this mystical beast. People walk up there in their Gucci trainers carrying buggies for fuck sake! It’s only about 100m of climbing!

The North Downs Kiss – I was running the section from Box Hill to Reigate with a guy I met called Jamie. Chatting away I must have completely switched off. I stubbed my toe and fell spectacularly. I let out a whelp and did a sort of shuffle stumble forward. Thankfully the shuffle gave me time to react and break the fall. Rather than go down like a sack of spuds I sort of skidded along the trail as I gave the North Downs way a kiss. Frustratingly it’s a Root-y, lumpy area and I did feel some impact. Grazed arms and knees mostly and I was covered in dirt which clung to my sweaty skin. I was shocked. It messed me up a bit. I was happy and moving well. Now my body was shaking and my mind wobbled. I couldn’t shake the thoughts about what damage I might have done. I told Jamie to run ahead as I walked and tried to compose myself. It took me a few km. I walked up Reigate hill and walked / shuffled to the aid station at Reigate cafe. I took ten mins here to sit down and breathe. I was ok. My hip hurt. But I was fine. The rest did wonders and I was able to shift the negative thoughts and get back out there. Turns out I didn’t break the fall entirely. A week later I still have a massive bruise on my hip which has gone through the whole spectrum of black, blue and then yellow!

North Downs Kiss – A week later the bruising was subsiding

Caterham – Running through Caterham was odd. 8 months ago I moved there. Now I was 38 miles into a 100 mile event running along trails I run every week. It was a mental thing running past knowing I could quit and be home within a few kms. It was never going to happen though. It also surprised me how hilly it is here. I run these trails without thinking every week, with 38 miles in the legs you feel every incline!! From Caterham to Otford it was hot. Not like in 2020. But it was the warmest part of the day on one of the most exposed parts of the trail, running through many open fields was tiring and energy sapping in the heat. I clocked the second 40km including an extended stop at Knockholt in about 6 and a half hours. Perfect. Right on time. Ready to go get Paul.

Secret Service – Leaving Knockholt a spectator made a weird joke about “look out for the secret services”. It went over my head. Down the country lane we came across some coppers. I thought nothing of it. Later on I found out that JD Vance was in town visiting the Foreign Minister who lives down that lane. So there was a high security presence. The joke made sense then all those hours later!

Meeting Paul at Otford – It was good to have a friendly face and someone to chat with. It had been a while since we’d seen each other, longer than usual! So it was good to catch up here over the next 14 hours or so. He’s such a top guy and happily volunteered to support me through the NDW to get the WSER qualifier.

Night time – I’d forgotten how many road sections there are in the race, even so in the second half of the race. There was a long flat section after Wrotham (about 60 miles in) that I couldn’t remember. And the roads to Blue Bell Hill and those at the end through Ashford were also longer than I remember. Conversely, there were a lot more hills in the last 30 miles than I recalled. A few of the obvious once I recalled but there were lots of undulations I’d completely forgotten about. Also at night the red moon at was epic. Here’s a picture from Pierre the photographer.

Bluebell Hill – Once upon a time there was an aid station here. There isn’t any more. It threw me. I thought I looked at the race instruction but clearly missed it. It was annoying as mentally I was looking forward to the stop and break. It made the section harder mentally as we carried on for a few more miles before reaching Detling. On the climb to Bluebell Hill I ticked over the 120km mark. That last 40km was a tad over 6 hours, far better than the 7 I’d planned for.

Pot Noodles – My drop bag for Detling (mile 82) was just 4 Pot Noodles. Nice and simple. Making sure me and Paul had something to fuel us for the last 20 miles. Paul wolfed them down. I spent 30 mins trying to get through them but only managed one and a dribble.

Sleepy Time – Arriving into Hollingbourne I was tired. Very tired. I’d shut down and was just trudging along. Not really talking. I was swaying aide to aide and my eyes were closing. I tried a 2 min trail nap but it wasn’t enough/ didn’t work. I told Paul I needed a 10 mins stop and wanted something I could sit on. Thankfully the ‘cyclist/ramblers rest’ spot on the Pilgrims Way had a lovely bench. We stopped and had a snooze. A little while later I was still sleepy. It was starting to get lighter but in the forests it was still pitch black. I found a stile and had another ten mins. I think I went to dream land on this one. Paul woke me up and I was fine afterwards. Daylight had arrived and the tiredness subdued.

The Pilgrims Way – This last section, the last 10 miles, was a constant plod and shuffle. Way better than 5 years earlier. The trails are now flatter with gentle undulations and mostly on gravel tracks until the last 3 miles of road to the finish line. We had a sit down and coffee at the aid station at Lennham and then breezed through Dunn Street into Ashford. It took about 8 hours to cover the last 40+kms.

The Finish – I crossed the finish line in about 25 hours and 20 mins. Almost 2.5 hrs quicker than when I ran the route in 2025. Pretty much nailed my 5678 plan. I’m aware that a sub 24hour finish is possible. I don’t need to move faster. I just need to spend less time at aid stations – the tracker suggests it had almost 2 hours of dwell time. I looked up other runners finishing hours before and hours after me and many stop at aid stations for only a fraction of that time. Still, it works for me. I like to faff about.

Final Thoughts – As always all the centurion staff and volunteers were awesome. It is such a well planned and organised event, as are all the Centurion races. And so, the objective was achieved and the bonus secured. A Western States Qualifier for the year is obtained and the dream is kept alive…And of course the biggest thanks to Paul. Since I mentioned the Glossglockner cancellation he was in my corner supporting me. Helping look for alternatives. He made the logistics for the NDW much easier and cheaper too by letting me stay in Guildford the night before, driving me to the start. Insisted on keeping me company for almost half the run. Drove me home. Looked after me. Not many would do so much. Only a few weeks back he flew to the states to do the same for Matt at Hardrock100. He’s one hell of a good friend!

Shere Marathon

Published on September 25, 2024September 25, 2024 by runwithdaiLeave a comment

The Shere Marathon is organised by the Surrey Trek and Run shop. A few friends had mentioned it and so I signed up with short notice with Carl and Natalia as a team. It would be a good chance to run together before out next event. We arrived early into Shere for an easy start with a small field of runners and a modest start line which we joined right at the back after saying hello to some other friends at the registration area.

The start saw us run a lap of the playing field, following someone with a smoke/flare, before joining the trail and beginning the first climb out of Shere up to the North Downs Way (NDW). A lot of the route would be along the NDW and the Greensand Way trails. Both are trails I know pretty well and I was certain I’d run all of the route before at different times previously. On this occasion we’d be running a loop clockwise, Initially along the North Downs then dropping off and passing through Wotton towards the Greensand Way.

From Wotton the route is very similar to that of the Freedom Racing Hurtwood 50 as we tackle the three hills of Leith hill, Holmbury hill and pitch hill. Unlike Hurtwood though we carried on to Chilworth and back towards the North Downs Way. The final climb on this course takes you up the ‘drain pipe’ path to St Martha’s and then we run along the NDW to Newlands Corner (which was very busy!) and back to Shere.

Over all the day was great with perfect weather, if maybe a little on the warm side. It had been a while since I’d run many of these trails but the memories soon came back. The three ‘peaks’ of Surrey we navigated fairly quickly and easily. Then the more rocky terrain started to slow us a little as we made our way through Paature wood and Hurtwood. We made one small navigation area but otherwise made it round without any issues. Personally I don’t like the section of the NDW after St Martha’s as it’s flat and runable, getting back to this section reminded me its my least favourite part of the route. So it was a bit of a slog back to the finish and then subsequently going down the narrow hill back to the recreation ground was hard going on the tired legs.

Overall we had a great day and it was a lovely little day out ahead of the next race in Bulgaria…

just like the start photo, only now with medals

2023 – Looking Back

Published on January 2, 2024January 2, 2024 by runwithdaiLeave a comment

As another calendar year comes to a close, its time for my annual self indulgent ‘look at me’ post. My diary entry if you like, reflecting on the last 12 months of running.

Looking back this year somehow feels a little different. Admittedly there is a little less motivation and enthusiasm in my words and also in ‘me’. There’s probably a few good reasons. Firstly injuries. These are becoming more frequent and a little harder to deal with, naturally this means my body is changing and there is some lack of satisfaction and ‘body confidence’ issues linked to this too. The last year has probably included the most amount of ‘down time’ from any of the last 5 years or so of running. It shouldn’t be a surprise to me because the variety of supplementary exercise and strength training I do has dropped significantly, the past few years of excessive running is probably having an impact and I am also getting older. I’ve also been doing this a while and I think a small part of the novelty of it all is wearing off. It isn’t quite the ‘been there, done that, have the t shirt’ (literally), but I am finding I am becoming more particular in what I want in events and races as the trail running landscape changes. And that too is probably a small part of my decreasing enthusiasm, even in the short time I’ve been running the trail running sport is changing and not always in a direction I agree with. Whilst I’m still fairly new to the sport, it has changed from what I first got involved in with social groups and shared passion and the sport is now becoming more and more commercialised and overcrowded. So the vibe is changing, and I’m changing too. That is ok though. Change is good and all being said, I haven’t withdrawn and am continuing as I always do (repeating the same mistakes also!)…

So looking back to where the year began and starting 2023 I was a little cautious. Despite finishing 2022 on the high of completing the Cheviot Goat, I was still very much aware of my healing broken ankle. Distance and speed were being restrained and I tried to train consistently but more conservatively with the trip to Trans Gran Canaria looming just a few weeks away. Those chains were torn off fairly quickly though thanks to the scheming of Paul and Darryl and in January we were in the Lake District running the George Fisher Tea Round – a 50km circular route joining up the peaks visible from the Abraham Tea shop at George Fisher shop in Kendal. It was brilliant. Such an incredible experience as the Lakes were covered in a thick blanket of snow for the weekend. I’ve never seen that much snow and it made for a glorious adventure. It was tough going but enjoyable and good practice for some of the events later in the year that were also likely to involve covering snow capped mountains. The ankle held up fine which boosted my confidence. The only concern being a short period of temporary blindness in my left eye during the later stages of the run and into the next morning. We put it down to ‘snow blindness’ once my vision was restored though and I didn’t think about it again.

A few weeks later and I was back in Trans Gran Canaria, 4 years after I first ran the 129km classic event. This would be a different experience as I’d be sharing the adventure with Paul and Darryl. Having company certainly made it more enjoyable and many of the ‘things ‘difficult’ parts I recalled were not as bad as I previously thought they were. That said, many parts I’d forgotten completely and I didn’t enjoy as much this time around! The changes to the route were overall more enjoyable I think and I was certainly glad the remaining distance after the river bed wasn’t as far as it was in 2019! We all came away a little beaten up by this event and its probably arguable whether we actually enjoyed it. TGC continues to blur the lines for me!

In March I didn’t have a race planned, but I did make a trip to Snowdon for more running adventures with the ‘Running Addicts‘. Just like the Lakes two months earlier, North Wales was covered in snow and the weather was challenging. We had a lot of fun bounding down the trails passing hikers clambering on all fours with ice axes and crampons (completely unnecessary!). Unexpectedly this was another weekend of getting used to snowy conditions which I thought would come in handy later in the year.

In a little break from the usual, I actually took a holiday in May. Natalia and I spent a week in Malta which was lovely and a good chance to rest. Although we did finish the week with a trip to the Island of Gozo where we met Nick and Elise and, of course, ran a race – the Xterra 50km. A beautiful circumnavigation around the whole island. It was very hot and uncomfortable and we all struggled with the heat, particularly early on. However the views and landscape was beautiful (by far the best of the trip!) and we encouraged each other through to the finish. This was also a huge achievement for Elise as this was her first trail run and she sped around the 25km course.

Later in May things stepped up a level. Two weeks after Malta it was off to Bran, Romania for the Transylvannia 100. I’d been looking forward to this one so much. After some last minute panic purchases (micro spikes!) we hit the trails. The race directors advice was clear – be prepared for bad weather, as there was far more snow cover than usual. The spikes were put to good use from very early on and I’m not sure we would have made it up the infamous ‘chimney’ without them. This was probably the steepest climb I’ve ever encountered on a race. Everything was going well, until it wasn’t. A fall and slide on the snowy mountain meant I broke both my (pretty new!) Leki poles just 30km in. It slowed my progress dramatically and put me into a foul (but determined!) mood. Being a little shock up from it all and not thinking clearly I made some terrible decisions to the race and my feet paid the price with awful blistering and trench foot. I hobbled to the finish line (with the use of a stick I found!) and the next morning, as I struggled to walk, I started to worry as I had just 6 days before I’d be running 100 miles in Norway.

With lots of salt water baths, foot cream and copious amounts of Duo Derm (thanks Elise!) I rocked up at the airport with my feet surprisingly healed enough that I could walk without pain. I was confident now I’d be ok as Paul, Matt and I embarked on the Article Triple 100 mile event in the Lofoten region of Norway. Wow, just wow. This event was something else. A small group of maybe 30 or so runners were hustled onto buses and boats as we made our way to the start line that was literally in the middle of nowhere. We then set off on an unforgettable adventure running 100miles back to Svolvear. Sadly this experience didn’t quite go the way we hoped and we were timed out at 92 miles as we arrived about 30mins passed the cut off. It was challenging, but mostly without drama (I did lose sight in my left eye again for many hours though!) but we were simply not fast enough. The terrain was challenging and we couldn’t cover the ground in the speed required to make it through the cut offs. Sure we would have continued if they let us, but we also wouldn’t have made the finish line cut off either. Lofoten will forever be the first DNF and the one that got away. I’m ok with it, but I’m also definitely not OK with it. There will be a chip on my shoulder until I go back and conquer that race….

Thankfully though I didn’t have much time to sit and dwell on the failure. In two weeks I’d be lacing up to go again, this time in the fa drier and more comfortable surroundings of Salzburg in Austria for the Mozart 100. With my feet taking another battering in Norway I was worried about the tight cut off in Austria. However, everything worked out fine and I got through the race in a surprisingly speedy time ahead of my expectations. I was relieved, so relieved. The last thing I wanted was two consecutive failures. Mozart made sure my confidence wasn’t broken and my view on the DNF at Lofoten softened a little. I took a few weeks off and laid low to recover from the exertion of the last two months.

Frustratingly though, when I started running again I found my right shin was causing some pain and discomfort. I got straight back to my old mentality and ignored it. Enjoying the last of summer running alone, and running with friends. Come August I helped pace Maria as she ran the NDW100, completing four of the centurion 100 milers in a 12 month period – way to go Maria! Later that month I found myself out on a 50km run called the ‘Hangman Ultra‘ which I heard about many years earlier. There were only a few entrants with maybe around 25 of us running. I had some weird thoughts that I could win it (of course I couldn’t!) but did come 5th which made me happy. Despite the achy leg, I was back out doing what I loved – exploring somewhere new.

August didn’t end there though and the last week saw another trip to Chamonix for UTMB week, this time with Natalia as she ran the OCC. I made my own variation and ran about 40km from Vallorcine to Trient and back to Chamonix so that I could be at a few aid stations and support and cheer her through the race. It was so good to see her smile her way around and smash the race in a brilliant time! I certainly felt it the next day as I’m not used to running so fast (as I had to speed downhills to make sure I could beat her between the aid stations!) and felt worse that I do after most races!

Shortly after getting back to the UK I found myself in the Lake District yet again, this time for the Maverick X-Series Lakes event. Another 50km loop in a part of the Lake District I’ve never been too. It was great, my new favourite Maverick event and a fantastic route. As always the organisation from the Maverick team was the greatest. I had such a great time on this little solo trip and was so glad I did it. One I’d highly recommend.

It didn’t stop there though as two weeks after the Maverick Race Natalia and I were off to the ‘salubrious’ (Ha!) Swindon for the Swindon Ultra Trail. More and more I want to run in places I’ve not been before, and whilst Swindon isn’t appealing, it is somewhere new. I did enjoy the route and we did get to explore some lovely areas (like a little jaunt along the ridgeway). Admittedly though we were gad when it was over and we were back in London!

I don’t like saying it but feel I need to though – I wouldn’t recommend this organiser – Only Foot Print Events. Despite what I said after the race about the organisation, things became sour in the weeks afterwards. I signed up to another of their events “the Great Stones Way” in November which was later cancelled for very understandable reasons. However, after being offered a full refund, I’m still, two months later chasing this up (as are Darryl and Paul) as the organiser has stopped responding to all messages (calls, emails, social media messages, and messages from the booking platform etc.,). So sadly they are not to be trusted and I’d advise everyone to avoid. I don’t enjoy saying that about a small company but the silence and being ignored is not acceptable.

Anyway, back onto the good times. a week after Swindon I was in Chicago for the Chicago marathon. My first road marathon since 2019. I enjoyed it. I Planned to be conservative and look after my still niggly leg but got caught up in the vibes and good feelings. I finished quicker than I anticipated and of course my mind then started thinking that maybe another Boston qualifying time might be possible in the future… though, trails are my love and I’m not going to get back into road running any time soon.

I ‘finished’ the year in November. After the cancellation of the Great Stones Way, I joined Jon’s group who’d organised to do a recce of a section of the Pennine way he’d be running on the Winter Spine in January. Sadly Jon couldn’t make the recce in the end, so me and the ‘ladies’ changed the plans and the route to incorporate the Yorkshire 3 Peaks instead. It was a wicked little adventure and somewhere I’d been hoping to visit one day so I was glad our plans changed and we didn’t stay on the Pennine way (sorry Jon!). I say I finished the year on this trip as I haven’t run since. It has been 5 weeks and counting at the time of writing this. My niggly leg became more painful on this run and I finally accepted, after 6 months and over 1000 kms that I needed to do something about it.

In December I saw a physio and it looks like it might be that shin splint stuff. So I’ve agreed to rest longer and am doing some rehab exercises in the hope that I don’t fuck up the plans made for 2024! Looking back though, its been another incredible year with 11 events and some amazing adventures. There are memories there that will never be forgotten.