Ultra Trail – Run With Dai

One-eyed Willie, B&Q man and the Bum-bag boy

Published on October 27, 2024 by runwithdai1 Comment

This year, I took on the challenge of the Lakes in a Day ultra marathon – 50 miles of rugged terrain, iconic peaks, and unpredictable weather, tracking from Caldbeck in the North of the Lake district to Cartmel in the South. The Lake District threw everything it had at us, and yet, the rewards were, unsurprisingly immeasurable…

I ran the race with Paul, Darryl, Matt, and Matt Buck. Paul and Darryl have both run the race in previous years and were the instigators for this adventure. They took great pleasure in the weeks leading up to the event to scare us with stories of the weather conditions we could expect and recalling their previous experiences.

We travelled up to the Lake District on the Friday, collecting Matt from Manchester airport on the way and stayed over in a converted, large (stately?) home in Grange-Over-Sands just outside of Cartmel. We had some questionable moments in the accommodation that seemed almost supernatural. I had great fun gamifying this and turning random lights on and off to play tricks on the others. I was easily entertained.

The night before the race, we had a pub meal near by and then headed to Cartmel to register at the local school, where the race would finish the following day. The registration area was buzzing with energy as runners queued in the cold outside, eager to register for the adventure ahead. We went through registration and kit checks, ensuring we had all the mandatory gear (although the checks seemed to be on random participants not everyone), and collected our trackers. The excitement was palpable, though there was also a tinge of nervousness in the air as we left.

On race morning, we were awake way before dawn to drive back to Cartmel to get the bus to the start. The bus ride to Caldbeck was filled with chatter and laughter as runners were squeezed into a coach that could sit 5 people per row (a new one on me). There was a very amusing and memorable moment when one runner, sitting at the back with Paul, joked about some runner he had seen carrying a “bum bag,” poking fun at the size of the pack he was carrying his mandatory kit in. We burst into hysterics as he didn’t know that the ‘bum bagger’ happened to be Paul (and we love making fun of his bum bag!). The humour lightened the mood, even though it was cold and dark in the early hours. It also meant Darryl avoided much of the stick for his highly fluorescent orange attire that made him look like he worked in B&Q!

After getting off the bus, as we waited in the rain for the race to start, I bumped into Andrew, an old colleague I hadn’t seen in years. It was a surreal moment of briefly reconnecting, though I never saw him again during the race. He had a fantastic race, finishing hours ahead of me with a very impressive time. Back at the start line, with minutes to spare, the race director briefed us on the course, safety and expectations of runners. Then, without notice, he started counting down from 3 and started the race.

The first major climb up to High Pike was long, wet, and shrouded in mist. We started on a few kilometers of road as we weaved through Caldbeck and then joined the trails. A huge snake of runners lining up on the trail. Here the visibility was low, and the trail was slick. The wet ground and steep climb was an indication of the journey ahead. Slowly we climbed higher and higher in single file as morning fought its way through the darkness. The rain eased but the wind kicked in the higher we climbed. In the mist the trig point of High Pike slowly came into view. Up top the wind battered us and we set off to conquer the undulating fells ahead. After a while we were ready to descend. Thankfully on this side of the fells we had a little shelter from the wind. The rain coats remained on though, keeping us warm and protected. The descent on single-track paths was a welcome relief. They were very runnable and for the most part on clearly defined paths at a steady gradient. The path led us down to the river crossing, which, to my surprise, was lower than in previous years – making for a smoother crossing. Paul and Darryl began to tell us how bad it was previously. The rest of us continued to make fun and count how many times they mentioned it! As we crossed over, volunteers were standing in the river to help guide runners across safely.

Next came the long ascent to Blencathra. It was bigger than the previous climb and was slow going – our legs already heavy from the initial climbs and soggy ground. We weaved our way up muddy gullies which made getting a grip and pushing off difficult, even with big lugged fell shoes on. The higher we climbed the more the fells dried out but the more the wind started to pick up and batter us again. Up top more trig stones came into view as we pushed on, head down fighting against the head on winds. Volunteers cheered us to the summit and wished us well for the descent down Halls Fell into Trekhold. Here runners who didn’t feel confident on the ridge could divert down to Trekhold via the less technical Blease Fell.

The ridge line descent of Halls Fell into Threkhold was exhilarating. It lived up to the hype from Paul and Darryl’s’ stories. The clouds had cleared and the views were breath-taking, but the terrain was challenging. It is a ridgeline stretching for a few hundred metres as you descent on sharp and slippery rocks. Volunteers were placed at a few points to ensure participant safety and a photographer perched on more stable ground slightly below. We traversed the ridge and the rocky descent down into Trekhold and the first of three aid stations.

The aid stations on the course are quite something. You hear about them from other runners (Did I mention Paul and Darryl had done the race before?) and you get an itinerary of the available foods at each station in the pre-event emails. This one was great. Full of fresh sandwiches of multiple varieties, an endless amount of cakes (including good ol’ swiss rolls) and pastries and more sweets and chocolates than I could name. We took some time to fill our bellies, knowing that it would be a long time until we ate substantially again (the next section is almost 30km long, mostly on top of the fells). We laughed as Matt (Buck) traversed the food tables filling up an A4 size ziplock bag with food like he was intending on never returning into society again. We then left pretty abruptly as we started to get cold, even inside the aid station.

We ran a few fairly flat kilometers as we left Trekhold. First on roads leaving the village, then footpaths crossing the main road and back out towards the trails. After which the tarmac gave way to wet boggy ground again near the quarry. Leaving the aid station it started raining heavily and we were already soaked through before reaching the trails. Starting the climb towards Clough Head I had a few niggles that were concerning me. My left foot was in pain around the metatarsals and I loosened my shoe laces several times to try a release the pressure a bit. But also I’d noticed that I’d begun to loose sight in my right eye. This is an experience I’d faced twice before, once on the Tea Round in the Lake District and the second time in Norway on the Lofoton Ultra Trail 100. On both occasions in similar gloomy weather conditions. At this point there was nothing I could do about it and I knew it would get worse before it got any better.

As we continued towards Clough Head, the trail took a sharp and sudden incline towards the summit. We could see the odd runner with high visibility clothing climbing along the side of the mountain. As we too reached the climb it was apparent just how cold and wet it now was – I had three pairs of gloves on which, together with the weather conditions was making it difficult to eat and drink to maintain fuelling. We climbed in almost silence as the wind also made it hard to talk and hear each other. Increasingly we were spreading out and I couldn’t see Paul or Matt (Buck) anymore ahead of me.

Once on top we covered about 10km of undulating trails, crossing the ‘Dodds’ towards Hellvelyn. The trails led us up and down various climbs, each with different terrain and challenges. The ground was a mixture of wet, muddy bogs, defined paths and more rocky sections. It took a while and I was glad of the company of Darryl and Matt, even though we could still barely hear each other as we tried to talk. Only as we neared Hellvelyn the rain did ease up and the clouds started to clear. We could see Hellvelyn way off in the distance now, but first had the rocky, difficult climb to get there. I feel that the wind picked up even more here and I personally found it hard going to keep walking in a straight-line. I was walking almost diagonally, head down, to keep on track and every time I lifted my poles they would be blown to the side. It was a good, but unwelcomed, core workout!

It was nice to reach Hellvelyn as it was only the second time I’d been there and this time we would descend in a different direction from my previous trip. We now headed off towards Grisdale Tarn and Ambleside. The steep descent to Grisdale Tarn wasn’t an enjoyable relief from climbing. The wide pathed path was wet and slippery and I took to running the steeper trails that ran along side them. This caused my foot and ankle to hurt but felt like a safer way to descend down for me. We crossed over to the other side of the tarn and followed the descent with a steep ascent straight back up towards Fairfield. I don’t think we could have climbed any more slowly. Our legs, which were already aching, were now pelted by a painful hailstorm that stung our bare skin. It didn’t relent the whole time we climbed and our legs were red by the end of it. My eyesight had indeed deteriorated and I made sure Matt and Darryl both knew I had some issues seeing. I estimated that in my right eye I was down to about 10% visibility now. It was all blurry and I could make out shapes close to me, but not distinguish colours or the human form! With both eyes open this affected my overall visibility, so from time to time I’d try and close the right eye. I was reluctant to take any further action though until I reached the next aid station.

Once we’d climbed to Fairfield it was quite rocky in places as we crossed straight over the horseshoe. I really wish I could have stopped and taken pictures as the clouds had once again dispersed and we could see some amazing views. There was no way I was faffing with my gloves and phone in the high winds though.

The next section to Ambleside was a bit of a drag. Matt had vanished from my (admittedly limited) vision and Darryl stuck with me throughout this section to make sure I was ok, helping me navigate the best paths along Fairfield and down into Ambleside. Here it was quite rocky in places and his support made a significant difference calling out objects as I struggled a little with my depth perception. I’m grateful for his presence during those tough moments.

After a few kilometers we did catch back up with the others and for the first time for hours were together again as a group as we continued down and into Ambleside, running through the streets of the town to the next aid station. Like Trekhold before it, we were welcomed by amazing volunteers and huge amounts of food including pizzas, hot soups, pastas and warm drinks. But first though, a change of shoes…

At Ambleside we were allowed a bag with just a pair of trainers and socks for the second ‘half’ of the race. We would now no longer go up high on the fells, so a change into less aggressive trail shoes was most appreciated. My feet were begging for a change and I was relieved to swap my fell shoes for more comfortable trail shoes, which made a noticeable difference for the next section and certainly made my left foot feel better. It was very organised if not a little limiting in the aid station. When you arrive you are shuffled into a dedicated area for changing your shoes. You either have to change your shoes straight away or take little protection covers on your shoes to enter the area with food and seating. I would have liked to have sat with my shoes off for a few minutes whilst I ate.

After a decent stop and plenty of food, we regrouped and left Ambleside together with our head torches out ready for the night to begin. As I promised myself, I ‘did something’ about my eyesight. The only fix I have is to wear a buff diagonally across my head to force the eyelid to stay closed. I’ve found from experience that having the eye closed not only improves my overall sight, but gives the eye a chance to rest and recover. ‘One-eyed Willie’ Darryl called me as we reminisced about the Goonies.

We now had a much more manageable ’14 mile’ section that include some roads and lots of small undulating trails. There were a few noticeable climbs but none of any significance. We ran and walked along the road sections, weaving on and off the paths that ran alongside and connected the trails. We passed a few runners and a few runners passed us too. For now though, as darkness set in, we were very much ‘in our place’ in the mid pack of the field of runners. On the single tracks and forests we mostly ran in two groups. Those in a ‘three’ and two behind. From time to time we’d switch places and conversations. My self and Matt (Buck) chatting away mostly whilst the others continued with the usual word games to distract and fight off the fatigue. As always it was a fun way to bond and keep our spirits high and so nice to be able to talk to each other again with out the wind.

We covered the ‘flatter’ part of this section quite quickly and soon overcame the largest climb of the second half which was mostly on country lanes, a refreshing change! From here we navigated back to the footpaths running along side Lake Windermere. The water was glistening in the moon light. We were quite fortunate as we continued through the night that it was mostly dry apart from a few short showers. The wind had also significantly dropped at the lower altitude so we weren’t too cold (the rain coat and 3 pairs of gloves stayed on throughout though!). At one point, in a long forest section, there was a surprisingly steep forest climb that caught us all out. It was frustratingly tough despite how short it was, we lumbered up the steep steps and climbed and slipped in the wet and muddy earth. We were all relieved to get over that one!

This whole section just dragged on. The darkness made it feel so much longer and tougher than it was and our feet were cold and drenched from wet, boggy paths near the lake. I moaned a lot (as I always do) as each stone, tree branch and rock caused my feet to react in pain. There was definitely some trench foot and blistering going on, but nothing I would do now until we finished. I just had to suck it up and put it to the back of my mind. Throughout this section the buff and eyesight was irritating me and I constantly needed to make adjustments to keep it comfortable.

We came across the final aid station at Finsthwaite around 23:00. The sight of a dry, warm and well lit aid station was so welcomed. By now I was out of water so was ready for some refreshments! I removed my buff as I entered the aid station and was happy to confirm that, with some rest, my eyesight has started to comeback. I could now make out the human form and brighter colours so was confident it would recover completely before the race was over. The volunteers were absolutely top here, the lovely ladies and gents inside entertaining the crowds of runners sitting in the warmth. Endless amounts of warm food was leaving the kitchen directly into the hands of waiting runners. Melted cheese on ham and toast a particular favourite. One lady was calling out variations of soups and warm rice puddings and custards that they could prepare. After a few warm soups I did take a “boring” plain rice pudding which was delightful.

We did sadly have to eventually leave the comforts and complete the remaining 7 miles. The last 7 miles were a little more lumpy as we made our way towards and over Newby Bridge and Speelbank. Unlike the lakeside and forest trails before, we spent more time here on tarmac roads, fields and low hills. We pretty much walked this entire section as a group. Certainly I had no inclination to put any effort into running anymore (not that I had much for the previous 10 miles either!). Throughout, with less tree coverage here, we had great views of the spectacular large and orange moon. Eventually we emerged onto what we were certain was the last road. Albeit we’d be on this stretch of road for a few kilometres. First completing the final climb, then the long straight descent towards Cartmel. Somewhere here the road flattened out and we had 2kms left to run. We ran passed the carpark and ‘racecourse’ where other runners would be camping for the night. We were all so glad that we’d found a parking space in the town near the school and didn’t have to hobble all the way back out here later on.

Onto the last stretch we could see the school lights up ahead. We walked to that finish line ever so casually, most of us with our hands in our pockets (keeping them warm) and barely managing a smile for the photo finish.

The finish line was brilliant. The photographer took loads of photos of us and we were relieved of our trackers and given tokens to get a warm meal. The food van had many variations of chips to satisfy our hunger (I went for the chilli on chips option). Inside we sat and ate, then changed into some warm and drier clothes for the drive home. Back at the haunted house, we showered and very quickly drifted off into a well deserved sleep!

Lakes in a Day 2024 was the furthest I’ve ever run in one go in the Lake District, and certainly the toughest run I’ve ever faced there. But every gruelling climb, every gust of wind, and every drop of rain was worth it. From the challenging weather to the glimpses of views to the camaraderie of fellow runners, this race will forever be etched in my memory. Already, I’m looking forward to planning the next adventure.

On the subject of eyesight, I’m not worried at this stage (and hence the calmness I had during the race – admittedly the first time I experienced it a few years back I was pretty freaked out!). There are many documented events of participants in endurance events experiencing loss of sight and similar symptoms. There are even quite a few publications on the topic of ‘Ultramarathon Associated Visual Impairments’. This article is particularly informative – https://www.irunfar.com/vision-loss-in-ultramarathons-looking-at-the-research and explains known links to Corneal Edemas, which results in painless clouding of vision due to stresses (like altitude, cold, dehydration, debris, wind, etc.). Interestingly, there are known links to refractive surgery which, yep, I had a few years ago! Anyway, it is on the list to discuss for next time I get my eyesight checked out…

The Big Pilgrimage

Published on August 22, 2024 by runwithdaiLeave a comment

The come down from some epic adventures this year has hit me hard. On returning from the Eiger Trail I had 6 weeks before my next event (The Pirin ultra trail in Bulgaria). So I went looking to ‘fill the hole’. I found two events that were reasonably priced, logistically easy to get to by train, on weekends when I had nothing planned and would take me running in places I’d not run before. So I signed up for both. The first being the Big Pilgrimage…

The Big Pilgrimage is run by Big Feat Events. I’d not done one of their races before. There are different distances on offer, but I signed up to the 54k which started in Southampton and finishes at Fort Nelson just outside of Portchester.

The night before the race I stayed over in Southampton. I’d never been to Southampton before. What a shit hole. It makes Swansea look fancy! Glad I now know that I’ve never any need to go to Southampton! The next morning I made the short walk to the start line for 7am and arrived just as the buses were unloading runners who’d parked at the finish and taken the extra option of a bus to the start. Registration was rapid and we were handed our first sticker. Sticker? Yep, the niche thing about this race is that your race number has boxes and you collect stickers along the way to place on your race bib. Each sticker is at one of the points of interest along the route. I quite like that idea and it provides the information to go back and learn a little about where you’d run.

All stickered up we went to the start line, had our race instructions and then set off. The first few kilometres were all road as we made our way passed the ports for cruise ships and the Isle of Wight ferries and made our way out of Southampton. We crossed over the Itchen bridge (grabbing another sticker) and made our way to the coast.

As we reached the coast we had a short paved section before finally hitting the trails. Not long after two speedy marathon runners ran passed. Geeez they were quick (they started ten minutes after us). From here the trails weaved through woodlands passed Netley Abbey and Victoria park, where Royal Victoria Country Park chapel is, with more stickers added to the bib. A few more marathon runners passed (after a big gap from the front two!) as we passed through more woodlands and made our way back to the coastal path. Before long we were running along a shingle beach. That sapped the energy and tired the legs pretty quickly. It was refreshing though running alongside the water, hearing the calming sounds of the sea. Not many of my runs take me along coastal paths!

After another few kilometres we reached the first aid station at the river crossing. I’d been expecting and waiting this. Another feature of the race is that you need to cross the river on a boat. Oddly not that niche for me as I’ve had a boat crossing on my first 100 miler – the Tarawera 100 in New Zealand. I also had to get a boat across the fjords in Norway for the start of the Lofoten Arctic Triple. Still it was pretty fun. The organisers had hired the small pink ferries to ship runners across the river Hamble to the other side.

Once over it was more running along the coastal path. After a few kilometers there was a confusingly placed event marker. I followed another guy up what admittedly I too thought was the right path. As we started climbing a small hill though I sensed we’d gone wrong. There is very little elevation on the route (just 400m total) and pretty much all of it is in the second half, a quarter of the race elevation is in the last 2k to the finish! I checked my watch which confirmed my thoughts. I yelled after the other runner but he was lost in his music. I screamed so loud maybe 5 times and he still didn’t hear. Thankfully he eventually heard me. We made our way back down and stopped a few more runners who’d made the same mistake.

We were then back on shingle beaches for a while. I was leading with a small group of 3 or 4 behind me when there was another suspect marker. I chose the wrong path, but persisted as I could see on my watch that it ran parallel and there were points to rejoin not far ahead. I kept going, then, when I went to rejoin there was a photographer. He said a few others had made the same mistake. I carried on, now on the correct route but noticed I was alone. The others must have stuck to the other path which I could now see didn’t rejoin anywhere else and would turn off in a different direction.

I soon came out on a water stop at about a half marathon distance and the marshal directed me along a footpath. After a while I was catching some other runners when I realised it was all those who had been behind me. That path must have cut a shortcut on the corner I’d made along the actual route. We were now running alongside the marshes of Titchfield Haven and leaving the coast behind as we headed inland. The next few km to Titchfield Abbey was tough going. So flat and straight. I told myself to keep going to 30k then I can relax the pace a bit. At Titchfield was the next aid station then a few kms of road, crossing the M27 before back into some woodlands and fields for a few km. It all started to blur in my memories but I know I hit that 30km mark and stuck with it and didn’t let up on the pacing too much. I wasn’t feeling too bad, albeit all the running was starting to make my legs ache. I kept going and soon came across a marshal who directed me up a steep hill. Bless, so many people were trying to be helpful and warn of hills etc., but nothing on this route was actually a hill. This one was about 2m high and just a verge to join a footpath. Not long after the ‘hill’ the third aid station appeared. I was glad of some coke and watermelon. Here the ultra and marathon routes separated.

On the ultra route it got a little dull and much harder. We were on a flat footpath that was straight. It was where kilometers come to extend their life. Each km seemed to grow in length. On and on it went. It was exhausting. Thankfully despite a hot sunny day, this was all sheltered in the trees. I kept going though and I only took one short walking break but otherwise ran the whole 8km of the footpath section. When we left it, and had a short incline I was very pleased for the walk. I was now 40km in and ready to do a run/walk to the end. I was optimistic that the change in terrain would force this approach for me.

We were now heading back south towards the finish line. There were varying sections of narrow woodland footpaths. Overgrown sections. Open fields and recently ploughed fields. It helped a lot having the variation of terrain. I collected more stickers along the way and passed another water stop where I had a good chat with the volunteers about tattoos. The varying terrain continued and I walked regularly. Since starting the footpath of doom I’d been pretty isolated but I was enjoying the peace on my run. Before I knew it I arrived at the final aid station, on the side of a narrow road with a sole lady tending to our needs. She was lovely and so helpful. Two other runners then showed up and joined me. I stayed a bit longer here eating loads of orange slices as the two others sped on.

After leaving the aidstation it was back onto single track paths and fields as we made our way along the remaining 9km of the race. At one point we had a climb through a field that was actually an incline, it was really taking us uphill! I enjoyed that. We also crossed several fields with cows and electric fences. This part of the run was much more enjoyable (with the exception of the few km of road before the field with the incline). A steady walk/run was seeing me through at a decent average pace just above 6min/km.

As we reach Southwick I caught up with one of the runners who had passed me and another lady whom I had no idea where she came from. It completely threw me before I realised she was on the marathon and the routes had rejoined. After collecting the penultimate sticker the guy politely asked my age. He was wondering about age categories and hoping to podium in his category. Cheeky fucker though, as Nick would say “he’s three days older than God”. I thought he was much older than me and he was pleased to hear I was only 40 and that he could let me go without a fight.

We had about 2 km left now and one last ‘climb’. To be fair, this was a whopping 80m of elevation over a kilometre. I know, punishing. Once I reached it, it was nice to walk pretty much to the end. The climb was diagonal across a recently plough field so the terrain underfoot wasn’t exactly pleasant. After the climb there was a short few hundred metres of dry footpath to go. The tower at Fort Nelson came into view and then behind it the flags of the finish line. At the finish we got our last sticker ‘Fort Nelson’ and a very colourful medal.

I had a great time despite the race being somewhat flatter than I’m now more accustomed to (and enjoy). The flatness certainly made it tough going and my legs were aching afterwards (thankfully no wobbly walk though). The organisers were incredible and have put on a really excellent event. There were so many marshals throughout. I’ll definitely have to try some of their other events!

Night of the Full Moons

Published on July 3, 2024 by runwithdai1 Comment

Oh how we’d been looking forward to this one. Many, many years ago I had a short trip in Bosnia when I was travelling around the Balkans with friends. We took a few days to travel to Bosnia and visited Mostar. It was stunning and I’ve been wanting to go back and visit Sarajevo ever since. When I came across a 105km ultra trail race near Sarajevo, I knew I’d sign up and that Paul, Darryl and Matt would come too.

After a few logistical mishaps leading up to the summer we flew in to Sarajevo the day before the race. On Friday we made the short journey into ‘town’ from where we were staying and did a bit of sightseeing. As we made our way back to the accommodation chaos descended on the town when a major power cut (affecting much of the Balkan region!) hit. We spent the next few hours in the increasingly hot accommodation, preparing for the race that would start at 10pm whilst wondering if it would go ahead – with no power surely the event was a safety risk. Alas, a few hours later power was restored and we were on our way.

On the way to Javorov do, Bjelašnica, where the race would start and finish, we stopped off for food at a lovely restaurant Lisa had found. They weren’t too impressed when we turned up in full running kit but reluctantly let us in. With full bellies we then continued to the start line to register. Bjelašnica might be familiar to some as this is where some of the events of the winter Olympics of 1986 were held. Now the surrounding area has many new and modern ski resorts set up.

The Vucko ‘Black’ trail starts high up in in the mountain resort Jorovano Do which is about 1,250m up in the mountains. The Black trail starts at 10pm and we arrived just before 9pm to register, have our kit checked and attend the technical race briefing. The race briefing was very thorough and detailed as every section of the race was talked-through. We chuckled when we were told to watch out for bears, snakes and other animals. After the race briefing we made our way outside to the start line along with 40 something other runners. We had our full mandatory kit checked and soaked up the atmosphere where many supporters lined the starting arch to send us off.

It was an excellent start line and we ran off onto the trail, quickly hitting a climb in the forest. The trail gradually became steeper as the single track led us away from the start line. The soft soil led us up and we crossed a road where loads of people cheered from their cars as they waited for us to pass across the road where we went straight back onto the forest trails. The smells were fresh. The ever so familiar feeling of calm washed over me. I love this feeling at the start of a race for the first few kms where all my anxiety and stresses flow out of me and the excitement of what is to come replaces them. My kind of freedom!

The night was warm. Very warm. Sarajevo was experiencing higher than normal temperatures and there were reports of high 30s being reached during the day. We weren’t going to be cold, that we knew for sure. Even as we climbed higher the temperature was warm and the air was still. The path led higher and we emerged from the forest onto trails that skirted along the side of the mountains. They were rocky underfoot and had a slight camber. Above us, dominating the night sky, was a full moon glowing orange. The night was hazy and light and I imagined having no head torch that I’d still be able to see enough. The night sky made beautiful silhouettes of the surrounding mountains which were visible. The mountain trails took us off the path, descending and ascending the undulating trails in a most direct fashion. Beneath us the gravel tracks gave way to lumpy grass and big rocks to skip along.

We passed through the first two aid stations, in what felt like no time. The first was a simple tent in the middle of nowhere after a steep and slightly technical descent. From which the mountain paths continued as we reached the second aid station which was at Lukomir, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s highest populated village at almost 1,500m. As villages go it is very small, just a tiny settlement of old stone houses and I believe a small number of families living there. At the aid station we talked and joked with the volunteers and tried all the food combinations they offered which it seems other runners weren’t interested in (Chocolate spread on bananas was a firm favourite for the boys). We then set off with strong vibes and encouragement to ‘enjoy Herzegovina’. That I was sure we would do!

The trails into Herzegovina where rocky and undulating. More skirting around the side of steep mountains and the vast emptiness as we traversed along the top of them. With the warmness and stillness of the night, we were sweating a lot and my shorts were soaked through. By now we were mostly alone though. At some point Darryl had quite an ingenious idea to combat the wet clammy buttocks that we were experiencing – just pull your pants down. So we did. For short bursts we ran with our ass cheeks out, bare to the world. Now it was a night of many full moons! Wow it was refreshing though. I’m not sure how in all the running I’ve done I haven’t thought to do this sooner. The dry air evaporated the sweat and our bums felt free and liberated. It may not have been pretty but it sure was effective. This was going to combat any chaffing for sure. Thankfully no one came running up behind us in the night!

Out in the wildness of the mountains we found ourselves on a slightly more rocky section here as we descended then climbed again. After which we found ourselves near Ivana, A runner from Croatia we’d shared some kms with earlier in the night. She was nuts, in a good way. She was so full of good energy and vibes, happy to talk and laugh her way along the course with complete freedom. We stuck around her for as long as we could keep pace through the night. At one point her scream of “Fuck you Paul Martin!” had us laughing as something was misinterpreted.

Somewhere on a decent, the calm night gave way to the freshness of morning and darkness started to recede. We arrived at a small aid station on the side of the road that was Dubočani. We tucked into some warm some soup for breakfast. We needed it. At 05:00 the sun was already breaking through. We could have stayed here a while if only it wasn’t for the amount of flies buzzing around. Little did we know they’d soon become the most irritating thing about this race. We swatted them away whilst we devoured the soup and then finished the descent down towards the river crossing where we would make our way to the other side of the Rakitnica River.

We were excited for this. From what we’d heard, and from the pictures we’d seen, it seemed like quite a wide crossing. Last year, with high levels of water, the crossing was relocated. This year we were fine though. We were ready to wash off and cool down. When we did reach the river it was surreal. So beautiful with a morning mist layer covering the crystal clear water. It was however absolutely freezing. We were contemplating a full on bath, but just after 05:00 it was just a little too cold for us to commit. So instead we went up to our thighs and washed our faces, hair, arms and legs and decided against that sit down wash! A scream from above drew our attention as we looked up to see Ivana high up on the climb out of Dubočani, we waved at her and enjoyed a few more minutes before making our way across and starting the big ascent of the route. We had about 900m to climb in one go and then another 300m or so further on.

The climb started off wet and muddy, steeply climbing through the forest before we broke free onto some dirt tracks leading to a small village. Sheep dogs were barking, protecting their herds as we neared the farms. We then zig-zagged our way up as the terrain became steeper and more rocky. It was a slow climb, which was annoying as the flies were loving us. They were so irritating. Many of them bashing into our heads, flying into our ears and in Matt’s case tens of them enjoying a free ride on his head/hat. We tried to mask our sweaty smells with sun cream, which worked if only for a short while. Despite this, the climb and early morning gave us the first real glimpse of the incredible environment we were in. The silhouetted mountains now showing in all their glory. Layer after layer for as far as the eye could see. It was quite a sight! We even saw a snake!

Eventually the climb levelled out a bit and we found ourselves on a long dirt track with a very gradual climb, the start of the 300m section. We had no interest in running this, as runnable as it was. We knew that we were close to the next aid station now – Grušča polje – and here we’d have our transition bags.

At just short of halfway, here we were greeted by the aid station in a small building. We were so glad to be able to go inside and escape from the heat (yes at 7am!) and the flies. We sat down and loads of friendly volunteers started helping us as we ate and changed our clothes. We talked with them about the route and experience so far and showed the picture of the snake we saw. Consensus seemed to be a viper (can’t recall what they said) but not one of the venomous ones or something to be concerned about. A viper though, that’s exciting! We were served big pasta dishes with lumps of tender meat and noodle soups. There was so much food and drink. Darryl even had some medical support for his feet. I dried mine off, re-taped them and applied fresh socks and dry shoes. It was bliss after the soaking at the river crossing, so glad I had a spare pair of shoes.

We spent a long time here and many runners came and went. We weren’t bothered though. We were so far ahead of the schedule we expected. Eventually we did leave though and began a long walk as we re-joined the dirt track with its gentle climb through the villages. Now we had about 15km to go to reach Puzimsko groblje.

The gravel tracks soon disappeared as we reached the highest point on this section and we went off track again. It was grassy, it was open. We passed through a section with stone circles where we took a rest and saw a hiking group in the distance. We were weaving around the high mountains, along the basins and up through a saddle. We started descending again and it was a little tricky underfoot as there were more rocks and we weaved our way down and into the valley below. Much of this section followed the same – off track, lumpy grassland scattered with rocks. Weaving around and through mountain passes. It was beautiful but tough. This was the longest section and there was little variation and no shelter from the increasingly brighter sun. Our focus was to just get through it as we’d then be around 60k in, a decent milestone.

There was a small road crossing and a very twisty section where I powered ahead. Every time we thought it would be nearing an end we’d see flags/markers way off in the distance. We’d reform together and crack on then over time spread out a little. We’d been moving for over 12 hours now and we were feeling it.

We skirted a rocky section around a mountain that had plenty of loose scree underfoot and we could then see the aid station up in a verge/layby in the distance. When we eventually reached it we all collapsed into the seats and started stuffing our faces with watermelon. The watermelon out here was so fresh and juicy! We felt that. That section, being the longest, with naff all shade and increasingly warmer temperatures of the morning drained us and we all looked exhausted. Copious amounts of Coke and watermelon were consumed. We needed the break but probably spent too long here. Loads of runners came through and they all hardly stopped and left quickly. We were the only ones that hung around. Not that it bothered us, we were enjoying it.

After sitting down and leaving the aid station I decided to check my phone signal and my emails and messages. I’m in the process of trying to sell and buy a house and over the course of the morning I had received an offer through that met my expectations. My brain snapped into focus. The run became my second priority and as we left the aid station I was head down in my phone pinging off emails to different estate agents and telling them “I’m up a mountain in Bosnia!!”. It was stressful but I was buzzing. A wake up call that gave me energy.

Once I was done I put the phone away and chased after the others whom I’d told I’d catch up. It was surprisingly muddy and there were lots of little trip hazards as we ran through a forest section. No wonder I was all over the place when I wasn’t looking at anything other than my phone. I caught them up just as we came across a weird little climb that diverted us around a fence to re-join the path through a long grass area. We’d seen pictures of this as the organisers had ‘cut’ a path out through the grass. We tried to move with more pace but it was so damn hot now that our pace and effort didn’t make a damn bit of difference.

This was a slightly shorter section but it still took us ages. Almost 3 hours to cover less than 8km. I can’t remember much else as my mind was distracted. But here Matt started to really feel the heat. There were some smallish climbs in the forest and they just zapped his energy making it very slow going. Darryl was sticking alongside with him and managing regular rest breaks, Paul was pulling us up, setting the pace. Team work. The goal now was the aid station at Bobovica. Get to this aid station and rest again before tackling the big section with the ridge lines. Matt was a little worried about the next section due to the heat but stuck with it. Into the aid station we went. Darryl and Paul had a little lay down. Me and Matt tried to eat and drink as much as we could as we talked with the volunteers and got more info about what lay ahead. It was going to be long. Another runner on our race arrived into the aid station after completing this section (it’s a loop back to here via a different path). He said it took him 4-5 hours. So it was going to take us a lot longer. Matt was rejuvenated though knowing the total elevation was broken up slightly and that there was now an extra water stop before the descent – about 6.5k in.

As we set out and started the climb there were two other runners from the red course (66k) who set out just before us. We followed them slowly as the climb led us into the shade of the forest. We played leap frog with them for the whole climb. They were up against a different time limit on their race and knew they wouldn’t make it, but were going to finish the section anyway. We were just exhausted. We all took breaks fairly regularly, to stop and manage the heat the best we could as we climbed through the forest which was steep and hot with more flies. Eurgh. We made slow but steady progress as it wasn’t too bad in the shelter of the forest but that wouldn’t last. We left the trees behind and continued up on the increasingly steeper and rockier paths. There was a short sharp climb that opened onto the side of the ridge line. We sat and enjoyed the spectacular views. I was with Matt and he desperately needed some shade. But there wasn’t any. We carried on up where we found Paul and Darryl spread out on the summit. What a place to lay down and relax. It was just missing the shade. The view showed us everything that lay ahead. A horseshoe of ridgelines with maybe 4 or 5 summits we’d navigate along the way around too the other side of the valley. Somewhere over there we’d descend. Somewhere…

We carried on with trepidation. Up close though the footpaths were clear and solid. Nothing to worry about here. Despite the heat it wasn’t so bad either as there was a glorious wind to keep us cool. For the next hour or so we traced forward, following the dots in the distance that were the other two runners. After the biggest climb on the ridge we all got momentarily angry. We thought the water would be here. We’d been climbing for about 2 hours and drinking like there was no tomorrow. We were worried the water station had left without us. Surely not. Thankfully it was just our minds and fears. In the distance, at the end of the horseshoe we could see the structure of a bivouac shelter and people. This drove us forward as we enjoyed a nice descent on the mountain side down to where the water actually was. Somehow this whole section was only 6.5 km but had taken us over 3 hours.

With the ridge attacked, overcome and the spectacular views enjoyed, we stopped here too for a little while with Matt resting in the shade of the shelter. We refilled our water and talked and joked with the other runners and volunteers. We could have stayed here happily for hours. The view really was really something special. Alas, we clambered to our feet and all set off together, there was a long way to go back to the aid station to finish the loop.

As we set off it was mostly downhill, we had climbed a long way after all. We had about 900m to descend in total and the route set off steeply. It went straight down the side of the mountain then onto some switchbacks as we headed for a lush green ‘lump’ on the mountain side. Over it we went and further down as we started weaving towards the forest. It was here that I started to fade. I had to call a time out and sit in the shade because I was so hungry. I’d not eaten for the whole section, probably for over 4 hours by now, and hadn’t been managing my fuelling at all. I think I was fine but just hadn’t fully considered how long the ridge would take. I devoured a chocolate/nut bar and we set off again before all the flies swarming us bit us to pieces.

The forests here were incredibly dense and the smells sensational. All sorts of fauna combining to give the forest its scent. It was a completely new experience on this run with much of the route being exposed to suddenly be in what looked like a tropical rainforest. We enjoyed it. After some time, with lots of little climbs and further descents in between, we clambered across a boulder field. I hated that stuff. My feet were aching now and every boulder caused my feet to move in awkward positions and rub more and more. I was glad to traverse it and get to the other side!

Even after the boulder field the route seemed to continue on more and more. We were still weaving and winding around the mountain we’d descended for so long. After what felt an age we did eventually get back to the aid station almost 6.5 hrs after our first visit. That was a long section. We took soup and prepared our head torches for the next part as it would now be dark. Paul did his duty and gave Matt a good talking to, ensuring his mind was set for what was to come. He was ready. We estimated another 6 hours before we’d finish, a long way to go but gladly broken up into 3 sections. We said good bye to the other two runners and set off.

We now had 3 sections all about 7km or so in length, so a little more than half marathon remaining and the bulk of the elevation was done now. We’d always said we would get to the 70km mark and know when we’d finish. That momentarily lifted our spirits. The first section was mostly down hill and rocky. It was tough on my now very sore feet as we left the aid station off track down some steep and uneven paths to the river. The darkness set in very, very quickly as we bushwhacked our way along the path, following the sound of the water. After a short while we had the suspension bridge crossing which was… interesting. To get on it we had to climb some largely spaced ladder rungs and then make our way across some wobbly planks which weren’t connected to the guide ropes we held on to. It made for a mini test and adventure for our tired legs!

The trails were largely off track on this section. A few climbs and descents later we emerged from the darkness above a village with street lights glowing in the darkness. It was very loud here and we assumed we were at the aid station. Only it wasn’t and instead there were a group of guys partying loudly at 1:30. Music pumping and screaming and shouting. Darryl was adopted by them and almost lost to their party. I think they even offered him a lift home if he stayed and drank with them. We climbed up a road, leaving the village, and almost Darryl, behind. Then we saw the aid station.

Another aid station stop and another round of soup for everyone. Despite being the last runners, they were keen to put the kettle to use and get us warm drinks! The night was cooler than the night before and we took the moment to layer up as we left. This ‘second’ section felt long and hard. It started with a descent and climb in the darkness. Then our tired minds played tricks with us using the squished route profile on our bib numbers. We’d interpreted the section appeared to be flatter than it was. Only all around us were mountains. We were very close to where we’d run some 90 km and over 24 hours earlier – in the valleys, off track running along lumpy grassy areas. The terrain felt all to familiar but there didn’t feel like there was anyway out with out climbing! The feint glimmer of reflective trail markings confirmed this as they seemingly lead us upwards, climbing to the heavens. We had no choice but to follow. We did however have a choice to vocalise our dissatisfaction and confusion and we chose to moan like hell. Thankfully by now Matt was seemingly well recovered from the heat exhaustion of the day. The cooler night had certainly made things easier. But we were all tired, all so very tired. More times than I can remember we curled up on the floor and turned our head torches off to try and sleep. Sometimes we did, mostly we didn’t, every time we complained about the flies! It was very stop start as we slowly navigated to that last aid station.

From here we knew we just had 7km left to go. We were glad it was one of the shorter sections and not a race with a large section at the end. I was struggling though. The tiredness had gripped me hard. We continued what remained of a short climb before descending. Each step causing me to curse with the pressure on my sore feet. After the descent we found ourselves crossing the open mountain side, a gentle camber underfoot, Even in the darkness it was breath-taking. Looking down it only got darker and darker like an abyss. I remember thinking about the grass beneath our feet was that was wet with dew. It felt so different to the previous night.

After sometime, lights up ahead caught our attention, and then the sound of people. We were at a road crossing and volunteers cheered us in. 3km to go they told us (it felt like it should be more and it was indeed slightly more). From the road we descended sharply in the forests. The guys were spurred on, but I couldn’t keep up. The steepness and loose soil aggravating my feet. I called after them to slow down. It felt like the same forest paths we ran through as soon as we started way back on Friday night. It was close but, not the exact same paths. We had multiple conversations about the paths and debated whether we were retracing our steps.

After the descent we broke out onto a gravel track road. We had to climb again. Not far or high, and at a very respectable gradient, but our pace slowed. It felt like an eternity as we trudged onwards. I was hallucinating now. I remember asking Darryl if he “wants lemon with that” (seems that I was dreaming that I was working in a bar) and telling Matt to “Put the kettle on”. Darryl stayed with me, trying to keep me talking and awake as we plodded on. I probably spent more time walking side to side than walking forward!

Finally after the road and a further km or 2 through the forests we saw the lights of the finish line. The guys huddled up and we crossed that line together to the raucous cheers of a few volunteers who remained and clapped us in, telling us they’d been waiting for us and that we’d missed the party! We were indeed the final finishers. Lisa was there too, to look after us and drive us home. We sat for 10 mins and chatted with the organisers. 10 minutes later I was fast asleep in the back of the car. In 3 hours time we’d be awake and heading to the airport to go home.

We thoroughly enjoyed this event. It was tough, probably more so than we expected given the heat, but beautiful. The mountains and the route are incredible and the organisation of the event was spot on. Highly recommend this is added to your ultra trail bucket list!