Lakeland Trails Cartmel 18k Race

Saturday 19th March

Race day had come along rather quickly, but I was finally there, a few months of good training after breaking my toe in January. The race was going to be a benchmark for me, testing my limits early in the year and hopefully giving me some impetus for the rest of the spring / summer season.

My overall plan for the year was fairly simple: Prepare for the Lakeland 100 mile race by building a good base, extending my distances every week and to test myself with shorter races leading up to July. The Lakeland trails spring / summer series gave me the ideal opportunity to race and fulfill my plans. I opted to do (as well as my training runs) Cartmel 18k in March, Hawkshead 17k in April, Stavely 17k in May and Coniston Marathon in  June. All are off road through very similar trails and terrain that the Lakeland 100 will be in July. They offer me the perfect testing ground and a good opportunity to hone my race technique.

Today was the Lakeland Trails Cartmel 18k Race (about 11 miles) and was part of a day of racing. The day started with a 10k, then an 18k Challenge and finishing with the event I was in, the 18k race. The challenge had a longer time limit of 3:30hrs and didn't offer any prizes. This inherently makes it less competitive and is aimed at the more recreational runners. The race however, was a race. A fast and furious affair that attract some top club runners from all over the country. I love to compete and push myself against people better than me, so this was my only choice today. I was nervous about it for a few reasons; I hadn't had the best month (read my previous blogs!) and hadn't managed any strength work for three weeks. My diet was also all over the place and I had been drinking heavily last weekend because of the Love Barrow Awards, so I wasn't particularly hopeful of a good performance.

Joanne was still ill after Thursday, but Oliver had been staying at my Mums on the Friday so I managed to get a very rare, good nights sleep (in Olivers bed). He was out until late afternoon so I didn't have to worry about home. I grabbed my favourite pre-race breakfast; Porridge with Chia seeds and nuts and headed out to Cartmel racecourse with my good mate and running buddy Paul. We were meeting our other good running mate Alastair there. Both Alastair and Paul were running in the Trail Challenge at 1pm (I think given their training levels and finishing times they should have both been in the race - next time fellas!), where as I had to wait until 2pm for my race to start.

Alastair, me and Paul ready to race!

They both got changed when the time had come, and after a long queue for the portaloos, made their way to the start line. I took a picture, then headed down to the end of the Racecourse and waited to take an action shot as they ran past.

Good luck fellas!

The gun went and the runners set off, jostling for position and pushing the pace - I thought this wasnt supposed to be competitive!! Paul and Alastair made a good start and pushed into about 8th and 9th place. About 1/4 mile in there is a small gate off the racecourse that is a natural bottleneck. They flew past me straight through the gate and off into the distance, both looking very strong. I hoped they both had a good race and went to get changed myself.

Paul and Alastair off to a great start

With about 30 minutes to go I had a quick toilet stop and went for a warm up. It is such an important part of my pre race ritual, helping me to focus and open up all my joints ready to hit it hard from the off. Todays race was going to be hard so I concentrated on getting the warm up bang on. My heart rate steadily rose and I stopped to do the lunge matrix my good mate/ coach / mentor Gareth Brownson taught me seemingly so long ago. Its such a good warm up routine to do before a quick pace race. I straightened up and jogged back to the start line, doing some butt kicks and high knees on the way. I lifted my right knee and a pain shot up my right hamstring. Shit! I stopped and flexed the muscle - OW!  What the hell had I done, Id warmed up really well, I was up to temperature, had taken my time and raised my HR. My hamstring was really tight, I tried a run on it and couldnt feel anything, but when I lifted a high knee there it was. Dilemma time, retire or gamble?

Fuck it, Ive come this far so (probably the wrong thing to do) I shoved it far down into my mind and lined up at the front of the pack! I was suddenly surrounded by very fit looking athletes, lithe, lean and mean looking, covered head to toe in club kit. I shouldnt be here with these guys I thought, feeling very small, insignificant and old. I pushed the thoughts to the back of my mind, "I know what time Im capable of doing, I know Im strong, lets run MY race, no one elses" I though to myself as I waited for the start. I steadied myself took a deep breath and the gun went off.

There I am tucked away on the right behind 133!

The lead pack sprinted away from the line, like the prize thoroughbreds they were, putting down a crazy pace along the racecourse. A buzzing shape from overhead caught my eye- a drone camera hovered in the sky and recorded the action of the start from high above. I pushed hard and knew I had to get to the gate before it bottle necked. I didn't have a clue what my position was but that wasn't what today was all about. I wanted to push myself and give 110% effort, then I would have a level to work off for the future. After the gate we left the racecourse behind and headed out towards Holker.

I checked in with myself as I always do after a quick start - calm down Lee, relax those shoulders, keep your head high, cadence high and breathing deep, I told myself as I ran down the hard, gravelly trail. Mile 1 beeped on my Garmin watch, 6.02 min mile. Holy crap that was fast, but it felt manageable and I knew the pace would drop in the hills. After the first mile of running the track started to lift into the distance. From the ascent chart provided by the race route I knew pretty much the first half of the race was up! We ascended an old rocky road up into the hills and some wooded areas. I was keeping pace with a club runner just in front of me and matched his pace and foot strikes. It was still a fast pace but I sucked it up and pressed on.

At the top of the first hilly section the trail led out into a field and I spotted the lead pack of runners already half a mile into the distance! Wow those guys are quick, I thought to myself. The track turned left and headed up again. The track had turned into a farm track, rocky, muddy in parts and very uneven. I backed off the runner in front of me so I could get a good view of the terrain. Before I knew it we were free of the farm track and out into meadowland. Id ran some of this in previous races so I knew the terrain and hilliness of the area. The sun had managed to break through the gloom and the afternoon sky cleared, warming us as we ran up the hillside. I started to sweat and was glad I hadnt put on a base layer or my cap. My Garmin beeped - 3miles in 20 min, oh well its gonna be a fast one!

We started another steep climb and I focused on keeping upright and my foot strikes short and light. It was tough but I pushed to the top of the hill.  The runner in front of me stopped to power walk so I passed him about half way up. At the top we rounded a crag and the view exploded in front of me. We were on top of the fell about 6k in and looking straight at the Western Lake district. The ground dropped away quickly and the surface was quite technical but I still managed a glance at the magnificent vista. The mountains and hills were really clear in the afternoon spring air. I filled my lungs with the sea air and my soul with the amazing sight letting it lift me, then pressed forward, zoning in on the speedy descent. A marshal directed us through a gate and I thanked him before another ascent greeted me to the highest point of the race. From there it was a fast descent down to Roudsea Cottage. Half way down another marshal pointed me through a gate and said "well done your in 11th place". WHAT! I thought I was way back from that! My mind cleared and thought top ten - lets do this!

 Once past the cottage the single track trail nipped up again into the forest. Another runner was suddenly in front of me, Tenth place and I was catching him. Just ahead was the first of many Challenge runners we were to meet on the run. She was Nordic walking and I cheekily asked if I could borrow her poles as I passed. At the top of the forest was a gate and it clanged a few seconds ahead. 10th place had just gone through and I was right behind him. Come on Lee, dig in, hold on, keep pushing, I repeated in my mind, willing myself forward. I came out on the trail right behind him and something strange happened, he veered left off the course into the bushes. Loo stop I thought - unlucky! I was now in tenth place, somewhere I never expected to be in such a good field of runners. I crested the next hill, past some more challenge runners and dropped towards Bigland Tarn, This was right before the half way mark of the course and I was getting tired. My body was gasping for breath and my legs were going.

Right Lee, heres the situation, my ever resolute mind said. You know this is gonna hurt, its gonna be tough at this pace but you must relax, settle into the pace, ignore the pain and push on. You know you can do it, dig deep and you can get a good finish. I took my own advice and relaxed, I calmly and deliberately slowed my breathing from a dogged pant to a long, deep belly breath, filling my lungs, taking in the oxygen and exhaling in a controlled manner, I felt my heart rate slow down and I started to flow. My body relaxed again as I pushed on along the tarn and came within sight of 9th place. After a right hand turn it was a steady climb on a tarmac path. My pace picked up and I was soon on the shoulder of 9th place. I was about to overtake when a voice said - too early Lee its too fast - you wont last. My mind was warning me and after a look at my watch it was correct, I was running much too fast, the Adrenalin had pushed me over my pace. I gathered myself and dropped behind him. I used him as a pacer for the rest of the race. We made our way onto a hillside covered with thick, sharp heather and descended very quickly through the twisty, turny pathways. A sign in the middle of nowhere said "Smile, photographer ahead" and James Kirby soon appeared snapping away.

I kept pace with the guy infront of me and it was a quick pace. He was a good club runner and was pacing the route beautifully, taking the hills steady and the descents and flats quickly. It was just on the boundary of my limit so I stuck with him. I hope I didn't piss him off too much but my inexperience of the course and this type of race made him the perfect pacer. We were running on roads for a couple of miles then at about the 13k mark we returned back onto the trails. It suddenly became very muddy and a lot of the challenge runners were making their way through it. I tried to take the most direct route through the mud and I clipped a tree in front of me with my arm. It was hanging low and I went to brush the branch away but got caught by the sharp, dry twigs and cut my right wrist. The thick branch snapped back and clubbed me on the forehead. I staggered for a second and carried on with the run. Ninth place had pulled ahead and was now a good 20m in front.

I managed to keep that distance but found it impossible to claw back any distance. I didn't have a clue where the runner behind me was so I dug deep and plowed on. Another road section was upon us and it dropped steeply round a corner down to the final section and10 miles beeped on my Garmin (about 16k). The road wound its way to a ford then a marshal directed us up to the last climb of the day. I was spent, my legs wouldnt go any faster as I plodded up the last hill, passing more Challenge runners. but losing more ground on ninth place. Any hope of a sprint finish with him vanished there and then. I dug deep into my reserves, searching for any more energy, any more strength. With the last ounce of breath I reached the top of the climb and let gravity pull me for a while down the other side as I composed myself. I could hear the commentator announcing runners coming in and my pace quickened again as I shot through the wooded section to the lush green racecourse below. I bolted onto the grass with the finish well in sight for the final furlong (well it was a racecourse!). I gave it all I had and crossed the finish line in 1:18 and in 10th place. What a result!

Strong finish for 10th place.

Alastair and Paul were both there taking pictures as I finished. I was utterly knackered, I had given it everything and collapsed at their feet! We made our way off the course and waited for the results. they had both done really well in their challenge race and both exceeded their goals. We had all had a good day. A big shout out to goes to Alastair's family who were there all day supporting us!

And stretch.

The race was an excellent one and I really enjoyed the challenge. At times I felt like I was overreaching but soon settled into the fast pace. The course was tough enough to be challenging yet still offering a quick pace and had plenty of tricky ascents and technical descents. The marshals were extremely polite, attentive and gave clear instructions to the competitors. Overall the event was excellently organised and felt professional and well thought out throughout the experience. I'm glad I've found these races to compete in and I cant wait for the next one.

As for me my hamstring held up but was a bit stiff after the race. My preparation wasn't the best and I can definitely improve that side of things in the 4 weeks before the next race. The average pace of the my run was 7 min miles so I'm going to see if I can get that a bit quicker next time out. I need to add in my strength work and plan a proper running / training schedule with speed work and hills in it. I also need to drop a few pounds as Im still carrying a few bits of blubber around my midriff. The final placing has lifted my confidence and I hope to be able to better my placing next time around. Ive proved to myself that I can compete at a decent level now so I can take that into training with me. 4 weeks to go and I'm focused ready to start my next cycle. I need to believe in myself. Bring it on!

My life as a carer doesn't go away just because I have had a race and I returned home to normality.  Joanne returned to bed the minute I got in as she was really struggling and Oliver was all over me. The house was a mess and it was tea time so I made Oliver a pizza and Joanne and I steak with sweet potato wedges. It was so difficult to  keep going but I knew as soon as I stopped I wouldn't get back up again. I pushed on past the pain and stiffness and managed to tidy up after dinner. Then I poured myself a glass of brandy while I ran a bath. The brandy didn't touch the sides so I poured a large glass of red wine for the bath, settled Oliver in his room and sank into a hot bath. My body screamed out as the scratches and bruises discovered the warm water and I discovered some cuts I didn't even know I had. I sank below the bubbles and drifted away, thinking about the race and how well I had done. I was quite chuffed with myself! After turning myself into a shriveled up prune I got out of the bath and into bed after a great day at the races!