A couple of ongoing niggles put paid to any chance of run-training
and as a consequence Steve C found himself lining up for the Sale and Chorlton
Water Park Trail Marathon both carrying injuries and very under-prepared .
Steve is an experienced distance runner and knew of the upcoming folly but had
persuaded a colleague to run the event and so set about the 26.2 miles of mixed
terrain feeling an approximately equal mix of trepidation and self-imposed
moral obligation. The pain and suffering came, as predicted, towards the end of
the race but Steve - refusing to yield - reduced his efforts to a run/walk
strategy and finished; albeit in a slower time and rather more pain that even
he had anticipated.
A couple of weeks of nursing and recuperation followed which
opened up the chance for a joint Steve / Len effort at the Dog Jog's Bark in
the Park CaniX-style event. Len didn’t allow his own now-veteran status - nor
Steve’s injuries - to get in the way of a train-like pulling performance which
saw the pair duly rewarded with a top-ten finish.
Now, anyone ‘normal’ who had run-till-they-dropped in the
formidable V3K, then been laid low with injuries, then done a trail marathon
whilst still injured and with no preparation, then been pulled around a CaniX
event by a monster of a dog - might justifiably have a well deserved rest.
Not Steve. Still feeling miffed at his V3K performance and
feeling the need to serve penance, last weekend (26th August) he
took on the craziness that is the St
Begas Ultra - a 58K / 36 mile fell run through the heart of The Lake
District. In short, thankfully, things went pretty much to plan. Pulling on his
vast experience and a ton of support tape (pic) Steve made contained efforts up
Honister Pass, Grey Knotts and Haystacks; had a good leg through Ennerdale
Forest; made a determined effort up the killer Bummers Hill and ongoing Dent Fell
section; and enjoyed a final - comparatively easy 4 miles to the finish.
Pacing skills and sheer grit saw Steve comfortably beat his
time over the same course last year and he may now - deservedly - have
something of a breather. Actually, he has to: he still can’t walk properly.
