Again had no appetite last night, although I did manage to down a cottage pie which was 10x more than I'd eaten the night before! Also fancied a bowl of baked beans so grabbed that at headquarters...neither were ideal fuel for a 3rd marathon in as many days!
Weather set for another warm day as we started out from Lulworth Cove and I'd only been running 4 minutes before I was trudging up yet another hill and dripping with sweat. We had to go up and down Bindon Hill twice and once again, hands on knee efforts. Rings Hill came next and was even steeper with several 'false' tops. Unfortunately at the top there was a clearly defined path that went straight ahead but luckily for me I saw the stone marker pointing down to the right...quite a few who had been in front of me carried on and I never saw them again. Down and up over Worbarrow and then a long downhill (surprisingly my quads were standing up to the constant pounding and weren't complaining too much) through the oil fields to Kimmeridge and checkpoint 1.
Up steps again past Clavell Tower and undulating terrain then for several miles with stunning views all around (there have been the whole way but most of the time is spent staring at the grass as you plod uphill or watching each precarious footfall as you go downhill!). At Hous-tout the hills kicked in big time with huge steps downhill around Chapman's Pool. The route here took us inland around the valley and back up the other side before hitting St Aldhelm's Head....more steps (I'm told there are 200 down and 200 up the other side although I was only counting to 20 each time and then allowing myself a small breather before the next set of 20!). They're such hard work....
Checkpoint 2 and it's taken over 3 hours to get to half way...it's going to be a long slog today. Few bites of cheese and pickle sandwich (don't want a repeat of my tuna experience on day 1 so stayed at the outpost to eat it) washed down with coke, water and whatever else I could find. I'd drunk more today so filled up my reservoir too, and onward....Bill had unfortunately been one of those who had gone wrong at the top of Rings Hill but we set off together and remained together to the end....not sure who helped who out the most but I really appreciated his company for the last stretch. Michele was unfortunately suffering from sore knees and I hadn't seen her since the start.
We were now faced with more undulating terrain rather than huge hills. We saw a fox, and a snake (probably a slow worm but sounds more exciting calling it a snake!) as we ran past more 'normal' people out enjoying the coast and the sunshine. Past Winspit, Dancing Ledge and the lighthouses at Tilly Whim before rounding the Globe and Durlston Head and heading into the suburbs of civilisation at Swanage. The 3rd and final checkpoint was based right at the very end of the bay. Final fueling for the last 8 or so miles with one more big hill to climb....Ballard Down. Crowds were out in their hundreds in Swanage and it was very frustrating trying to run in a straight line whilst asking people politely to 'get out of the way'...I was in no mood to start having to zig-zag round them. At one point a woman dropped her kayak right across the path....I thought I was very restrained in my actions!
Last climb upon us, we had to negotiate some back lanes in Swanage before hitting the sandy footpath up onto Ballard Down. James, a personal trainer from Poole that I had run with for some of the way back on day 1 caught us up and bounded past all too easily.....grrrr!! Still, remember, it's a challenge not a race!
Once up on top it was then several miles downhill past Old Harry into Studland. Despite the very warm weather, we passed several Japanese (I think) who were in their cold weather gear - hat, gloves, scarf...you name it, they were wearing it..how bizarre!
Bit cruel to have to go past the Bankes Arms with 'normal' people out eating and drinking but we resisted temptation and hit the beach....the long beach....the long sandy, stretching for ever and ever beach.
The corner never seemed to come but it did, eventually and then we could see the chain ferry...but where was the car park denoting the finish...there was a flag and people clapping near the sand dunes so we headed there...no dibber and I commented to Bill that 'I don't think this is the finish, we're still not there'. Cruel....we had to run through the soft sand dunes before the wonderful sight of the finish flag appeared. We can stop running now!
My Garmin had been 'beeping' at me for many miles, telling me the 'battery was low' and it lasted for a further minute after crossing the line...now that's good timing!
Medal received to confirm it...and two cups of delicious soup before jumping (well, not literally....hobbling and climbing, painfully) into the minibus to go all the way back to Wyke Regis and then drive all the way back home to Bournemouth!
Mountainous terrain felt and experienced today was confirmed with post-run altitude readings....a whopping 6,496 feet of clambering / crawling...that's over 1 1/2 x what I did on Friday...no wonder it took just over 6 hours to complete today and we'd run 28.25 miles!
Apparently the total height we ascended over the 3 days of 14,874 feet is just short of Mont Blanc....OMG!!
Exhausted now, but job done :o)
Start of day 3 at Lulworth Cove - exhausted and sore bodies! |
Climbing Bindon Hill for the 2nd time! |
and now climbing Rings Hill |
Kimmeridge Bay and Clavell Tower |
Swanage Bay |
The final finish line and the best feeling....EVER! |
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