Author Archive: Mark Bower

So, who knows why we agree to do these things. For me it was all the positive talk from Endure 2018, and the relentless enthusiasm of Nick Hutchinson, Jon Watson and Steve Farrell. So signed up added to the last team, who is going to Captain. Nobody seemed bothered and interested to see if you can lead one of these things from the back, I agreed to step up.

To be fair I didn’t really know Kevin Reardon ­­­(He had said some positive words to me about Brad! But 2 week before we all got to share his Ultra experience live on Facebook), Steve Powell – I knew a little through his sister Sarah Powell (who is possibly the most capable novice runner in our club, if only she believed that to!) David Hayden I had exchanged smiles with at 6.40 whilst waiting for club nights to start, but Claire Hayden had run in the same groups as me and I remember, the positive words of encouragement she had shared with me when I first joined the club and was struggling with Group 4 speeds (New Group 5!) and when she waited with me at the start of the year when I popped my hamstring running intervals around St Wilfred’s Rd.

We all have our injuries and health problems, I’m no exception or anything special, but 4 weeks before race start I was in A&E with chest pain, 6th time in 5 years, very frustrating but tests all done and nothing majorly serious. I was still nervous about pushing my body. For most people racing and Endurance events are mental and not physical, ie you are able to push your bodies by learning to turn off the pain barrier, but I can’t do that any more. I need to stop or monitor my efforts and can only work to 60-70% otherwise I seem to get poorly for weeks afterward.

An advance party of 5 cars set off, from the Sun Inn, scandal from the start as Nick Hutchinson bribes/thanks Becky with a McDonalds, causing us to be late, but not really late. Balancing the role for Endure President/Diplomat with Fatherly responsibilities can’t be easy. We meet proper and final at the gates of Endure and all get out of cars at 7.50. I had wondered what Mrs Hayden would be like, I was not disappointed: bubbly, smiling, supportive, confident – perfect. Two hours standing in the cold shadows of the woods, 2nd in the cue of cars was time enough for us to share stories, a few laughs. And then the gates opened and off we went to reserve the best possible place for our team of 33 runners, with about 500 cars lined up behind us. So Nick knew exactly what he wanted and he dished out his orders and we dutifully complied; communal area surrounded by Teamed tents – 4 hours later done and the masses started arriving having left work early to help with preparations and start drinking.

For those of you that missed the Friday night you missed a treat, a very relaxed evening, Mark Bower fired up his barbecue, James Holloway made a massive Chilli and Nick made a Michelin star Paella on his fancy Cadac stove. Jo Derxhad made some fantastic Chicken Kebabs but she was so busy trying everyone else’s food, like me, she forgot to cook them. Jonathan Jones lit his fire and burnt his old bunk bed.

I was hoping Zoe Kerrigan and Karen could do a tag team support for our entire team, but Thursday morning, Nick was in my office discussing the Friday Barbecue, when he was receiving messages from Sam Charlesworth about her injuries and he just joked with Zoe, will you do it and she said yes, 22 years I’ve been married I’ve never had a yes so quickly. Voodoo I tell you, must be.

I had asked the team if they had any goals, I was hoping that one or 2 of them might want to smash out 7 or 8 laps, which would allow me time to take it easy, but they were all really chilled and all wanted to go with the flow and see how they felt.

And so the day began 1st lap down, wow it was hot, but still some great times from the 4 runners. I ran walked a 65 minuter. Lap 2 down and I had asked Kevin to go out of sequence so I got extra rest and could do a lap with Zoe, this ended up being Zoe’s slowest lap (Go figure!!) So Kevin had done 3 and the rest of us 2 laps. I had discussed with Steve him doing his 4th lap after Kevin, which would put back my 3rdlap. I fell asleep, deep deep sleep, the best sleep, only to be awoke by Neil Costigan shouting Zoe with a 25 minute warning. My brain is normally really good at working through times, adding subtracting and memorizing times, but I couldn’t work out when it was my time to run. I got up only to be met by an equally confused David Hayden who told me he was going next and then Claire. Putting everyone straight I did the 3rd lap which was he Night time lap, some of us had never run in the dark before. I was really nervous of tripping and went especially slowly, to start with but then I was treated to the sunrise and finished the run able to turn off my torch. Allowing David to do his 4th with Claire following. We all watched her finish her fourth she struggled to run up the hill, the anguish in her face was painful for me to see, but I could see her parents were really upset. She declared herself done, very brave. I had set a previous maximum of 3 laps but having watched the guys go through their 5th I decided to do 4 feeling really good going into the lap I was hoping to try and get a sub 1 hour run, but the body said no, everything started to seize up, there was nothing I could do, when whilst I was jogging 2 walkers over took me. And then a pat on the shoulder and Matthew Thomas Burnsovertook me with a double limp on his 6thlap, I could see his pain, I could feel his pain as we limped toward the finish line his lead growing steadily.

The night was something quite amazing for Zoe and me, most of you were pushing your bodies to the extreme, I decided to busy myself with manual work in the kitchen to fend off sleep. We watched Neil sleep with one eye open, Nick close his eyes but not sleep, but the prize for sleeping surely has to go to John Worthington who sleeps with his mouth open and a gentle snore that is as constant and reliable as a metronome.

So there are a number of proper athletes in the club and we all knew they would do well, anything sub 40 for a man is magnificent and ladies who run sub 45 incredible. But for me the efforts of others are equally as impressive; Our Solo runner Nicola Wilkinson, who I don’t really know, but appeared for short visits to Camp Danum overflowing with energy, 8 laps for Laura Sydney; when she outdrank everyone on Friday, was awake the earliest on Saturday and had the odd tipple throughout the race also. Neil Costigan, who would not want to be in his team, he was present at all the transitions, always positive. Jon Watson, leading a funky reduced team until Captain Adi Tuplin was able to come and help packing in 5 runs in 15 hours. But I have to say I was most impressed with Zoe nearly 6 hours on her feet negative splits, except when I slowed her down. We have been reading facebook posts all day yesterday, finishing each others sentences, who’d have thought it!!

The Hutchinson Family. Nick is Mr Positive always got a good encouraging and informative word to say, a true student of form and race prep. Lynn Hutchinson is a grafter, I watched as she mothered her girls cooking and looking after them. Very special intelligent young women, keen to help and support. I am not a dog lover, embarrassed to say I am maybe a bit phobic of dogs, but little Ruby seemed to steal everyone’s hearts, watching her lick Adi’s face for over a minute was something that made me cringe, but cringe in a nice way. Ruth Medlock interact with her own family was something quite special, a mother is always a mother, even when she is tired, you woman are amazing.

Monday, late to the party but not too late. The Kerrigans joined a farewell and didn’t we do well Breakfast at Toby Carvery, Edenthorpe. A nice time to reflect and share stories again.

What a lovely weekend and not a crossed word or argument in 3 days with 33 tired bodies, that has got to be amazing.

I will firstly explain the name and how the team was formed. Whilst on our Danum Harriers Running holiday in France 2018, five budding Harriers took the chance to get on the bikes in the evening and visit a local hospitality for a pint or two. The concept was born: Myself, Eleanor Bull, John Worthington, Lynn Hutchinson and Paul Wright later that year took part in Endure 24 in different teams.

After Endure 2018 the teams disbanded, so we took the opportunity to come together as the 6 o’clock club for 2019. Unfortunately Paul Wright had to withdraw due to injury. Luckily, Nathaniel Redcliffe stepped in with about six weeks to go.

I was very optimistic, as ever – I knew John and Ellie were in amazing form, I knew Lynn had taken a month off (after London Marathon, Outlaw Half Ironman and other events) so would be fresh, and Nathaniel had really started to post some impressive running in the six months leading up to it.

My only concern was the workload leading up to the event for Me, John and Ellie. This is where I made a pretty silly mistake – both myself and John had done a Half IM the Sunday before and Eleanor had pushed extremely hard on her sprint triathlon. I carried on my normal training and buried myself on the Wednesday before too at our local Duathlon race. Luckily for our team, John and Ellie did taper a little.

To the race! The weather was going to be very instrumental and I tried to factor that into our starting order, keeping the fresher runners away from the worst of the heat, at least for one of the first two runs. As it transpired, it was just as brutal for all. After the first round of runs I was both chuffed and worried. I had ran the pace I wanted to sustain for the 7 laps but was well aware I had to put far too much effort in. I looked at my fellow team members’ times and thought “OMG, we are not going to sustain this.”

Luckily they were in far better shape than I, and when we all did the second round everyone apart from me had maintained their effort under very arduous conditions.

By round 3 we were positioned top 10 out of 78 teams, so I was very pleased, although I had now been struck with immense cramping during my runs and rest periods, which prevented me eating properly. Having witnessed lots of others in previous years go through this, I knew it was going to be a tough night. All the rest of the team were just going about their business with smiles on their faces – master stroke no.2. Putting the 2 couples apart so they could look after each other, or should I say John and Ellie look after each other!! It was Lynn looking after me solely!

When darkness fell I knew the most important thing was for everyone to just relax and enjoy their runs, I tried to get this message across, but to be fair I didn’t need to – for the first time in 3 years all of us made it through till dawn with no serious problems. In fact I couldn’t believe what I was seeing from Ellie, constant 41 splits!! John just kept smashing low splits and looked a million dollars, Nathaniel had slowed a little, but this was more out of respect for the event and its distance, something that proved very wise over the whole 24 hours. Lynn just did her usual thing, every lap was within a minute of the best, and after a 1 months rest she was doing remarkably. Even I pulled one decent lap out as the sun rose and I thought I was back – ummm nope.

Then the race starts, 6 hrs to go – we were positioned 6th, my mind was wandering – how to get the magic 7 each in. Maths at 7am during an Endure 24 is almost impossible, but I knew it was on the cards if we all stayed fit. Once we had completed 6 each we had moved into 5th, and my attention was clearly focused on the goal.

We then had to see what Nathaniel had left, he pulled a decent last time out of the bag and it was on. If John could manage a 40 we were in with a chance. Of course he did – I’ve known John a while and have done some gruelling events with him – but seeing him giving everything to exhaustion on that final 400m, I was choked. Me and Ellie had 84 mins to get a lap each in. I set off like a man possessed, but after my fastest first mile of the 24 hrs it started falling apart and my heart sank. I tried my best, but I couldn’t go any quicker. I eventually struggled across the line to hand over to Ellie, she had an impossible task now and I felt so low.

Then Ellie smiled and spoke some kind words as she set off, I literally collapsed. After a minute or so, my mind had recovered, the enormity of what we had achieved took hold and I was beaming inside. Ellie gave it her all, and still posted a 42!!! I think Lynn was relieved ??. In honesty Lynn could have posted a 41/42, but after the previous year I felt it prudent not to push her.

We finished 34 laps at 12:04pm, a new mixed team Harrier record – we missed the magic 35 by a few minutes).

I cannot explain how proud I am of all my team , but I also have to thank many other Harriers for their support, in particular Anthony Kerrigan for looking after me and Lynn Hutchinson when we were low, Laura Sydney for making me smile all night and generally all Harriers for working so hard and inspiring us to work so hard. This is the proudest I have been as a Harrier – #loveyouall.

A small mixed relay team – Jonathan Jones, Mark Bower, Simon Rayner, Paul Lane and myself formed the team ‘Danum Five have plenty of fun’. We’d had numerous online chats preparing for the event, including choosing our name, planning our estimated lap and pace, sharing information on kit preparation and camping arrangements, etc.

I was a little apprehensive about running with a predominantly male team but I couldn’t have asked for a more supportive group. Every team member put in a 110% effort.

We started Saturday with Paul nursing an injury and I hoped that he’d be able to put in at least 1-2 laps. He put in 2 laps on Saturday and went onto support me through the night, providing me with hot food, drink and lots of encouragement.

Jonathan, Mark, Simon and I pushed through Saturday and Sunday clocking up the miles, supporting each other and offering encouragement every time we met in the transition area or back at the Danum camp. Around 4.30am I was met by Simon and Jonathan in the transition area, we had to rethink how we wanted to run the remaining 7.5 hours. Sadly Mark had picked up an injury and he made the right decision to ‘stop’. He had achieved a personal best having run his furthest distance.

Simon, Jonathan and I considered what we’d do next with three of us running. We did think about taking a break for two hours so that we could refuel and sleep but that idea lasted about 15 mins. We assessed what we wanted to achieve individually and agreed on the number of laps we’d each like to run with the remaining hours we had. We got back on the course. The rising sun and temperatures helped to refuel our enthusiasm, along with support and encouragement from the rest of the Danum family and friends.

Jonathan had led our team out at 12 noon on Saturday and led us back over the finish line at 11.38am on Sunday. Some may think we should have done another lap but we were happy, as a team, with what we had all achieved.

We started with a plan on what we wanted to get from taking part in Endure 24 as a team. However, this running festival is also about your own individual goal – whether that’s running more miles than you’ve ever done before, pushing yourself when you think you can’t run any further, running through the night or building your strength and resilience through your own sheer grit and determination.

Did we have ‘plenty of fun’…I think we did

My team comprised of Jo Derx, Ruth Medlock, David Langford and Matthew Thomas Burns – a late replacement for Ian Gillings, who unfortunately hadn’t recovered from a long term injury in time to compete. The name was simple enough, based purely on the fact that we were unlikely to get much sleep!

I took part in Endure 2018 as a late replacement for David, who had become injured whilst running the 2018 Manchester marathon, so it was especially nice for me that he was able to fulfil his role this year and a complete bonus that he and I ended up in the same team.

Our approach as a team to the event, particularly as part of any group discussion, was somewhat … cavalier. Jo had been nursing herself back into race fitness after an injury from the Canalathon (ultra marathon) in March, and to a lesser extent I was still coming back from an injury from the same event. Matthew hadn’t really run any further than a half marathon distance before, Ruth seemed to be happy to go with the flow. David, having been injured after Manchester the year before, conquered it this year, was back in great form and was just happy to be match fit and ready to go!

Whilst we were all in a bit of a disarray of fitness, distance running experience, and I suppose, expectations, it just seemed to work for us as a unit – we were going in to “get the job done” without actually specifying what we were going “to do.”

So laid back were our preparations for the running itself, we hadn’t decided an order to go out in, or any sort of team tactics. In fact, the only thing I’d suggested we do, having had little sleep or time to eat properly between runs the year before, was to float the idea that we maybe put in some consecutive laps to give each other time for rest, particularly at night.

We settled on our race order less than an hour before the start and agreed that some of us might put in some consecutive laps, but others might not. My only stipulation as a captain during the entire thing was that no-one was to push themselves so hard that they injured themselves, and that we should each try and enjoy the occasion rather than drive ourselves into the ground over it.

Anyway, the order was to be; Ruth, myself, David, Matthew and then Jo.

This approach worked… kinda. I suppose each of us as runners, if we’re honest, all have little goals of our own, even if we don’t confess to them publicly or in the confidence of our own teams. I’ll admit – I felt like I had unfinished business from last year, having flaked during the night.

Jo felt quite early on that she couldn’t continue to do as many laps as she wanted to without fear of her injury flaring back up, so I suppose (although she never said it) she had a target in mind and didn’t quite get there. To me that’s irrelevant, – she loved the rest of the experience, will no doubt be back next year to have another go, and hopefully didn’t go away unable to run again for a while – and that’s what matters. She was a constant bubble of joy and encouragement the entire time and (as always) a pleasure to share company with.

At around 3am (give or take an hour or two), Matthew had just done his 4th lap and said he didn’t think he could get to 6 (and I think that might have been his goal). I reminded him – “DO NOT injure yourself, stop if you need to.”

Ruth was out on her 5th lap at this point and when I went out to meet her at the changeover, I could see she was in trouble as she approached. “My knee’s blown.” She was hobbling and said that that was probably it for her. Again, I reiterated “DO NOT injure yourself” (although I feared it could already be too late for her by then.)

After I got back from #5 and David took over from me, I headed back into camp to find Ruth wandering around camp, almost aimlessly. I asked whether she wanted some ibuprofen to ease off her knee pain. She took some and said she was going to see about a massage.

Soon after, someone had seen Matt on his way back from his 5th lap and said “he doesn’t look good.” I found him looking finished. Utterly done. Staggering from side to side like he was drunk. I congratulated him on what he’d done, as if that was the last time he’d be out on the course.

It was at this point we had to make changes to the running order – David went out having had just one stint’s break – and that the consecutive lap plan was going to be put into into action. I’d suggested to David that I’d do a couple of laps when he got back and, that if someone was there to meet me afterwards, good – if not I’d return to camp and we’d figure out what, if anything, to do from there.

I spent a disproportionate amount of time on the first of these two laps trying to figure out whether we could keep going (impossible maths at that stage in the race) – a thought still lingering as I passed marshals with a stand and sign saying “fresh watermelon, help yourself” at around 6 into the 8K loop. That thought blew away about 400 yards down the track, replaced with “why didn’t I stop for watermelon?” – a mistake rectified after having a chat with Nicola Wilkinson (after frightening the life out of her) on the following lap.

Sated by 5 or 6 slices of watermelon, new thoughts of “is anyone going to be there?” and “is the crepe stand open yet?”

Coming into the handover point, I wasn’t really expecting to find any of my team. David was a remote possibility. How many crepes can I eat? But then I saw Ruth! Unbelievable! She’d had a massage and was feeling much better. Said she’d be slow, but wanted another pop at it… and off she went!

Revitalised by that, I came back to camp to dry off and get some cash. There I found Matt, who must have found some inspiration from Ruth.

“I’ve had a massage, I feel a lot better!”

“Good stuff! Do you fancy some crepes?”

“What are they?” (??)

“PANCAKES!”

Meanwhile, Ruth had got back, David was out again – he was thinking it was his turn to do 2 laps and set off at a slower pace than he’d been running.

Having learned a new word for pancakes, Matt learned something else, this time about himself – he’s far more capable than he realises – and said, “I think I can do another lap!”

At around this point, overdosed on 2 crepes, I passed out and I can’t really remember the order of what happened next- but I woke up to find David back in camp, overjoyed that Matt had been there to meet him. Although he was prepared to do it, another lap really wasn’t overly appealing and he’d almost skipped to the changeover point when he saw Matt waiting for him.

Then Ruth was out again. By now she had let it slip that she’d wanted to get to 7 laps and there she was, doing just that. Super-hubby-support Philip met her as she came back, and they ran over the line together with their children, who had been little stars in camp over the weekend.

Watching as they did that, she handed the band over to me and fuelled by that, the past 2 days of preparation time in the camp and running (and 2 big crepes) I bounded off – a little sad that it was coming to an end for the year, and excited to get back to the finish line to be with everyone again.

Bursting with adrenaline as I picked my team out from the crowd (easily found by the human landmark that is Matt), we finished “the job” (whatever that was) together.

I could not be prouder of my team or this club.

Well now the Bramham dust has settled and I have slept, just thought I’d take this opportunity to put into words my Captain’s experience of Endure 24 in regards Team Danum Divas.

When I agreed to Captain a team at Endure 24 I told Nick Hutchinson I wanted a team that was not too serious or ambitious and was delighted with my team as I thought we were all in it for the ‘joy’ of being part of the event. How wrong I was. It has been my absolute pleasure to Captain the wonderful group of ladies in my team. Your drive and ambition to achieve was truly humbling and your never give in attitudes clearly mirrors that of the most gifted runners within the club. The way we went to the finish to cheer in our team members and show care for each other by having a drink of water ready for the finishing runner showed true team spirit.
You all had your individual goals and I’m sure you surpassed these. Jackie Hutchinson not only doing one more lap than planned but ensuring they were done in under an hour – true respect. Lindsey arriving having been on a bender the night before, again completing one more lap than planned all around the hour mark. Thinking of incorporating three pints of cider and all the other drinks into my training regime if it brings about these results! Also, having completed four laps and time running out, I threatened both these ladies they must complete their last lap in under 1 hour each so I could get in my 5th lap. They duly obliged, thank you ladies. Stacey always expressed serious doubts whether she should attend or not with her ongoing injury problems, but with gentle persuasion and pleading on my part she agreed to try and do a couple of laps, walking if necessary. Stacey amazingly did double that, a real trooper. Also on the lap she was literally ‘running’ in the woods as she desperately needed a toilet break. Being Stacey she waited until the water stop, queued while the facilities were being cleaned. Total class – take note Lynn Hutchinson! Finally, due to Sam Charlesworth sustaining an ankle injury with only two days to go (missed you Sam – get well soon), Zoe Kerrigan stepped in with only two days notice and still did four laps – what an absolute superstar. If I had to pick my highlight of this weekend (and there has been many) it was watching Zoe running up that last hill to the finish line on her last lap with the biggest smile on her face. I have to admit it brought me to tears – well done Zoe, loved it and thanks for stepping in.

Personally, I had a great time and did far better than I expected having recently had two poor races I wasn’t anticipating much but surprised myself. With the support from my team and those other Harriers at the event it proves that anything is possible.  Finally I can think of no better way finishing off this report than in the words of Dana International (well almost)!

Viva the Divas
We were victorious
Alleluia
Viva the Divas
Endure’s notorious
But we smashed ya!