Leeds Country Way (64 miles) in a Day, Saturday, 9 September, Stuart Gall

Garforth, Woodlesford, Rothwell, Stanley, Alverthorpe, Ardsley, , Tong, Thornbury, Lower Fagley, , Rawdon, , , , Eccup, Harewood, Wike, East Keswick, Bardsey, , Barwick, Scholes, The Podger.

Darkness had well and truly fallen. My clothes had been wet all day but now I couldn’t run fast enough to keep warm and my body temperature was dropping fast. The path weaved between the trees but that hadn’t caused the dizziness I was now feeling. The lights of and the finish line still seemed so far away.

You all know the end of this story – that I finished the Country Way “All The Way Round” in 16hours 22mins – this account will hopefully give you an insight into the journey.

I’d been interested in doing a full loop of the Leeds Country Way for a good few years and when Glen Johnson pitched the idea – I jumped at it. But then my good mate Steve Jones announced a Bob Graham Attempt on the same weekend and I was torn – thankfully a Cub Camp for my daughter meant that I couldn’t have the car that weekend and LCW-ALWR was back on.

I am a distinctly ordinary runner, I don’t train EVER (check out my Strava as proof that my fitness regime consists of cycling to work, the occasional stroll at lunchtime and a race or parkrun thrown in for good measure) but what I do seem to have is an inbuilt stubbornness that cancels out my lack of athletic ability. Ira Rainey in his ultra book “The Green Man (well worth a read) relates his running ability to a bumblebee – an animal that shouldn’t be able to fly but by sheer force of will and effort can. Due to copyright restriction I can’t claim to be that animal so I guess I’ll have to be a limpet!

I was reasonably confident I would get round having done a 39 mile Ilkley Moor run with Jim Gray a few weeks previously – but my failures over other long distance events did add some doubt. White Rose 100 Mile, Lakes In A Day and the Yorkshire 3 Peaks (under the cut offs) all have been added to my DNF pile. But I do quite like lining up at the start of a challenge such as this not knowing if I am going to finish.

Beep beep went the alarm at 404am (yes I am one of those weirdos who will only get up at a symmetrical time) and left the house as quietly as I can – which as a male of the species is akin to a herd of elephants. The warm up was a cycle from Micklefield to Garforth Train Station and then a wander down to the Garforth Leisure Centre where the fun would begin.

I had chosen a ridiculosly early start time for two reasons – starting in the dark would ensure I started slow and it also meant that I should get passed at some point by both Helen and Glen and would gain the boost of seeing them on route. I had kept my LCW attempt under the radar as I don’t like to impose on others and I wanted today to be tough – I have another date with Lakes In A Day on the horizon and this would be a great “I don’t do training” training run. I had broken the circuit up into 5 Legs (not a typo honest) as I considered Leg 6 – if I got there as the victory lap as it was so close to home.

Leg 1 – The Dark One – Times Run Previously - 2 Setting off at 456am (not quite symmetrical but it has a nice number order) the headtorch lit the way. I like running in the dark – there’s something so raw about running down the beam of a headtorch, all your other senses become heightened – so much so that a startled owl scared the bejesus out of me as I jogged past. I then got to Whitehouse Lane and knew the footpath cut diagonally across the old picnic area to Wakefield Road but I’d be damned if I could find it – a few minutes of scrabbling about and then I bailed and took the longer road route round that corner. The rest of Leg one went without a hitch the sun eventually came up around Bottom Boat and I finished Leg 1 in good spirits in 2hrs 20mins – didn’t get the baton round!!

Leg 2 – The Wet One – Times Run Previously - 0 Firstly let me apologise to any STAC runner that I’ve ever put on Leg 2 for the LCW. This leg is horrible, all the other legs have qualities that make then nice in their own way but this one just didn’t.

Hang on maybe I’m being a bit harsh – the tunnel near the end is a good piece of architecture and I did really enjoy the McDonalds breakfast I had just after crossing the A650. My refuelling strategy for long runs is quite simple – I eat foods I like and switch between sugar based items (for the glucose) and savoury ones (for the salt). I cannot handle gels or energy drinks which was learned the hard way at Chester Marathon in 2015 where having both caused a 5 minute portaloo stop half way round.

This leg was one of 3 that I hadn’t run before – I am a reasonably confident map reader so relied on two OS maps of Leeds in my backpack to get me round and I would navigate between little red crosses I had drawn for every major turn. To complete an ultra run you need to be either very confident in your own company or have good distraction techniques that mean you never really think about how far you’ve got to go. These little red crossing were my distraction – I’m not running 64 miles I’m running to that red cross then the next one over and over again. Apologies to Dave Mellor (who supported me on leg 5) I did snap a little at you when you kindly offered to carry my map (comfort blanket) and then didn’t give it back to me immediately!!

Now why didn’t I like Leg 2 – well firstly the navigation is a bit tricky. I missed the diagonal path up the golf course near the start and had a major balls up near the end which added on around 2km (this also deprived Glen of the satisfaction of running past me on his attempt.) The Leg is also not very scenic – there’s lots of tarmac and my mood was dark because it chucked it down all the way round – I wouldn’t get dry again that day.

Leg 3 – The Dry One (well nearly) – Times Run Previously - 3 Leg 3 is an old friend – I had run it the previous week with Daniel Gaunt for the LCW proper and with Richard Jones in 2014 and I like the mixed terrain that you experience on the way round. The rain had stopped the sun came out and I ate up the miles – a quick check of Garmin Live showed that Helen was about an hour back and my mood was great. Although I was running on my own the beauty of the LCW is you can think about STACies the whole way round (not it in a creepy way honest) with the numerous recces and the paired nature of the race you get to experience it with others and this helped me get round. Thanks to all of you who have run previously with me on these trails – you helped me lots.

Having crossed the railway, Leg 3 was nearly done and then the heavens opened – not a little downpour but a full on fecking thunderstorm. I looked a very sorry state when I called into McColl’s to stock up on water and Lucozade Orange. I then crossed the “dual carriageway of death” and turned up onto the final path to complete Leg 3. To my delight I saw the friendly faces of Tracey Piper and Tracey Parsons who had set up a feed station for us. I had been resigned to doing this challenge on my own but can’t express how much of a lift seeing them gave me – the food on offer was great and I gulped down a bowl of Glen’s garlic pasta before setting off on Leg 4.

Leg 4 – The One With The Repeating Pasta – Times Run Previously - 1 I had run Leg 4 with Shaun Loftus last year and sort of knew the route –that said I still managed a slight navigation error right at the start – staying in the wood too long which added a good couple of minutes as I navigated back to the correct route across the golf course.

The rest of Leg 4 was pretty uneventful other than the fact that the pasta kept repeating on me for at least six miles. I also had company of sorts – in the form of Ultra Runners doing one of the Punk Panther races. However I did confuse a few of them as I was running in the opposite direction to them donned in full ultra kit – even more so their race marshal who asked if I knew where I was going. Unfortunately yes was my semi witty reply (all the way back to Garforth). I was surprised that my legs were still feeling so good – I was still running and had no aches or pains – I don’t tend to get blisters (thankfully) the joys of fell racing have toughened my feet. An added bonus to Leg 4 this year was the removal of the detour at the end that the race had to take in 2016. I dropped into Golden Acre park in high spirits and was greeted with the shout of “oi Stu” from above.

Lined up above the overpass were the Cullen’s (thanks for the flapjack), Daniel Gaunt (fresh from his two and a bit legs with Helen) and the family Mellor. Apologies to anyone else who was there and I’ve not shouted out.

David Mellor had very kindly agreed to run Leg 5 with me – I was incredibly glad of the company and also the navigational support as he was familiar with the route.

Leg 5 – The One With David Mellor and my new Favourite one – Times Run Previously - 0 Leg 5 is awesome – please put me on this one next year please new LCW Coordinator. The route is nice and open – none of the leg grabbing brambles and nettles of the previous ones. You get to run past and the area around Bardsey is picture postcard stuff. It is just as well that this leg was so nice as I had started to slow down quite a lot. My left foot also hurt every time it hit the ground and my run was only a little quicker than my walk. That said David was a very patient wingman and his company got me round. Another added bonus was meeting up again with the Tracey’s at the bottom of “chunder hill” with the offer of yet more pasta (politely declined to prevent a repeat of Leg 4) and other snack treats.

Leg 6 – The Last One – Times Run Previously - 0

Leg 5 ends with an incline and I had heard horror stories about how steep and energy sapping it was from previous LCW runners. I actually found it quite easy – I reckon the trick is to run 50+ miles before getting to it as a warm up and running really slowly up it!!! We saw Michelle Smale coming the other way to run with Helen so I knew she wasn’t far behind. David supported me as far as Thorner (thanks mate you were awesome) and I now knew I going to finish this challenge as I started - on my own.

I had slowed down to a walk and knew that this last leg was going to be a long 10 miles but I was still in a surprisingly good mood. I munched down a pack of Frazzles going through Thorner and threw in a couple of Sherbet Lemons for dessert as I headed down to the A64. The Red Bus cafe was soon passed (although I did call it the Red Bug on my facebook update) and I was then on home territory. Being an ex Barwick resident I knew this area well. That said the familiarity meant I knew exactly how long I had to go. Through Barwick and into Scholes and there was another friendly face, Lisa Belford-McDowell, who gave me a huge hug.

Scholes to Garfoth should take no more than 30 minutes but I was now proper broken and the climb up and over the motorway nearly finished me off and that then takes us back to where this story started

Darkness had well and truly fallen. My clothes had been wet all day but now I couldn’t run fast enough to keep warm and my body temperature was dropping fast. The path weaved between the trees but that hadn’t caused the dizziness I was now feeling. The lights of Garforth and the finish line still seemed so far away.

I could see Garforth but now seriously doubted if I could get there – my headtorch was in my rucksack but I didn’t have the energy to get it out. Every pile of leaves looked so welcoming – I’d just lie down for a little bit then I’d be fine. However I knew enough about the risk of hypothermia to know it was not a good idea, I was cold and would only get colder if I stopped. One foot in front of the other would get me there.

I would not” Did Not Finish” again so close to the end, I would not let everyone down I kept saying. In a moment of clarity I remembered I had stashed a Mars Bar for emergencies – out it came and it was the most delicious thing I have ever tasted. With a face full of chocolately goodness I continued the walk up the last hill into Garforth. I saw two people coming towards me and I wondered how they had spent their day – my question was soon answered as out from the glow of the streetlights appeared Tracey Piper and Tracey Parsons. I cannot say how overjoyed I was to see them – they had given up their day to help us round and as they knew I was on my own they had come back the last 2 miles or so from the end to meet me.

I tried to put a brave face on but I’m sure they could see how much I was hurting and I apologised that I wouldn’t be able to go very fast at all – my body just would not allow me to go any quicker than a painful shuffle.

Onto main street and someone said we don’t we try a jog – it may have even been me – and then it was like a switch was flicked – I can jog so I will jog (a video of me on Facebook shows how slow this was at first) and then I found I could go faster.

Down the ginnel and onto the muddy path we went – one small stop to dig out the headtorch to light the way for Tracey and Tracey and then I literally felt I was flying. My body temperature has come up and I was now running easily – Tracey Piper said she would run on ahead to tell everyone I was coming but something in my head said “chase her down”. I was literally sprinting when I turned into the car park and dashed to the finish line. The last km was the fastest of the whole day.

104km of running and 16hrs 22mins on my feet and I was overjoyed. Daniel Gaunt, Glen and Nathan Vaughan were there to see us in. Sarah Denman (who I’ve met in the passing but never really spoke to in length) was also there and even more awesomely her daughter Jess has made us all a running Certificate and Biscuit to celebrate our achievement. Less than 30 minutes later Helen appeared and I jogged over to the finish line to greet her with a hug. She threw her arms around me and we stood there for like felt like an eternity. Running ultras strips you right down to the core and I’m not ashamed to admit I had a little sob as we stood there under the lights of the Sports Centre.

By now I was getting really cold and even though a beer was offered I realised I had to get home and warm up, a lift from Sarah kindly deposited my at my front gate. I bid her farewell and walked across the lawn to the front door – moving from warm car to the open air triggered me to get a serious bout of the shakes and it took a good couple of minutes to get the key into the lock. 30 minutes in the bath later I was now out of out of the danger zone and feeling human again. Time to try and get into bed without waking the house up -herd of elephant style.

Writing this nearly a month after the run (and a proud owner of a new LCW All The Way Round T-shirt) I look back on the day with such satisfaction. But what I am glad of the most is that I got to share the day with such amazing people – I was a fool for attempting it all on my own – and I will be forever indebted to those who helped me round. Tracey Parsons and Tracey Piper you guys were simply awesome, David Mellor you got me round Leg 5 which was where I was in most danger of breaking down, Helen and Glen knowing you two were also running the whole thing made me not want to let you down.

I’m so proud to be a STAC and hope this account makes a few of you want to do it next year – I’ll even pace you round 

Food Consumed On The Day

 One McDonalds breakfast (Double Sausage and Egg McMuffin Meal with Orange Juice)  Two Pork Pies  One Mars Bar  A bowl of delicious repeating Pasta  Two bits of flapjack  A packet of Seabrook’s ready salted crisps  A packet of Frazzles  21 Sherbet Lemons  One Lucozade Orange  2 litres of water