The Langdale Marathon is a new addition to the portfolio of events run by Brathay Challenges in the Lake District. The event is in it's 31st year and is considered the UK's toughest road marathon, with some climbs of 30%! The event was originally run by Langdale Road Races pioneered by the legend that is Rob Berry aka "Rocket Rod" . They also host the Langdale Half marathon on the same day and the Christmas Pudding 10k in December. The Marathon also forms part of the Langdale Oktoberfest, so we normally make a weekend out of it and stay over, great weekend all in all.
This year was made more special as my friend Mischa Vliege had travelled over from Belgium to run the Marathon as his second Marathon and first road Marathon following his completion of the Tenerife Blue Trail Marathon earlier this year. He likes to do things the hard way it seems....
We had a quick drive over to the start area the night before to check out the logistics (and have a sneaky beer at the Oktoberfest). That evening we just chilled at the cottage with the log fire on, eating some pasta, nice relaxing evening catching up with Mischa , telling him all about Chicago (is there anyone I've not told, read about it here Chicago Marathon )
I woke up about 6:30am and started pottering about, made some coffee and porridge, took Benny (the dog) out for a little walk to get some fresh air. It was a bit wet and murky but otherwise a pretty good day for a marathon I thought. We got over to the registration and start area, it was great to see family and friends there, in the main they'd come to see Mischa run his first UK Marathon, he's done really well having only started running last year. But it was good for me also to see everyone, I also chatted to some friends from Brathay, 10 in 10 runners were everywhere.
There was some slight delays to the pre race briefing due to the traffic leading into the Great Langdale Valley, which had held up some runners, also some big queue's for the toilets, however about 10:25 they called all runners to the start, so myself and Mischa headed over to the start line. It was a very different atmosphere to 6 days earlier in Chicago. there were no Vaporfly next % shoes here, no sunglasses or fancy dress costumes , the Vaporflys and sunglasses had been replaced by beards and buff scarves , the fancy dress replaced by Keswick and Ambleside running club shirts, the sun of Chicago replaced by a cold wet day in the Great Langdale Valley.
But I know this course and wanted to get going, I had my secret goals again, I knew last years winner with 3 hours 7mins Mike Sprot wasn't here due to managing hamstring problem ahead of New York Marathon, I'd looked around the field and could see friends Darren Jenness and Paul Brown , both sub 3 hour Runners, but so was I now, and I also knew Paul was heading out to run New York also. So my mind was made up there and then under the start line, I was going out fast today and see if I could do something in the race.
There was a count down by the crowd and Scott Umpleby Race Director 5,4,3,2,1 and we were away , I ran out with the half marathon runners who were moving about 6:15 miles through the Langdale Valley, I thought this was a bit quick to be honest, but when I looked around I had another Marathon Runner with me also so stuck at it. Just after the first mile we hit the cattle grid which signals the start of the brutal climb up to Blea Tarn , over 25% in places, the segment is called 'road to hell' on Strava which seemed accurate.
Two of the half marathon runners pressed on, far too fast to chase at marathon pace. I continued to push hard up the climb, I heard my fellow Marathon runner whisper "for fucks sake' and eased off a bit, so I pushed all the way to the top knowing I had a long down hill where I could recover a bit. Once over the top I was away again and able to drop into a group of half marathon runners. The pace now felt good, and so did I , we continued to work all of the way around, the next big test was the climb from Skelwith Bridge, a brutal 30% start then steadily climbing for the next mile or so.
I ran back into the valley with the half marathon runners, nice lads and great to work with, just wish they were staying with me, but when we got back to the start they peeled off for the finish, we were on 1 hour 32 mins at this point for the half. Not bad on this course.
Now I was all on my own, the lead car sat in front of me, I've never experienced this and spent much of the next 13 miles wondering if this helped or hindered. I hit the cattle grid for the second time on the road to hell, and it began to hurt. I kept pressing on though and ran up about half way before looking back. If there is anything good about this climb it's the views, stunning views back down to Great Langdale. I could also see back along the course and could see the second place runner hitting the bottom of the climb, I'd broken in to a brisk walk by this point, and seeing the next runner chasing me pushed me up the hill and back into a run. Again once over the top I could hit a good pace once again.
Its a hard descent from Blea Tarn and my quads were in over drive, when I hit the undulating roads at the bottom and had to work again the road just sucked the life out of me, when the race car went out of view I stopped and put my hands on my knees, for a moment I thought my day was done.....I was just knackered. I had a look over my shoulder fearing I was being hunted down, no one there. I just started having a bit of a conversation with myself, "come on, ffs, all your family are there, I'll look like a right nob going out so fast if I can't hold out" I started to run again, I don't know where it came from, but started moving pretty well.
The timing of hitting the support in Little Langdale was perfect, I really needed it right now, quite a crowd had gathered outside the Three Shires Inn to watch the race, and being led through the village by the race car....I felt like a superstar and the hurt was gone....for now. The next couple of climbs I ate up pretty well. As I dropped down to Skelwith I knew what awaited me, the brutal 30% climb again, fantastic support through Skelwith and great to see Chris Heaton supporting, a 10 in 10 runner and general adventure legend! As I hit the climb, boom, it stopped me again, I had no choice at all but to walk up here, kept looking over my shoulder, every time I began to run again it just wouldn't happen. I normally use 4 gels in a marathon, I'd had 5 today and they were all gone, I noticed the race car kept having to pull in and wait for me, so I knew I'd slowed a lot.
I ran past the 23 mile sign, I just somehow got going again and over the top of the climb, felt like I'd lost a lot of time on that climb. Its a very steep descent into Elterwater , and my quads were paying the price, but I was happy again, 6:30 miles again now and just letting the hill do the work, I wasn't fighting it. I got to the last drinks stop with about 2 miles to go, they had mint cake! Grabbed a handful of mint cake and drank some electrolytes, mumbling 'fanks' and spitting bits of cake out I headed off, mint cake is brilliant, it gave me just enough to finish. I had one more minor melt down on the climb from Chaple Stile but I could hear the announcement of the finish line now , I came in 3 hours 11 mins an 1st place, so pleased but blimey that was hard work. It was great to have everyone there, my first Marathon win, and to do it here in this race, in the Lake District with family here was pretty much perfect.
This is one tough race, and really couldn't be happier to win it, but I know I can run better, and perhaps got a little lucky in the second half. Next year I won't have a marathon the week before and will be better prepared. I'll certainly be back, this run almost chewed me up, but this is marathon running, it's really bloody hard.
Mischa came in 5 hours 57 mins , I was so pleased for him as there were plenty of DNF's today and he said there had been some dark moments out there, but he got it done which is what it's all about.
Entries for next years race opens on December 1st 2019, I'll be there, will I see you for a great weekend in the Lake District and the UK's toughest road race?
see event details here Langdale Marathon
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