From Ben Sheppard…
It was a bit hot for running a long way but a thoroughly enjoyable day on the Stanza Stones Ultra. A new race organised by Cragrunner, it is a 50-mile linear route with over 6600 ft of ascent, starting at Marsden near Huddersfield and finishing in Ilkley. Following parts of the Pennine Way, Stoodley Pike, Haworth and Ilkley Moor it visits the 6 Stanza Stones (poems carved into rocks): Snow, Rain, Mist, Dew, Puddle and Beck.
Registration and kit check on Friday evening at Ben Rhydding primary school and a 6.30am bus to Marsden cricket club the next morning meant a relaxed race day morning with time to catch up with friends and enjoy the friendly and low-key atmosphere before the race started at 9.
The first 40 miles were almost all new trails for me. With a gpx file and maps, I had no excuse for the occasional wrong or missed turns, including overshooting the checkpoint at Mytholmroyd (I had apparently run straight past a big yellow signpost!). The checkpoints were well stocked with food and drink and cheery marshals who unflinchingly attended to my blisters, which saved my chances of finishing.
I managed to find the first three stones, a couple with the aid of fellow runners, and of course I know where Dew, Puddle and Beck are. The route was thoroughly enjoyable although I didn’t enjoy the canal towpath from Bingley to Riddlesden. Pairing up for company with Paul (Calder Valley FR) at Bingley, we kept each other moving well to the finish. The last section is from Dew stones at Rivock Edge onto Addingham Moorside, along the edge of the moor past swastika stone – where my family gave me a nice surprise and morale booster – up Keighley Gate Rd to the masts, via puddle stone to 12 apostles, and to the finish via Beck stone. It looks like we had the fastest split over that last 10 miles, gaining quickly on those ahead and gaining a place to finish joint fourth, just three minutes behind third and 20 minutes behind second.
The race was won by Andy Collier in 9 hrs 20 mins and Claire Nance in 10 hrs 16 mins. The last finisher came in around 21 hours.
Once again I learnt some valuable lessons about ultra running. These include: 1) Don’t wear your race shoes on sand dunes on holiday, as they will forevermore contain enough sand to remove the skin from your big toes. 2) Make sure you know exactly where the checkpoints are rather than lazily relying on the gpx map on your watch.
I heartily recommend this race (but not the heat) and am sure I will be trying some of Cragrunner’s other races at some point.