From Petra Bijsterveld…
Photo credit Punk Panther
The Welcome Way is an existing waymarked circular long distance walking route connecting Otley, Burley and Baildon. In fact it goes right past the back of my house which I never realised until I started recceing the route. Local ultra-race organiser Punk Panther stages an event which largely follows this route, and if you include the optional 8 mile loop around Shipley Glen and Bingley it gives a total distance of 42 miles. 20 mile and half marathon options were also available.
We were lucky with a beautiful sunny day. It started out around freezing, and by the afternoon there was a stiff breeze to contend with and two brief showers, so it remained cool all day. The underfoot conditions should definitely be termed challenging. Weeks of rain had left most of the fields and paths very muddy, with endless energy-sapping sticky mud, at times reaching knee level. It’s a good thing that XC is my thing!
The first section goes north from Otley mainly through fields via Clifton and Askwith to arrive after a nice little downhill stretch on the road at CP1 at Denton. I picked up a packet of mini cheddars and went on without stopping, looking forward to meet up at Carters Lane with Hilda who came with me to the top of Ben Rhydding Drive. Coming down into Burley I met the Turners at the railway crossing and after a brief stop for coke and a snack at CP2 by Burley House Field we continued, saying hello to Clare Boyle and picking up Jane McCarthy on Sandholme Drive. The four of us continued up to the Shooting Hut where the Turners went back down, and Jane came with me to Horncliffe Well and Bingley Road before turning for home. It was wonderful to have local support!
After crossing Bingley Road the course goes through a couple of fields with the very worst mud imaginable, I knew this as I had recced every inch of the course but it was still no fun, dirty and foul smelling, knee deep, downhill, and with rocks to add to the difficulty. As a runner in front of me fell down into the mud I got my poles out for the first time to negotiate the quagmire. Then over the gallops, followed by some more muddy fields to arrive at CP3 in Shipley Glen, by now on mile 21. The loop takes you to Eldwick and Micklethwaite, crossing the canal via the Morton Swing Bridge where I had to wait as they were letting a barge through! Thankfully it was no more than a couple of minutes. You wouldn’t want that to happen if you were in a winning position! That’s never my problem….. Back along the canal via Five Rise Locks to Bingley where you cross the main road and pick up the riverbank to Saltaire and Roberts Park, then climbing steeply back up to Shipley Glen (poles came out again and now stayed out) and the kind folk at CP3. More coke, more cheese.
Leaving the checkpoint you are faced with the steep climb up Baildon Moor to the trig point. By now the wind had picked up, I was getting cold despite going uphill and it also started to rain, I had to stop and put my waterproof on which definitely helped keeping me warmer. A good reminder of why the compulsory kit is just that, compulsory (2 people had been disqualified by the organiser for running without any kit!). I was glad to get off the top, down past Tong Park cricket club where I stopped to take my jacket off again in the sunshine, and chatted to a nice passer-by who had done some Punk Panther races too. Then uphill onto Hollins Hill golf club, crossing the main road and down into Esholt and the friendly marshals at CP4. By now on mile 33 and definitely on the homeward stretch.
Through Esholt Woods, where two children at the mountain bike course asked if I was running or walking (good question!) to Guiseley, then along the disused railway line to Yeadon. That 1 mile stretch on tarmac was probably my only slightly low point. It looks so flat and runnable that it feels ridiculous not to run, but I had to keep walking for 50 meters or so before forcing myself to run a few hundred meters to the next point in the distance that I set myself. I felt slightly embarrassed, it gets relatively busy there so plenty of people to witness my less than stellar athleticism. That track is actually very marginally uphill, quite deceptive. From Yeadon you turn north to head towards the Chevin via West Carlton. This is obviously all uphill so there was a lot of walking. It started to rain again and I was now getting really cold so had another stop to put my waterproof on, admiring a rainbow at the same time, before reaching the last CP by Surprise View, more cheese for me! The marshals had been sheltering in their car, by now it was raining hard and very windy up there and they definitely deserved marshal credit for having the most exposed spot. Looking north from Surprise View the fading evening light over the valley was absolutely stunning, but I was far too cold up there to even consider taking a picture, though thankfully the rain stopped as quickly as it had started.
Whilst only a mile away from the finish as the crow flies, the race route takes you east along the Ebor Way. Somehow my legs found a new lease of life and once I had negotiated the stony path (never my strong point) and crossed East Chevin Road I was running properly again. The paths were good underfoot and I was feeling good too. Coming out on the A660 at Pool Bank you take the footpath down that starts on the corner of Old Pool Bank, leading through, again, very muddy fields back to Otley. The slidy mud slowed me down a bit, but I managed to overtake 3 people in those last 2 miles which pleased me very much, especially as I had hardly seen any other runner for the second half of the race. To my great surprise Hilda and her husband Peter were waiting for me at the finish at Otley Cricket Club, I was so pleased to see them! It had taken me 10 and a half hours, I had predicted 10 but all that mud surely accounts for that extra half hour. Still just back before darkness fell and there had been no need to get the head torch out. A great day out, my longest distance yet, and still feeling good at the end!
Other Harriers taking part in the ultra were Dave Reynier who came in a splendid 1st M50, and Matt Tupling. 2nd claim member Ali Nash ran the 20 mile option and came 2nd overall and 1st M50.
There were no other F50’s running the 42 miles so I was first, last and only F50.
I can recommend these races to everyone, whether you are an experienced ultra-runner or wanting to set out on the ultra-journey (they also offer shorter distances at every event). They are local, low-key and really friendly, yet professionally organised.
Results here.
42 miles
(1 6:58:40 Stephen Kirk)
7 8:08:59 Dave Reynier
22 10:29:22 Petra Bijsterveld
29 ran
34 miles
(1 5:40:02 Ed Powell)
41 9:37:23 Matt Tupling
48 ran
20 miles
(1 3:10:02 Stuart Sharp)
2 3:12:03 Alistair Nash
46 ran