[Photo – Rob and Luke before the start]

From Luke Watkeys and Rob Green…

On Saturday we tackled the Wooler Trail Marathon, a challenging 46km (28.5-mile) race through Northumbria National Park, complete with 1,800 meters (6,000 feet) of elevation gain and breathtaking views. Rob had booked the race months ahead, making a half-term family trip of it with a week spent in a cosy cottage, exploring the area and mentally preparing for the course. For Luke, it was a more spontaneous affair. Originally set to run the Yorkshire Marathon a few weeks earlier, a foot injury had thrown off those plans, and he wasn’t about to let the training go to waste. Neither of us had raced this distance on trails before, so this was very much an adventure into the unknown.

Rob’s race

This was about training for a longer distance than I had raced before, so setting off with friends Luke and Liam was an excellent way to try and restrain my pace. We took the first 10km (6 miles) nice and easy, and with the gentle gradients and mild weather, it felt like we had a pleasant day out ahead of us.

But then my enthusiasm got the better of me on the long, steep climb up the Cheviot, Northumberland’s highest peak, looming at 800m (2,600 ft). The sense of ascending into the wild as the wind and rain picked up only egged me on faster. Going over the top, a section of slippery flagstones brought some recovery as I slowed to reduce my risk of falling.

Then the clouds parted, the rain eased, and I could enjoy the views as we raced along the Scottish-English border with exhilarating descents, leg-sapping bogs and sharp ramps. By now, with my legs feeling battered and beaten, the second half of the race was about hanging on. Aided by some long, gradual descents and heartwarming cheers from a supporters gang (including my toddlers running along the track towards me), I managed to keep moving. I almost cracked as a short section of road running brought sharp pains and threats of cramp, but with only 10 km to go, I pushed on up the final hill and was relieved to find there were no chasers in sight.

Trundling down the final descents into Wooler, I felt a great personal satisfaction that I’d completed my first marathon and had also had a fantastic adventure across some rugged and beautiful hills that I had never visited before.

Luke’s race

For my race, let’s just say things didn’t exactly go according to plan. For the first hour, Rob, Liam, and I enjoyed the mild autumn weather, meandering along the trails at a comfortable pace. It was a chance to catch up and enjoy being out there. But about 10km in, we hit the first major test: the ascent of the Cheviot; it was here that things started to unravel.

In just shorts and my Harriers top, I felt fine at the base, but as we climbed higher, I slowed down, and the temperature plummeted. Mist descended, chilling everything and reducing visibility, and just before reaching the top, I hit a stretch of loose scree, and a wave of cramp caused me to collapse. Thankfully, some kind-hearted runners came to the rescue, helping with a field massage. I swapped to trousers and a waterproof, but the damage was done; my legs never really recovered, and from there, it was all about finding a way to keep moving forward.

What followed was a real test of mental resilience. There was plenty of jeffing, lots of stretching breaks, and no shortage of mental pep talks to push through each kilometre. The beauty of the landscape was a real morale boost – misty hills, rugged trails, and sweeping views – but even more uplifting was the camaraderie with fellow runners and the encouragement from marshals along the way. Every checkpoint felt like a mini victory.

The final 5km was the highlight. By that point, I knew I’d make it, and a sense of relief set in, making the pain just that bit easier to ignore. The gradient and terrain eased up, and I found a bit of rhythm, eventually crossing the finish. It wasn’t the race I had pictured, but completing it was a triumph in itself. And though my legs are currently in a dubious state, I somehow already know I’ll be back for more of the same.

Results

(1, 4:24, Russel Walsh, Cheviot Trail Runners)

6, 5:14, Robert Green

(9, 5:28, Sara Robson)

Joint 36, 6:37, Luke Watkeys

133 ran