Race To The Castle Ultra Marathon

Bamburgh Castle. 1km from the Finish Line

When: June 26th 2021
From: Kirkharle Courtyard, NE19 2PE
To: Car Park, Radcliffe Road, Bamburgh, NE69 7AE
Distance: 102.6 km (63.7 miles) based on my Garmin stats. Official distance = 100 km
Elevation Change: +1,141m / -1,591m. Net -450m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): St Oswolds Way, Hadrian’s Wall Path, Northumberland Coast Path
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 1
Maps:
- OS Explorer OL42 Kielder Water & Forest
- OS Explorer Map (325) Morpeth and Blyth
- OS Explorer Map 332 Alnwick and Amble, Craster and Whittingham
- OS Explorer Map (340) Holy Island and Bamburgh
Guidebook: St Oswald's Way and St Cuthbert's Way: With the Northumberland Coast Path (Cicerone)
Finish time: 17 hours 46 minutes
Links: St Oswolds Way, Northumberland National Park, Rothbury, River Coquet, Warkworth, Alnmouth, Craster, Seahouses, Bamburgh, Bamburgh Castle

I’d signed up for Race To The Castle as soon as tickets were open. This was the fourth and newest of the Threshold Trail series. Having done the other three, I needed to complete the set. It would take a while to get to the start line though. As with most 2020 events Covid pushed it back a year. So, 18 months after signing up, I was in the 08:30 start wave ready to run my second 100k ultra.

All the usual pre-race nerves were there. Although I do an ultra every year it has been five years since my last 100k. My preparation had gone well, but you never know how the day will go.

It was tough. Most of the elevation was in the first 35k, with a long slog up and down the Simonside Hills. By the end of that section my thighs had tightened up and my slow running become a fast walk. The weather didn’t help either. The whole day had low grey clouds with constant drizzle. I changed my socks for dry ones after the hills but nothing could stay dry for long.

The countryside was beautiful and likely much more so if it had been sunny. The route, mostly following St Oswald’s Way, took in forest, track, rivers, pretty villages and coastal paths. The coastal section would likely have been a highlight. By the time I got there is was getting dark so I didn’t see much of it. Although I always choose the 1 day non-stop option for these events, anyone doing the 2 day option would have seen the best of the coast.

My low point was at midnight on the National Trust land at Newton Links. It felt like high exposed moor but I only realised that it was next to the sea when I looked at the map the next day. It was completely dark, raining a lot and no other runners in sight. By now I’d already completed 88k and there was no stopping now. It still hurt though.

From the final pit stop at Beadnell I’d got some new motivation. Timea followed closely in the car and fed me cookies and Lucozade to keep up my energy. As Seahouses approached there was more streetlighting and people around. After Seahouses the route took an inland curve down a quiet country lane. From 97k Bamburgh Castle was in sight, lit up in the distance. I passed the castle at 99k with the final 1k along the coastal road to the finish line.

At 17 hours 46 minutes, I was 13 minutes off my 100k PB. I was more that happy with that though as this was much tougher than Race to the Stones. I now had the medal to complete the set of 4.

When you’re finishing an ultra on your own late at night it’s easy to think you’re the last to finish. There were still a lot of people coming in as we drove back to the hotel and even some when we got up the next morning. This has definitely proven that Race To The Stones wasn’t my 100k fluke. I’m not in a rush to do any more any time soon though. 50ks will do me for a while.

Thank you to the Threshold Crew for another very well organized event. Thanks especially for my awesome wife who is my personal support crew on the runs. Seeing her every 10k along the route and at the finish line is a big motivation. The cookies and pasties that she brings also help too :-)