Grizedale 26 Trail Recce Run

Debbie has been trying to talk me into running this marathon for a few weeks. The problem was that it is the same weekend as the National Cross Country championships in Falkirk. A race I perversely enjoy but also one that lets me figure out where I am with training. I agreed though to compromise and so we went to the Lake District to recce the course. Reading the blurb on the website leads you into a false sense of security - "Taking place from Grizedale Forest Visitor Centre close to Hawkshead in the Lake District, this popular location for both trail runners and mountain bikers is perfect for our event series. The route will largely take place on forest trails with some stunning views of Coniston Water and also Lake Windermere if you choose the Trail 26 option. If you think the route will be flat then think again, Grizedale Forest and the surrounding areas provide challenging hills and rolling trails throughout the route" Easy peasy I thought. Its only 26 miles. I did some research and looked forward to a run with some navigation. Like the blurb from the website says the race starts at Grizedale Forest Visitors Centre and after a 5am rise and 3 hour drive we were ready to get the show on the road. The course starts to the West of the centre and follows a 14 mile clockwise route through the woodland before going back to Grizedale and doing another circuit clockwise via Windemere and then back again to complete the figure of 8. Straight away it was up a hill, not unlike coming out of Rowardennan on the WHW I enjoyed the relaxed pace as we climbed higher and higher. After the first quarter of the loop we came out of the forest and onto some hills with fantastic views. This race looked and felt like fun and I had already made up my mind to race it. I asked Debbie what the winners time was and she told me Marcus Scotney had done it in 3 hours 30 mins. At that time I was averaging 9 min 30s and it felt easy. Surely I would be fine to push the pace a little and do the 8 min mile necessary for a 3 hour 30 minute marathon. Plus I would know the route and wouldn't have ran 20 miles the day before. This race was really starting to grab me. Back into forestry and lovely trails although every now and then it would have some mud but nothing too bad. The hills though seemed unrelenting. I know I last trained for a flat 24 hour race but this was nuts. Actually it made navigation easier because when you had a choice you just picked the one that went up hill and this became the standing joke between Debbie and me. We went wrong at one place but navigation was easy and the terrain was too. As we headed back into Grizedale I felt tired but looked forward to a smaller loop. "What if the second loop is all forest. I could get a seriously good time on this" I thought. "Forget 8 minute mile - I am sure I could be quicker." This all went out the window in the first ascent back out of Grizedale and onto the Eastern loop of the race recce. Straight away it was rocky, muddy and wet. I slipped and sliced all over the place. Not great for me in Inov-8s but an absolute nightmare for Debbie in her no-grip Hokas. There was certainly some places where even a small bit of ice would make the course un runnable. The second loop was much more breath taking than the first though. Coming down onto Lake Windemere was a big plus albeit very slippy. The whole second half was rocky and slippy, although there was a few sections on road but by that time I was feeling pretty goosed. Towards the end I made a navigation mistake that meant the recce turned out to be a bit long at 28 miles. My watch said I had been running for 4 hours 30 minutes although with all the stops we had been out for 6 hours. I have to say this was nothing like a marathon and more like an ultra. My legs prove it today, feeling sore and a bit bashed. Will I run the race? I think so. Its some route - Scenic, awe inspiring and bloody hard work. Ill need a few weeks to recover after it, thats for sure. As we limped to the car I asked Debbie was she sure that Marcus managed 3 hours 30 min on that course. Perhaps it was 4 hours 30 minutes I suggested? In fact we looked up the website to find that he did it in 3 hours 12 mins. I couldn't believe that anyone could run it in that. Absolutely amazing time in that course. I will of course not be chasing him then.