Background I entered Brighton marathon in the spring of 2023 after, shocking to no-one, I was unsuccessful in the London marathon ballot. My first marathon the year prior was Edinburgh, which I had run with a group of friends, all of us in the dawn of our love affairs with running. Edinburgh had left me […]
Rob Brooks is at it again. Back doing Spine races, and this time it’s in the Arctic! The Montane Arctic Spine Race is a 293 mile foot-race along the Kungsleden Trail in Sweden, where temperatures drop to -35C. You can read the full story from Saltwell’s king of ultras on his own blog: Arctic Spine Race […]
So, in 2020 I thought I am 52, running well and the Joss Naylor challenge in under 12 hrs seems very feasible! Then came Covid and scuppered that. I thought I would try again in 2021 then Covid and lockdowns continued so going to have to wait another year. So come 2022, helping on two […]
As many in Saltwell may know, I’ll give most types of running a go, so when the opportunity to enter a race called The Mighty Deerstalker arose, my answer was “Yeah, should be a laugh”. Then I Googled it. “Leg-destroying”, “scree scramble”, “the UK’s toughest off-road run”, were some of the phrases bandied about. Oh […]
Saltwell Harriers have been competing in the Hodgson Brothers relay since 1988. This mountain relay covering 25 miles of Lake District fells was inaugurated by the Hodgson family in 1986 as a memorial to their son and brother Ian, who was killed in a cycling accident, aged 25 the day after competing in the 1985 […]
Saltwell’s ultra-specialist Rob Brooks returned to the Spine Race this year, after his epic successful completion in 2022. You can read the full story about the highs and lows of Rob’s 2023 adventure along the Pennine Way on his own blog: Spine Race 2023 – The Three Geordigos Here’s a short extract to whet your […]
Six years ago, I accepted a challenge to run a half marathon every month and passed it with flying colours. The training was easy (two stone lighter and six years younger) and I consistently hit sub 2hr half marathons. So, for my impending 50th birthday, I thought I’d do the same throughout 2023. I started […]
This April, Saltwell member Rosie not only ran the London Marathon but recorded a video while doing it! Thanks to Rosie you can find what it’s like to be part of one of the biggest and most iconic races in the world. Watch her video below to soak up the sights and sounds of a […]
I don’t know when it started. Probably at some point on Thursday afternoon. Certainly by Friday morning I had well and truly got my classic pre-race stomach ache. More excitement than nerves but if I had a choice in the matter, I’d happily forego this inevitable ritual. I imagine most people don’t really think about […]
This post is part of a series reliving the highs and lows of Rob Brooks’ epic adventure on the 2022 Winter Spine Race. Bellingham to Kirk Yetholm, 26 miles (arrive 7:30pm, depart 3:30am) I slept terribly in Bellingham, the facilities consisted of a large hall with lots of people sleeping on the floor making various […]
