Kielder Ultra
Saturday 7 April 2018
The following details were provided by John Bottomley:
“Kielder Ultra
62miles (100km), 5,866′ (1,788m)
Starters: 40
Finshers: 30
Retired: 10
First Man: Adam Potter, M40 (??) 9hr 33
First Lady: Carol Morgan, F40 (??) 10hr 24
John Bottomley 2nd, M, DPFR, 9hr 50
Chris Duffy 9th, M, DPFR, 11hr 23
Although the day started with a cloudless sky and early morning sun/temperature inversion mist, it soon clouded over & rained to varying degrees for the rest of the day. This race was 2 x 31 mile loops & the 1st time I had done such a race – would I find it hard to do lap 2 in terms of motivation needed to leave the finish point again knowing exactly what I would be running along?
In the event although I knew it would be another 4.5hrs in the rain & at times lots of mud, it didn’t seem odd to be leaving the finish again.
Unlike other races there was nothing exciting about the CP food (or the race route for that matter!) and as it was wet & cold, no-one stayed around afterwards so the finish was somewhat of a damb squib too.
Yes the course is a fast course but I think that’s the only merit of this whole event.”