What? I hear you ask.
The Brathay 10 marathons in 10 days challenge.
Yep that’s right, the tough hilly, Brathay Windermere officially measured 26.2 mile marathon course to be run & timed once a day for 10 days. I will be attempting this feat for the second time between May 10th and May 19th 2013.
To date I’m one of only 59 people have ever completed this challenge.
I was accepted on this truly difficult and unique event last summer and have already been training for months but somehow this weekend being up at Brathay Hall and meeting the other 15 runners (some for the first time) for our training weekend, makes it feel like it is all very real and the enormity of the challenge is starting to hit home once again. OK, I’ve done it before but by no way does it mean it will be any less difficult a second time. My only advantage is the knowledge and experience I have to take into the event for this second time.
The reason for the weekend is for the runners to learn how the event operates and meet the team that will be looking after us while we undertake this massive challenge, the nutritionists sponsored by High5, the physios managed by Paul Talbot from SPARQ, the Cryolab (new for this year, liquid nitrogen to help us recover in time for the next day’s marathon) and the staff of the Brathay Trust, especially Aly & Mac who manage the event on a daily basis. We are shown where we will be staying, eating and living over the 10 days. It is also important to meet and get to know the other runners. I know it is an individual challenge but the other runners understand what each of us will be going through and we bond as a team to support each other through this very tough 10 days. The weekend also gives the runners who haven’t previously run the Brathay Windermere marathon the chance to experience the course.
Even though it is called a training weekend, we are not there to be taught how to run but more how the event works, including how we use the “Sport Ident” timing chips, health and safety on the dangerous winding Windermere roads and recovery so we can cope with running a marathon for 10 consecutive days.
For me, some of the weekend was a repeat of the training weekend 2 years ago but many things were new and it was great to meet the 15 other like-minded runners with whom I will be sharing 10 days of my life with, in 4 months time.
The last 6 months training have been very hard work and have included running a dozen marathons but now the reality is setting in. With only four more months of training to go the 10 days of the tough mental and physical challenge will begin. At times I’m really looking forward to it but sometimes it is truly scary and a completely daunting challenge.
This event and the main Brathay Windermere marathon on 19th May (where about 1000 people will run) is arranged by the Brathay Trust, they are a charity and all money made by the race goes to help them do their work with young vulnerable people. As far as I know this is the only marathon arranged in the UK which is run by a charity and all profits go to that charity. Brathay deliver community programmes through schools and councils, backed up with residentials at their hall in Ambleside. They also run the Lowbank Ground centre in Coniston for Wigan Council, supporting and helping develop thousands of children and young people in the North West every year.
If you feel at all inspired enough to sponsor me and send a donation I will be much appreciated it and the Brathay Trust will be very grateful. Please use my Just Giving link below:-
http://www.justgiving.com/Malcolm-Collins-10in10
Dawn views from the lawn of Brathay Hall.
