Marmot24 2014 – Race Images and Summary

Posted on August 4, 2014 by talkultra

Full image gallery available HERE

The inaugural Marmot24 took place over the weekend of August 2nd and 3rd. The UK’s first 24-hour mountain marathon. What an epic race it turned out to be!

The tough and challenging Lakeland terrain tested each and every participant to the limit. Using a score format (all controls had the same points) participants had the potential to visit and accumulate points from 54-controls spread over an area of 300 square km’s. Needless to say, the potential for any 2-man (or woman or mixed) team to gain a 100% score was almost impossible. However, several teams excelled in the tough conditions.

50-teams took on the challenge of the 24, 12 or 6-hour format with respective start times of midday Saturday the 2nd August, midnight 2nd August or 0600 3rd August. It was ironic that after weeks, no months, of the most perfect UK weather, the change came on the morning of the race and conditions for all events were ‘challenging.’

24-hour competitors registered at 0900 and therefore had several hours of prep time before the midday start.

It was needed! With 54-controls and such a potentially large area to cover, this race was always not only going to be about fitness but also about navigation.

Race HQ was just off the A66 between Penrith and Kendal and this therefore offered race director, Shane Ohly (Ourea Events) and Charlie Sproson (Course Planner) the opportunity to go north and south of the A66 and use the HQ as a hub for both directions.

Route planning was so varied; some teams would start south, others in the north. Clockwise or anti-clockwise. The route options were endless and thus tracking and following of the event was very much a lottery.

One consensus for many appeared to be the potential to spend 10-12 hours on the fells, call in the HQ for food, maybe some sleep and a change of clothes and then head back out. Most teams took this option and at the finish, the only teams not to use this strategy ended up taking the 1st and 2nd places.

At the stroke of midday, runners departed to the fells and dispersed like ants being chased.

Rain had been falling for hours and continued at varying strengths for the duration of the event. In the evening a wonderful dry patch of weather arrived and showed the Lakes in all it’s glory… many runners said post race that it was worth being wet for so long for the display that the heavens provided that evening.

Teams had travelled from all over the UK, France and Spain to participate in this new and ground breaking event. Post race, they all concurred that the terrain and the difficult conditions had provided them all with an ultimate test. Bogs, marshes, bracken and ferns were a new experience to the ‘Europeans’ and it was clear to see the impact. Top Spanish competitor, Mònica Aguilera post race discussed her frustration about the terrain and how difficult it was at times. ‘It was so hard, so difficult and so slow,’ she said, ‘local knowledge would certainly have been a help; on the map we thought this section (south west corner of the course) would be fast and runnable. However, it was very tough and very slow… it took us hours.’

Mònica Aguilera heading north with her teammate, Marc Raflos.

Ultimately, local knowledge did prove a great help for Kenny Leitch and Keith Masson, they accumulated an impressive 380-controls but did not take top honours! Proving that local knowledge and great navigation (along with excellent fitness) is the key to a successful race, the Spanish team of Aurelio Antonio Oilvar and Angel Garcia topped the podium with 39-controls. This score was considered by all competitors and staff as quite remarkable under the tough and extreme conditions.

In addition to the main event of 24-hours, a 12-hour and 6-hour option was provided. Certainly, starting at midnight (for the 12-hour) and heading off into the cold, dark and very wet night would not be a challenge that many would embrace. However, each and every runner looked excited at the prospect.

From midnight the weather slowly became worse and all runners had to endure prolonged downpours and on the tops, strong winds. Adding navigation to the mix did make the whole experience a tough challenge.

Sam Jenner and James Langstraat topped the 12-hour podium with 10-controls beating Tarni Duhre and Andrew Campbell into 2nd by just 1-control.

As participants recovered with a bowl of hot chilli post race, one thing became apparent; he combination of tough Lakeland terrain, variable weather and 54-contols set the Marmot24 apart from other events and it’s a format that was welcomed. Roll on 2015!

Results:

24-Hour

Aurellio Antonio Olivar/ Angel Garcia – 390 points
Kenny Leitch/ Keith Masson – 380 points
Anthony Emmet/ Catriona Sutherland – 280 points

12-Hour

Sam Jenner/ James Langstraat – 100 points
Tarni Duhre/ Andrew Campbell – 90 points
Alice Lamont/ Andrew Jones – 60 points

6-Hour

Katir Francis/ Duncan Hedges

Links:

MARMOT24 WEBSITE HERE

RACE PHOTOGRAPHY HERE

Montane Lakeland 100 & 50 2014 race images

Posted on July 28, 2014 by talkultra

What an incredible weekend of racing in the stunning English Lakes. The Montane UTLD 100 and 50 mile races certainly have become two of ‘the’ must do events on the 2014 calendar. With the long term continued sponsorship of UK brand, Montane. The event has grown from very humble beginnings as an alternative to UTMB to an outright ‘must-do’ for any enthusiastic ultra runner.

Although run on the same course, the 100 and 50 events are two very different beasts. Both races are point-to-point. The 100 starts in Coniston and does a circular route around the northern lakes dropping back down from Pooley Bridge towards Windermere and then heads around Windemere Lake via Ambleside taking in the Langdale Valley and then a push over Tilberthwaite concludes what is unanimously called a ‘brutal’ event.

Not surprisingly, the ’50’ starts pretty much halfway around the 100 route, in Dalemain and is run over the exact same course as the latter half of the 100 event.

Sun and the Lakes can be a rare commodity but participants in both events had plenty of relentless heat to partner them over every step. Even during the first night, temperatures were ridiculously balmy with nothing more than a short sleeved shirt required. The second night however did throw a curve ball for 100 runners entering another night on the trails or for 50 runners finishing after 2100 hours. The heavens opened with some biblical rain… I guess for some it was a welcome cool down and refresher from the oppressive heat.

Marco Consani (21:14:52) was very much a dominant force in the 100 event. Over the early stages Marco had close competition and ran side-by-side with eventual 2nd place, Charlie Sharpe. However, when Marco took over the lead he never looked back. Climbing out of Howtown with the start of a new day he had a 30-minute lead which he continued to extend all the way to the line finishing almost 90-minutes ahead of Sharpe in 2nd (22:47:56). Lee Knight finished 3rd, 23:21:48 after pushing relentlessly for the duration of the event.

In the ladies race, Beth Pascall proved to be a revelation. Having never run longer than 60-miles before, this lady started at the front of the race and at Buttermere one wondered if she would pull off something quite special. However, experienced ultra runner and Montane athlete, Debbie Martin Consani (yes, Marco’s wife) slowly pulled back the gap and extended the lead away from Beth. Apart from a rough patch at Mardale Head, Debbie never looked in doubt of winning the race but Beth really was charging and at the line it was 25:28:33 to 25:48:36. Impressive. Nicky Taylor was 3rd lady in 29:37:08.

One thing must be said, the Lakeland 100 is a tough event. Even contemplating the start and the race deserves respect. Each and every runner who toed the line achieved a great deal. For those who finished, they have memories and experiences to take to the grave. For those who didn’t finish, they will be back… the UTLD100 get a hold like no other race.

The Lakeland 50 was a British Championship event and as such competition was higher than normal. The men’s race had Lakeland 100 winner and Montane athletes, Stuart Mills and Iznik and Spine Challenger winner, Marcus Scotney. In addition, we had Danny Kendall who just this year placed top-5 at the Marathon des Sables. Add to the mix, Kim Collison, and Lee Kemp a fast race was always on the cards. Fast it was… maybe too fast! Starting at 1130am, the heat of the day was already pushing down and when Danny Kendall says ‘it’s too hot!’ then you know it’s hot… In the early stages, a small group formed but it was Collinson who eventually snapped the elastic. Scotney came from behind and charged into 2nd place and then behind, Kendall and Mills had a tough battle for 3rd. At the line, Collinson finished in 7:48:01, Scotney 2nd in 8:06:42 and Kendall 3rd in 8:13:39.

The ladies race had Lakeland 50 course record holder, Tracy Dean racing against the female Lakeland 100 course record holder, Lizzie Wraith. For sure, it was an exciting head-to-head. However, add to the mix Jo Meek and a real battle was always going to unfold. Meek as expected pushed ahead of Wraith and Dean and never looked back. Running with 100% conviction, Meek dominated the race and never for a moment looked under threat. Dean unfortunately dropped due to illness leaving the door open for Wraith to take 2nd place and Bonnie Van Wilgenberg ran a controlled and impressive race for 3rd. Meeks run was so impressive that she placed 6th overall in a time of 8:43:14. Wraith ran 9:18:22 and Wilgenberg completed the top-3 in 9:31:05.

Full Lakeland 100 results are HERE

Full Lakeland 50 results are HERE

The Lakeland 100 and 50 are sponsored by Montane

all race images are available at iancorless.photoshelter.com

: Marc Laithwaite at Lakeland 100/ 50 2014

: Bonnie Van Wilkenberg at Lakeland 50

Montane ready to tackle the Lakeland 100 and 50 2014

Posted on July 24, 2014 by talkultra

This weekend will see the famous MONTANE^® Lakeland 100 / 50 ultra distance races take place. With over 1,100 entrants and a strong, competitive field, this year’s race is certain to raise pulses – not just amongst the runners.

©Press release by Montane

The epic ML100 race starts from the John Ruskin School in Coniston on Friday 25 July, while the shorter, speedier ML50 sets off from Dalemain on Saturday 26 July. The 50-mile event this year is a British Athletics Ultra Trail Championship event and will without doubt see some fast racing from the top ladies and top men. Will course records be broken?

Several Team Montane members will be participating and hopes are high for spots on the podium. Stepping up to the endurance ML100 will be Debbie Martin-Consani and Steven Major. Both have tackled the event before, however, as veterans of the course will readily admit, prior experience doesn’t necessarily make it any easier.

Debbie is an experienced ultra distance runner with various podium finishes under her belt, amongst which finishing 1st in the 145 mile Grand Union Canal Race in both the ladies and overall categories. She has also been selected to run for Team GB for the International Association of Ultrarunners. In 2013’s ML100, Debbie finished with a very respectable time of 26:02:00 in the ladies category, second only to Lizzie Wraith, who smashed the course record by just over 4 hrs 30 mins.

Steven took up running originally to fundraise for his son’s football team. His first race was a 5 mile local fun run: “I found the run quite difficult, not having done enough training, but even so I got round in one piece and thoroughly enjoyed the camaraderie between other fun runners and organisers. After experiencing this, I thought ‘I want to run it again’”. Since that first 5 mile run, Steven has run longer, more difficult trail races. This will be his third ML100.

The ML50, although it uses the second half of the ML100 course, is a completely different event. Competitors are more tightly bunched together and competition is generally fiercer as the race distance is shorter. Whereas ML100 participants take on average 30 hours to complete the course (the record stands at 19:50:37), the ML50 racers cross the finish line on average after 16 hours. The current course record is 07:39:26.

Team Montane members Marcus Scotney, Tony Holland and Stuart Mills are raring to compete and there will be fireworks aplenty! All three have competed in either the ML100 or ML50 before – Stuart has previously focused on the ML100, Tony has experience of competing in both distances and Marcus has participated in the ML50.

Marcus began running in 1994 and took on his first ultra marathon in 2008. He has run trail, fell and road races and now concentrates on trail. A high achiever, Marcus has numerous race wins to his name, most recently a stunning victory in the 130km Iznik Ultra in Turkey. He returns to the ML50 after having to pull out of 2013’s race: “DNF’d at 28miles suffered with chest pain was like running up hill whilst running down down hill & breathing through a straw”.

Tony was propelled into the world of running in 2010 after being inspired by his son, who has Down’s Syndrome and regularly fundraises for the Northumberland Down’s Syndrome Support Group & Disability Activity through his running. Initially a means of fundraising for Tony, it has transformed his life. He is a regular on the trail running race circuit and last year set up his own specialist running store, http://www.ultra-runner.com/. In 2012, Tony took on the ML100, but was forced to withdraw at checkpoint 9 of 14. In 2013 he was back to tackle the ML50 and completed the course in a time of 12:18:49. This year he will be on the start line once again for the ML50.

Finally, after winning the 2013 & 2010 ML100, legendary runner Stuart Mills will try his hand at the ML50. He joined his local running club at the age of 14 and began training in earnest in 1978. He ran his first marathon in Rotorua, New Zealand aged 17. Stuart’s wealth of experience has led him to a set of core race tactics: “Run as fast as I can, while I can!”

But whether all or none of our fantastic Team Montane runners cross the finish line, one thing’s for sure – this year’s race will be electric.

For further information on the Montane Lakeland 100 / 50, click here

MARMOT24™ – LOCATION ANNOUNCED

Posted on June 3, 2014 by talkultra

The organisers of the UK’s first 24-hour nonstop mountain marathon, Marmot24™, have just announced that the inaugural event will be held in the Lake District National Park this August.

Marmot24™ combines the very best elements of the predominantly British mountain marathon phenomenon with aspects of the more international 24-hour rogaining events. With mountain running and navigation at the heart of the event, competitors will have 24, 12 or 6-hours to visit as many checkpoints as possible on a score format course.

Race Director, Shane Ohly described the competition area to us. “From our central Event Centre the competition area spans 360 degrees in all directions and includes approximately 300 square kilometers of the finest mountain running terrain in the UK. It is Perfect for a 24-hour non-stop mountain marathon and we are looking forward to welcoming everyone to the event weekend 2nd/3rd August”.

He continued, “To the north of the Event Centre are the remote Northern Fells guarded by the imposing flanks of Blencathra. To the south, Clough Head marks the start of the Dodd’s ridge running towards Helvellyn and ultimately Ambleside. There are also interesting yet rarely visited fells to the east and west. The terrain is perfect for a mountain marathon with laser fast ridges and valleys linking remote and trackless areas that contain complex contour features.”

As many regular visitors to the Lake District will know this vast competition area includes about every topographical feature you could possibly imagine, and the experienced planning team of Charlie Sproson and Shane Ohly, will no doubt be conjuring up another excellent event after the highly successful Great Lakeland 3Day™ earlier this year.

The 24-hour race starts at noon Saturday but if that sounds too daunting, then there is a 12-hour race starting at midnight Saturday and a 6-hour race starting at 0600 on the Sunday morning. Everyone will finish at 12 noon on the Sunday in what promises to be an exciting and dramatic finale to a memorable weekend of racing.

Over 100 competitors have now entered Marmot24™ including a large number of elite Spanish runners that includes Aurelio Antonio Olivar, the 2013 European Rogaine Champion.

If you enter Marmot24™ now you can get a free Marmot Compact Hauler (worth £22) for each person.

Key Event Information
Website: http://www.Marmot24.com
Date: 2nd & 3rd August 2014
Venue: Northern England
Entry: from £55
Courses: 24-hour, 12-hour and 6-hour

Great Lakeland 3 Day ™ Day 3

Posted on May 5, 2014 by talkultra

The final day of the Great Lakeland 3 Day ™ was very much a victory lap as runners finished of the final leg of a 3-day triangular route, navigating via a selection of trigs to arrive back at Pooley Bridge where they had all started 3-days earlier.

The damp, misty and wet conditions of the previous day faded away with the arrival of dawn. Although the day would remain overcast for the majority, the occasional glimpse of sun would appear when the clouds decided to break.

Although a shorter day, a great deal of challenges would confront the Elite, A, B and C categories. The great success of the GL3D is the appeal and flexibility for each participant to race at a different level on different days if required. Shane Ohly said, ‘We are a small but adventurous three-day mountain marathon with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere that attracts both runners and long-distance walkers.’

The race has been an incredible success and the addition of the C course has made the 2014 edition even more appealing providing a tough and challenging adventure for walkers. Rather than complex navigation, the emphasis is on long mountain journeys, spectacular scenery and enjoying an amazing mountain experience.

Brilliantly organized, great fun, tough, a real challenge… are all words and comments that could be heard as participants departed from the race base at Pooley Bridge.

I am sure many will be back in 2015.

Overall Results:

Elite:

Jim Mann 16:30:28

Chris Warner 18:29:57

Robert Hicks 19:08:56

1^st lady: Kerstin Rosenqvist 21:39:15

Simon Harper 17:38:38

Jim Trueman 18:24:30

Matt Puxon 18:54:21

1^st lady: Sally Ann Spencer 19:59:13

Alexander Beaven 12:37:40

David Nevill 13:10:03

Nick Gallivan 13:45:42

1^st lady: Christine Waller 16:34:26

Stephen Burt 11:49:56

Jacqueline Cooper 12:59:25

Martin & Nicola Kirkman 13:00:20

Ourea Events HERE

Great Lakeland 3 Day™ HERE

Great Lakeland 3 Day™ – Day 1

Posted on May 3, 2014 by talkultra

Days on the mountains and fells don’t get any better… May Day bank holiday, 200 competitors embracing a relaxed and casual approach to racing and 3-days on the iconic Lakeland fells and mountains.

Shane Ohly, race director for the GL3D ™ provides a selection of courses to suit every runner’s ability or competitive edge – Elite, A, B or the newly introduced C class for walkers. In conjunction with great planning and organization, a friendly atmosphere and believe it or not, good weather, day-1 proved to be an incredible start for the 2014 edition.

In the best traditions of the Lowe Alpine Mountain Marathon, the competitors were promised a surprise on the first morning. Race Director, Shane Ohly explained, ‘The LAMM has a deserved reputation for surprising competitors on the first day with an unexpected change of venue or logistic and I wanted to embrace this idea for the GL3D™.’

The day kicked off with a steamer cruise across Ullswater from the race HQ at Pooley Bridge to Howtown and then a rolling start as runners ‘dibbed-in’ to commence the day.

Although very few glimpses of sun were sighted, the whole day remained dry and calm with constant cloud. Each and every participant stated, ‘Perfect running conditions.’

Despite the relaxed atmosphere the Great Lakeland 3Day™ remains a formidable challenge with the Elite runners covering 46.2km on day-1, the A class, 40km, B class, 31.3km and the new C course 24.1km.

It was grand tour of some of the best Lakeland ridges, summits and valleys with an optimal altitude gain of 1,183m for the C-class and 2,738m for the Elites. The A and B courses had 2,373 and 1,590m respectively.

A huge slice of cake, unlimited tea or coffee and of course the famous (or infamous) free beer or cider ensured that the aches and pains of a first tough day in the mountains would soon be forgotten.

Results:

Elite – 46.2km

Jim Mallin 5:19:56

Tim Laney 5:57:54

Chris Warner 5:58:12

1st lady – Kerstin Rosenqvist 6:44:44

A – 40k

Simon Harper 5:14:42

Jim Trueman 5:49:48

Adrian Chewter 5:50:50

1^st lady – Sally Ann Spencer 6:27:18

B – 31.3k

Eddy Charlton-Weedy 3:31:20

Alexander Beaven 4:04:23

David Neill 4:21:05

1^st lady – Christine Waller 4:44:49

C – 24.1k

Stephen Burt 4:03:42

Jaqueline Cooper 5:07:03

Martin & Nicola Kirkman 5:39:20

Ourea Events HERE

Great Lakeland 3 Day™ HERE

Episode 60 – Foote, Scotney, Meek, Britton, Spiers

Posted on May 2, 2014 by talkultra

Episode 60 of Talk Ultra – This weeks show has an interview with one of the best ‘closers’ in the ultra scene, Mike Foote. We have a series of interviews from the Iznik Ultra series of races, Marcus Scotney from the 130k, Jo Meek from the 80k and Robbie Britton from the marathon. We speak to British Bulldog, Steve Spiers. Marc Laithwaite is back for Talk Training. News, a Blog, Up and Coming Races and of course, Speedgoat Karl Meltzer.

NEWS

UTMF

Francois D’Haene 19:09:13
Ryan Sandes 20:18:59
Mike Foote 20:54:16

Nuria Picas 23:27:34
Fernanda Maciel 23:46:24
Maria Semarjian 27:16:13

ONER

Rob Sartin 18:19:29
Tom Sutton 18:40:08
Max Woods 20:13:19

Nicky Taylor 18:40:10
Erica Terblanche 20:36:34
Melanie Hawker 21:56:54

Iznik Races

130k

Marcus Scotney (Montane) 12:53:59 new CR
Mahmut Yavuz 13:11:55
Zhikica Ivanovski 13:53:41

Bakiye Duran 19:09:39
Svetiana Stojanoska 22:27:08

AUDIO with Marcus Scotney

80K

Jo Meek (Scott Running) 6:52:17 new CR first lady and first overall
Aykut Celikbas 7:41:34
Firat Kara 7:46:07 (tbc)

Jo Meek (Scott Running)
Yasemin Goktas 9:45:34
Ayse Beril Basliqil 9:54:45

AUDIO with Jo Meek

Marathon

Robbie Britton (inov-8) 3:08:19 new CR
Benoit Laval (Raidlight) 3:30:38
Duygun Yurteri 3:31:56

Elena Polyakova 3:47:26
Aysen Solak 3:51:01
Helen Southcott 4:14:07

AUDIO with Robbie Britton

Highland Fling Race

Sondre Amdahl (Norway) 07:29:15
Justin Maxwell 07:46:35
Neil Macnicol 07:49:08

Jo Zakrzewski 08:30:29
Sally Fawcett 08:38:41
Elaine Omand )8:49:33

SDW50 – correction to results

Louise Waterman Evans 7:06:08
Edwina Sutton 7:09:21
Sarah Perkins 7:19:43

**correction – Gemma Carter re SDW50

Oh Ian, that is really very kind of you I know it will mean a lot to Eddy and of course, it means a lot to me (I’m not in the big league YET, so every little result counts! ) thank you… See below: 1st.Edwina Sutton- 7:09:21 2nd. Sarah Perkins-7:19:43 3rd. Gemma Carter-7:32:42

Transvulcania is next week… what a showdown awaits! In-depth preview HERE

BLOG – A Glorious Boston http://www.atrailrunnersblog.com

INTERVIEW

Mike Foote has a great reputation for starting steady and moving his way up through the field. At UTMF he gave another prime example of how to do this….

AUDIO with Mike Foote

AUDIO with Steve Spiers… the British Bulldog

MELTZER MOMENT with Speedgoat

TRAINING TALK with Marc Laithwaite

UP & COMING RACES

Australia

New South Wales

WildEndurance 100km Team Challenge | 100 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

WildEndurance 50km Team Challenge | 50 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

WildEndurance event | 100 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Queensland

Mt Mee Classic Trail 66 km Teams race | 66 kilometers | May 04, 2014 | website

The Great Wheelbarrow Race – Mareeba to Dimbulah | 104 kilometers | May 16, 2014 | website

South Australia

Hubert 100km | 100 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Hubert 100 Miles | 100 miles | May 03, 2014 | website

Hubert 50km | 50 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Victoria

Macedon Ranges 50K Trail Run | 50 kilometers | May 11, 2014 | website

Wilsons Prom 100 – 100km | 100 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Wilsons Prom 100 – 60 km | 60 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Wilsons Prom 100 – 80 km | 80 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Belgium

Wallonia

La Bouillonnante – 56 km | 56 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Canada

British Columbia

Island Runner Elk/Beaver Ultras – 100K | 100 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

Island Runner Elk/Beaver Ultras – 50K | 50 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

Island Runner Elk/Beaver Ultras – 50 Miles | 50 miles | May 10, 2014 | website

The North Face Dirty Feet Kal Park 50 | 50 kilometers | May 04, 2014 | website

Ontario

Seaton Trail 50 km Trail | 50 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

China

Trail de la Grande Muraille de Chine | 73 kilometers | May 02, 2014 | website

Denmark

Hovedstaden

Salomon Hammer Trail Bornholm -100 Miles | 100 miles | May 02, 2014 | website

Salomon Hammer Trail Bornholm – 50 km | 50 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Salomon Hammer Trail Bornholm – 50 miles | 50 miles | May 02, 2014 | website

Finland

Oulu

NUTS Karhunkierros Trail Ultra – 160 km | 160 kilometers | May 16, 2014 | website

France

Ardèche

Trail l’Ardéchois – 57 km | 57 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Ultra Trail l’Ardéchois | 98 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Bas-Rhin

Trail du Wurzel | 52 kilometers | May 11, 2014 | website

Drôme

Challenge Charles & Alice | 148 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

Les Aventuriers de la Drôme | 65 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

Les Aventuriers du Bout de Drôme | 105 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

Haute-Loire

Ultra Techni Trail de Tiranges | 50 kilometers | May 04, 2014 | website

Oise

Trail’Oise – 60 km | 60 kilometers | May 04, 2014 | website

Rhône

Ultra des Coursières | 103 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

Savoie

Nivolet – Revard | 51 kilometers | May 04, 2014 | website

Yonne

The Trail 110 | 110 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

The Trail 63 | 65 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

The Trail 85 | 85 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Germany

Baden-Württemberg

Lauf “Rund um Wolfach” | 50 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

Stromberg Extrem 54,4 KM | 54 kilometers | May 04, 2014 | website

Greece

Doliho Ultra-Marathon | 260 kilometers | May 02, 2014 | website

Euchidios Athlos 107.5 Km | 107 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

Euchidios Hyper-Athlos 215 Km | 215 kilometers | May 09, 2014 | website

Olympian Race – 180 km | 180 kilometers | May 11, 2014 | website

Olympian Race – 62 km | 62 kilometers | May 11, 2014 | website

Indonesia

Volcans de l’Extrême | 164 kilometers | May 04, 2014 | website

Ireland

Connacht

Causeway Crossing 100K | 100 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Causeway Crossing 50K | 50 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Israel

Mountain to Valley Relay | 215 kilometers | May 15, 2014 | website

Italy

Liguria

Gran Trail Rensen | 62 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Sardinia

Sardinia Trail | 90 kilometers | May 09, 2014 | website

Tuscany

Elba Trail “Eleonoraxvincere” | 56 kilometers | May 11, 2014 | website

Japan

Oxfam Trailwalker Japan | 100 kilometers | May 16, 2014 | website

Madagascar

Semi Trail des Ô Plateaux | 65 kilometers | May 02, 2014 | website

Ultra Trail des Ô Plateaux | 130 kilometers | May 02, 2014 | website

Martinique

Tchimbé du Volcan | 70 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Tchimbé Raid 110 km | 110 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Mauritius

Royal Raid 80 km | 80 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

Mayotte

Mahoraid | 70 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

Peru

Jungle Ultra | 220 kilometers | May 16, 2014 | website

Philippines

The North Face 100®, Philippines – 100 km | 100 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

The North Face 100®, Philippines – 50 km | 50 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Portugal

Madeira Island Ultra Trail 115 | 116 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

Madeira Island Ultra Trail 85 | 85 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

Ultra-Trail de Sesimbra | 55 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Spain

Andalusia

La Legión 101 km | 101 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

Balearic Islands

Trail Menorca Cami de Cavalls | 185 kilometers | May 16, 2014 | website

Trail Menorca Cami de Cavalls Costa Nord | 100 kilometers | May 16, 2014 | website

Basque Country

Apuko Long Trail – 65 Km | 60 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Ultra Trail Apuko Extreme | 90 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Canary Islands

Transvulcania | 83 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

Castile and León

101 Peregrinos | 101 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Switzerland

Berne

Bielersee XXL 100 Meilen | 100 miles | May 16, 2014 | website

Turkey

Cekmekoy 60K Ultramarathon | 60 kilometers | May 11, 2014 | website

United Kingdom

Argyll and Bute

Kintyre Way Ultra Run | 66 miles | May 10, 2014 | website

Kintyre Way Ultra Run – Tayinloan – Campbeltown | 35 miles | May 10, 2014 | website

County of Pembrokeshire

Coastal Trail Series – Pembrokeshire – Ultra | 34 miles | May 03, 2014 | website

Greater London

Thames Path 100 | 100 miles | May 03, 2014 | website

Hampshire

XNRG Pony Express Ultra | 60 miles | May 03, 2014 | website

Kent

National 100K | 100 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

National 50K | 50 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Nottinghamshire

Dukeries Ultra 40 | 40 miles | May 11, 2014 | website

Oxfordshire

T60 Nigh Race | 60 miles | May 10, 2014 | website

Wiltshire

Marlborough Downs Challenge – 33 mile | 33 miles | May 10, 2014 | website

Worcestershire

Malvern Hills 53 Mile Ultra | 53 miles | May 03, 2014 | website

Malvern Hills 83 Mile Ultra | 83 miles | May 03, 2014 | website

USA

Alabama

Run for Kids Challenge 50K Trail Race | 50 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Arizona

Sinister Night 54K Trail Run | 54 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

California

Armstrong Redwoods 50K | 50 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Badwater Salton Sea | 81 miles | May 05, 2014 | website

Canyons 50K Trail Run | 50 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Cinderella Trail Run 50 km (May) | 50 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

Diablo 50K | 50 miles | May 10, 2014 | website

Golden Gate Relay | 191 miles | May 03, 2014 | website

Me-Ow Quads | 104 miles | May 03, 2014 | website

Me-Ow Siamese | 42 miles | May 03, 2014 | website

Miwok 100K Trail Race | 100 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Nirvana Ultra Big Bear 100K | 100 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Nirvana Ultra Big Bear 100 Mile | 100 miles | May 03, 2014 | website

Nirvana Ultra Big Bear 50K | 50 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Nirvana Ultra Big Bear 50 Mile | 50 miles | May 03, 2014 | website

PCT50 Trail Run | 50 miles | May 10, 2014 | website

Quicksilver 100K Endurance Run | 100 miles | May 10, 2014 | website

Quicksilver 50K Endurance Run | 50 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

Whoos in El Moro 50k | 50 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

Wild Wild West 50K Ultra | 50 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Colorado

Cimarron 50k Endurance Run | 50 kilometers | May 04, 2014 | website

Collegiate Peaks 50M Trail Run | 50 miles | May 03, 2014 | website

Greenland Trail 50k | 50 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Quad Rock 50 | 50 miles | May 10, 2014 | website

The Divide 135 Ultra | 135 miles | May 16, 2014 | website

Georgia

Cruel Jewel 100 | 100 miles | May 16, 2014 | website

Cruel Jewel 50 Mile Race | 50 miles | May 16, 2014 | website

Indiana

DWD Gnaw Bone 50K | 50 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

DWD Gnaw Bone 50M | 50 miles | May 10, 2014 | website

Iowa

Market to Market Relay | Iowa | 75 miles | May 10, 2014 | website

Kansas

Heartland 50 Mile Spring Race | 50 miles | May 10, 2014 | website

Rock On! Lake Perry 50K | 50 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

Massachusetts

Ragnar Relay Cape Cod | 186 miles | May 09, 2014 | website

Wapack and Back Trail Races 50 Miles | 50 miles | May 10, 2014 | website

Nevada

Labor of Love 100M | 100 miles | May 03, 2014 | website

Labor of Love 50K | 50 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Labor of Love 50M | 50 miles | May 03, 2014 | website

Ride the Wind 100M | 100 miles | May 10, 2014 | website

Ride the Wind 50M | 50 miles | May 10, 2014 | website

New Jersey

3 Days at the Fair – 50K | 50 kilometers | May 15, 2014 | website

New York

Long Island Greenbelt Trail 50k | 50 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

Rock The Ridge 50-Mile Endurance Challenge | 50 miles | May 03, 2014 | website

The North Face Endurance Challenge Bear Mountain 50k | 50 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

The North Face Endurance Challenge Bear Mountain 50 Mile | 50 miles | May 03, 2014 | website

North Carolina

OBX Ultramarathon | 50 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Ohio

50’s For Yo Momma 50K Trail Run | 50 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

50’s For Yo Momma 50 Mile Trail Run | 50 miles | May 10, 2014 | website

Oregon

McDonald Forest 50K Trail Run | 50 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

Smith Rock Ascent 50K | 50 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

South Carolina

Oconee 50k | 50 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Wambaw Swamp Stomp 50 Miler Trail Run and Relay | 50 miles | May 03, 2014 | website

Xterra Myrtle Beach 50 km Trail Run | 50 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Tennessee

Rock/Creek Thunder Rock 100 Mile Trail Race | 100 miles | May 16, 2014 | website

Strolling Jim 40 Mile Run | 40 miles | May 03, 2014 | website

Texas

Hog’s Hunt 50K Trail Run | 50 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

Vermont

PEAK Ultra Marathon – 500 Miles | 500 miles | May 13, 2014 | website

Virginia

Singletrack Maniac 50k Trail Run | 50 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

Washington

50K Ultradash | 50 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

50 Mile Ultradash | 50 miles | May 10, 2014 | website

Grand Ridge 50K Trail Run (May) | 50 kilometers | May 03, 2014 | website

Lost Lake 50K | 50 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

West Virginia

Capon Valley 50K Run | 50 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

Wisconsin

Ice Age Trail 50K | 50 kilometers | May 10, 2014 | website

Ice Age Trail 50M | 50 miles | May 10, 2014 | website

LINKS

http://traffic.libsyn.com/talkultra/Episode_60_-_Foote_Scotney_Meek_Britton_Spiers.mp3
ITunes http://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/talk-ultra/id497318073
Libsyn – feed://talkultra.libsyn.com/rss
Website – talkultra.com

200 RUNNERS PREPARE FOR THE 2014 GREAT LAKELAND 3DAY™

Posted on May 1, 2014 by talkultra

For the third successive year the Great Lakeland 3Day™ has sold out and this May bank holiday weekend will see a record 200 competitors setting off on a three day mountain running journey in the Lake District.

The location for the 2014 GL3D™ Event Centre is at Pooley Bridge at the North Eastern tip of Ullswater, and this is where competitors will be arriving on Friday night for registration. Pooley Bridge is one of those quintessential Lake District villages surrounded by water and mountains and it is a fitting staging post for the adventure ahead. Where precisely the Elite, A, B and C courses go from there is a closely guarded secret but in the best traditions of the Lowe Alpine Mountain Marathon, the competitors have been promised a surprise on the first morning. Race Director, Shane Ohly explains further, “The LAMM has a deserved reputation for surprising competitors on the first day with an unexpected change of venue or logistic and I wanted to embrace this idea for the GL3D™.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6zXY4LsAyQ

The Great Lakeland 3Day™ has earned a reputation for being an informal and friendly event and the new C or ‘Cafe Class’ course embraces this ethos. Ohly continued, “New for 2014 is the C Course, which is specifically aimed at walkers and the slowest runners and features checkpoints in cafe’s! Because we allow competitors to simply enter the event and then choose their desired course on the day we can’t be certain how popular it is going to be. However, the record number of entries suggests it’ll be very popular indeed!”

Despite the relaxed atmosphere the Great Lakeland 3Day™ remains a formidable challenge with the Elite course covering 130+ kilometres with over 8,000m of ascent in three days. It promises to be a grand tour of some of the best Lakeland ridges, summits and valleys. The early GL3D™s aimed to cover about 25 miles on average each day and this is the distance that the organisers now aim for on the A Course. Usually the first and second days are slightly further/harder than the last day to help participants get away at a reasonable time after the event has finished. Race Planner Charlie Sproson from Mountain Run has planned the 2014 event and his summary optimum distances and height gains are shown below.

	Day 1 (optimal)		Day 2 (optimal)		Day 3 (optimal)		Total (optimal)
	Distance (km)	Height (m)	Distance (km)	Height (m)	Distance (km)	Height (m)	Distance (km)	Height (m)
C Course	24.1	1,183	22.4	748	19.5	968	65.90	2,899
B Course	31.3	1,590	34.9	2,129	26.7	1,201	92.89	4,920
A Course	40.0	2,373	46.8	2,883	29.2	1,765	115.94	7,021
E Course	46.2	2,738	50.9	3,264	36.0	2,052	133.02	8,054

Former GL3D elite winner, artist and author, Heather Dawe who recently published the widely acclaimed Adventures in Mind has kindly provided two prints for the fastest male and female on the Elite course. With Heather’s connection to the event, it seems like a fitting way to recognise the effort of the leading runners.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3guq1rPZdQ

The GL3D™ is sponsored by Lowe Alpine and supported by Climbers Shop, Joe Browns and Harvey Maps

Key Event Information

Website: www.GreatLakeland3Day.com

Date: 3rd, 4th & 5th May 2014

Venue: Lake District

Entry: Sold Out!

Courses: Elite, A, B and C Course

Great Lakeland 3Day™ Preview

Posted on April 4, 2014 by talkultra

Relaxed, friendly and an amazing mountain experience, the GL3D™ has built quite a reputation! With an emphasis on long mountain journeys and spectacular scenery, participants can expect a really excellent 3-days without complex navigation.

Trails, footpaths, ridges and valleys make up this idyllic journey through arguably one of the greatest playgrounds in the world; the English Lakes. Event HQ is at the North Eastern tip of Ullswater at the quintessential village of Pooley Bridge.

Taking place on the 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th May 2014, the GL3D™ is a small but adventurous mountain marathon. Attracting runners and long-distance walkers, the race is renowned for its atmosphere. So much so, it has gained a reputation as one of ‘the’ events to do!

Three long and consecutive days in the mountains have built a dedicated following from competitors who are able to choose an Elite, A, B or C course. However, a unique element is the ability to choose whichever course they prefer on each day. This mix-n-match approach certainly does offer a unique format, however, should you choose all Elite or all A, B or C that is no problem, the choice is yours.

Sharing an overnight camp, the inclusion of a ‘beer tent’ certainly seems extremely popular. As you can gather, this is all about fun days on the trails. The inclusion in 2014 of the C class confirms this. Specifically aimed at walkers and slower runners.

Courses are triangular, allowing everyone to start and finish at the same location. The GL3D™ is all about maximum enjoyment. However, each participant should be competent in the mountains whether running or walking and an ability to navigate is essential. You must be self-sufficient!

Although some competitors race, many solo participants form groups to share a day in the hills. No prizes are awarded, just a slap on the back and a nod of respect from your peers.

Flexible start times between 0700-0900 (faster participants start later) reflect the relaxed nature of the event and if cramming a few extra zzz’s in your sleeping bag doesn’t tempt you, I am sure the ‘free’ tea, cakes and beer at the end of each day will.

Tempted? I bet you are…

supported by

Race website – http://www.greatlakeland3day.com

Entry – http://www.greatlakeland3day.com/enter/

The nitty-gritty

Competitors must register before starting and they can only do this on the evening of Friday 2nd May (between 1800-2200) or on the morning of Saturday 3rd (between 0600-0700). Competitors can only register at the Event Centre. At registration competitors will be issued with their map, which is pre-printed with checkpoints and control descriptions (for all courses), and their SI card. We recommend arriving on the Friday night so that everyone has an opportunity to relax, meet fellow participants and discuss the following day’s route. The night before the GL3D™ the atmosphere is always good and many competitors sneak off to a local pub for an informal gathering. Camping is available on the Friday night and this is included in the entry fee.

Competitors may also park their car at the Event Centre for the weekend at their own risk. The competitor’s beer tent will also be erected on the Friday night but GL3D™ beer is only served on the Saturday and Sunday evenings!    Our courses are described as Elite, A, B and C, as is usual for mountain marathons. However, it is important to note that the distances at the GL3D™ are greater. This is because our routes are more runnable (we stick to footpaths and tracks for much of the time) and the navigation is easier (generally mountain summits) than at the equivalent mountain marathon courses at the LAMM, OMM etc. We would describe our courses as roughly equivalent in terms of ‘difficulty to finish’ as the same standard mountain marathon course at one of these events. The approximate course details are:

Course	Average Distance	Average Time	Number of Checkpoints
Elite	30 miles per day	9 hours	9
A	25 miles per day	8 hours	8
B	20 miles per day	7 hours	7
C	15 miles per day	?	1

Elite, A and B Course These courses are definitely for runners and it is not possible for walkers to complete these courses within the cut-off times. Competitors must have finished an equivalent mountain marathon course within 50% of the winner’s time for the course that they are entering. Any competitor who is slower than 50% of the winner’s time and/or arrives at the overnight camp after the cut-off time will automatically be moved onto a shorter course for the following day.

C Course The GL3D™ has always attracted long distance walkers but other than the most able, they have generally struggled with the long distances and significant height gain each year. Because of this, for the 2014 event we are introducing a C course (already coined the Café Class by the planning team), which will be specifically aimed at walkers or slower runners and will only have one checkpoint per day to allow competitors maximum route choice between the overnight camps… and time to visit the very best Lake District cafés!

The choice of four different courses means that competitors can choose from either an Elite, A, B or C Course. The really exciting component of the GL3D™ is that competitors simply enter the event, and then choose whichever course they prefer on the day. This could either be Elite for all three days, Elite, B then A or any ‘mix-and-match’ combination. All competitors will still share the same overnight camp.

To appear in the overall results, competitors must complete the same course each day. Obviously, on a daily basis we will publish results for each course.   Each day competitors start anytime between 0700 and 0900 (please note that there is a 0715 Mass Start for competitors on Day 1 in 2014) and should expect to spend a long day in the hills. The first two days will be the hardest and the last day will be easier. We anticipate that everyone would have finished by 1500 on day three.   The course will be roughly triangular with a different overnight camp each night. We will provide free tea/coffee, cakes and beer at the end of day one and two and a large, tasty meal at the end of day three.

The competitors ‘beer tent’ – a popular addition to the 2013 GL3D™- will be available at each overnight camp and can used by competitors to hangout in, cook meals in etc.

Top Brits head to Turkey for the Iznik Ultra race series, April 2014

Posted on March 22, 2014 by talkultra

Now in its third year, the Iznik series of races in Turkey are assembling a strong UK contingent of runners to race over the marathon, 80km or 130km distances, featuring Jo Meek, Robbie Britton, Tracy Dean, Stu Air and Marcus Scotney. With several races on offer, Robbie Britton and Stu Air will race the marathon distance, Tracy Dean and Jo Meek the 80km and Marcus Scotney the 130km.

Surrounded by eight countries, Turkey has significant geographical importance as it is at a crossroads with Europe and Asia. The noise and colour from an over populated Istanbul are completely contradicted by the sublime tranquility of Iznik, situated on a beautiful lake. Don’t get me wrong! Istanbul is remarkable; it’s an exciting place and certainly, any journey to this region should at least include one-day sight seeing around the old town. The Fire Tower, the Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Grand Bazaar and Sultanhamet Square; believe me, there is no shortage of things to do.

Located in Bursa, on the banks of Lake Iznik, Caner Odabasoglu and his team have worked tirelessly to make the Iznik Races not only the premier event in Turkey but also with the 130km race, they also have the longest single stage race in the whole of the country.

Running and particularly, Ultra running is not a big sport in this region, to that end, Caner with the help of the Iznik community have continually worked hard to put the races and the local community on the running map.

Using the Iznik Lake as a backdrop, all the races utilize the local terrain to not only provide a beautiful course but also a challenging course. All the elevation comes in the first 80 km’s, so, the marathon and the shorter ultra are very much about going up and down on trails that vary from single-track to wide rutted farm roads. From the town of Soloz (appx 67km) the course flattens and follows the Iznik Lake in a circular route tracing the perimeter to arrive back at the start some 130 km’s later.

Jo Meek (Scott Running) fresh from a victory at The Coastal Challenge multi-day race in Costa Rica has been eagerly awaiting this trip, “I have been to Turkey before but only the touristic bits so travelling to Turkey this time to run through the areas I wouldn’t otherwise see holds a lot of appeal. See the culture as I experience the highs and lows of the countryside is a privilege anywhere but especially as a guest in a foreign country.”

Tracy Dean – inov-8

Jo is right, racing in Turkey is a great opportunity to combine so many different elements, of course the opportunity to test oneself against new competition but also to see a new place and explore a new culture, “Iznik has a wonderful history. The Aphasia Mosque amongst others for example intrigues me and it will be amazing to see the architecture of the Hoffman period. I am interested in seeing the tiles that Iznik has a reputation for producing. The main attraction though… food, ha ha to have Turkish delight and fish kebab will be a real treat, just not both on the same dish.” Explained Tracy Dean (inov-8).

Marcus Scotney – Montane

Marcus Scotney (Montane) recently won the ‘Challenger’ race at The Spine in the UK, “I wasn’t aware of an ultra scene in Turkey, I hadn’t looked into opportunities until I heard about the Iznik ultra. I’m sure the competition will be very tough, especially from local people who will know the route and what the trails are like.”

Robbie Britton – inov-8

Robbie Britton (inov-8) backs this up, “I’ve met a couple of Turkish ultra runners in the UK but I didn’t know much about the scene in Turkey itself. I like competition so hopefully there will be a few guys to enjoy the hills with and we can push each other along.“

Robbie has a reputation for running long and fast, he has represented GB at the 24-hour distance, however, in Iznik he will race the shorter (but hillier) marathon race, “I’m racing the marathon distance this time, a little shorter than usual but it looks like a tough event! The ups and downs look very similar to the profile at Transvulcania on the island of La Palma so I see it as a good chance to race some tough ascents and fly down some steep downhill’s!”

Stu Air – Ronda dels Cims

Stu Air (Scott Running) equally has gained a reputation for racing tough, technical and long events; in 2013 Stu had great results at Ronda dels Cims in Andorra and the tough Tor des Geants. Fresh from a top-10 placing at MSIG50 in Hong Kong, Stu too has chosen the marathon distance race, “I have chosen the Mountain Marathon 42km course, as I feel that this distance will help me focus on my weakness (speed) over some of the longer races. I have several races in 2014 which are 100-miles. Transvulcania (80km) on the island of La Palma is a few weeks after Iznik too, so I thought this race would be perfect to help me in preparation for this longer race.”

Caner and the team

Caner Odabasoglu and the MCR Racesetter Team are passionate ultra runners and have devoted an incredible amount of time, energy and money in creating a stunning weekend of racing on the shores of Iznik Lake. Dedicated to the cause, the 2013 edition will be bigger, better and potentially faster across all three key race distances… watch this space, the Brits are coming!

Race website: HERE

Follow the race at: iancorless.com and on Twitter @talkultra

Athlete race calendars 2104:

Jo Meek – Iznik Ultra, Comrades (South Africa) and Lakeland 50 (UK) Trail Running Championships.
Tracy Dean – Iznik Ultra and Lakeland 50 (UK) Trail Running Championships.
Marcus Scotney – Iznik Ultra, British 100km Championships and Ultra Tour of the Peak District (UK).
Robbie Britton – Iznik Ultra and Skyrunning Transvulcania La Palma 80km (La Palma).
Stu Air – Iznik Ultra, Skyrunning Transvulcania La Palma 80km (La Palma), Hardrock 100 (USA), Skyrunning Kima Trophy 50km (Italy) and Diagonale des Fous 160km (Reunion Island).

Athlete sponsors:

inov-8 – HERE
Montane – HERE
Scott Running – HERE