Race Report: Bolton Hill Marathon 08/03/2014

Last orders please, I must have heard this shouted somewhere when I decided to book a marathon in Bolton!!

Marshalling the Sunday and a hug from the women’s UK record holder for most marathons in a year, the lively Kate Jayden.

 I mean who on earth tells their work colleagues that they are going away for the weekend to Bolton?

However this was it, the last big race before 12+ months of training takes me to the Hardmoors 55 mile foot race across the Yorkshire moors. Having raced through 38 flat miles on the Sunday, the Saturday meant a really hilly marathon called the Bolton Hill marathon. The organizer whom I’ve met a few times and whom is a really top guy (Phillip Eccleston) was organising this event over two days. Saturday & Sunday marathons back to back was about as appealing as a vegetarians night out at a steak house so I therefore opted to do something I haven’t done in a while, run the Saturday and help a super race director by marshalling the Sunday.

Phil had kindly allowed us and some friends to park up overnight at race HQ on the Friday and spend the night in the camper before racing on the Saturday. So with race weekend booked we set off and got ourselves a nice spot on arrival. I began to wonder if I had in fact done a little too much as daylight approached and I began to notice where I was and how many hills were about. On race morning I put on my club vest and shorts and headed to the start line. Once there I realized I was the most scantily dressed man there and was actually freezing cold. The weather was not as promised and was cold and damp, but we were up North so I should of expected this. I quickly ran back to the camper and changed in to my more appropriate winter kit. On the start line I met with a few others that had ran the 38 miler the week before and shared a few stories.

Running buddies Mat & Cat

 I was starting to realize that each time I attend an event, there is no shortage of people that I know or had ran with at some point previously.  So after a few handshakes kisses and chin wags we were off and running.

The weather for this event was very misty cold and damp but no runner was deterred as the race got under way. The race starts in a park and then heads on to a bit of road and then it starts climbing. The hill climb is pretty brutal being so early on and the higher I ran the more mist came down. Eventually I had settled on a nice pace and met up with a couple of other runners. There was Cat who Ive got to know a little bit of recently through social network and a couple of her friends. One was Mat whom was running his first marathon ever and could not have chosen a tougher one if he tried and the chap was Alan whom had plenty of experience in this type of event but had not ran big since November. We were pretty much maintaining a steady pace and a similar pace so decided to run together or I decided to gate crash there running party, I’m not sure which but it didn’t matter. After we had ran the first bit of road uphill, we soon entered a very nice marshland fell type area where the fun really began. Along this stretch Alan ran through what we thought was a puddle but pretty much disappeared up to his thighs in mud. Good job he was leading the way as it prevented anyone else from succumbing to the same fate. As we ran on we soon hit more roads and a nice downhill stretch to meet some Al packers and pose for some photos with them.

I’m sure Mrs. Bulley would have loved these as much as CAT and I did.

So about 5 miles in and it had began, any chance or possibility of thinking about fast times, PB’s etc etc had just gone out the window, it was now to be a gentle hill climbing run with some great photo opportunities. I wasn’t too bothered by this considering that I was here for the hill practice anyway. At about 11 miles Alan sadly had to drop out after experiencing pain in his kidney’s and general feelings of un-wellness. We located a marshal and gave Alan up to him and carried on as a threesome. As we went along bit by bit we started to give Mat plenty of encouragement to keep going but he was managing quite well without us. Cat is normally a much quicker runner and I felt really pleased that she had given up her super fast run in helping Mat get through his first marathon.

Pit stop mile 20

The route took in some fantastic scenery apparently, but I saw none of it as it was a bit foggy on the way up to Rivington Pike. The course is a mixture of some roman roads meaning ouch on the feet, mud, trail and road. The course is challenging but a good one a very good one.

As we went up and down and over yonder we eventually hit 20 miles where Mat’s partner had come to meet him. Struggling a bit myself now and having to borrow some water we managed to keep going until we hit the last checkpoint. Once there we knew we were going to complete this tough marathon. We left the check point and headed over a massive hill where I was finally able to see the Winter Hill TV transmitter due to the fog clearing. I got out my phone, put some music on loud speaker and we ran and sang a few miles until we finally reached the 25 mile marker. Once there it was all downhill to home and bang before we all knew it we were holding hands and crossing the line celebrating Mat’s first marathon and Cat and I simply the joy of running.

This was a tough race, but probably the most enjoyable I have done in a long while. Great company a great laugh and physical exercise without too much pressure of finishing within a certain time.
It gave me valuable training for the Hardmoors and a chance to see some of the beauty of the area we had been running. On the Sunday I spent the day driven from point to point marshalling and seeing our very own Mat Simister running. Sadly Mat became ill and had to pull out at mile 21 so I never got to see him over the finish line.

So that’s it for now, plenty of rest and recovery before the Hadrmoors.


For more information visit the website.


Paul N.