I've met Steve at every cross country event I've been too and we run into each other at other local races and events too, we've always said hello and had a quick chat either before or after the race. One time we got chatting about the obstacle races I've done, and reported on this blog, and we then got chatting about what races he had entered. It was a impressive list of ultra's and endurance list. We realised that this chat would be better finished off in a pub over a couple of pints rather than in a muddy field where we where both tired and wet.
So one Sunday Steve and I met in his local pub in Heage and had a great evening talking about running, training, racing, and obligatory conversation when any two runners meet: trainer choices. Steve had very kindly written a few pages of notes of his journey to running ultras and coaching. In summery Steve was a good running and football player at school. But left school and sport behind to pursue a more rock and roll life, touring around Europe and the UK with his band.
"Then the light came on I was on a diet of 5 pints of larger a night about 40 fags, time for change. I started Running"
Steve entered his local marathon, the Humber Bridge marathon and despite his lack of training at marathon distance still managed a time of 3h33m, and much to his embarrassment, finished the race and smoked a cigarette his mum had presented him with at the finish line!
"As soon as I finished my mother lit up a cigarette for me and like a fool I smoked it"
After completing his local marathon, Steve decided to enter a triathlon, but back then it was triathlon of running, cycling and race walking rather than the usual disciplines of swimming, cycling and running. To train for the race walking section Steve enter the Humberstone half marathon and race walk the course. Starting from the back, he set off, after being attacked by a Jack Russell dog. The Race check points all waited for Steve to walk through, as he was at the very tail of the race. He focused on technique and built up a decent pace which brought him in sight of the tail runners, that had gone out too quickly and now struggling to keep up the pace. With chaffed, bruised and bloody inner thighs caused from the unfamiliar race walking technique, Steve finished the course in an impressive 2h10m.
Unfortunately Steve's training didn't help his triathlon aspirations, as a groin injury prevented him for making the start line, Steve then took a break from running for some 25 years, while he built up his lorry driving business in Europe, During this time his fitness levels dropped, his smoking increased.
In 2008, back in the working UK, Steve decided to get back into shape and started cycle the 15miles to work and 15 miles back again and packing in smoking too. Steve like most runners need targets to motivate us to train, Steve entered the Nottingham 50 mile bike ride, and came home in around 3 hours. Happy that he still had 'it', he joined Ripley Running club and got back into training and entering local running races. promising him self to stick to races of a maximum distance of 10 kilometres, but this was a promise Steve was never going to keep.
"Promising my self not to train further than 10k racing. My furthest race to date is 135 miles."
Steve moved towards trail and off road running, and really took to the longer distance events, and soon built up a very impressive back catalogue of races and events, including:
Tipton track 6 hour race - Coming 3rd covering a distance of 37.5 miles
Cannock Forest - 2nd covering 35+ miles on hilly terrain
Boston 6 Hours - Just a few yards shy of 40 miles
3 x Humber Bridge 12 Hour challenge - Best effort was 63.25 miles
Coventry $0 mile event
Around Rotherham 50 miles - 9h26m
4 x Wilmot Wander 30 miles
Gloucester 50k - 5h40m
Yomp Mountain challenge (Cumbria)
The 3 Rings of Shap - 63 Miles Self Navigation
The Hard Moors
Several LDWA Events too (Long Distance Walkers Association)
Here is a short clip of Steve finishing his 100 mile run in 24hr 03mins in2014 at the Equinox 24 event
Having conquered his fair share of endurance events, Steve looked towards his next challenge and the natural progression was towards multi-day events.Steve entered the Ring of Fire event which is a 3 day, 135 mile race along he coastline of Anglesey, and attracts a far few foreign entrants due to the toughness and prestige of the event.
Day one was started off by Prince William and Kate Middleton at 1pm, and was 'warm up' run of 36 miles, which meant a pretty late finish. There are no home comforts on the Ring of Fire, and entrants have to doss down in the village hall all together. With late arrivals, and all the unpleasant noises that are released from tired bodies, Steve was never going to get a decent nights sleep.
Day two greats you at 4:30 am with a loud rendition of Jonny Cash's Ring of Fire to wake you up and give you time to pack, prepare and fuel up ready for a 6am start. Today Steve was joined in the run by 2 guys from Wigan, who didn't know each other, the younger of the 2 had never ran more than 19 miles before embarking on this ultra adventure, but had his family in support meeting him at way points with food and drinks which they generously shared with Steve too. In the evening around 10pm the small group managed to get themselves lost in the dark in some woods, luckily the young lad had a GPS with him that helped navigate their way out of the woods and back on course. Once they made it to the second overnight stop, The other gentleman from Wigan thanked Steve for his support over the 66 miles and told him he would be dropping out at this point and called his daughter, so she could drive from Wigan to Anglesey to pick him up. Tired from a long day's running and navigating Steve nearly looses his cool with a team from Germany that are being rather noisy.
Day three welcomes you in much the same way as day 2
0430 Prompt! Jonny Cash Ring of Fire blasting out again, how I hate that song.
Steve was up, fuelled and back in running gear ready for the 6am start and the final 33 mile section. In his eagerness Steve found him self leading the first 5 miles of the day, but soon backed off as he isn't a fan of people 'running off' him. Unfortunately the young man from Wigan was no were to be found during the third day, and Steve assumed he had overslept and missed the start of day 3. The end of the 33 mile stage has a cruel twist, taking the runners over the Holy Head Mountain. Steve has the resolve to finish what he starts and even manages a sprint finish to complete 135 miles of running over three days in a very impressive 35 hours.
Only half the 90 starters finished as it is so hard, my first attempt but failure was not an option.
The young man from Wigan was waiting at the finish to clap in the runners, perched on crutches, he had spent the night in hospital with acute blistering on his feet and very painful shin splints. That young man learnt a hard lesson over those 2 days. Steve thinks he only had about 2.5 to 3 hours sleep over those 3 days and clocked up 135 miles over 35 hours of running. That more than most of us put in, in a month!
We all were treated like superstars at the finish, people couldn't believe I had run around the coast of Anglesey at my age
It has been a great pleasure catching up with Steve and hearing all his running stories, and it is amazing to think that when you look around, at the other runners at races, or at Parkrun, or just passing them on the trails, you have no idea what there story is or what they have accomplished.
"Then the light came on I was on a diet of 5 pints of larger a night about 40 fags, time for change. I started Running"
Steve entered his local marathon, the Humber Bridge marathon and despite his lack of training at marathon distance still managed a time of 3h33m, and much to his embarrassment, finished the race and smoked a cigarette his mum had presented him with at the finish line!
After completing his local marathon, Steve decided to enter a triathlon, but back then it was triathlon of running, cycling and race walking rather than the usual disciplines of swimming, cycling and running. To train for the race walking section Steve enter the Humberstone half marathon and race walk the course. Starting from the back, he set off, after being attacked by a Jack Russell dog. The Race check points all waited for Steve to walk through, as he was at the very tail of the race. He focused on technique and built up a decent pace which brought him in sight of the tail runners, that had gone out too quickly and now struggling to keep up the pace. With chaffed, bruised and bloody inner thighs caused from the unfamiliar race walking technique, Steve finished the course in an impressive 2h10m.
Unfortunately Steve's training didn't help his triathlon aspirations, as a groin injury prevented him for making the start line, Steve then took a break from running for some 25 years, while he built up his lorry driving business in Europe, During this time his fitness levels dropped, his smoking increased.
In 2008, back in the working UK, Steve decided to get back into shape and started cycle the 15miles to work and 15 miles back again and packing in smoking too. Steve like most runners need targets to motivate us to train, Steve entered the Nottingham 50 mile bike ride, and came home in around 3 hours. Happy that he still had 'it', he joined Ripley Running club and got back into training and entering local running races. promising him self to stick to races of a maximum distance of 10 kilometres, but this was a promise Steve was never going to keep.
"Promising my self not to train further than 10k racing. My furthest race to date is 135 miles."
Steve moved towards trail and off road running, and really took to the longer distance events, and soon built up a very impressive back catalogue of races and events, including:
Tipton track 6 hour race - Coming 3rd covering a distance of 37.5 miles
Cannock Forest - 2nd covering 35+ miles on hilly terrain
Boston 6 Hours - Just a few yards shy of 40 miles
3 x Humber Bridge 12 Hour challenge - Best effort was 63.25 miles
Coventry $0 mile event
Around Rotherham 50 miles - 9h26m
4 x Wilmot Wander 30 miles
Gloucester 50k - 5h40m
Yomp Mountain challenge (Cumbria)
The 3 Rings of Shap - 63 Miles Self Navigation
The Hard Moors
Several LDWA Events too (Long Distance Walkers Association)
Here is a short clip of Steve finishing his 100 mile run in 24hr 03mins in2014 at the Equinox 24 event
Having conquered his fair share of endurance events, Steve looked towards his next challenge and the natural progression was towards multi-day events.Steve entered the Ring of Fire event which is a 3 day, 135 mile race along he coastline of Anglesey, and attracts a far few foreign entrants due to the toughness and prestige of the event.
Day one was started off by Prince William and Kate Middleton at 1pm, and was 'warm up' run of 36 miles, which meant a pretty late finish. There are no home comforts on the Ring of Fire, and entrants have to doss down in the village hall all together. With late arrivals, and all the unpleasant noises that are released from tired bodies, Steve was never going to get a decent nights sleep.
Day two greats you at 4:30 am with a loud rendition of Jonny Cash's Ring of Fire to wake you up and give you time to pack, prepare and fuel up ready for a 6am start. Today Steve was joined in the run by 2 guys from Wigan, who didn't know each other, the younger of the 2 had never ran more than 19 miles before embarking on this ultra adventure, but had his family in support meeting him at way points with food and drinks which they generously shared with Steve too. In the evening around 10pm the small group managed to get themselves lost in the dark in some woods, luckily the young lad had a GPS with him that helped navigate their way out of the woods and back on course. Once they made it to the second overnight stop, The other gentleman from Wigan thanked Steve for his support over the 66 miles and told him he would be dropping out at this point and called his daughter, so she could drive from Wigan to Anglesey to pick him up. Tired from a long day's running and navigating Steve nearly looses his cool with a team from Germany that are being rather noisy.
Day three welcomes you in much the same way as day 2
0430 Prompt! Jonny Cash Ring of Fire blasting out again, how I hate that song.
Steve was up, fuelled and back in running gear ready for the 6am start and the final 33 mile section. In his eagerness Steve found him self leading the first 5 miles of the day, but soon backed off as he isn't a fan of people 'running off' him. Unfortunately the young man from Wigan was no were to be found during the third day, and Steve assumed he had overslept and missed the start of day 3. The end of the 33 mile stage has a cruel twist, taking the runners over the Holy Head Mountain. Steve has the resolve to finish what he starts and even manages a sprint finish to complete 135 miles of running over three days in a very impressive 35 hours.
Only half the 90 starters finished as it is so hard, my first attempt but failure was not an option.
The young man from Wigan was waiting at the finish to clap in the runners, perched on crutches, he had spent the night in hospital with acute blistering on his feet and very painful shin splints. That young man learnt a hard lesson over those 2 days. Steve thinks he only had about 2.5 to 3 hours sleep over those 3 days and clocked up 135 miles over 35 hours of running. That more than most of us put in, in a month!We all were treated like superstars at the finish, people couldn't believe I had run around the coast of Anglesey at my age
It has been a great pleasure catching up with Steve and hearing all his running stories, and it is amazing to think that when you look around, at the other runners at races, or at Parkrun, or just passing them on the trails, you have no idea what there story is or what they have accomplished.
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