Luke Ashton Ultra Marathon Runner: HARDMOORS 160

The Hardmoors Race Series take in the North York Moors along Cleveland and The Dales. The 160 miler event takes Cleveland Way route to Helmsley, until meeting the Tabular Hills Walk, for 50 miles, before meeting the Cleveland Way at the Coast.

The 160 is usually run in a clockwise direction but this year it clashes with Tour of Yorkshire Cycle race on the Sunday. The route needed to be reversed so to miss the road closures and congestion of the Cycling event.

The race starts at Sutton Bank Friday 17:00 and will run in anti clockwise direction this year.

After late checkout from Darlington it is a short drive up into Cleveland where the winding road climbs high until reaching Sutton Bank Visitor Centre in the National Park.

Heading for shelter and registration

It's cold but already feeling much colder. Currently a mix of sleet and light rain with temperatures at 3c and touching freezing during the night.

I feel like I have been taken back to February!

I can cope well running in cold weather but when my feet start to get wet and damp, then I suffer. This particular event has had fair share of Trench Foot problems!...

Not overly hungry but always time for some eggs!

Once inside and registration open I complete kit check then collect my tracker and race bib. A photo is taken for all the followers to put a face to the name once we are on our journey.

Lucky or unlucky number thirteen!?...

The sleet and rain stops just in time for the briefing at 16:45. The wind is still a bitter chill and we all huddle into the outside shelter for the instructions.

The race director John Steele explains in detail and with good humour, where to look out for the slight detours on route and what to expect along the way. This is the first time I have met him at an event. Nice man and well spoken.

I know of the man of Steele through running friends and social media. Like Mark Cockbain his running adventures and achievements are above and beyond, quite a legend in the ultra running world.

View at Sutton Bank about to start the adventure

17:00

The Start begins across the road and looking out over the valley (as above) with a thick misty rain just about clearing. I chat to a few runners as we stroll over and Ronnie Staton, he has been coaching and is support crew for Jerome this weekend. He is one to watch this weekend!

The route starts along the ridge before heading steep down, into the woods, over slippy rocks and tree roots until the trail meets road. A marshal here checks our numbers and directs us back up a sharp left and steep steps onto the ridge top again.

The front runners disperse off quickly and I find a comfortable pace around 8:30min/mile on average to see how

I go for the night section....