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Thunder Run 2016
Forget the Tour de France, the European Championships and Finals day at Wimbledon, ignore the Open Championship and disregard the Olympics, the true sporting highlight of the summer took place this weekend over field and through meadow on a country estate near Burton upon Trent. The 2016 Conti Thunder Run saw 2 teams of Hyde Park Harriers take a plunge into the unknown. They stared darkness in the eye. And ran.
Formed in 2009 when about 100 pioneers took part, the Thunder Run has gone from strength to strength and now hosts nearly 3000 runners for a weekend of mud, sweat and tears every July. I first completed in 2013 and this was my fourth attempt, having competed in a team of 8 twice and last year in a 5. Thunder Run’s reputation has grown amongst runners and this year word of the event reached HPH via me nagging anyone who’d listen to sign up. The format is simple – racing begins at high noon on the Saturday and finishes at midday the next day. In that time the aim is to complete as many laps of an undulating 10km trail circuit as possible with options to compete as a solo (I know, mad!) all the way up to a relay team of 8. Being the club’s first year and wanting to make sure as many people as possible got a chance to experience it we had 2 mixed teams of 8.
Competition is fierce and the first battle was securing a camping spot big enough for everyone. Tensions were high when Long Eaton Running Club cordoned off 2 football pitches worth of land as they had 200 runners competing! We secured just about enough space for everyone, though unfortunately not enough to observe the socially accepted rule of 5 metres between tents, but slightly more wiggle room than Glastonbury. This was going to be cosy. After long journeys to get to the camp site – including 2 honeymooners flying in from Venice – a much needed bit of R&R was taken in before the exertions of the next day.
One really nice feature of the Thunder Run is its family oriented feel, with the pyjama race on the Friday night with an opportunity for children to take part in a race along the start finish straight. In classic under 8’s style there was a ferocious pace from the off, until the tortoises came through to triumph against the hares who’d worn themselves out after 100m! Everyone got a hot chocolate and medal, even those who had stayed up past their bedtime and needed to be carried across the line.
There are 2 schools of camping – firstly, the one I subscribe to where nature and man are one, where creature comforts are done away with and you rely on your wits and foraging skills to get you through, the kind where even Bear Grylls would give a nod of respect to anyone brave enough to try. Then there’s the other kind, the kind where 2 people share an 8-man-tent-palace with a separate games room and library, the kind where French glampers enjoy avocado for breakfast and Irishmen ask if they can borrow a colander to drain their tortellini for brunch
Russell Webster doesn’t camp often, but when he does, he does it in style
Because running 30km on barely any sleep isn’t enough of a challenge it was agreed we’d get up early for a Parkrun. 15 of the 16 runners took part and it was nice to have a leisurely jog round in what was a gorgeous setting for a run, through Conkers nature reserve. Three of the team got up close and personal when a deer jumped out in front of them, thankfully the Thursday speed & strength sessions have paid off and they out-kicked the deer in a sprint finish.
Some much needed Parkrun shade on a scorcher of a weekend
Finally the time for racing was fast approaching and who would go in what order was agreed upon. Both teams were evenly matched, despite some wild accusations of underhand tactics and some shameful, slanderous calls of a fix against me. In a completely unpredictable turn of events, the newlyweds were pitted against one another with the new Mr & Mrs Eales leading off for their teams – Hyde & Sleek and You Can Run But You Can’t Hyde Park Harriers, respectively. After a great parkrun and some friendly rivalry, everyone in the camp was united in supporting each other
One for all and all for One Where’s Wally?
The mass start is an incredible atmosphere with 1000s lining the starting straight to cheer on the competitors and look out for their teammates. Having listened to a thoughtful and moving sermon on their wedding day about marriage being about teamwork and not the pursuit of personal glory at the expense of the other, Rachel was determined to put Tom in his place.
It was punishingly hot day and the lap times reflected this, but Rachel had a slight lead at the change-over, describing it as the highlight of her honeymoon… bit awkward that, Tom. With each passing hour, the anticipation and excitement increases with every runner anxious to get a lap under their belt. There’s plenty of time to spectate between laps with all the HPH trying to catch a glimpse of the tricky and undulating course, from the safety of some shade. The faces of runners going by were increasingly hot and bothered and keeping hydrated and running to the conditions was to be really important. Thankfully the course often loops around the campsite and there are a number of well supported locations with cattle bells and high fives for anyone who needs that little boost of morale.
Slicker than an F1 pit-stop: Antony hands over to Claire after his first lap
SpongeBob Clare Pants Any excuse for Tom P to get his shirt off….
YCRBYCHPH had played a tactical card and loaded their final legs with myself on the unglamorous 7th leg before handing over to the supreme power of John “Usain” Blatherwick on the anchor to keep things tight and dent the morale in Hyde & Sleek as their lead evaporated. Despite mine and Usain’s best efforts, Sam and Richard were more than up to the task and put 2 great laps together to keep us at bay. Sam put in a strong first lap negotiating the course in good time and Richard put his years of being a rally driver to good use, never lifting off the gas and powering home. This meant that at the completion of one full set of 8 laps, Hyde & Sleek held a narrow lead of about 20 minutes with the unpredictability of the night-time laps still to come.
Getting some much needed rest before doing it all again…
The setting sun offered some relief to those runners whose first lap was in the hottest part of the day, with times coming down in line with the temperature. Running at night under torch light can do different things to different people, you either embrace the challenge or are overawed by it. Some will be convinced that kidnappers are lurking in the darkness, some will be adamant that they are running in Hyper-Drive as their head torch illuminates dust particles whizzing by (Lois’s fastest lap!). There are those who run like a metronome and barely alter their pace (Antony Aimon 41:58 then 41:57!!), as if guided by an inner running force and then there are those people who’ve ran the Thunder Run before and still managed to boot a tree stump and go arse over tit. I’m fine, thanks for asking.
Let’s Do THIS!!!! Lois absolutely flew round in the night!
Naturally, there Ain’t No Barriers and all the HPH’s excelled in the darkness, negotiating a very tight and technical section in the woods with ease. It’s disorienting as the course takes you left then right, turning back on yourself and round trees. All the while you’re not able to see more than a few feet in front of you and trying to avoid other runners. The smiles on everyone’s faces told the story well enough with each runner on an adrenaline high – or was that the cold shower that put some life into you, Gary?
As night became day, Hyde & Sleek lost a team member. Not content with multiple 10k’s Tom Pollard had a triathlon to get to and so left his team with a heavy heart, but a handy lead. It was still nip and tuck and YCRBYCHPH thought they might have a chance, perhaps my dastardly and Machiavellian plan would work after all…..
Sun rise and only another 7.5 hours of running left to go!
Managing your sleep, fuelling and energy levels is a really tricky part of the thunder run, we averaged about 6hours rest between each leg and trying to get your head down after running 10k, blood pumping, sweat dripping and hunger panging is more difficult than you’d think. Thankfully the 24hr showers, sports massage tent and hot food available on site meant that we could get clean and warm, grab some dinner and then try and get some kip. It’s also very easy to get confused as to when you are supposed to get up in time for your next lap. The worst thing you could do is leave your teammate without anyone to handover to because you’re late to the changeover – isn’t that right Antony / Becky!
With sore but determined legs, both teams made steady progress towards the finish point with everybody managing their aim of three laps – Tom P’s triathlon run can count as his 3rd. With the last couple of hours still available for more laps, 4 hardy runners gave it another push for glory. Becky kicked off the honeymoon excess, Alan (Thirsk & Sowerby runner / my brother-in-law) has just become a father again so he was more rested than usual getting 3hrs sleep between runs, Caroline obviously didn’t try hard enough in her first 3 laps and Antony does double marathons for fun so he had no excuse!
Becky powering through lap 4 Caroline like a coiled spring ready for the final push
By the close of play and with all the laps completed, Hyde & Sleek clung on to a well-earned victory managing a remarkable 26 laps in 24hrs, they were able to out-do the equally fantastic effort of YCRBYCHPH who completed a brilliant 25 circuits. Rachel had won the battle, but Tom won the war! Once everyone was showered, fed and watered there was time to cheer in the final few runners – including the leading solo runners, the men’s winner finishing on 19 laps and the women’s on 16. Hopefully we can do this again in the future and take even more teams from Hyde Park Harriers to build on and surpass this year’s efforts. And I promise if we do it again I won’t make anyone fill in a spreadsheet, maybe…
That’s the hard work over and done with Nothing was left out on the course, we gave it our all!
Smashed it!!
How the two teams measured up…. 51st and 67th out of 239 teams
Graeme Miles