Hangers Way 50k - 23rd June 2024
In short, it was long, hilly and the Chair got lost…
Off the back of completing two 50K Ultra’s over the last two years, maybe I got a bit cocky. I wanted another challenge for 2024 and spotted Hangers Way – an inaugural trail event taking us from Alice Holt to Queen Elizabeth Country Park near Petersfield.
Perfect location✅
End of June, so a nice bit of training during Spring and early Summer✅
It checked all the right boxes, so why wouldn’t I encourage others to sign up?
Ok, so I confess my buying research stopped at “that looks nice and local”…
It wasn’t really until a few days before when I was busily downloading the map that I started to feel a bit ill and apprehensive.
I couldn’t really get my head around what the elevation meant, I mean it looked hilly from the map, especially the steepness of those last 3 hills, but over a thousand meters? Only afterwards was it pointed out that’s more than Snowdon…
Too late to back out now, so on the 23rd June, 7 of us headed out to run (Emma Roberts, Phil Potter, Piero Rizzi, Owen Hardy, Phil Thompson, Debbie Hardman and Duncan Burrill).
Gordon Randall and Jack Jeffrey were there to see us off and we had the joy of expectation to meet Tanya Jeffrey and Laura Bartlett at Aid Station 3 marshalling with the promise of some hot cross buns 😋.
In Alice Holt, the usual pre-race excitement was buzzing in the air, it was a lovely morning, familiar surroundings and Owen was making sure his legs were looking lovely and tanned for the day.
It was a relatively small pack with only 165 runners in total, and maybe Phil P pointing out some “famous sponsored trail runners” being in the midst should have rung some alarm bells.
But at 8:30am as the “gun” was about to go, all was good; weather perfect, plenty of smiles, and photos. The familiar Alice Holt trails and Gordon and Jack cheering us on a few kilometres in, it almost felt like a casual little Park Run. Owen and Phil T took an early lead, but I managed to keep Duncan in my sights until at least the first Aid station.
The first 15 miles or so were beautiful Hampshire countryside, the sun was shining and there was a lovely family sitting in their very beautiful large garden alongside the fields having a casual breakfast cheering us on. This is what you do all the training for – a day out on the trails enjoying our beautiful countryside with other like-minded nutters.
From here on in it got a bit tricky.
In the fields, the grassy wheat got longer and the uneven ground a bit trickier. Then the hills kicked in. It wasn’t so much the uphill’s at this stage – a perfect opportunity to refuel. The downhills were my nemesis, for both my confidence, knees and hips.
As I was cautiously side stepping down the first big hill I lost track of the number of mountain like goats skipping past me (Piero included).
I was looking forward to seeing Tanya and Laura at the 22 mile mark – and those hot cross buns.
The course was pretty well sign-posted, but I managed to miss a sign due to some well-intentioned supporters standing in the way.
A 3km later diversion and I’m back on course, but there was a vague confusion as to where I had disappeared to when I hadn’t appeared at Tanya and Laura’s Aid Station, and bless my fellow mates who waited to check I’d arrived safely (or maybe it was just a good excuse to hang out with Tanya and Laura a bit longer).
Seeing any friendly faces at an Aid Station can give you the refresh and motivation you need to keep going, and hats off to all these volunteers who rock up at events in whatever the weather to support us.
But there is nothing like seeing ‘your’ friendly faces from your club – it makes me so proud of our Club and everyone in it.
Unfortunately, in the excitement of seeing my fellow FTRC friends I forgot to pick up that hot cross bun for those final 2 killer hills!
Those last 2 “hills” were something else. Before we get there, a nice downhill through one field was thwarted by a herd of cows and their calves deciding to relocate – yep they were very vocal in letting us know we were in the way. I’ve always been a bit chilled at the cows on Ceasar’s Camp, but confess to feeling a bit bum squeaky at all these Mums mooing aggressively at me as I tried to casually walk through them.
There were some very slow-going kilometres from here, and then we get to the final hill. Boy, that was steep, even just walking you found yourself taking a moment to pause, stretch and summon up that extra energy you need to keep going and possibly wonder if it’s all worth it?
And then you get to the final stretch and meet the photographer sitting in the hillside and he tells you you’re nearly there and to turn around and take a look at the view, and as you look down at the valley it seems almost impossible you were down there – what 10 minutes ago, an hour ago, who knows? And despite the heat and exhaustion he captures a picture of you full of smiles - what you mean I’ve actually enjoyed getting here?
He lied, that definitely wasn’t the summit, and there is still a massive slog upwards to go. Then finally you get to the summit of Butser Hill and it’s all downhill from here. Knees and hips screaming as I’m trying to run downhill and I spot a FTRC shirt heading upwards from at least a mile away. It’s Laura on the lookout for the final two FTRC runners, me and Phil P.
Despite the heat, Laura had headed out with a hoodie but no water or supplies. At the finish line it becomes clear that Phil P has got lost and is out in the blistering heat and has run out of water and yep the map is only as good as a GPS signal. Owen and his brother also head back up the hill and a lucky encounter with our friendly photographer puts Phil back on track, heading to the finish line with team FTRC in support and an extra 10k under his belt.
The spills and joys of ultra running.
This one was tough, and key learnings for me would be to train on the right trail – pottering around on Caesar’s camp definitely wasn’t enough for me, I prepped the distance but not the terrain or elevation, but team FTRC totally rocked it.
t wasn’t an Ultra for first timers, so complete respect (and sorry) for Phil T, Owen, Debbie and Duncan for whom it was their first Ultra. Yep, even super speedster Owen who rocks out a marathon in no time admitted it was a different animal.
It was definitely one for experienced trail runners, so you should all be very proud of what you achieved - you wear that “I’m an ultra runner” badge with absolute pride and respect🤩🤩🤩👊
So, what’s the challenge for 2025 and who’s up for it?
PS, as I’ve said before Ultra running is never about the time, but key stats for those interested:
165 runners took part, 9 DNF , 17 finished outside the cut off time of 9 hours
FTRC team members finished between 6:05hrs and 8:35hrs with Owen and Phil T leading the pack with an impressive performance. Perhaps more importantly we were all there until the end, including our Marshalls and family supporters to celebrate our achievements and our very lovely looking medal 😊
This race report comes to you from your now recovered (but experience never to be forgotten) Treasurer, Emma Roberts - see you at the next one 😉