Jurassic Challenge

Graham · Jurassic Challenge

http://www.votwo.co.uk/votwo2007/...p?start=&offset=&item=147

Sitting here tucking into a glass of red after a weekend of the most savage running I've had the pleasure of undertaking. Three coastal marathons down in Dorset over three days, on some of the hardest and certainly the steepest terrain I've encountered. Way too steep to run up and way too steep to run down - I found myself face down in bushes and bouncing down the cliffs on my harris on numerous occaisons. Throw in some beach running and plenty of eroded gravel paths and a million stiles and the course is complete. Very pleased to report that won day one and two and finished second today, although the young lad that beat me only took a couple of minutes out of me, and I had twenty on him overall so retained pole. Yayy. Today was very tough. Coastal path was closed so everybody had to detour and we all ended up completing 30.2 miles instead, which was nice. My final fall of the day saw me dislocate my thumb as well four miles from the finish. I snapped it back into place and the pain and adrenalin surge gave me a tidy kick up the butt and spurred me on to the line. I think I'll recommend it to Ernie as a legitimate race technique. He'll probably go one better and go for the shoulder.

It was a great and superbly put together event. Pretty reasonable weather and stunning views made it an absolute pleasure. Can't think of anything I'd rather have done...admittedly that's because I've finished. My wife joined the walkers and has advanced from the Benfleet 15 being her longest race to effectively two marathons and an ultra in three days, with some of the worse feet I've seen since Morocco.

Stevie

That's very impressive mate, well done just for completing it but to win the first two days and come 2nd on day three is amazing.

Maybe if you had dislocated your other thumb you might have had more of a adrenalin surge to win day three aswell

Seriously well done mate :notworthy:

bobby · Jurassic challenge

Speaking as a dinosaur, you continue to amaze and impress us poor folks who pushed ourselves to complete the Nicola's five round a flat Canvey seawall. Well done you and specially well done too Heather. Not only did she complete but she hAS TO PUT UP WITH YOU AS WELL!!!

sharknett

You deserve a lot more than a glass of red wine after your efforts. That was pretty awesome, well done! I felt exhausted just reading your account. A truly lovely part of the country too, it must have been quite an amazing experience.

gmike

Truly inspiring that Graham. Not only to complete but to win as well. Hats off to ya fella.

Well done to Heather also. Stirling effort.

ps ..

Not wanting to hijack your thread Graham but Mr Jewson & Mr Kennedy had a bit of a result this weekend as well .. 1st place in an 18 mile trail race 2:41

Here come the guys

Pete the OLD one

Graham

Well done mate. Your a star.

After reading your report, half of me is glad that I pulled out but the other half, the crazy half, wishes that I hadn't injured myself and managed to enter as planned. I am definitely going to enter it next year.

Heather, you must be madder than Graham because you were on your feet a lot longer than him. Last year, I found walking the Beachy Head Marathon just as tough as running it.

Peter

debbie g

Graham sorry this is belated but seriously well done - you are inspirational. And you've made an excellent press report this week to add to the Nicola's 5. I'm not sure what possesses you to want to do this event but I'll try to remember it when I'm moaning about the mud and hills at the x-countries

Good job I've now fully restored my work on the Yearbook as I'll have more to add to the ultra runners chapter or as Jez put it the "nutters" chapter!

CONGRATULATIONS YOU ARE ENTITLED TO DRINK THE PUBS DRY NOW

Tony Mead

Graham you are a star.I must know did you at any point enjoy this weekend? How do you top that?
Well done mate.

Karl C

FINAL OVERALL POSITIONS
Position First Name Last Name Race No. Gender Category Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Overall Time
1ST Booty Graham 8 M Senior 04:13 03:49 04:34 12:36

WHAT A STAR !

Co-Skipper

Well done Graham - that is the kind of feat that us mere mortals could only dream of.

Ernie

Well done and a well deserved win also.

re: - "My final fall of the day saw me dislocate my thumb as well four miles from the finish. I snapped it back into place and the pain and adrenalin surge gave me a tidy kick up the butt and spurred me on to the line."

I had always figured you did did this sort of thing Graham because you enjoyed the pain.
Not too late to sign up for the Thames Ring.... you'd leave me for dead in it.

erasedcitizen

LEGEND!! How do you do it?!

The thumb saga sounded pretty nasty!

Graham

Ha! Yes, my account "snapped it back into place" makes me sound dead tough....alas it wasnt like that at all. I was practically sobbing for my mum on the cliff side when I saw it bent the wrong way and when it clicked back into place, well, you probably heard me scream the C word back in Essex.

Tony Mead

Graham don't spoil it by pretending your like the rest of us. We know that you can't feel pain.

sharknett

Got my June copy of Runner's World in the post today and there's an article on the Jurassic Coast Challenge. Although not enough mention of Graham's amazing achievement, in my view.

debbie g

Yes I saw that Bobby and I got an early complimentary copy at the RW Awards and I agree Graham should have had more recognition. The Echo did a good piece though with Graham's cracking quotes from his post above. Made him sound mega tough!

boabmac1

National recognition.

Well done Graham you are a true hero and an inspiration.

Nothing is impossible!
(even for wee fat baldy Scottish blokes)

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