| Archive for The Forum of Benfleet Running Club The online home for the best running club in Essex |
| Ernie |
The North Face Ultra-Trail Du Mont-Blanc - 27th-31st Augustto cover the circuit of Mont-Blanc in a single stage while passing through 3 countries !27-31 August 2008, the 6th edition • UTMB® : 166 km and 9 400 m of + altitude change - 46 h maxi start Friday, August 29 at 18:30 from the centre of Chamonix Mont-Blanc Apparently nice little Race and once again (for the third time !) Mike Mason (of rarely turning up at Club Training nights fame) will once again attempt to finish this race. Mike has promised that should he finish this race he will come down to a Club Training Night wearing he's Finishers Shirt (or was that Jacket ?) and be available to sign Autographs. |
| debbie g |
Good luck Mike I'll be thinking of you.
And I am looking forward to your return to the club with Carb Boom gels and biscuits 
|
| Karl C |
Yes Mike, have a good one and try to make it to the Sunday this time !!! ALL THE BEST We will be officially tracking Mikes progress here http://www.benfleetrunningclub.com/mikemason just "google" Hockley DNF Tart and you should also find it....... |
| Mike Mason |
Yes indeed the 'caring club my arse....'
My race number is 2754. There is a US Mike Mason also running...not as good looking as me that's for sure. This year they have upped the mileage to 104 miles and the ascent/descent to 9400m including adding a final climb of 700m only a short way to the finish...the swines! I intend to bring in celebratory biscuits..... 
the Hockley Tart |
| Karl C |
Great tactics already - getting the excuses in before you even leave Blighty ! |
| Mike Mason |
no I am talking it up so that I realise that it was worth waiting for them to make it harder
|
| mArKw |
If you need some motivation, Mike, just think of my pert rear scampering up the rocks on the Llanberis path. A sight for sore thighs....... 
I've only just mentally recovered from that Snowdon weekend...... Have a good one Mike. |
| Mike Mason |
cheers Mark...and just as I had expunged the vision.. |
| Ernie |
Mike, 2 basic facts !
No 1 : you need to be a hard bastard to finish this race No 2 : you are a wimp if you cant ! Apart from being hit by Space Junk,Death or Life threatening injury you have no excuse not to finish. |
| JBD |
Motivational Quotes is on another thread Ernie.....!
Good luck Mike....sounds completely mad, right up your street then 
|
| Steffan |
Don't know when your off to get acclimatized so I'll get this in early!
HAVE A GREAT RUN, GET TO THAT FINISH LINE..........
|
| Ernie |
Mike,
have just noticed that another new race starts in Chamonix on the Wednesday 2 days before your race ie: (• La Petite Trotte à Léon : 220 km, 17 000 m of + altitude change, 100h maxi) Not like you to choose the "Namby Pamby" one. |
| jsteele |
tmbMikeif you dont get past courmayeur this time, I will disown you!!! All the best mate 
|
| Mike Mason |
Jon, thanks for kind words. I will miss running with you this year. I will miss your headtorch falling out of yr bag 10 minutes into the run. I will miss you telling me to run the 700m descent into St Gervais because momentum favours you. I will miss you leaving me on the climb to Col du Bonhomme and waiting for me at Les Chapieux. I will not miss you singing Beatles tunes badly.....
All the best see you at the Hardmoors next month. And it was because Ernie was cooking food with one hand and fixing your feet with the other that he didn't butter my rolls ..the lazy git! Ernie..looking forward to you coming round for the motivational speech tomorrow...which I know will be the 'Mike you're a Wimp' one.....I can't wait Thanks all for kind words..... |
| Graham |
Smash it Mike! |
| Mike Mason |
Ernie has just left after eating more cake than you would think is humanly possible. His 3 hours worth of advice can be distilled into:
1. There is no excuse not to complete 2. JDFI 3. there is no 3. and to think I would have had to pay hundreds for this from a Sports Psychologist. Ernie's approach this year is to veer away from the namby pamby...'good luck Mike you can only do your best..' to heaping as much abuse as possible. I appreciate this change of tactics... Mike (Hockley DNF Tart) |
| Karl C |
OK, Mike is now in situ, waiting for the start of the race. ALL the updates will now be on his official "Track the Hockley Tart" website http://www.benfleetrunningclub.com/mikemason |
| Ernie |
Looks like Mike is running well.
19 minutes ahead of schedule at St Gervais. So far so good. http://www.benfleetrunningclub.com/mikemason/ |
| debbie g |
Go for it Mike
|
| Ernie |
Mike arrives Les Contamine 23.41 - 18 mins ahead of schedule
He'll be climbing now from 807 m to Croix du Bonhomme at 2,433 m and he should be there around 3.00am. http://www.benfleetrunningclub.com/mikemason/ |
| Ernie |
Arrived La Balme 01:25 (39 km) - 10 mins ahead of schedule.
Moved up in places from 1605 to 1359. http://www.benfleetrunningclub.com/mikemason/ |
| Ernie |
Latest News ! Mike arrives Col de la Seigne (60 km) 6:37am.
9 mins ahead of schedule and I figure about 2hours + ahead of checkpoint closure times. Place 1202. So far he has done really well and hasn't faltered. "Track the Hockley Tart Website" http://www.benfleetrunningclub.com/mikemason/ |
| Ernie |
LacCombal (64.7 km) 7:22 am . Place 1162.
Quite a few will be dropping out from here on. "Track the Hockley Tart Website" http://www.benfleetrunningclub.com/mikemason/ |
| Ernie |
Arrived Arête Mont-Favre 8:38 (68.7 KM) 1 min ahead of schedule.
Place 1134. "Track the Hockley Tart Website" http://www.benfleetrunningclub.com/mikemason/ |
| Karl C |
1008th 17h54mn57s Berton Refuge Bertone 82.40 Km 5087 m
Using Graham's mantra on every hill "just smash it !" 
"Track the Hockley Tart Website" http://www.benfleetrunningclub.com/mikemason/ |
| Pammie |
Good going Mike Keep at it |
| Ernie |
Well Mike seems to be powering on nicely.
He has recently left La Fouly (108 kms) in 980th Place and about 3 1/2 hrs outside of checkpoint closure times which is great news. After spending a pleasant afternoon in Italy Mike is now on his way to Switzerland. This is an incredibly hard race with 2 out of 3 "qualified Ultra Runners" either being Timed out or retiring from injury. If all goes well and Mike continues at a similar pace then my estimate is that he will be finishing tommorrow afternoon 1.30pm + (GMT 12.30) Closure time is 4.30 pm GMT (3.30 pm). A big night ahead of him and 50 of the hardest Kilometres he'll ever experience to go. "Smash it Mike" "Track the Hockley Tart Website" http://www.benfleetrunningclub.com/mikemason/ |
| Ernie |
Message from Gill (Mike's Wife)
Yes very proud. He mustn't falter now. Am waiting for Champex time. About 1 hour over what hoped for but hours in hand to finish. |
| mArKw |
It's great to wake up the morning check the score page and to see the git's still running!! Gone through Vallorcine and is on his way to La Tarte au Vente..... |
| Ernie |
He is doing well.
Running in 823 position and well ahead (3 hrs) of checkpoint closure times so he should make it easily now. I currently estimate his arrival time now at 1.30pm GMT. "Track the Hockley Tart Website" http://www.benfleetrunningclub.com/mikemason/ |
| Ernie |
Just arrived at La Tête au vent in 896 position.
Only 10.5 kms to go ! Latest Message from Gill : "Still going well i hope after slowed up in night picked up again though. Am going to the finish soon to wait." "Track the Hockley Tart Website" http://www.benfleetrunningclub.com/mikemason/ |
| Ernie |
Mike has arrived at the last checkpoint before the finish.
La Flégère at 159.6 kms and only 7 kms to go in 908th position. Get a move on Mike ! |
| mikemoreton |
He's only gone and done it!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congratulations Mike, 907th Chamonix - Arrivée Sunday -13:52 43h20mn33s 907 Regards MM2 |
| Jez |
Well done Mike, superb effort!
Just goes to show that everyone should follow the old saying"if at first you dont succed, dont bloody stop!" |
| Ernie |
Must have been flying coming into Chamonix.
Finally after 3 years Mike can put this one to rest. A truly great Achievement. Point of Interest :First Lady home Elizabeth Hawker (GB) 25 hrs I9 mins & 14 th overall. |
| Steffan |
Fantastic Mike.
Very, very happy for you mate.
|
| Ernie |
Just Spoke to Mike and he would like everyone to know that :
"the Hockley Tart is now the Hockley Finisher and that he never ever wants to to this or anything like it again" Totally over the Moon though. Give him 48 hrs and the Dark side will creep back in and they'll be other similar "Hells" on his horizon. "Poor Bastard" |
| gmike |
Nice one Mike awesome achievement.
|
| mArKw |
Well done Mike. Fantastic effort. We're all proud of you.
Pity I bet my heating allowance on you not finishing. Hope this winter's not cold......
|
| JBD |
Been away so read all these messages in one go, exciting stuff, brilliant Mike really pleased for you and a great challenge achieved for good !
Top man
|
| Pammie |
Well done Mike thats blooming great fantastic
|
| Dave Waterman |
Apologies dropping into the Forum, Benfleeters, but just wanted to say WELL DONE MIKE MASON!!!!!!!! |
| mikemoreton |
Excuse my ignorance, but,
Who is Dave Waterman? And no witty remarks from you Karl |
| Ernie |
Re: Dave Waterman - Someone from the "Dark Side" Mike. |
| Jez |
Ernie says he is a Jedi whose gone to the dark side , you and I Mike know better than to rile such individuals but Karl often refers to him as the London tart!! |
| Ernie |
You've lost me Jez ? |
| Karl C |
Picture update at
http://www.benfleetrunningclub.com/mikemason |
| Graham |
Well done Mike - you slew the beast!! Absolute legend mate. |
| Karl C |
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/mobey47/UTMB08#slideshow |
| debbie g |
I have just emailed a piece on Mike to the Echo in which (with apologies to Mike) I have repeated some of his thoughts to me about his previous attempts at this event, amongst other things. He is an absolute hero and he deserves all the recognition he can get. I'm hoping my rather long piece with its photos will make it into the Echo this Friday so please buy a copy so Mike can get the glory he deserves - after all the poor man had to endure the abuse of Ernie and Karl pre-race it's about time he got some revenge
Hope you approve Mike - you did let me loose to write about you to the press!! Feet up now chill out and don't run up any hills for at least - well a week!!
|
| debbie g |
UPDATE
The Echo piece won't be going in till next week probably Monday and is likely to be printed pretty much in full.
|
| Mike Mason |
Many thanks Debbie and to everyone in this great 'caring Cub - my Arse! I will be there tonight to show off my jacket (most expensive one in the world) and to pass out free biscuits (each one being individually licked and gobbed on by me) - well it's the thought that counts.
Once again thanks to you all for the abuse and motivationan ..in particular Ernie's £500 worth of Sports Psychology (JFDI) and Graham's Mantra ('Smash it Mike')!
|
| Mike Mason |
stunning photos and music from Ritchie Cunningham a West Highland Way Runner and Finisher:
http://secure.smilebox.com/ecom/o...nstructions_directurl_makeyourown |
| mikemoreton |
Thought he was Fonzies buddy |
| Mike Mason |
MM2 - get yr eating gnashers in..I am bringing biscuits tonight............ |
| debbie g |
Think he'd prefer stellas.... |
| Mike Mason |
______________________________________________
http://door5.com/2008/09/01/utmb-2008-cest-bon/ US runners blog of the race |
| mikemoreton |
biscuits were fabulous. Washed the crumbs down with 2 stellas after. |