Where do you start to report on someone who has spent 6 days in the desert doing the Marathon des Sables? This race, in the Sahara Desert and Morocco, 252 km, 152 miles over 6 days in temperatures which can reach 50 degrees C, is what the fantastic Paul Peacock tackled and overcame last week. It is described as a test of heart, spirit and endurance with differences in altitude, and physical and mental preparations are the key to success. Participants must carry their own equipment and food, though water and a tent are provided. Some of the running is over 2 days and you are running through the night. When you are in your tent at night, loud music and noise make sleep very difficult, and after a rest day in the middle, how do you ever persuade yourself to get going again? Even with a knee problem which slowed Paul down, he got to the finish well within the allotted time, though not all of the 1000+ starters finished – which is quite understandable, and huge congratulations are due to him on this superb effort. We are very proud of you, Paul!
Paul in the desert ready for the off
Paul Peacock wonders why his watch is loose!
Large club team at Helmsley 10k
Unbelievably, just a few days later in much cooler temperatures, Paul ran the testing, though lovely, Helmsley 10k Challenge, where he came 29th out of 304, and 1st in his age-group, in 41.08. Josh Fothergill, back with us for a break, came 2nd, only a few seconds behind the winner, in 33.59. Excellent! 28 members in total were in the field, with Charles Lamb 32nd in 42.08, Ashley Dodgson 43rd in 43.22, George Jackson 56th in 44.50, Adam Harper-Walker 51st in 44.52, Alan Simpson 65th in 44.59, Trudy Morrice 71st, 6th lady overall, and 1st in her age-group in 46.42 with Paul Atkinson, Paul Chapman (it seems a day for Pauls!) and Andy Butcher all under 50 minutes. Others running in this Club Championship race were Joe Joyce, Kerri-Lee Wooding, David Tervitt, Louise Mayfield, Mike Saunders, Dave Baker, Duncan Fothergill, Hilary Coventry, Andrew Pollard, Kirsty Naylor, Stuart Hill, Alan Docherty, Sara Armitage, Adrian Wood – taking 5 minutes off his PB time for a 10k, Natalie Lyth, Alison Butcher, and Ruth Pollard. On this Easter Sunday, finishers were delighted to receive a chocolate egg and a mug!
Josh Fothergill, right, 2nd at Helmsley 10k
The previous day, 17 members were at various parkruns, with Ian Ord continuing his Australian runs, this time in Carine Glades and the Sillars family were in New Zealand for Queenstown parkrun – a long way to go to get a Q in your Alphabet parkrun! Rosie Gatenby was in the Vermuyden Way event and others were at Northallerton, where Adam-Harper Walker got a PB, Millfield, Fountains Abbey, Darlington South Park, and Flatts Lane.
Family Sillars in Queenstown for parkrun
