Endure 24
On Friday 8th June, a 17 strong team from NRR made their way to Wasing Park near Reading for the 2018 edition of Endure 24 - Reading!
Ideal camping spot secured, we made our way to the event village, excellent food, beer would have been flowing had they not sold out of all but rum and jagermeister! Settled down for the evening before some “merry” campers serenaded us all to sleep with the same verse from Oasis’ Champagne Supernova repeated for at least 20 minutes!!!
We took a healthy 9 runners to the nearby Newbury Parkrun as a warm up to the 24 hour endurance relay event.
Beautiful route through the former military airfield that is now Greenham Common. Greeted with roaming horses and cows.
Upon returning to camp, preparation were made. Plans formulated, timings calculated and pre-race fuel taken on.
At midday, the klaxon was sounded, and off went the first runners in the glorious sunshine, high temperatures and equally high humidity.
The hill of no return – 1 mile of continual climb, just enough to warm the legs and make you question why you agreed to this. Supplemented by some beautiful views before heading into the tree lined trails.
Little Steep – a short sharp hill, deceptively tough after a couple of laps before another couple of undulating kilometres through the Wasing Wood.
Heartbreak Hill – here she is!! Tough climb, a real leg burner. Reaching 29% gradient at one point!!!
As the miles increased, and night time began. It became apparent how tough fuelling for an event like this. Humidity still through the roof and all timing systems suffering “gremlins”
A tough night/morning of running completed and the timing system went live………..with NRR Wolfpack safely within the top 3 M5 teams.
As the klaxon sounded for the end of the 24hrs, there was 2 seconds separating the top 2 M5 teams. Final runners on the course. Time to sit and wait!!!!
Results
Mens 5
1. NRR Wolfpack - 37 laps
24:16:02 (Ilir Brecani, Pete Moor, Tom Smith, Richard Wild, Ed Taylor)
Mixed 5
17. Your Pace or Mine - 30 laps
23:02:38 (Darren Byfield, Sarah McGarry, Shaun Ledington, Ian Hughes, Bryan Ogilvie)
32. NRR Old Newbies - 30 laps
24:12:00 (Wendy Ambrose, Alan Hall, Chloe Anfield, Ronnie Ambrose)
Solo (F)
24. Georgina Smith - 13 laps
24:32:24
Mixed 8
200. RUN MND 4MNDable - 23 laps
23:41:22 (Lynsey Brecani, Paula Solomon)
Cheerleader: Dan Gosling
Thanks to Bryan Ogilvie for the report.
