The latest from Three Counties Running Club
Three Counties running club member Craig Freestone had a bone to pick with the Grim Reaper event - and he duly delivered with a new personal best.
The Grim Reaper is a multi-distance event held at the stunning Grimsthorpe Castle Estate in South Lincolnshire.
This race gives runners the option of four solo distances of 10, 40, 70 and 100 miles with a 40-mile and 100-mile team option too. There were also two 10-mile races, one in the morning and a night run.
The three ultra-distances (40, 70 & 100 miles) had a strict cut-off time of 28 hours with a mandatory kit list for the ultra-distances.
Freestone attempted the 100-mile event two years ago and was forced to pull up at 82 miles.
The TCRC member was on a mission to sort out his nemesis and come back and smash it.
It was a very early start on the Saturday, so on Friday night, he set up his base camp gazebo and his bed in the back of his car, ready for the 7am start.
The first 50 miles were comfortable, but it started to get harder and harder on each lap, although Freestone had lots of support with the first being his fiancée, Tracey Else, who met him for the last part of the loop.
Tracy Adams and Dean Clark brought some amazing and well-needed doughnuts that went down a treat as he needed to keep fueling and hydrating.
Before going out on his sixth lap, the endurance athlete had a problem with his right foot, which turned out to be a blister the size of a golf ball on his big toe.
This was the same toe which ended his chances two years ago and he wasn’t going to let this stop his chances again.
David Hogg and his family were the next people to turn up to support him.
The last five miles went better than he thought and the finish line was in sight. Holding back the tears, he picked up the pace to finish this adventure and put it to bed.
Freestone threw everything at this event, not only finishing his second 100-mile race, but also smashing out a new PB and knocking off about an 1hr and 10mins off from his last 100 miles at Sandringham.
His official time was 22:56:45, coming fourth overall and also first in age.
Parkrun results
King's Lynn: Daisy Green 29:24, Melvin Green 31:52
Portobello: Moira Macdonald 34:54
March: Jennie Ambrose 36:48 (second in age)
Sandringham: Vicki Newton 25:55 74th/368, Phil Newton 27:37, Sarah Johnson 28:24, Matthew Knott 28:36, Colin Apps 29:07, Jayne Spurrier 30:57, Hayley Cook 31:36, Joely Apps 42:24
Wisbech: David Hammond 31:23, Martin Jackson 34:09, Sally Fawkes 34:29, Sarah Lamb 39:43
Queen Elizabeth Grammar: Jonny Clark 22:27, Jodie Clark 28:52.
