Tuesday 17th May 2022
Backstory
So, a third time lucky? attempt to complete the Teesdale Way in under 24 hours began in earnest early on Saturday morning, 14th May 2022, at 5am from the central fountain on Dufton village green. We had tried this in September 2020 only to be scuppered, well and truly, by a full week of non-stop rain making conditions underfoot completely dreadful. The rain continued to pour, all day, no let up, we were constantly soaked and very cold, going through all of our sets of clothing and waterproofs before having made that much headway. It was then topped off, wonderfully, by mile upon mile of overgrown, slippery sloped riverbank 'path?' and somme-like ploughed fields around 60 to 70 miles. 7ft high rainforest thick balsam, forests of giant hogweed, walls of nettles and barbed-wire coiled bramble obstructing everything and everywhere. Not good. Not fun. That was enough of that. Yarm, 1am, 71 miles, time to go home. But, a prescient glance between us both on the way to pick up T's car from Dufton two days later kinda silently spoke 'So when do we try again?'
The following Spring (1st May 2021) we went again, and completed our journey/adventure/aim/goal/whatever, in a time of 26hrs and a bit, with the help of all our lovely folk along the way, and good mate Richey E manning the van from Gainford onwards. Cheers Richey! So, it was done. We were now, apparently, the only 'known' people to have completed the Teesdale Way in one, non-stop go. An FKT! Good shit! A proud moment/thing : ) But still, a niggling wonder of the sub24hr question persisted. Well, to be honest, it only re-emerged after a bit (a lot) of recovery, but nevertheless, eventually a furtive plan was set to go to it again. One more try to see if we could. Cue the 'Why? But you've already done it! Are you mad? Surely there's other things you'd rather do?' questions from family, friends and, by no means least, from ourselves. But you know, it becomes a bit of a funny thing right? You get an idea, and when it seems/you're told it might be a bit silly, perhaps semi-pointless or unreasonable, well, it makes it all the more enticing and purposeful. Doesn't it? F-it...just gonna do it anyway!
Dufton to Barnard Castle
And so, Tom and I took the, by now, very familiar route out of the village and on up to High Cup. The morning was still, quiet-calm, a low, thin blanket of mist lying sleepily over the Eden valley as we climbed. Cool but not cold, sun beginning to emerge, a beautiful start to a long day ahead. We made with a steady pace, feeling good, and, joined by our pal Tobes at the top of the Nick, followed Maize Beck across the Pennines to Cow Green and Cauldron's Snout - this whole section really is a truly stunning place to run, an area we're proud to call home! - down the snout and underneath Falcon Clints and Holmwath, through Widdy Bank Farm before continuing to follow the river, overlooked by the imperious Cronkley Scar for a section, to join up with the trail at the Green Trod / Peninne Way marker stone that leads on towards High and Low Force beyond.
It was getting warm now. Weather was great, the day beautiful, can't complain but the morning clouds had burnt off and the sun was beginning to bake. It had been really dry for a good few weeks and the trails were hard packed and damned dusty. We'd been eating and drinking pretty well but needed to try and keep cool and feet clean. We grabbed water and some food quickly with the crew parked at Middleton mart, dumped some gear and layers, and then cracked on through to Egglestone, Romaldkirk, clunked and splodged past the Fairy Cupboards, down into Cotherstone and through the fields and Flatts Wood into Barney. Ru joined us for the crack and helped us along with his good cheer, chat, entertaining running style, endearing positivity and 'him-ness'...not that we needed it much then (we would later) but it was bloody good fun. Once at the Demenses, he was pissed he'd not done a half marathon distance so sped off to clock a quick 2.5km before returning just in time for the group photo of everyone out crewing/supporting that day!..ha, always waiting for Ru : )
Anyway yeah, got to Barney in really good time and stopped to refuel and set up for the next bit.
Barnard Castle to Darlington
Sunny, hot, change of clothes, water refilled, sandwiches eaten, and on. Last time I'd had a real sad-on for this section, feeling nauseous and grumpy, it seemed to go on for ever. Today, I got set pretty quick and decided to just start and set off walking. Tom was finishing prepping and cool with that. We had talked a lot before this about just doing what you felt was good in the moment, making hay, so tunes on and away, regather in Darlington if not before. Towards Whorlton I started to feel quite chipper and just kept on, the sheep got some good? karaoke, but it still proved to be a bugger. By Piercebridge you mistakenly feel like you're pretty much there but it plays with you, keeps stretching out, testing you for the first proper time. But with Darlington as the goal, you will feel like you've broken the back a bit, and are starting to reel in the still quite distant end point. It was so, so great to have Andy, Rob, Toby, Kelly and Indie at each intersection for this...such an important boost, I can't tell you. Filling water, shoving food in your hands, and gentle, kind - or simply straight to the point - encouragement always given.
Darlington to Yarm
This was probably the main stop. Socks off, feet washed and seen to, as best as possible (Thanks Tobes), and food taken. Last year, we'd had no blisters by the end but today was very different. Swollen from the heat, dust and grit that had found its way into our socks and shoes had played merry hell. We'd not had feet so trashed like this before. A good 'it'll learn ya' moment. Tommo, in particular, was struggling with really nasty blisters by now. Despite that, we got set and left Darlo' beginning to feel pretty positive, it seemed on! Through to Blackwell, Hurworth and beyond. At some point it began to get dark and memory starts to get fuzzy. I recall coming to a foot bridge about half a mile from Yarm bridge, headtorch on, and suddenly there, in my way, were a couple of young love birds apologetically covering their modesty whilst I mumbled 'excuse me, could I get past?'...felt a bit guilty to be honest...got to Yarm and ate some really good pizza the lads had got us...
Yarm to Tees Barrage
Hard to tell what happened really. One bit that I do remember in a kinda dream-like filmic way was falling over a fence and down a bank into a load of brambles, nettles, and rose bushes. Pulled myself out, eventually, and found Tom and Toby (who was running alongside again) standing beyond me. 'How did you get there?' I shouted. 'We followed the route!' came the reply. Fair enough! I'd been a smart arse and ran ahead a bit when Tobes was helping with nav-ing. Tommo had been digging in for 25+ miles now with utterly trashed feet. But sadly, by the time we reached the barrage he decided to call it - one of those crappy days when things (heat, dust, blisters, bad luck etc.) conspire against you despite the rest of body and mind being totally okay. Complete bummer! He jumped in the van alongside Andy and Rob to keep cracking the whip as the end drew ever closer. Apart from that, dark, tired...don't remember much...look at the photos/film, if I can figure out how to upload them...
Tees Barrage to South Gare (The End)
Got to the end. And what we'd aimed to do one and a half years ago, a sub 24hr Teesdale Way, had been run. Massive hug with Tom and the guys and fell asleep on the way home...pretty quickly....There's no doubt though, that without the help of our crew and support, this would have been a real tricky one to do...cheers guys...you were amazing! Confit de canard!