Saturn Remembrance Run – 12th November 2023
by Lisa Donaldson
I booked this event in May as soon as the tickets were available because I just needed that medal in my life and after doing the “runs and roses” one back in March I knew it would be a good base line to maybe try for an Ultra as you don’t count the miles but the laps you do (doesn’t seem that bad then) so my mind was already set to just push that little bit further, even back then.
Me and my dad set off on the morning with my little support team, Adam and Jack, dropping us off at the start where we collected our numbers, and the lovely Ken came to get us to tell us where the rest where all at and to say the set up was shamazballs is an understatement. Kris, Jason and Jon had the gazebo all set up ready with snacks galore, fuel, drinks you name it they had (I still can’t get over how organised they were haha Loved it).
A quick photo, of course, before the race starts and off we all went. I didn’t want to go off too quick as I had been having a bit of an issue with my piriformis for a while so in my head I was just taking the laps as they came so nice and steady away as I would rather of got my target laps in than the speed.
I ran with the lovely Jayne and Denyse who were planning on 3 laps, passing fellow Crookites on the way past the inspirational Ken with the big flag and smiles, Paul Smith with the big poppy high fiving of course each time we passed one another, Jon and Jason full of smiles looking good, Kris looking strong as ever and Gayle, Kelly and my dad gassing away haha full of smiles too!
At 11am the air horns blew for a 2-minute silence and all runners stopped in their tracks to remember our fallen, this was respected by most and such a moving moment to remember what life we have now for the sacrifice they made then.
By the time we were around the third lap Jayne and Denyse were so strong I knew they had another lap in them so off I went convincing them, planting the seed of “you know my dad is doing 4 laps? you both may as well too” and low and behold they knew they could do it too and they pushed onto that 4th lap and even then they both seemed like they had another but they where being sensible with it being the furthest they had gone for a while. Amazing achievement both clocking 18 miles when they only aimed for the 3 laps so a big well done to you both and the company defo helped me on them 4 laps, even getting to find out the lovely Jayne is a football hooligan on the quiet hahaha!!
As we ran in on the 4th lap I was contemplating about carrying on as my leg was still hurting, nothing more than it was before I started but I didn’t want to damage it any more, so after a quick stretch I thought I would see how I went after the 5th lap and to be fair it wasn’t that bad, it actually started to ease off a bit, well no, that’s a lie, both legs started to hurt so took the pressure off just one haha!! So as I was coming back in off the 5th lap Adam and Jack were there and I thought he would want to go by now as they had been there a while already but no, he was like “come on keep going” ah o.k. one more so, quick sweetie top up and off I went on my 6th lap. Then I see the lovely Kelly coming the other way which would have been her 5th lap clocking an amazing 22 miles, her longest run so far, amazing achievement so that spurred me on then I see my dad coming down… what the hell? He was coming in on his 5th lap 22 miles for him too, I couldn’t believe it as I knew Kelly and my dad where aiming for 4 so they defo pushed themselves, over the moon for them. You want to be so proud of yourselves, fantastic start to that marathon training for sure!
Coming back in on that 6th lap and talking myself out of going back out again thinking right, Adam is defo going to of had enough here and make me stop haha….but nope!!! Go on get that last one in, so had a little stretch and some sweeties of course then I see Jon and Jason coming in off their 7th lap so thought I would wait for them, Jon had another 3 laps to go and Jason was done but I said if you do one more I will hahaha.
I don’t know who I was trying to convince me or Jason (defo me). So off the 3 of us went and I tried to make small talk (as everyone knows I love to talk) just to take the mind from the heaviness of my legs and it worked, kind of! I was keeping poor Jon back though, so Jason told him to run on as he wouldn’t have time to get his other 2 laps in so me and Jason ran to the end together, seeing Kris zoom past us going out on his 7th lap!! But the 7th lap was NOT the end!! I had to run 0.25 mile out and back in again and yes that doesn’t seem far but when you are 30.6 mile in its canny far haha and the lovely Jason, even though he didn’t have too as he had already gone over and above, ran the 0.25 out and back with me which really helped!! Jason clocking an amazing 36.26 miles after just coming back from an injury is just outstanding and just shows even after having time out you still have it in you!! I managed to get the 7 (and a bit) laps 50K I was aiming for, absolutely over the moon. I can now say I’m an ultra-runner! The positivity Jon has too is just insane just smiling all the way even on his 10th lap and this is why he is an awesome ultra runner, great mind set!! Reaching his 10 lap goal for the charity Royal British legion he was running for, massive well done!
Just proves what an amazing club we have and the encouragement and support our teammates give us 😊 everyone done amazing, big well done to each and everyone of you who pushed yourselves to your limits and for showing up, you’re all awesome.
