Saltmarsh 75 – The Return

I imagine that everyone that has read this blog will already know, in 2013 the Saltmarsh 75 was my first ever ultra. I’ve also done every Saltmarsh Ultra since then. The first six events were two day races and 2019 was a single day 50 mile run. It was stopped by Covid in 2020 and hadn’t been on since.

The event was devised and originally run by Maldon District Council. However after the enforced Covid break the rights to the event were passed over to Hare And Tortoise Running, a well-known and respected organiser of various running events in Essex.

Obviously I was very happy to see that ‘my’ event was back but slightly saddened as I had already booked a big foreign holiday which encompassed the first weekend in October, the traditional Saltmarsh weekend. Imagine my surprise and delight when it was announced that Saltmarsh 2023 would be over the first weekend of July! There was also another change, in addition to the traditional ’75 miles over two days’ format there was the option to run the full 75 miles (actually 76.6 miles, it was always at least 76 miles) in one go. This obviously left one question to answer – which event to enter? On the one hand, Saltmarsh 75 was 75 miles over two days, it had always been 75 miles over two days – apart from 2019 when it was 50 miles in one day, and every other year when it had been 76 miles – so I should enter the two day event right? On the other hand I’d always wondered what it would be like to carry on from Steeple to Salcott-cum-Virley…

Of course I could always do both, well, sort of, not quite as the Continuous and Day One started at the same time but I could do the Continuous and the go back to Steeple and run Day Two right? This of course assumed I could complete the Continuous with sufficient time to get back to Steeple before the start of Day Two at 8am on Sunday. I reckoned I could finish the Continuous in under 16 hours, get picked up at Salcott-cum-Virley, get taken to Steeple for the start of Day Two, run/walk back to Salcott and get picked up again. All in all a pointless selfish attention seeking self indulgence which would put Sharon to huge inconvenience and add absolutely nothing to the Saltmarsh event.

So I thought again. Revised plan – same as before but bivvy at Salcott Village Hall, jump on a shuttle to Steeple in the morning and tail run Day Two. To my complete surprise Pete Jones, co-director of Hare and Tortoise, thought this would be a great idea, especially when fellow Saltmarsh Legend, Jackie Stretton, volunteered to be by fellow tail runner. The only thing wrong with the revised plan was that by the time I realised how utterly ridiculous it was, I was kind of committed and would be letting people down if I backed out but hey, that’s what hubris gets you.

Anyway, it’s now the 1st of July 2023, about 7:20am. I’m in South Woodham Ferrers, Jackie has a broken foot, Ian Brazier (‘tent man’ from Saltmarsh 2013) is going to join me on Sunday to tail run with me from Maldon but first there is the small matter of running 76.6 miles to Salcott-cum-Virley.

Little Baddow Ridge Runners were well represented in both the continuous and the Two Day Race. Russ, Ian C. Andy and myself were running the Continuous, Jona, Barbara and Fiona were running the Two Day, Huw was running Day One and Terry and Bubs were the Day One Sweepers. There was a lot of Orange and Purple about. I think someone took a photo but I can’t find it.

I picked up my number (Number One, not because I was important or the human sacrifice (Google Barkley Marathons) but just because I entered first), was kit checked, handed in my drop bags, talked to some people, posed for some photos and finally ambled onto the start line.

We had a short briefing, during which Pete mainly tried to convince us that not all of the route was waist deep grass, and then we were off. Just to prove that being an attention seeking idiot is my main character trait, I sprinted through the flags. My reason for doing this was that, as Day Two Sweeper, I would be the last classified finisher of Saltmarsh 2023 so I thought I’d try and be first to start as well. Told you I was an attention seeker.

My lead didn’t last for long but it wasn’t meant to. I’d seen the list of entrants and I was absolutely certain that – barring accidents- Dan Kyne and Russ Welch would finish in front of me. After that there were a few I thought I might be racing against and, as always, several I had no idea about. I was fairly confident I would make top ten and that top five wasn’t out of the question. In less than half a mile and a brief lapse of memory regarding whether to go through a gate or not (I did, mainly because everyone else did) I was in third place, not really getting much further from the chasing pack but watching Dan and Russ get steadily further ahead.

Saltmarsh 2023 really was a throwback to Saltmarsh 2013. Apart from the start being on the sea wall like 2013, we also had to cross the B1012 twice. From 2014 onwards access across land just after the rail crossing had been negotiated but for various reasons this wasn’t possible in 2023. However the road crossings were well marshalled and I lost minimal time negotiating them. The fact I had only done that part of the route once 10 years ago is also my excuse for having to look carefully at my watch to make sure I was going the right way.

Checkpoint 1 soon arrived. As the event was cupless I had my collapsible cup and, in a rare fit of organisation, a small plastic bag to load up with snacks for the next part of the race. After almost 10 years of running ultras I still don’t have a race nutrition strategy but currently I’m try a ‘Coke and Jaffa Cakes’ diet, which seems to be working OK.

Between CP1 and CP2 I could hear a couple of runners coming up behind me. Once they were right behind me I stepped to one side for them to pass, the path is narrow and realistically I was unlikely to be able to keep my elbows out for the next 65 miles so I felt I should let them through. I had a quick chat as we passed each other and found that they were on the Two Day event anyway so I wasn’t really racing them. It turned out they’d heard that someone was doing the Continuous and then tail running Day Two but had assumed it was a Saltmarsh Myth. They were a bit surprised when I was able to assure them that no, it was absolutely true…

Checkpoint 2 was at Burnham Yacht Harbour. The RNLI was having an open day, which looked like a lot of fun but sadly I couldn’t really stop and join in. I was rewarded for my commitment to the race by passing the only phone box I saw all day in Burnham.

Due to the long grass on sections, we had been told it was acceptable to use the lower path at the bottom of the sea wall if it existed and was easier to negotiate. I dropped onto it somewhere outside Burnham and got a whole new perspective on that section of the sea wall. I was aware there were various coastal defences along that stretch but it was only by being beside it rather than on top I saw how many. I counted six pill boxes built into the sea wall, as well as the minefield control tower beside it, with which I was very familiar.

By the time I arrived at the infamous ‘Dengie’ section I was back on top of the wall, partly because it was now a clear concrete section but mainly to avoid missing Checkpoint 3. The leg across the Dengie is always a bit bleak but there was a lot of runnable sections so I pushed on towards CP4. I was slightly worried about finding CP4 as in previous editions it had been inside the Othona Community grounds and navigation had been required. Just before CP4 is St. Peter’s Chapel, at which there was some sort of celebration. I don’t know if they saw me coming but the prayer I heard as I passed urged me to put down my burden and rest.

Fortunately CP4 was very visible and required no navigation. The next major landmark was Bradwell Power Station. The thing about Bradwell Power Station is that you don’t just pass it and be done with it. Due to its position on the estuary and the tortuous nature of the the coastline I knew that later in the day it would appear in various locations, and that, against all rules of geography, I would be running towards it again for a while. However for now it was behaving and disappearing behind me as I headed to CP5. CP5 was at Bradwell Marina and I would just like to point out I didn’t get lost on the way out of the marina, climbing through some brambles was a tactical decision taken to optimise my route – well, to avoid going back and finding the correct path anyway.

Checkpoint 6 was at Steeple, the end of Day Two and where I would usually have stopped and started from again on Sunday. One of those things was going to happen anyway. Bev was at the checkpoint and informed me there was a meeting room I could have as my bedroom for Saturday night. The original plan had changed a little as Bev and Pete had decided it would be better to take me to Steeple when I finished and let me sleep there as it would be quieter and I wouldn’t have to get up as early.

The overall topic of this blog is Spine Racing so I’d better mention the tenuous connection between this race and the Spine. Actually it isn’t tenuous, Lindley Chambers is one of the least tenuous people I know and, as he wasn’t answering daft questions from me about kit for the Spine Race, his company, Challenge Running, was providing medical support for the event. I didn’t need it myself but I understand several runners were grateful to be able to have their feet attended to by Lindley and his team. Challenge Running had based themselves at Steeple and so I wouldn’t be completely alone there overnight.

However there was still a very long way to go before I would return to Steeple. After successfully navigating my way back to the sea wall there was Checkpoint 7 soon followed by several miles of very overgrown sea wall to negotiate with a lower path that wasn’t any better. The only good news was I wouldn’t have to do it again tomorrow – oh. wait… Anyway eventually it was behind me and I knew I would have several miles of very runnable paths and sea wall most of the way to Tollesbury.

Checkpoint 8 was in Maldon at the bottom of the massive climb (I think it may be as much a 15 metres of elevation) into Maldon, along the Causeway and back out onto the coast. It all gets slightly urban underfoot at Heybridge but at least the tarmac wasn’t trying to rip me up quite as much as the grass had done. After passing the seemingly never ending Mill Beach Caravan Park, I was back in the countryside and on my favourite bit of the Saltmarsh route, Goldhanger to Tollesbury.

Checkpoint 9 was the penultimate manned checkpoint. There were three more before Salcott-cum-Virley but 10 and 12 were unmanned. I had been sticking with a Coke and Jaffa Cake strategy through the race and it seemed to be working. I’d also been getting my bottles filled with squash at the checkpoints. This was particularly good as I was getting through a lot of liquid and so having something more ‘interesting’ to drink than water was making it far easier to keep on top of my hydration.

When I’ve did Saltmarsh over two days I took 6 – 6.5 hours per day. When I first signed up for the Continuous I thought I might do it in 14 hours and just avoid the dark. Given that Dan Kyne took 13:47 and Russ Welch 14:12, I now know that was hopelessly optimistic and by this point in the race I realised that the best I could hope for was to try and get a ‘same day’ finish, i.e. under 16 hours and in before midnight.

Checkpoint 10 may have been unmanned but it was nice and obvious so I topped up my Coke levels and headed towards Tollesbury Wick Marshes. The quality of the path deteriorated somewhat but I passed the time wondering if any other lightship was fitted with what looked like a 20W bulb.

It was at the Tollesbury Checkpoint (11) that I realised what the volunteers were giving up for this race. The checkpoint was quite cool as it was the only one indoors ,at the Tollesbury Activity Centre, and the race route passed right through it. I commented on the sleeping bags on the floor and was told the volunteers were hoping to take it in turns to sleep between runners. By now we were all spread out and so runners could be arriving at any time until the cut-off at 10am Sunday. Then after a few hours the Two Day runners would be arriving. I always appreciate it when people give up their time so I can do races but now people are giving up sleep!

I was told the next runner was about half an hour behind me. I don’t ever take anything for granted but I felt I probably had as much experience of finishing long races in the dark as anyone and so I really should be able to hang on to third place.

There was one more unmanned checkpoint just before the final sting in the tail, the Old Hall Marshes. A few weeks ago the H&T Blackwater Ultra shared its finish with Saltmarsh so I was fully aware of just how overgrown they were and by now it was properly dark. My same day finish was also becoming a more challenging prospect.

The waist high grass was a challenge, the cow parsley was annoying and the head high triffids slightly terrifying. The other slightly annoying point was noticing a clearly much easier path below the sea wall which I hadn’t seen earlier because it was dark. My ETA was also getting nearer and nearer to midnight. By now I was knackered, I’d got aches in muscles I didn’t know I had caused by the enforced gait changes in the long grass I think. I was stumbling, pushing, even occasionally running, just desperate to get out of there and get to Salcott-cum-Virley before midnight.

Eventually I was out of the marshes and crossing the last field to the road! By now I’d stopped looking at anything on my watch apart from time of day. I ran the last few hundred metres, turned off the road and went through the finish arch at 11:58 and some seconds, I’d made the same day finish!

I’d also rather surprised Pete Jones as the tracker was still predicting I would arrive in 11 minutes time, hence my welcome was slightly low-key initially. I didn’t really care, same day finish, that was all I cared about.

Ordinarily this where a blog entry would end – race done, a few random comments about how I felt about it and everyone can breathe a sigh of relief. Not this time I’m afraid, feel free to stop reading but there is a little more to come.

After profusely apologies for not being out to see me finish (it really didn’t matter) I was given a medal, a t-shirt and a goody bag. More importantly I was given tea and pasta. Then I was taken to Steeple where I was able to shower before mostly failing to sleep for the rest of the night. I should point out that the 2-3 hours of sleep that I got was 2-3 hours more than Pete would manage waiting for the rest of the Continuous runners to finish at various hours of the morning.

The next morning was a fairly relaxed affair as I wanted to give everyone a bit of a head start. I didn’t really have any experience of tail running but Ian had told me the idea was to keep the last person in sight but try and stay out of their sight. After a Pot Noodle and a coffee runner number 85 set off. It was a nice day so I took a couple of pictures.

Whenever anyone asks about navigation on the Saltmarsh they are always told ‘just keep the sea on your right’. This is true for almost all the course except the bit from Steeple to Maylandsea where you have to follow St. Peter’s Way to the coast. There is a path around the coast but it’s a lot further round… It was a message from Ian that alerted me to the fact that a small group of runners had decided – almost certainly involuntarily – to take the long way round. I realised I wasn’t going to catch them – they were going the wrong way with some conviction and determination – and so I asked Pete to give them a call. I waited and got them back on track.

Shortly after this Ian joined me in my sweeping duties and got to experience the delights of the grass between Maylandsea and Maldon.

I won’t go into too much detail about the day’s sweeping as this blog is already quite long. I do have to mention Sheep Moats – which was the name we gave to the ditch between the sea wall and areas of sheep grazing, and there was this fine fellow, who was noticed by several runners – but then he was hard to miss.

Eventually we left the Tollesbury checkpoint and saw a sign telling us it was only 3.5 miles to Salcott-cum-Virley. Which was true unless, like us, you had to take the long way round Old Hall Marshes, in which case it was about 8. It was really nice of Bubs to come out and walk with us for a couple of miles but he really didn’t have to tell us about every path that was shorter than the one we had to take to Salcott-cum-Virley – especially not when he, quite wisely, turned off before Old Hall Marshes.

At the last checkpoint we caught up with the last runners. Watching these two finish made the whole weekend for me. I’m sure they won’t mind me saying they had given it their all, they were still smiling (just), and they had to dig very deep to get through the final 6 miles to Salcott-cum-Virley but the did it and with well over an hour to spare. Many kind people have said nice things about what I did over the weekend but in many ways I should be good at running, it’s a huge chunk of my life – I’m far more impressed by the ones that took on this challenge not knowing if they could do it or not. Not everyone did make it but there’s no shame in that, most people didn’t even try. Take what you learned and come back next year and get that medal.

This is the bit where I babble on a bit out what I thought of the race and what I got out of it. In many ways Hare and Tortoise (Pete and Bev) were on to a hiding to nothing when they took on the Saltmarsh 75. It was a well loved and popular race, how could they improve on it? Well if I’m honest i’m not sure they did (although there were many more Jaffa Cakes than in previous years) but they did preserve the spirit and the feel of the race whilst infusing it with the Hare and Tortoise values of friendliness and inclusivity so even if there was little to gain, they made sure they lost nothing – and of course without them there would still be no Saltmarsh 75 so overall it was a massive win for all of us.

How do I pretend this is relevant to my Spine journey? Well strangely, very easily. OK so the Spine Race has more elevation in the first mile than I managed all weekend but running for most of a day, getting too little sleep and then going out again? That sounds a lot like the Spine!

Next up is something a lot hillier – the Lakeland 100. No doubt there will be a blog…