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The British Spartathlon Team Race Report 2017 The Spartathlon... The ultimate ultra-distance race, the iconic race that makes grown men cry, over a quarter of runners standing on the start line will not finish for various reasons, at least half of runners will cross a point during this journey where they no longer know who they are or what they are doing here, most crew members will shed a tear at some point during the race either through lack of sleep, sheer emotion or the desperate urge to go to the toilet but not being able to find one under the pressure of crewing. For those who ever get to experience this race in all its glory will remember it for the rest of their life and even want to return year after year just to be a part of it again and again. Nearly 400 of the best Ultra Marathon Runners in the world eagerly await at the famous Acropolis in Athens for the start of this incredible journey, an ancient citadel situated proudly above the city of Athens. It is said to have been the same place that Pheidippides ... an Athenian messenger who was sent from Athens to Sparta in 490BC started the same journey to seek help from the Persians in the battle of Marathon. Pre Race The morning before the race, as registration opened, Runners gathered at The Fenix Hotel Athens to register their participation in the race for both runners and crew. Collecting crew passes, Crew car stickers, Numbers, T-shirts and information to digest throughout the rest of the day. Runners and Crew were also able to drop off their drop bags they had frantically changed repeatedly in the run up to this point, to be transported to the checkpoints they choose. You can feel the tension in this area of people frantically worrying whether they have made the right choice of checkpoint, worried that their bag will actually make it to the checkpoint and worried that their backup plan if it doesn't make it actually goes to plan. Looking at the boxes marked with numbers you can start to see the level of organisation that has gone into this race.
On the eve of the race The British Team headed to race briefing before meeting and indulging in a pre-race meal and a plethora of British Banter. Now we know us Brits don't like to go under the radar which is why we made ourselves fully noticeable both at Race Briefing and the meal after, kitted out in our superbly designed T-shirts (White for Runners and Bright Red for Crew) courtesy of our incredible Sponsors Tailwind Nutrition, The Ultra Marathon Running Store and Oyster Wealth Management not to mention the people and teams behind the scenes offering services in kind making things come together Mark Burnell at Rock Salt Design who has designed these incredible shirts for the last 3 years, Paul Ali who has completed the race twice and is the web master, Lynchpin Media who prints the kits, James Ellis at All about the story who is the press officer and organises the press reports. James is also a 3 x Spartathlon finisher. Becky George the accountant who checks that Rob Pinnington has not fiddled anyone �(his words not mine) Don Hannon at compression print who donated the head bands and arm bands, Richard Weremiuck at Beyond Marathon who provide the Race Drone trackers and not forgetting Rob Pinnington who in his own words “Co-ordinates the above bunch of reprobates. It is like herding cats ...I have only one finish to my name...coz I am too fat and slow and lacking in faith in my own abilities” – On behalf of the whole team and crew we would like to thank you dearly!
TheBIGDAY!
AstheBigdayapproached,runnershaddonealltheycouldtogettothispoint…Therewasnothing
anyofthemcoulddonowbutbelieveintheirtraining,theirnutrition,theircrewandthemselves!
AsthegreatJohnFodensaid
“I shan’t wish you luck because if you have trained properly, you won’t need luck, and if you haven’t trained properly, then luck will be of no use.”
Thisquoteresonatedloudlyinthemindsofsomanystoodeagerlyawaitingatthefootofthe
Acropolis,asthestartlinebannerwentup,thedronehoveredabove,ThelightsfromtheAcropolis
shonebrightasthesunbegantorise.Runnersscrambledtowardsthestartlineasthenoise
quietenedandsupporterslinedthesidewalktakingthebestpositiontheycouldfindtocapturetheir
lovedones,friendsorfamilymembersastheybegintheirjourneytoSparta!
Howmanyofthemwillmakeit…?Onlytimewilltell!
ThejourneyoutofAthenswasatastandstillforsomanycrewmembersasroadswereblockedby
policemakingwayforthesetremendousathletesmakinghistoryonceagain!Therewouldbea
surplusof“Bravo”and“SpartiSparti”bellowedfromonlookers,supporters,fansandlocal
businessesastheyopenforbusinessonthismomentousday,wordsthatcontinuedtosoundclear
throughoutthewholeoftherace!Thesoundofhorns(mostlyfromtheBrits)continuedasmost
madetheirwaytowardstheMarathonMarkatMegara,Thiswouldbethefirstpointcrewmembers
couldassisttheirrunners.
Thisyearweatherconditionswerefarbetterthanthatofpreviousyearsandyoucouldseethiswas
ablessingforallastheysailedalongthecoastroadabletotakeinthebreath-takingviewsand
sceneryoftheAegean’sSaronicGulfstillmostlysmilingandfullofadrenalinefrombeingpartofthis
dreamofalifetime.
FirstThroughMegarafortheBritswasMarcoConsaniin3:23hoursaGB24-hourathletesupported
byhisamazingwifeDebbieMartinConsanialsoaGBathlete.Marco,untilthedaybeforetheflight
toAthenswasn’tplanningonrunningduetoinjury,thesameinjurythatwouldunfortunatelystop
Marcofromfinishingtheracehewasmorethancapableofcompleting.
FollowedcloselybyIanThomasin3:25hours,1stBritishSpartathlonFinisher2016alsocarryingan
injurywhichhadrestrictedhistrainingleadinguptotheevent.
IanHammettandNathanFlearfollowedtogetherin3:26afterrunningthefirstMarathontogether
quitestronglyandatadecentpace.
PaulBeechey3:42pacednicelybehindIanandNathanasdidFabioRizzo3:52.
SarahMorwoodthefirstBritishLadycamethroughalsoat3:52,SarahhadrecentlybeenaGB
athlete(herdream!)beforebeingstruckdownonherbikebyadangerousdriverin2016andfearing
shewouldneverrunagain.
AminutebehindwasAliYoung(2ndlady)andRichardPomeroy3:53,followedbyKatherineGanly
3:57,RichardHeath4:00,StephenScobie4:02,ThefabulousMarcelMckinley4:02,Lawrence
Chownsmith4:02,JonPanter4:04,CameronHumphries4:08andJohnKnapp4:09.
JamesEllis,ourveryownPRGuruandSpartathlonSuperstarranthroughin4:11alongwithJay
MacdonaldandJamieHolmes.Closelyfollowedby“Brothersinarms”DarrenStrachenandDavid
Bone4:13withPaulCorderoy4:22andKirstyWilliams4:31makingitafullhousethroughMarathon
MarkfortheBrits!
FromMegaraToCorinth
ExitingMegaratherunnersheadtowardstheCorinthCanalthroughvillagesofpeopleandschools
liningthestreetsfor“highfives”,“bravo”dand“SpartiSparti”andthenextmajorcheckpointCP22,
Witha9.5hourcutofftothischeckpointmostrunnersareunderimmensepressuretogettoitin
time.Forsomethere’snotimeforstoppingforselfie’sontheBridgeovertheCorinthCanalhowever
manyofthecrewmadeupforthis…literallymissingthenextcheckpoint…Youknowthemost
importantone!
CorrinthtoNemea
FromCorinththerouteleadsontoAncientCorinthCP26,oneofthelargestandmostpopulated
citiesin400BCitwasdemolishedbytheRomansin146BCandrebuiltin44BCwhereJuliusCaesar
himselfissaidtohaveinhabitedhere.Runnerswereagainabletobeaidedbytheircrewandsome
evenaquickbeerinthesquare(weareBritishafterall!...Nutritioniskey,right?)
VeeringPasttheancientTempleofApollotheroadsoonstartstoclimbandboydoesitclimb!
Allllllllllllllthewaytocheckpoint32…andbeyond!Checkpoint32situatedatthetopoftheroadthat
neverends…Theonethatjustkeepsclimbing,butforgettingaboutthisclimb,ifyoulookout
beyondthetreesthespectacularsceneryisbeyondwords.UpuntilCorinththeroadshadbeen
mostlyflatwithsomehillshereandthere…Nowitwasabouttogettough!Testingtheendurance
andtrainingofeverybodystillleftintherace!
Thedayturnstonight
Asthedayunfoldsandcheckpointtocheckpointfillwithrunnersandcrews,manyrunnersbynow
havealreadyendedtheirSpartathlonjourneyandformanymoreit’saracetothenextcheckpoint!
ThesunbeginstosetandfortheremainingrunnersMountainbaseisoneveryone’smind,as
rumourhasitifyougetupandoverthemountainyouwillfinishSpartathlon…orsotheysay!
However,togettothemountainisthelongrelentlessstretchuphillindarkness,andwitharound90
milesalreadyinthelegsthisistobethetestofendurance,notonlyinthelegsbutinthemindtoo
withmanyrunnerssurrenderingatthispoint.
Forthosewhodomakeittomountainbaseanarrayofhappyfaces,warmfoodandAngloGreek
banterawaitsasthischeckpointliftsthespiritsreadytotakeyouupandoverthemountain.For
thosestandinghereinthedeadofnighttolookuptowardsthemountainyouwouldseeatrailof
redflashinglightsleadingthewayupfrommountainrescuevolunteersalongwiththeheadtorches
fromrunnersalreadyonthejourneyupthemountain.
TheMountain
Themountainitselfisanarrowlooselystonedtrail,indarknessitguidesthewaywithbarriertape
andflashingredlights,withrainstartingtopourdownformostatthispointgettingupandover
quicklyandsafelyispriority.Whilsteverybodyemphasisesthemountainandtherockyterrainitis
thedescentthatisthehardest.Forthosewhohavetrainedforthis,shufflingdownsafelyisnota
problembutforthosewhodidn’tthequadswillbepayingforitnowastheydescendtowards
SangasinArcadiawheretheywillbemetatthecheckpointbycrewtoaidthemandlifttheirspirits.
Forthosewhohitthispointingoodtimeitisahugepsychologicalboostknowingitisnow50miles
toKingLeonidasandthatSpartathlonfinish!
Theyhavemadeitpastthemountainandforthefrontrunnerstherainwasnowbehindthem.
Onthehomewardstretch
Fromthemountaincheckpointsweremorefrequentandforcrewitwasaboutgettingtheminand
gettingthembackout,thenseeingthemagainatthenextcheckpoint.Forthosewhomadethe
wrongchoiceinclothingoverthemountainorunderestimatedhowcoldrunningthroughthenight
gets,willunfortunatelybepayingthepricenowandmayevenshowsignsofaslightwobble.
Thisisalsoaroundthetimesicknesskick’sinformany,tearsstarttofall,lifegetsdullandthefeeling
ofself-doubtsoundsallaroundthem.Thereisnothingcrewcandonowbuthopetheirrunners
consciencekicksinoranotherrunnergivesthemstrengthtocarryonwhichseemedtobethecase
foroneofthefrontrunnersIanHammettwhotook“themother”ofallwobblesaroundTegeaand
waspracticallyoutoftherace,beforebeingliterallypickedupbycrewmemberPaulRowlinsonafter
overanhourslongwobbleandeventuallyfoundthestrengthtopushonafterapeptalkfromteam
matePaulBeecheyandsomemotivationfromhiscrewandotherteammates.WelldoneIanand
bothPaulsaninspirationandwereallsoproudyourpartofthisamazingteam.
Meanwhileonthehomestretch
NathanFlearwaspushingon
stronglyasthefirstBritishAthleteto
crossthefinishlineinatimeof
27:01:41(The4thfastestBritEver!)
anemotionalfinishforanyonewho
waswatchingthelivefeed.Nathan
whostartedrunningjust2years
priortoloseweighthadalreadyhad
quiteasuccessfulyearbeing
selectedtorepresentWalesat100K,
WinningtheWelshUltraDistance
Championships,alongwithsome
greatwinsatvariousUltraevents
throughouttheUK,andnownot
onlycompletingtheSpartathlonin
hisfirstyearrunningit,butalso
beingfirstBritisaphenomenal
achievementwhichI’msurehewill
beproudof!Thisalsomeansthat
NathanswifeToriwillhavetofindspaceintheirhometofitthefamousMichaelGrahamCallaghan
TrophyforBestBritishPerformanceandIthinkweallagreehecertainlydeservesit.Watchoutfor
thisone.
PaulBeechey(Thekingofthecanals)was
our2ndBritishFinishertocrossthefinish
lineinatimeof28:35:57,thiswasPauls2nd
SpartathlonFinish.In2016Paulfinishedina
timeof33:37:27whichmeansthatthis
year,hebeathistimeover5hoursfaster
thanprevious!WOW!Paulalsoan
incredibleUltrarunneristheChampionof
theCanalaslam2017,aseriesofUltra
Runningevents.TheGUCRofwhich
Beecheyplaced2nd,TheKACRwherehe
camein1stplaceandalsotheLLCRwhichhe
alsoplacedJoint1stwithourveryownBritishSpartathlonFinisherandteamcontributorPaulAli.
EarlierintheyearPaulalsowontheOnerUltraTrailRun.I’mcertainwewillbeseeingthisgreat
runnerachievingmoregreatnessoverthenextfewyearsandcertainlyatnextyear’sSpartathlon�
3rdplacedeservinglywentto“The
Phoenixwhorosefromtheashes”Ian
Hammettin28:36:58whowent
througheverypossiblephaseyou
couldgothroughduringanultrato
thenpowerthroughandfinishdoing7-
minutemilestotheKinghimself.Ian
currentlyholdsthecourserecordfor
theWallracewhichhecompletedand
wonin2015.SincesteppinguptoUltra
eventsin2015Ianhaswonthe
SVP100KandCTSSouthDevonin2016,
hecame3rdattheSDW50in2017inan
impressivetimeof6:49andnowholds
a3rdplaceBritfinishatthefamous
Spartathlon2017.Lookingforwardto
followingIan’sJourney.
4thPositionwenttoJohnKnappinatimeof28:56:25.
RunningtheSpartathlonhasbeenadreamofjohns
sincewhathedescribesashisMidlife“ULTRA”crisisin
2013andnowwithhisimpressivetimehecannow
relax…butwillhe?JohnisnonovicetoUltrarunning
havingraninsomeofthetoughestUltraeventsinthe
UKincludingTheSpineandLakeland100andholdshis
bestover50stimeattheGUCR.Johnhasalsoranthe
UTMB.
5thplaceinatimeof30:10:48wasnoother
thanourFIRSTBRITISHLADYandthetoughest
cookieweknowSarahMorwood!Sarahwho
hasrunforteamGBgotherdreamsshattered
whenshebecamethevictimofadangerous
driverin2016,butwithanautoqualificationin
theSpartathlonshewasdeterminednottolet
anythingstopherfrombeingonthatstartline
notevenwithherkneeinpieces!After3
operationsandlosing90%ofthemuscleinher
legSarahpickedherselfbackupandnotonly
madethestartlinebutfinishedastheFirst
BritishLady!MakingSarahthe3rdfastest
BritishladytoeverruntheSpartathlon!I’d
alsoliketopointoutthatSarahisstillnotfully
recoveredfromheraccidentandranthisrace
intotalpainthewholewayaround.Ifanyone
deservestoberecognisedfortheir
outstandingachievementsit’sSarah.Ican’t
waittoseewhatthistoughladycanachievewhensheisfullyrecovered!
AliYoungwasour2ndBritishLady
finishingin30:39:11and6thintheteam.
Also,a24hourTeamGBmemberAli
firststartedherUltrarunningjourneyin
2012whensheenteredtheMarathon
desSablesandcompleteditin2013.
Whilstnotintendingtobecaughtbythe
UltraBug,Alifoundherselfsigningup
forsolo24-houreventswhichshewent on
towinandotherultra-eventswhereshe
alsoplacedonthePodium.Withher
amazingultra-runninggiftAlihasbeen
invitedtoChinatorunintheir
International24houreventin
Novemberandwasselectedto
representGBattheWorld24hour
Championships.
RichardHeath,our7thfinisherthisyearin31:54:49.Richardthegentlemanofgentleman’sisan
experiencedultra-runnerandoverallniceguy.Hisultra-runningjourneywon’tendwitha
SpartathlonfinishandI’msurewewillbeseeingRichardatmoreeventsinthefutureifnotbackat
Spartathlon2018.�
JayMacdonaldwas8thfortheBritishteamfinishingin33:28:49,
anovicetotheSpartathlonbutnonovicetoUltraRunning.Jay
hasnotonlycompletedeventsintheUKbutalsointheUSAand
in2011completedtheMarathonDesSables,araceheentered
afterwatchingadocumentary.Jayhasanoutstanding72
marathon/ultrasunderhisbeltandmorelinedupforthe
remainderof2017/2018.
IanThomas,MrSpartathlonhimself
was9thfortheBritsfinishingin
33:32:35.IanwasourfirstBritish
Finisherin2016butafterdealing
withinjuryandbeingrestrictedwith
trainingthroughout2017Ian’splan
thisyearwastogetanother
Spartathlonfinishtohisname
whichwouldmeanIanhas
incrediblycompleted3
Spartathlon’stodate.Willwesee
thisawesomeultra-runneragain
nextyear?I’llletyouknowwhen
I’vespokentohiswife�
MarcelMckinleyfinishedinatimeof
33:38:06andwasourwhopping10thfinisher
atthisyear’sSpartathlon.Runningissecond
naturetoMarcelwhohasbeenrunningsince
schoolhecompletedhisfirstMarathonin
2009andcaughttheUltraBugafewyears
later.Marcelthisyearcompletedhis2nd
Spartathlonfinish.
Butthelistdoesn’tstopthere….
KatherineGanlyOur3rdFemaleFinisherand11thBritish
finishermadeittothefinishlinein33:40:15,afterthe
strapsfromherbeltrippedchunksfromherwaistline
Katherinewouldn’tgiveupandpoweredthroughtogetto
theKing!Shesworeblindtoherhusbandthiswouldbeher
onlySpartathlonjourneybutrumourhasitsheisseeking
waystomakeittothestartlineofnextyears!Willshe
haveconvincedhubbybynextyear?Onlytimewilltell…
Our12thBritishFinisherJonPantermadeit
overthelinein33:48:26.Jonhasbeenrunning
sincehisteensandat51hedoesn’tseemto
beeasingoff!JonhasbaggedsomegreatV50
winsrecentlyandsincecompletingThe
Autumn100inunder20hourshenowrealises
that“Imightbeokattheultralark”inhisown
words.WetotallyagreeJonandlookforward
toseeingyouagainatmoreeventslinedup.
Nowrumourhasitthatthe3musketeers…turned4musketeers…andtooktoultra-runningraces
andwefoundthematthefootofKingLeonidasafterall4ofthemcompletedtheirjourneyfrom
AthenstoSpartabeingthe13th,14
th,15
thand16
thfinishersfortheBritishTeam.
LongstandingfriendsJamesEllis,JamieHolmes,DarrenStrachenandDavidBoneafterbeingfriends
foragoodnumberofyearsallfoundthemselvesattheStartlineoftheSpartathlon2017then34
hours54minutesand11secondslater(+acoupleofsecondsforeachfoottohittheline)eachof
themfoundthemselvesstoodatthefootofKingLeonidasStatueinarmscelebratingtheirvictory!
JamesEllis,a3xSpartathlon
FinisheralongwithJamie
Holmes,DarrenStrachenand
DavidBonecompletedthe
runfromAthenstoSparta
togethercrossingthefinish
linewithahugecheerfrom
anemotionalaudienceand
anevenmoreemotional
crew!
What’snextforthese4musketeers?Wordonthestreetsistheyareseekinga5thmemberofthe
groupandNathanFlearisdesperatefortheposition...
butwillhehavecompetitionfromBBCRadio2presenterVassosAlexander?
Comingintofinishat35:17:29wasStephenScobiefeelingtiredandsorehemadeitasthe17th
BritishFinisher.ThiswasStephens1stSpartathlonexperienceandwell…youdiditStephen!
CameronHumphriesmadeitin35:31:22andwasthe
18thBritishFinisher.Cameronautoqualifiedforthis
year’sSpartathlonwhenheran137.9milesinTooting
Bec24hourrace.Strugglingtokeepnutritiondown
throughouttheraceCameronkepthisheadand
pushedthroughtogainhisdeservingSpartathlon
finish!
Just5minuteslaterLawrenceChownsmith
35:36:20andRichardPomeroy35:36:29
madeourfinal19thand20thfinishersfor
theBritishTeam.Lawrencewhoprefers
HalfMarathonsandMarathonsisno
strangertoSpartathlonbutunfortunately
noneofthemeverendedinafinish…until
now!
Richardontheotherhandhasbeen
runningultrassince2004whenheranTwo
OceansUltrainCapeTownSAandisa
two-timeMarathonDesSablesFinisher.
AddingtohislonglistisnowaSpartathlon
Finish.
Congratulationsteam….YOUDIDIT!!!ButnotwithoutthesuperfantasticsupportfromTheBritish
Crewandotherswhotakeonthischallengewithyou.Welldonecrewpleasetakeabow!
Unfortunately,notallmembersoftheteammadeittoKingLeonidasMarcoConsaniandFabioRizzo
unfortunatelyhadtopulloutduetoinjuryandPaulCorderoyandKirstyWilliamsdespitewantingto
continuewereunfortunatelytimedout.
Wellguys…Themostpainfulgoodbyesaretheonesleftunfinished…UntilNextyear!
Thankyou!
ToriRobinson–CrewandBetterhalftoNathanFlear