My 100 Marathons
by Lena Conlin
In 2009, having not got into London Marathon through the ballot, Vicky Ele and I decided to enter Edinburgh Marathon, we trained really hard and as the marathon approached, I decided that I didn’t want to lose this hard gained fitness, so, even though other runners were telling me that I should only run one marathon a year Vicky and I entered the Newcastle Town Moor Marathon 6 months later, even though we had not even run the first one.
Edinburgh was an unusually hot day, the course had a downhill start, I ran with the crowd and got my fastest 10km split to date, this was not to last, the heat made my feet swell and made running hard work, I had gone off too fast and was run walking at 9 miles with blistered toes.
I loved the atmosphere and the feeling I got as I finished. It hadn’t gone to plan but I had done a marathon. Six months later I stood on the start line of the Newcastle Town Moor Marathon and in front of me was a lady in a 100 Marathon Club T-shirt. She clearly was not over 100 years old. I went home and looked the club up. The next year I got a club place at the London marathon, I wanted to do it for charity and My Mum suggested I run for the British Lung Foundation as my dad had suffered from emphysema.
Running 100 marathons was not a plan for me though, until December 2016. A friend had totted his marathons up, I counted mine, they came up to 40. I had run 17 marathons/ultras/ironmen in 2016, therefore I figured that 20 a year for the next 3 years was perfectly doable.
Well it was not quite that easy – 2017 went well. In 2018 the marathons/ ultras/ ironmen felt harder and I ended up needing 12 between September and December, Determined not to do that again, I started 2019 with a few marathons/ultras and things were going well. In March I attempted to run The Tunnel a 200 mile race in a tunnel. I did not complete it and even though I ran about 163 miles it did not count for the 100 Marathon Club as I had not finished. It also left me tired and with a sore foot. That has niggled all year but I carried on. In August, at short notice I attempted the Ultra Great Britain Race Across Scotland, again I did not finish, I destroyed my feet and totally exhausted myself. Again the miles did not count and in three weeks I was running again at Dawn to Dusk. My feet hurt, I’d lost my speed but I wasn’t giving in, I was so close to the hundred.
I had wanted my 100th to be at The Round Ripon Ultra as it is one of my favourite events and is now run by Ripon Runners. There was no way I could get enough marathons done before Oct 12 so I decided that Hardmoors Roseberry Topping in December would be a better option. Friends were asking could they come to watch me complete my 100th. That would be difficult at Roseberry with it being 32 miles and I never know how long that could take. At The Round Ripon Ultra I was talking to 100 Marathon Club member David, who had already done over 260 marathons and he suggested that I do my 100th at Knaresborough at Its Grim up North Running’s Old Mother Shipton’s Shuffle. David was running the marathon, I asked if he would do my presentation, he agreed. I entered the race as there were already other Ripon Runners entered, it’s local and my son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren live in Knaresborough. It did mean, however, that it was the day after Hardmoors Goathland.
I had my marathons to date vetted, ordered my vest and medal. Then took the vest to have my name put on.
Billly ordered a cake and I told people when it would be. The 100th marathon day arrived, I was nervous as I didn’t want to have another DNF now. Billy drove me and the cake to Knaresborough, I went and registered and saw that the organisers had also made me a cake. At the race briefing it was announced that it was my 100th marathon. Billy saw me off and then went to the Remembrance parade and then to meet the rest of the family for lunch.
The course starts off with a long hill, my legs were not happy after running Goathland the day before, The Ultra, Marathon and 20 milers had all set off together at 09:30, we were soon strung out over the course. The marshals were telling passers by that it was my 100th marathon. On the way back at the end of the first lap the faster runners were now joined with the half marathoners as they were coming up the hill towards me, it was great to see Ripon Runners in their numbers. There were lots of well dones from everyone to everyone encouraging each other, that’s one of the reasons I like lapped courses. As time went on my legs got more tired. On lap two it was 11 o’clock so I stopped to reflect and remember for a couple of minutes. My legs stiffened and it was hard to get them working again. On the third lap I struggled with my breathing in the woods, something was making me cough, I slowed a bit. Another runner, Val offered to run with me for the lap, we chatted away and I managed to keep running, slowly but it was running. I realised that we were heading towards Nidd Gorge on the out and back. That is where the British Lung Foundation dedicated a tree to my Dad after I raised money for them a couple of years ago. On the way back I met David, he had finished. Val finished her race as she only was doing 3 laps.
On lap 4 I phoned Billy to let him know I had set off on my last lap but was slowing. I set off alone runners I met congratulated me, I struggled up the hill but I was not going to walk now. I passed the pub and popped in to use the loo. As I went towards Nidd Gorge I thought how proud my Dad would have been, but also that had he not died I may never have set myself this challenge. Also how sad it was that Mum had died in July and never seen the challenge complete. As I got to the railway arch I phoned David and when I got to the checkpoint he was waiting for me. David joined me and we ran, or rather I ran and he ran/walked, together the last 3 miles. As we got closer to the finish, Sue was there to look for us, she ran to let the others know that we were coming, We ran round the corner and there was a group of my friends waiting to make an arch, and there were my grandchildren, I ran under the arch with my grandchildren and it was done.
100 marathons, some road, some trail, some ultras and some at the end of an Iron-distance triathlon in 9 ½ years, 60 in the last 3 years. 3,466 miles and here they are.
Date Venue Marathon Actual time
23/05/2010 Edinburgh Edinburgh 4:56:56
21/11/2010 Newcastle Upon Tyne Town Moor 4:41:19
Apr-19 London London 5:02:44
May-19 Edinburgh Edinburgh 4:33:00
1/10/2011 Ripon Round Ripon ultra 9:05:24
30/10/2011 Newcastle Upon Tyne Town Moor 04:48;57
19/04/2012 Manchester Manchester 4:16:24
06/05/2012 Marathon of the North Sunderland Marathon of the North 4:32:07
01/07/2012 Nottingham Outlaw Long distance Triathlon 5:49:23
06/10/2012 Ripon Round Ripon ultra 6:28:00
30/10/2012 Dublin Dublin 4:37:50
7/4/2013 Blackpool Blackpool 4:44:06
28/04/2013 Manchester Manchester 4:28:37
7/7/2013 Nottingham Outlaw Long distance Triathlon 5:43:06
29/09/2013 Nottingham Nottingham 4:51:26
20/10/2013 York Yorkshire Marathon 4:24:09
01/11/2013 Goathland Hardmoors 06:01;45
7/12/2013 Pateley Bridge Frostbite 30 6:27:22
13/04/2014 London London 04:44;43
27/07/2014 Nottingham Outlaw Long distance Triathlon 6:11:01
4/10/2014 Ripon Round Ripon Ultra 7:23:49
12/10/2014 York Yorkshire Marathon 4:17:20
6/12/2014 Pateley Bridge Frostbite 30 7:58:14
19/07/2015 Bolton Ironman UK Long distance triathlon 5:43:48
19+20/09/2015 Grantham Equinox 24 (24hr 160 km) 23:38:22
3/10/2015 Ripon Round Ripon ultra 06:47:26
11/10/2015 York Yorkshire Marathon 4:15:49
01/11/2015 Goathland Hardmoors Goathland 6:21:13
6/12/2015 Pateley Bridge Frostbite 30 7:56:40
01/02/2016 Saltburn Hardmoors Saltburn 6:42:48
01/03/2016 Helmsley Hardmoors 55 12:55:28
01/04/2016 Sutton Bank Hardmoors White Horse 6:15:27
01/05/2016 Osmotherley Hardmoors Osmotherley 6:38:15
01/06/2016 Hutton-Le-Hole Hardmoors Rosedale 5:56:28
24/07/2016 Nottingham Outlaw Long distance Triathlon 5:31:58
14/18/2016 Chop Gate Hardmoors Wainstones 6:36:04
17+18/09/2016 Grantham Equinox 24 (24hr 160 km) 0:32:56
1/10/2016 Ripon Round Ripon ultra 7:22:23
9/10/2016 York Yorkshire Marathon 4:12:55
11/11/2016 Goathland Hardmoors Goathland 6:40:19
10/12/2016 Guisborough Hardmoors Roseberry Topping 7:15:39
1/1/2017 Robin Hoods Bay Hardmoors 30 6:49:02
00/02/2017 Saltburn Hardmoors Saltburn 6:27:20
19/03/2017 Helmsley Hardmoors 55 12:07:15
23/03/2017 Kielder Water Trail Outlaws Dark skies 4:54:18
6/4/2017 Sutton Bank Hardmoors White Horse 5:33:06
06-07/05/2017 Filey Hardmoors 110 27:35:17
27-28/05/2017 Malton LDWA 100 29:20:00
11/6/2016 Chop Gate Hardmoors Wainstones 5:43:10
18/06/2016 Keswick Lakesman Full distance Triathlon run 5:04:17
23/07/2017 Nottingham Outlaw Full distance triathlon run 5:04:58
13/08/2017 Hutton-Le-Hole Hardmoors Rosedale 6:07:22
16/09/2017 Guisborough Hardmoors 60 13:56:15
23/09/2017 Beaver Castle Equinox 24 (24hr 170 km) 24:21:16
7/10/2017 Studley Royal Round Ripon Ultra 6:45:22
8/10/2017 Kielder Water Kielder Marathon 4:35:33
22/10/2017 Osmotherley Hardmoors Osmotherly 6:26:11
11/11/2017 Goathland Hardmoors Goathland 5:42:17
19/11/2017 Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle Town Moor 4:04:58
10/12/2017 Guisborough Hardmoors Roseberry Topping 6:53:48
11/2/2018 Saltburn Hardmoors Saltburn 6:21:18
17/03/2018 Helmsley Hardmoors 55 12:56:10
8/4/2018 Manchester Manchester Marathon 4:14:57
22/04/2018 London London Marathon 4:37:57
29/04/2018 Chop Gate Wainstones Marathon 5:48:26
27-28/05/2018 Filey Hardmoors 110 33:00:00
10/6/2018 Sutton Bank Hardmoors White Horse 6:03:10
17/06/2018 Keswick Lakesman Full distance Triathlon run 14:45:15
15/07/2018 Helmsley Its Grim up North Duncome Park Marathon 5:15:51
15/09/2018 Guisborough Hardmoors 60 14:56:39
23/09/2018 Hull Hull 4:05:28
30/09/2018 Masham Its Grim up North Black Sheep 6 hour challenge 6:12:41
6/10/2018 Studley Royal Round Ripon Ultra 7:04:54
14/10/2018 York Yorkshire Marathon 4:09:25
21/10/2018 Osmotherley Hardmoors Osmotherley 6:27:40
10/11/2018 Goathland Hardmoors Goathland 5:49:05
11-Nov Fewston and Swinsty reservoirs Its Grim up North 4×4 Sun 5:02:29
18/11/2018 Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle Town Moor 4:14:20
9/12/2018 Guisborough Hardmoors Roseberry Topping 7:01:03
15/12/2018 Elescar Its Grim up North Santa Dash 4:34:54
5/1/2019 Shipley Its Grim up North Titus Trot 4:25:07
19/01/2019 Nottingham Its Grim up North Holme Pierrepont Challenge 6:01:40
2/2/2019 Pateley Bridge Its Grim up North Pateley Pie and Pint 6:15:41
10/2/2019 Saltburn Hardmoors Saltburn 6:12:30
16/03/2019 Guisborough Hardmoors 55 (50) 14:51:20
14/04/2019 Boston Boston 4:13:58
12/5/2019 Chop Gate Hardmoors Wainstones Marathon 6:32:58
19/05/2019 Ambleside Windermere Marathon 4:56:18
9/6/2019 Sutton Bank Hardmoors White Horse 6:15:20
16/06/2019 Keswick Lakesman Full distance Triathlon run 5:25:57
23/06/2019 Newby Hall Yorkshireman Full distance Triathlon run 5:41:25
29/06/2019 Bramham Park, Leeds Endure 24 (17 laps + 85 miles) 0:13:54
08/09/2019 Duncolme Park, Helmsley Dawn to Dusk 39 miles 10:05:00
15/09/2019 Masham Black Sheep 6 hour Challenge 26.8 miles 6:15:40
22/09/2019 Hull Hull Marathon 4:59:25
12/10/2019 Ripon Round Ripon Ultra 8:07:05
13/10/2019 Fryupdale Hardmoors Fryupdale 7:41:30
20/10/2019 York Yorkshire Marathon 4:33:49
9/11/2019 Goathland Hardmoors Goathland Marathon 7:37:47
10/11/2019 Knaresborough It’s Grim up North Old Mother Shipton Shuffle 5:22:56
Afterwards we went to Wetherspoons in Knaresborough to eat cake. There were gifts from my friends.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the cards and gifts and for being there. There were people from all three of my clubs, Ripon Runners, Bedale and Aiskew Runners and NYPTri. It was lovely to share my day with you all. I know that many people could not make it but I would like to thank my family for their patience and support and everyone from my clubs, from Hardmoors, It’s Grim Up North running, Outlaw Triathlon, Equinox and Lakesman Triathlon, my work colleagues, Libby for sports massages and Lottie for keeping my left leg moving as well as everyone else I have met on this journey, I hope you continue to support me on my next venture. Thank you for your ongoing support.
I now plan a period of recovery to let my legs and feet repair properly, then in 2020 I plan to complete the Hardmoors 160 and the Ultra Great Britain race across Scotland.