Lyke Wake Challenge, 9 July
Report by Colm O’Cofaigh
The Lyke Wake Challenge is a 40 mile race organised by the Quakers Running Club that starts near Osmotherley and heads eastwards across the North York Moors to finish at Ravenscar by the coast.
It largely follows the route of the famous Lyke Wake long distance walk with great scenery in some of the more remote parts of the moors. This year’s race took place on Saturday July 9th.
For 50 years it was run as the Lyke Wake Race until the Quakers took it over in 2015 and re-named it the Lyke Wake Challenge. Perhaps unusually for an ultra it is handicap race in that runners are allocated a start time between 04.00 and 10.00, based on their previous or predicted finish time. I was allocated a start time of 07.00. This was my fifth time doing the race.
The weather on the day was very hot with not much of a breeze. This made it tough going and very much a case of ‘just dig in and move forward’. It is really great race with well stocked checkpoints (watermelon and rice pudding with peaches; what’s not to love?!) super enthusiastic and helpful marshals and overall just very well organised.
The handicap start times also means that runners at the back and front of the field can end up finishing at roughly the same time, which makes it interesting and a different vibe from many races where, if you are like me, the leaders have always finished, changed and long gone by the time I cross the finish line. I recommend it highly. This year I finished in 09.23, 30th out of 68 finishers. I’ll be back again hopefully.