The Ultra 100k from 'the other side'...

Andy Letheren is a long-term regular at Lakeland Trails, first running the events whilst his young children volunteered to now (usually) playing an important role in the Crew, ensuring the day runs smoothly. Having been on the Ultra Crew for a few years, he decided to run the Ultra 100k this July and here's his 'feedback' which just shows how much effort goes into the day...for everybody!

"This feels odd - me writing you a message of thanks after a LT event rather than anticipating one coming the other way - but it's been that sort of weekend.

Part of the reason I wanted to run the 100k was to judge just how hard it is. I had joked that it had to be easier than the jobs that so many of the Crew do - having completed, that no longer seems a joke; in many respects, running the thing actually is easier. My heartfelt thanks to everybody who made it happen.

It would be easy, after several years on the event delivery side, for any of us to become blase about the notes of thanks that we receive after each event, to just shrug and say something like 'that's just what we do' but, by swapping to the other side, I've a renewed appreciation and understanding of just how big a difference we can make. I'd like to offer my sincere thanks to everybody who worked so hard over the past few days to make Saturday such a memorable experience.

It seems wrong to single anybody out for special mentions but, to give a flavour, some notable memories

- Susan for being patient with me whilst she checked off all of my kit
- Viv following me round the Kentmere checkpoint with a jug of water trying not to get too frustrated while I faffed in my pack for the fuel I needed in my bottle first
- Andy Dobson patiently sharing his light at the top of Nan Bield after my torch had given the three death flashes telling me the battery needed changing
- Geoffers warning us at Mardale that we could ignore all the lights we could see heading up Long Stile towards High Street
- the team at Bampton not looking too upset when I had a minor moan about the bacon sarnies being 'contaminated' with ketchup
- the marshal in the car leaving Askham who was happy to chat about 'Type 2 fun' at 7am (or whatever time it was!)
- Gareth and Erica for the pre-made porridge in Howtown - sorry I couldn't eat it
- the marshal with the very detailed route direction off the top of Boredale Hause
- the team in Glenridding who convinced me a Coronation Chicken sandwich seemed a good idea
- Sandra and the team in Grasmere who had somehow remodelled the carnage from the past couple of events into a seeming oasis of calm (apologies to Sandra for the alarm caused when I was relaying my past experiences on Friday)
- the marshal at the drop off from the Wrynose road who happily converted '2.5k to the water stop' into 'old money' for me
- the two stood down marshals at the Wall End water stop who repeatedly checked I was OK while I was stood in the shade faffing with my bottles (again!)
- Isobel and Louise who both leapt to their feet at their marshal positions in Langdale to lie to me about how strong I looked
- Gareth (again) for the big shout at the finish
- Dawn for making sure I picked up my medal and T-shirt rather just wandering off at the finish

Clearly, it's easy for me to name lots of people in person - and there are many who I have missed/forgotten - but I could see exactly the same level of support being offered to everybody who was out there on the course. I'm also well aware that so many people put long hours into course marking, setting up and taking down the event field, sorting gear for the checkpoints, making sure we were properly registered before the start, accounted for at the finish and generally ensuring that things went as well as they did."