Rick Rose-Coulthard’s Lockdown Marathon on Local Fells

Tier 3 restrictions… it didn’t mean I couldn’t run my own Langdale Marathon: 26miles & 3400ft of climbing. There’s always a way forward…

January 28, 20212 min read

Article ByRick Rose-Coulthard

"Instead I hit my local fells, I had to get off the tarmac to get that crazy level of vertical in."

Rick Rose-Coulthard

Overview

Tier 3 restrictions stopped Rick travelling to the official Langdale Marathon. He ran his own 26-mile route with 3400ft of climbing on local fells instead. He fuelled the solo effort with Pocket Rockets and set off at 5am. He previously ran a 2:55 flat marathon and completed a tough Athens marathon.

Rick Rose Coulthard Runs Lockdown Marathon

‘The UK’s TOUGHEST Road Marathon’… The Langdale Marathon is 26.2miles with a massive 3400ft of vertical gain! That’s essentially running up Mount Snowdon, but on tarmac…

To put that into perspective last year I flew to Athens, the birthplace of our beloved Marathon and ran what is described as one of the toughest road marathons in the world. The race has a mere 1700ft of elevation, around half that of the Langdale Marathon.

I have previously run a 2:55 road marathon on the flat (it’s a gut wrenching pace). Before the event I consulted my trail mentor and VOOM teamie David Riley who said “Rick, if you run sub 4 be proud!” The weather forecast was HORRIFIC with torrential rain and 50mph winds. But, the extremes excite me, they test us beyond the physical and that is what a marathon does. It challenges your beliefs as well as your physical fitness on the day.

The day before race day Boris addressed the nation and we were told Greater Manchester would be moving into Tier 3 restrictions. Being sensible (it happens once a year) I simply couldn’t travel to the race! I was GUTTED! But it didn’t mean I couldn’t run my own Langdale Marathon… 26miles and 3400ft of climbing, it would have to be a lockdown marathon!

I set about planning my own lockdown marathon route, but I found that level of climb IMPOSSIBLE on the roads where I live. I’d have to run over 45 miles to get that amount of climbing. Instead I hit my local fells, I had to get off the tarmac to get that crazy level of vertical in. I mapped my route, packed my kit and left for the fells at 5am.

I ran it all!
I climbed everything!
I waded through bogs!
I made snow angles in the leaves!
I took in the torrential weather, there was no escaping our northern casual storm! Fuelled with Pocket Rockets I still had my testing adventure! As soon as I’m allowed to I will be up to run the Langdale marathon route, I want to take on that test in the heart of the Lake District.

Rick Rose Coulthard runs an alternative Langdale Lockdown Marathon on local fells

COVID really is tragic and that doesn’t come close to the reality for so many people. It’s shaken up our country and changed the way we live forever. It wont stop me though, there is always a way if we are adaptable. I couldn’t stand on the Langdale start line with my VOOM teammates, but I was there in spirit.

There’s ALWAYS a way forward…

Rick Rose-Coulthard.