Equinox 24: True Grit and Team Spirit
Equinox 2024 we had it all. Satnav errors, sunshine, unicorns, torrential rain, sprained ankles and more!
Equinox is an annual 24-hour running event that happens at Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire. It is made up of a 10km course, where you can compete as a solo runner or a team to see how many laps you can do. This year, seven harriers formed a team to complete 27 laps, and Martin went out solo to complete 12 laps (120km!).
Martin’s Adventure
A test of what you are made of.
I had joined the club at Equinox for the previous two years and, having loved both, decided to give the solo a go following a good training block in Spring, where I had made a gentle introduction to ultra marathons around Loch Ness, though this was going to be quite a step-up. Having spoken to club members well versed in abhorrently long races, it seemed like this would be as much a mental battle as it would physical.
The plan was simple*, 4 sets of 3 laps (around 18 miles) with a 60 minute recovery or so. I had found when part of a team that I never slept anyway and merely lay in my sleeping bag waiting for my next lap, so thought that the lack of sleep would be workable. A cracking support team had been assembled, comprising my Dad, Girlfriend and esteemed Harrier Andy. Plus, all other spectators and runners provide a good deal of encouragement, along with the club team that would be there.
The first 3 lap stint at midday flew by. The weather was glorious, and I had finished well ahead of the budgeted time whilst pacing sensibly. I came in after the third lap and after a stretch, couple of fistfuls of Haribo, headed straight back out.
The second stint was similar to the first. After another 3 laps I came in at around the same time as the first, though now I had lost the light, and it would not return for nearly 12 hours. I had banked some time so took a little longer to eat some proper food and mentally prepare before heading out again, knowing at this point I had already run as far as I ever had before. I still felt pretty good, but this was where the challenges would come. I headed back out at around 9:50pm.
The third 3 lap stint tested my resolve. The course had gone very quiet with most heading to bed, it was pitch black, and the rain had started. I was somewhat cheered up by a certain unicorn marshalling on the course, but this was not nearly as fun as it was during the day. I was soaked to the skin and feeling less and less positive. But cometh the hour, cometh the man. Andy, bearing gifts of sweets and an extra layer, joined me for the next two laps, offering a welcome distraction from what had now become a deluge.
I finished lap 9 at around 2 am. Plenty of time to hit my target, though at this point I feared if I got too comfortable in dry clothes, I wouldn’t want to get out again unless the rain relented, which it didn’t. This part was a low point. My joints were now creaking, and I lay in the foetal position nibbling on a cheese toastie (Brieyonce, would recommend for those going next year) listening to the rain lash down on my tent, knowing I still needed to do another 3 laps. While I was wallowing in self-pity, I did have a look through Strava to see how well all the other Harriers, particularly those here for the first time, were getting on.
At around 5:50 am, I willed myself out again, but decided to only do two laps and save the 12th for closer to the 12 cut off time. This was because I had lost a lot of motion in my ankle and my knees were really starting to complain. It would also stop me from being forced to do more than my pre-determined 12 lap target by the event DJ shouting the event motto “One more lap!” at me. By this point the sun was coming up and with it, hope that I would hit my target and this would be over soon. I finished at around 8:30 am, took some painkillers, breathed in 3 McMuffins my Girlfriend had brought and got ready for the last lap.
At 11am I dragged myself round one last time listening to the Gladiator soundtrack and struck up a conversation with a runner who was in the team that beat us to first place last year. I came home just after 12 to a cheer from the Harriers and a small crowd, all of whom were drenched. I’d hit my target of 12 laps, just over 72 miles, feeling exhausted, proud of myself and grateful to all those who had helped and supported.
This is an amazing event and encourage all Harriers to give this as go. Ask anyone. Until next year, for 13 laps, maybe.
Josie’s Adventure
What can be achieved by the many
The weekend started off with a rather long drive, as we put the wrong postcode into the satnav and almost arrived in Cambridge, before realising we were about an hour south of Belvoir Castle. But fear not, we made it in time for the infamous Beer Mile, a run around the campsite after downing a pint of beer or running in fancy dress, big shout out to Jane who ran as a giant unicorn!
We then woke up to glorious sunshine in the morning, and some of the team set off for the park run (I was definitely saving my legs for later). After drawing our names out of a hat to decide the order, we got into our harriers kit, Chloe braided my hair, and we set off to the start line. James was up first and sped round his first lap, setting a quick precedent for the rest of the team to follow. I was up next, and feeling slightly nervous from having no experience of the course or knowing what really to expect, apart from some whispers of that hill. Wow, hills, hills and more hills, and what felt like not much downhill. The course was a lot more brutal than expected, but was fairly happy with coming in at around 52 minutes. I then joined the cheer squad, where I was amazed to see Andy Bowler cheering every single participant on by their name, over and over again – what a guy!
My second lap then came around at about 7pm, and the cooler temperatures allowed for a more comfortable run, but unfortunately the hills felt just as hard. Near the end of my lap, it started to drizzle, little did I know that the end of my runs in dry weather had come to an end. Before my third lap, I was lying in my tent, with extremely heavy rain battering down on the tent. Reluctant to get out of my warm sleeping bag, I got changed and went to the start line, to see a limping and grimacing James, pointing at his swollen ankle. Gulp. I set off on my first night run in the torrential rain, darkness and terrified I was going to do the same thing. Kudos to James for carrying on despite spraining his ankle on the first km, a true team player! However, it meant James had to retire from the team. Recognising the impact this had on the team, Dan stepped up and ran a double lap in the rain and darkness, Dan you are a hero!
My fourth and final lap started at 7:30am, thankfully back in the light. I was pretty exhausted by then, but this lap I was greeted by about 70 hounds on the course, one of the last things I expected, however I later found out there were some kennels nearby. I then supported the harriers on their final laps, before joining Emma for a group victory cross at the finish line in the pouring rain.
Running 40km in 24 hours in that terrain and throughout the night is something I never thought I would do this time last year, and doing it with the harriers makes it so much fun. I am so proud of the part everyone played in the team, and dare I say it… looking forward to next year?
