The annual Grim Reaper
Ultra-Marathon on the grounds of Grimsthorpe Castle Estate took place over 3rd
and 4th August 2018, offering competitors 40, 70 or 100 mile options within a
26 hour time limit as solo runners, pairs or teams. The race covered multiple
10 mile loops through the beautifully scenic castle grounds across a mixture of
limestone trail, tarmac and grass tracks.
Two
members of Grantham Running Club, Joe Clarke and Matthew Kidd, entered the 70
mile solo event this year after deciding to make the step up from the marathon,
having only previously completed that distance twice and once respectively.
They were using the run to raise money for the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital
Charitable Fund and Cancer Research UK.
In the
hot and humid conditions, the pair set off together and remained that way until
the mid-way point when Kidd was forced to slow considerably after suffering
with cramp. From this point Clarke remained strong and showed remarkable
consistency to finish in second place with a great time of 16:40:29, an
incredible achievement in his debut above 26.2 miles.
Kidd was
able to maintain enough momentum, making use of two breaks, to avoid a ‘DNF’
and finish in 22:12:00. Completing the race felt like huge achievement for both
runners, more so with the multiple drop outs and slower finish times across the
event compared with previous years as a result of the smothering heat.
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