The Great North Dove Run

As our Turtle Doves considered heading north, Robin Sandham and I embarked on a migration of our own; between Dalby Forest and Spurn Bird Observatory. Covering 114km / 71 miles, on foot, in just two days over the 25th and 26th March 2022. Our route connected the northern most breeding Turtle Doves in the country with the famed migration watchpoint of Spurn, running from forest to coast.

Two back-to-back ultra marathons is no mean feat in any circumstance. However, I'd lost half of February to Covid, testing positive for the full 10 day isolation period and losing two full weeks of training, inclusive of planned attendance at the Marriott's Way Trail Marathon (a strategically entered race - to give me a measure of fitness and boost confidence six weeks out from the main event).

Having recovered from Covid I returned to running, just two weeks out I injured my ankle, abandoning a planned 17 mile training run at the 10 mile mark, hobbling 3 miles out of the forest to an extraction point. This coincided with a hip injury which was plaguing Robin and requiring intensive physio - as such two weeks out we were both injured! It's fair to say that two weeks out the Great North Dove Run felt ill-fated and nigh on impossible... 

There was also the small matter that I shouldn't have been doing a Turtle Dove based endurance event in the first place! I'd retired from such escapades following the successful completion of Dove Step Rehab last year. Fate and Turtle Dove conservation is a cruel mistress and instead of happily returning to hostelries the length and breadth of the country - bigger boys forced me to join in their efforts:

Rich Baines is spear-heading on-the-ground deployment of funds raised to benefit Turtle Doves in the National Park and there has also been specific Year of the Dove brewed and sold via the National Park gift shops and selected pubs. 

Mark Pearson has also completed his #Couch2500k running challenge, clocking 500km between April 2021 and April 2022, raising six thousand dollars in the process. 

The Great North Dove Run started cool, bordering on chilly as we collected ourselves and fought the nerves at the Dalby Forest Visitor Centre. After the initial downhill we set into the rhythm of climbs and descents of the National Park and Yorkshire Wolds: 

Day 1 was hot and once we'd left the National Park we were largely on roads; tarmac and heat result in maximum abrasion. As a result, across the day I had cramp in both legs and we both collected blisters - on  both feet. Still, we went through the marathon distance in under five and a half hours and saw off the next half marathon in a further two and a half hours. Efficient moving, enhanced by the capable support of Robin's better half. Once showered and convalescing at the night's accommodation I felt battered, stiff-legged and genuinely unsure of having to face a further ultra marathon the next morning...

After the first few miles of day two I felt relatively human, by mile five I felt unwell, generally depleted and like I was about to pass out and vomit; the rigours and heat of day one weighing heavy. We got into a solid run-walk rhythm and stayed on top of feed and water - again courtesy of Emer's support and pre-planned pit stops. One thing that amazed me and still seems unreal is that after a bout of walking around Patrington and the Humber wall, we were actually able to run in the last three miles to the finish line. Having felt so rough at mile five - how is this possible? 

As with Dove Step, all funds raised from The Great North Dove Run will be used by BirdLife International projects, on-the-ground to save Turtle Doves. This is an absolute requirement of all and any projects I am involved with. BirdLife International will deploy monies in Cyprus, Greece and Malta - helping Turtle Doves on the eastern Afro-European flyway.

Please don't forget Turtle Doves and please don't forget Dove Step ~ for doves forever.

THE JUST GIVING IS STILL OPEN