For all the running I have done in my life, I hadn’t ever run 40 kilometres in one go. My original intention was to achieve a 40 kilometre run by completing the Manchester Marathon but it was rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I still intend to take part this October but whilst in the UK recently a friend suggested I take part in the Anglezarke Amble, a 24 mile / 38.4 kilometre route over the Pennines. You can read more about it on the following link:

https://www.ldwa.org.uk/WestLancashire/W/2968/anglezarke-amble.html

The Anglezarke Amble usually takes place on Valentine’s Day February 14th from Anglezarke to Entwistle reservoir and back in a loop. Unfortunately, the 2021 example of this event has also been cancelled due to the pandemic and I wasn’t going to be around for that long so instead it provided the inspiration and foundation for a 40 kilometre trail / fell run that would also take in the remote crash site where Herbert Noga crashed his RAF Mustang just after the end of World War Two.

With over 1,000 metres of elevation gain and the temperature below zero throughout this was going to be a memorable run!

The route map was as follows:

I planned the route out on Garmin connect in advance and then uploaded it to my Garmin 245. I know most of these roads and trails but haven’t ever tied them together into one run. The Garmin navigation system was brilliant, enabling me to stay on track and if I drifted off, it was easy to use to guide myself back. Really impressed with that and given the conditions it was practically essential!

I also took my new GoPro Hero 9 Black out for a thorough test and it’s a massive step up from my previous Hero 4 Black. Super smooth, easy to operate and the battery life seemed to be much longer, certainly in below zero temperature conditions.

I made a video summary of the whole run:

I predicted completing the 40km in 6 hours and the Garmin data tells me I passed that point in 6 hours and 9 minutes – not a bad estimate given the conditions. However, due to human error and distraction I had completed 41.3km at the finish point so decided I should simply carry on to 42.6km to complete a marathon – another first for me!

Other notable Garmin data is as follows:

Some nice pictures:

In the video I refer to a ‘Tragedy on the Moor’ and that I would read about it. This is a good link to what is a truly sad story, may those lads also rest in peace:

https://www.lep.co.uk/heritage-and-retro/retro/frozen-death-lancashires-moors-673507