 The canal towpath from Shardlow This year, two of our KADS ladies took on the NoMad Ultra event. Although our ladies captain Nic is a seasoned NoMad and ultra-distance runner, for route master Rachelle, this was her first ultra-distance race. Here is her report on the local event... The Nomad Ultra is an event organised by Long Eaton Running Club following a multi-terrain route around Derbyshire, starting and finishing in Breaston. It has a 50k, 50 mile and a team relay option, and the entry fee is reasonable, especially if you get in the Early Bird price – just £34 for EA members! I entered the 50k event, which follows part of the Derby Nomad Trail (a circular hiking route around Derby) for the first part, cutting up through Derby City Centre and re-joining the trail at for the final part. The race starts in Breaston and heads through Draycott along a fairly flat route as it joins the canal at Shardlow. The first checkpoint at 10 miles is a bit surreal because although it’s the first checkpoint, it’s actually the longest portion of the route between checkpoints, so it’s serves to “break the back” of the race in a sense. You are greeted with flapjacks, banana and smiles to keep you going and it’s lovely to be feel like you can stop and have a mini break, with no pressure to run and keep drinking, like you would in a “normal” road race. I think that pretty much sums up the whole race atmosphere – very low key and friendly vibe. There are three more checkpoints after this one, each with an equally friendly reception, which was much needed on such a hot day. After heading through Derby, the route follows footpaths through the Derbyshire country side, through fields and long grass and over SO MANY STILES! It definitely becomes much more challenging and you realise how the canal towpaths were a breeze… Despite the challenge, the views are amazing and although the hills are pretty demanding (both the up and the down) all in all it really is a wonderful experience. A lot of you will know the training I’ve been putting in since the New Year really took its toll on me sometimes, but I can honestly say it was worth it and I cannot wait to do it again. I would encourage you all to check out the race for next year, consider the 50km or the 50 mile option, but almost certainly I’m keen that we enter a team relay – the 50 mile route can be split into 6 legs; it’s a relatively underrepresented aspect of the event and I think it would be great to support a local race and a local club. http://www.thenomadultra.com/index.php  *photo credits to John Oleshko:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/133863529@N03/albums/72157696645433151/with/29133818668/
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