Build up to the Winter Wirral Ultra had been challenging – after the euphoria of completing the London to Brighton 100k Ultra in May, there was a not unexpected dip in enthusiasm for running. I definitely need time to recover, reflect and reconnect with life outside training.

But the desire for a new challenge wasn’t far from my mind – and it came in the form of the Winter Wirral Ultra – 37 miles around the Wirral peninsula in a race organised by the very quirkily named Charm Bracelet Trail Events.

The circular route starts and ends at Eastham Lodge Golf Club, before the start of the Wirral Way. The first 12 miles of the route follow the disused railway path, before you hit the many stunning coastal paths the Wirral has to offer.

It seemed perfect – not too far (everything is relative) or too far away, relatively straightforward for supporters, and a route that wouldn’t involve climbing a mountain in the dark. So we signed up, and started preparing. We were getting in some good long runs, before a swollen ankle put me out of action for a couple of weeks. Then a Sunday training run in early October, where we covered 20 miles on the middle section of the route, and a couple of long canal runs around Stoke, boosted confidence significantly; this was still possible.

But then ill health struck my running buddies and in the week before the race, and as the week progressed, it was time to work out a plan B. Did I still want to race? Yes. How did I feel about running on my own? Uncertain. Was I going to do it anyway? Yes. Plan B it was – which involved a slight change to race logistics, some hasty packing and finding a hotel as close to race HQ as possible.

When we arrived on Friday evening, we found a roaring fire, a very cosy library (with a book swap shelf) and everything looking ready for Christmas. It felt slightly out of sync with running an ultra the next day – but the spa bath in our room would be very much appreciated after the race! We ate dinner by the fire and made plans for the next day – Mr T was going to carry of bag of extra supplies I might need and we worked out a few potential meeting points.

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After a short taxi journey the next morning, I was at race HQ and getting into the familiar race routine. Pinning on my number and tracker, queueing for the toilets, chatting with other runners, all debating how many layers to wear and how much food to carry.

But there wasn’t much faffing or waiting around; after a very quick race briefing, we set off at just after 8am.

We had to complete a couple of miles along quieter roads before joining the main trail and I was running a bit faster than was probably sensible – but getting to the trail section as quickly as possible made sense at the time. Once on the trail sections, there were plenty of muddy puddles to run through, and a bit of a scrambling required. It was damp but not raining too hard. An Elis and John podcast kept me amused and distracted.

Checkpoint one came after about 75 minutes – I stopped long enough to refill my water and grab an extra snack. Then it was on again. The second section was almost entirely on footpaths, skirting the edge of Wirral Country Park. The rain was a bit heavier, and the clouds meant no views across the bay to North Wales. But checkpoint two was not too far away – keep going, take stock when you get there.

After leaving checkpoint two, I knew I needed to pay a bit more attention to the route as we navigated around West Kirby and crossed the railway line at Hoylake. And then I could see the sea – which gave me a mental boost. For the next few miles, I would be running along the coastal path – and Mr T was coming to meet me soon.

Our original plans didn’t quite work out – there were delays on the trains and Mr T wouldn’t get to Leasowe Lighthouse before I did. So after a quick phone call, I kept running and he diverted to Wallasey, so we could meet up just after checkpoint 3; and I could change my shoes and add an extra layer – it wasn’t very warm!

It was great to see him and have a chat and a bit of company for a few minutes; he then diverted back to the train to head to Birkenhead. I continued along the coast; reaching marathon distance somewhere just after New Brighton, with the Mersey on my left and the view of Liverpool another good distraction.

The next few miles were definitely the toughest – zigzagging around the ferry terminal and dock buildings, trying to motivate myself to keep going. An interesting mural, some 90s tunes and Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Kitchen Disco helped – apologies to anyone who heard me singing. And Mr T was waiting for me again at the Birkenhead Ferry Terminal, with more snacks and my headtorch – I might need that soon. We walked for about five minutes round towards checkpoint 4, before he went to collect his lunch from a nearby cafe and I carried on. Almost 30 miles completed now – it felt like the home stretch.

Mr T popped up once more as I passed through Rock Ferry, and I had a big gulp of his salted caramel latte, before plodding on, one foot in front of the other, just keeping going. Mr T would be waiting for me at the finish – just six miles to go now. I remember stopping for a photo – smiling for a selfie to give myself some extra belief. If I had energy to smile, I had energy to keep going.

More zigzagging around Port Sunlight – I got a bit confused on the route at that point and ended up going up and down the same steps a couple of times until I got my bearings. And then we were back on the coastal path by Eastham Country Park and I’d reached the final section – the light was fading, and the time for headtorches was fast approaching, and I really felt the fatigue hit. I remember chatting with another runner – offering motivation to each other, keep going. I was running then walking, then running again – making progress.

When I’d set off, I just wanted to finish. But now I had an extra motivation – could I finish in daylight? I was carrying my headtorch, but I get back at the golf club before I needed it.

And that extra little challenge pushed me on… it was definitely murky as I came along the final stretch, but it was still daylight. I could see the flags and then hear Mr T cheering me to the finish. And then it was over – it was an emotional finish, but I’d done it. I missed my running buddies, but knew they were cheering me home too.

After a few tears, I celebrated with a pint of cider and a cup of tea, and later on, with a big plate of chips!

It might not have quite gone to plan, but completing my second ultramarathon in 2024 felt pretty good. Now I’m having a rest.