1. Series Well, we hope you like the variety - 2 new races for 4 events so far and a brand new course for the Calderdale. OK - so the Wye Ultra did not go as we, the organiser or anybody planned but it would have been a multisport event if we had made everyone swim the river! The 7.5 mile laps were a real disappointment but the quality of the racing was great with some closely matched times. The new Calderdale course has received great feedback and, of course, we had laid on a sunny year this time - the Calderdale always seems to get extremes; one year it will be snowing and the next we can all sit outside in shirt sleeves. Last weekend we had the Montane Highland Fling; better weather than for most of the UK, and a great turnout with over 305 runners entered. Jez Bragg reigned supreme with a new course record of 7hrs 19mins but he wasn't the only record breaker of the day by any means. Allan Smalls, winner of the Wye Ultra, knocked an hour off the male vets record time with 7hrs 47mins and Adrian Dixon set a new MV60 record with 9hrs 54mins. Congratulations to them and to everyone who completed the 53 miles - our first "long" race of the season.

2. APRIL SPOT PRIZES VASQUE SHOES - Anne Green OMM ULTRA WAIST POUCH - Gavin Stewart THORLO SOCKS - David Donaghue CLIFBARS - David Giles Please email us HERE to claim your prize, stating your name, address you want the prize sent to and a contact telphone number. If you do not claim your prize it will be put towards the spot prizes at the end of season party. See HERE for previous winners - no-one has claimed from March yet???

3. Slamming Four races down and we can see that there are 8 people who have a full house so far. Some are still keeping their intentions about a Grand Slam to themselves but we salute those who are trying. As our own Karen "Run Like a Girl" found out - completing the slam is tough and a physical and emotional rollercoaster. Of course the pressure doesn't let up either; in 10 days time it will be the 2nd of the "long" category races - the classic Fellsman with an entry of over 400 this year and no Mark Hartell on the start line it's set to be an exciting event. Just one week later - down south to the Marlborough Downs for a fast but challenging 33 miles.

4. Content We hope you like to read some of the accounts and race reports on the site. We would always like to have more though and, for this, we need you. Runfuther does not have a team of people to produce the content - in fact we are mostly out running the races themselves. So, please do send in pictures, race reports and accounts of anything you do that can be called Ultra-running so we can share the word. Look out in the next couple of weeks for some reports from the US where Mark is geting realy to run his first big event of the season - the Miwok 100km - followed by a trip to run the Grand Canyon from one edge to the other and back in a day - 47 miles with 90degree temps in the canyon floor and snow on the North Rim. Read his Blog HERE. Another big route is Lands End to John O'Grouts by Caryl and Archie inaid of Macmillan Nurses - read their Blog HERE 5. Records May marks the beginning of the big rounds season and there is a lot happening. David Waide has already made two attempts on a South Wales Traverse - sadly stopped by stomach problems. On 16th May - Tom Gibbs will attempt a sub 18 hour Paddy Buckley round in Wales and a week later, on 23rd May, Steve Birkinshaw will attempt to add Fleetwith Pike to the 77 peaks of the Lake District 24 hour record. Both are determined and well prepared and both records are over 10 years old so.....time to move it on a north. Good luck to them!!

Whatever your dream this year, make sure you enjoy the run..................... Cheers Karen, Mark and Si (The Runfurther Team) To un-subscribe from this newsletter, please login to your account on Runfurther (right hand side of the screen) and uncheck the box asking for a newsletter.