Stephen Pyke (better known to friends out on the hills as Spyke) has certainly proved his change from shorter distance to Ultra distance running. Here's how it all panned out for Spyke.
1. How did you get into running?
I started running in my late twenties but didn't really start to take it seriously until I was into my thirties and settled in Stone, where I still live. At that time I was running mainly competing in road races and in the cross-country over the winter.
2. When did you more towards the longer events and why?
I started doing more fell races about three or four years ago and did my first 'serious' mountain marathon in 2003. It was an obvious thing to do really as I'd been walking in and enjoying the hills for years, looking back I only wonder why I didn't do it sooner. My first long event was the High Peak Marathon in 2005 which I agreed to do minutes after finishing the KIMM the previous Autumn. A similar moment of weakness allowed Steve Watts to persuade me it would be a good idea to get an online entry for the 2006 Ultratrail Tour of Mont Blanc as they were filling fast even though I had no intention of running it at the time.
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3. Apart from the Championships, what else did you get up to in 2006?
2006 was probably the busiest year I've had as a runner. As usual I competed for my club Staffs Moorlands AC in the cross country over the winter. The first big event was the High Peak Marathon in early March in which our team of Tim Laney, Stephen Watts, Julian Brown and myself were pleased to retain the Millstone Trophy. My next two races in April were in the British Fell Championships in Northern Ireland and the Lakes. At the end of April I then travelled out to Germany with several friends from Staffs Moorlands to run in the European Masters Mountain Running Trophy. Whilst my clubmates Dave Neill and Andy Wilton were picking up medals I was happy with 8th place in the M40s. In the middle of May (and after consective races in the Ultrarunning Champs on the previous two weekends) I helped our Club to 4th place in the British Masters Road Relays - running a 5 k leg on tarmac, which was a complete contrast to all the running before and after. At the end of May, Tim Laney and I completed the Ramsay Round with great support from Craig Harwood and Stephen Watts over the latter two stages. This was a truly great day out in the Scottish hills capped by the memorable sight of the sun setting over the Ardgour peninsular as we headed west over the Mamores to complete the round. The following weekend I supported my friend Dale Colclough on two legs of his successful Bob Graham attempt. A week later it was back up to Scotland for the Lowe Alpine Mountain Marathon, which since first running it in 2003 is always one of the highlights of my running year. Last year it was in the spectacular location of Assynt in the far North West and again running with Tim Laney we were happy with our fifth place so soon after finishing the Ramsay.
Training for the next couple of months then focussed on the Ultratrail Tour of Mont Blanc interspersed with runs in the Osmotherly Phoenix and the Rings of Fire as part of the Ultrarunning Champs. The UTMB as noted elsewhere on the runfurther website is an incredible race; the organisation and support all the way round the course are brilliant and the scenery is spectacular. I was pretty apprehensive before the start of the race as 100 miles started to seem like a very long way. I really didn't know what to expect and started steadily but after a very dodgy patch mid-race, where I was reduced to a slow shuffle, I was pleased to finish strongly and get up to 14th place. One more race in the Ultra Champs followed a couple of weeks later at Chatsworth then a trip out to Nothern Ireland for the Mourne Mountain Marathon which is another very friendly event in a great location.
Finally in November it was back to winter running and cross country for Staffs Moorlands. By this stage I think a season of long races had taken its toll as I really struggled in these shorter races and took a lot of flak from my team mates when I didn't feature in the 'count'.
4. So, you had a pretty busy 2006 including being the inaugural Vasque Ultrarunning Champion - what were your intentions at the start of the year?
At the start of the year my aim was to try to run well in the British Fell Championships and also to have a go at the Ramsay Round, which I'd been thinking of attempting for several years. In the event I had two poor runs in the opening races of the Fell Championships which put a bit of a dampener on my efforts there. Then in early May after a busy week at work I decided not to make a planned trip up to Scotland to recce the Ramsay Round but as I still wanted to get in a long training run I made a last minute decision to do the Rhayader Trail Race. So at 5 o'clock on saturday morning I was jumping in the car and driving over to mid-Wales, picking up the OS map at the newsagent as I drove through the town. I surprised myself by winning it and then had a good run the following weekend at the Fellsman which I'd planned to do as part of my Ramsay Round preparation. This persuaded me I ought to have a go at doing enough races to complete the MUC series. This also fitted in better with preparation for the UTMB because although I had entered it the previous December I don't think I'd given too much consideration as to how I was going to fit the training in for it. So in the end although the year all fell in to place I have to admit it definitely wasn't planned that way.
5. So, do you think you can build on that success? What plans do you have for 2008?
I am hopeful that having stumbled into ultradistance running last year I can learn from the experience and my training this winter has been more geared to the longer distances.
6. Will you defend your title in the MUC?
I will definitely have a go but I'm expecting plenty of competition and I think I will probably only fit in four or five races in the Champs so I'll just have to see how they go.
7. Do you have any ambitions towards other challenges, records etc?
Loads... I intend going back to the UTMB again to see if I can better my performance of last year. I also want to attempt the nine Scottish 4000 footers as a run, like the Ramsay Round it is another challenging day out in the Scottish Hills and takes you through some remote and beautiful country. Then there are the Bob Graham and Paddy Buckley Rounds which I definitely want to attempt some day and a certain Mark Hartell has persuaded me that the HardRock 100 over in the States is a great race. At a slower pace I also hope to find time next year to climb the forty odd Munros I need to complete the round.
8. What motivates you and how do you find the time to train?
Enjoyment, competition and the challenge presented by big runs in the hills. Weekday training does eat into my evenings as I have a two and a half hour round trip to work and work quite often takes me away travelling but I'm usually reasonably disciplined once I have a target that I'm training for.
9. Do you have any top tips for those just setting out in Ultradistance?
First and foremost go out and enjoy it. The distances may at first seem daunting but if you look after yourself and just keep going, as I've discovered, you'll be surprised at what you can achieve.
10. Do you listen to music when running or training - if so, whats the favourite groove?
I'm afraid you've picked the most unmusical person going for this one. In any case as often as possible I train offroad so I enjoy listening to the sounds around me.
11. Who has influenced or motivated your running or it is all self motivated?
I have taken inspiration and learnt from a wide range of people since taking up running. I have great respect for, as well learning a lot from a number of my clubmates at Staffs Moorlands such as Dave Neill, Dave Hollins and Andy Wilton who have achieved immense success but remain incredibly modest with it. I'll probably get stick from him for saying so but since taking up longer distances I've learnt a great deal from Tim Laney about running in and appreciation of the mountains (how many others collect specimens of flora whilst on a Ramsay Round - one of the toughest mountain rounds in Britain?).
12. Is there anything else you would you like to see from the Vasque Ultra-champs?
It would be good to see the participation in the Champs continue to grow particularly from younger people and newcomers to the sport.
Thanks Spyke and good luck with all your future races and lets see you better your TMB time this year.
