(edited 28/09/2009, more pictures and text)
(edited 30/09/2009, a bit more text)

On Friday, I went to the North Yorkshire Moors to give a bit of help at the Hardmoors 110 race, that I've run last year. l had been previously described by Jon to the runners as:
Julien the mysterious frenchman will be manning a tent high up in the Cleveland Hills, dont be fooled by his good lucks and french charm, this guy is an animal, he eats Ultras for breakfast and kicks ass in his home country on the UTMB
I started by helping at the registration desk in Helmsley. It was rather funny that a few runners I've never met recognised me because of this blog (as there is very little "literature" about the Hardmoors so far). Jon has organised things very well for runners as well as volunteers, as I got a marshall pack including food for the night, and a very exclusive Hardmoors 110 fleece!


Glowing sticks on the Captain Cook Monument and my tent at 3am.


I watched the start of the race with envy. As a volunteer, you can feel the pressure building up before the start a bit as if you were actually running it. When the start is given, everything becomes suddenly silent and I went back to pack up the registration desk. What a feeling of being left behind, what an anti-climax!


My tent.


I then helped with the first check point (Sutton Bank). Feels better to see the runners going through. During my 24 hours in Yorkshire, we moved around to "check" a few checkpoints, and that was pretty interesting. Following the runners around. See how they change over time. Now I feel like trying on the third way of living a race: being part of a support crew :)


The way to Roseberry Topping in the morning.


I was posted at a "surprise" checkpoint near the Captain Cook Monument. Roseberry Topping clearly visible a few miles North in the night, and I exchanged a few head torch signals with Jez, who was posted there (or at least I thought that was him!). As runners went through between 2:30 and 7am, I spent the night in an open tent, marking times and trying not to sleep. Offering Mars bars. Drinking lots of coffee. Eating. Reading. Giving encouragements. Watching and listening the red grouses in the morning. Good times out!


Red grouse.


I eventually went to visit Mike, volunteering at Whitby youth hostel. Got a bit of sleep. Then went back to Scarborough and London.


Whitby youth hostel checkpoint. Note the difference with my checkpoint.


Ultra other side of the fence.