Living in the North East with the beautiful views of Northumberland on our doorstep it is often easy to become laissez faire about what we see on a daily basis but with thanks to the Daft as a Brush (www.daftasabrush.org.uk) charity and the organisers of the Tyne Trail Ultra, competitors were spoiled by the fun twisty woodland routes, undulating river paths and glorious farmers fields with the odd fast road surface along the way.

Each aid station was accompanied by a smile to go alongside bananas, crisps, nuts and sponsored mountain fuel (www.mountainfuel.co.uk) amongst an array of biscuits and sweets which were so easy to hand whilst water bottles were filled by volunteers as Marshalls gave the personal touch offering advice on the next section of the route.

Competitors were tracked by a small simple GPS which family and support crew found easy to follow and kept interest for hours after the event watching fellow competitors achieve their goals and the stalwart 150km group make the most of a long weekend.

Bussing to the registration point of Kielder Castle and the remote location of Deadwater on the Scottish border on paper filled the soul with logistical dread however in reflection, it became part of the race, the community and highlights the way that the Tyne Trail Ultra company likes to do your thinking for you to put you at ease so all you need to concentrate on is your race.

All in all, a highly successful ran event and a highly enjoyable race to participate in with spread out fields of runners the route never appeared congested but you never felt lonely either. Well done Tyne Trail Ultra and with the warming benefit of having the link with the Daft as a Brush charity, mind and soul were at the heart of it all with personal touches from their organising team also to drive competitors forward with a feeling of making history on an inaugural event.

Medals and t-shirts for finishers, with jacket potatoes, soup and beans replenishing competitors, the finish line (at the pub!) continued the warm feeling of accomplishment.

As the title says this is a great race and has 2 distances. I did the 75km race and was amazing at the amount of support we got on the route. The aid stations were well stocked and marshals were keen to help us all fill bottles and provide whatever we needed. The route follows the Daft as a Brush Tyne Trail and the book and markings meant it was easy to follow especially with the additional signs put up by the organiser. The tracker each competitor had meant friends and family could see progress. I would recommend this race and hope to be back next year.

Dipping my toes into the world of ultra running, I was not disappointed by this race. Pre-race, the booking and information was comprehensive and straightforward. The planned coach transfer on the day was uneventful - always the best way to start an event. The registration and briefing process was easy and put everyone at ease. The course wound down past Kielder, through the Northumberland countryside, finishing at Warden. The route was a variety of Trail and Road, with some good running sections. The scenery was stunning. The aid stations on the day were well stocked and manned. The organisers were fantastic, offering a great service. The personal touch of ensuring everyone was ok, and offering a briefing for the next section ahead was nice. It was a really friendly atmosphere and it contributed to a great day. 

In summary, great organisation, with great organisers on the day. Stunning route, that was a challenge, but a fantastic day out. Well done to everyone involved, from the organisers, support team, and the participants.