The Last Post...

Well that's it for another year and for 11 special people, the dream and journey of a lifetime. They battled rain, torrential rain and even horizontal rain, to run thru floods and the wettest April for over 100 years. For all but one, their roads finished short of Land's End but we were with them thru their highs and lows and we were privileged to share the experience of setting off from John o'Groats with the aim of getting to the finish line.

It might be remembered as the 'Wet One' or the 'Record Breaking One' perhaps... What I know is that we will remember it as the 'Easy One' as everyone was just so fantastically easy going during the whole of the 16 days we were on the road.

Our thanks go to:- Katherine, Mel, Sean, Andy, Steve G, Steve P, Rainer, Tim E, Tim O, Tom F, Tom H - as you are ALL amazing and just getting to the start line takes huge courage on this ULTRA... and to get as far as you did took real guts...

We also thank Driver, Paul Derbyshire, and Chef, Ann White, for housing and feeding everyone during the event and my own personal thanks go to my partner Jenny for her love and support for 16 days.

All that remains to be said is that we will always remember the year that a very quietly spoken German called Rainer Koch came and ran from John o'Groats to Land's End and blew us ALL away.

Please tune in next time when we JOGLE again and if you are interested in taking part in JOGLE 2013 hurry up as we already have 9 looking forward to the challenge!

More then...

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning

Rainer's the Champion

Well it's no surprise but Rainer has reached Land's End in 1hr 09mins to reach the finish line in style and win the 2012 JOGLE Ultra.

The tears flowed and for once there was real emotion on the face of  'The German Running Machine'... He really makes a true 'Champion' in every sense of the word... and he's a totally humble person too, which makes his victory all the more pleasurable.

Big Congratulations to him from us at ULTRArace and from all of you too, I'm sure...

More later...

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning in the UK

Location:Land's End

Last Dawn of the JOGLE 2012

Well here it is, the last day of this year's JOGLE Ultra... Eleven amazing people took up the challenge to run the 860+ miles from John o'Groats to Land's End. Only one has survived the journey, the Super-Charged, Rainer Koch from Nuremburg in Germany.

We will add our testament to Rainer post finish... (must start thinking of other adjectives than amazing and brilliant)...

There's just 10.3 miles left for him to cover this morning and of course it's raining a little as it's just starting to go light in Penzance. We will report more from the finish when he gets there...

It's going to be Champagne and Tears all round...

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning

Day 15 - Results

And here they are...

http://www.ultrarace.co.uk/events/results/

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning

10.3 miles left...

Well he's here in Penzance and did today's stage in 10hrs and 18 mins... another great run. He actually beat a lady waiting for the bus 10 miles from the finish to Penzance Bus Station, as she got off just as he passed it... who needs a bus pass eh?

Also it's remarkable as you have to take into consideration that he went sight seeing and took lots of pics today of anything Kernow. Tonight, well it's a bit of a celebration on board our sleeper bus and a nice fish and chip supper too... that's if he can fit that in after a massive Cornish Pastie.

He'll be off at 08:30 in the morning to batter the last 10.3 miles in to Penzance and it will be interesting to see if he can do a full house of 'Stage Record Times'.

What I do know is that we'll be there at the line to cheer him in and celebrate the most incredible run we have EVER witnessed... We hope you'll be there too...

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning

The LAST CHECKPOINT!

Rainer got to our final JOGLE CP just after 3pm. There are 12 miles to the finish today and only 10 tomorrow. So less than a marathon to go!!

Rainer's still knocking out the miles at an incredible pace - maybe the thought of fish and chips at Penzance is spurring him on.

That said, we are all definitely feeling the tiredness setting in today so roll on Lands End tomorrow...:-)

http://www.ultrarace.co.uk/ - The Home of ULTRArunning in the UK

Location:Sithney,United Kingdom

City Boy... 33 miles...

It's astonishing... he's still running 10.5 min miles including some whacking hills and a whistle stop trip to Truro Cathedral (where he went in and took lots pics of course). Good news is that the weather is still fine and we have promised him a good view of the sea as he comes downhill into Penzance.

However he's still not convinced that anyone goes on a beach holiday in Cornwall and has already said today that he hasn't got his 'Swimming Trousers' with him anyway... so 'he will not be swimming'...

Funnily enough, we won't be going swimming later either as it's celebration time not only right now as WE are at the last CHECKPOINT of this year's event but also that there is a Fish, Chip and Wine Supper tonight...

More from Penzance...

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning

Run Fat Boy Run...

JOGLER Andy Wilmshurst was watching this movie last night, as you do, and reckoned it reminded him of someone... what do you think? Apart from the look-a-like luckily there are no other similarities between Simon Pegg's character Dennis, and our Rainer...

Anyway, got to go as he is here now... taking more photos...

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning

10 down...

Rainer's just gone through St. Austell and has <90km left now until Lands End. The sunshine and blue skies that we ordered arrived by courier at 9am precisely and will hopefully lift Rainer through the 1400 metres of ascent he has to climb today.

We thought he looked slightly tired as we passed him at 7 miles, but he's not and it's business as usual for The Machine. We are off to get more supplies...

More from CP2...

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning in the UK

Location:Bosinver Ln,,United Kingdom

English Summer Please...

That's all that Rainer has asked for this morning, well that and a couple of MASSIVE bowls of porridge. He is now totally convinced that it just rains ALL the time! Let's face it, what are you meant to believe when it's been the wettest April for 100 years!

And it's a Bank Holiday this weekend... so we are not too hopeful...

Anyway forget the Met Office, OUR FORECAST is for plenty of steady running all day, uphill and downhill in a Westerly direction spreading to South-west Cornwall later in the day. The Whirlwind that's been dominating ultra-running down the country during the last couple of weeks will have cleared up by around 10am tomorrow morning and bright memories and astonishment will remain for a long time to come.

We wonder if we will experience conditions like this EVER again...

More from Checkpoint one - now where's my raincoat?

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning

Day 14 - Job Done - Results

Our friend, Becky Healey came out watch Rainer complete Day 14 in 10hrs 12mins... another blistering day out on the roads in Devonia and Kernow. Becky witnessed for herself the remarkable Rainer bashing up hills at over 6mph.

It's crazy for us to see too, as really we had envisaged anyone still standing (let alone running) to be finishing just inside the 'Midnight' cutoffs at this stage but this just isn't the case with 'The Trans-Europe Express' in town. We even managed a trip to The Dragon Leisure Centre to get washed and scrubbed up before our evening meal of Chilli... a firm JOGLE Ultra favourite.

We did find a suitably sized Mars Bar for him at our stopover at Downend Garage but it did melt and at £140 a time, they are a little impractical and outside race budget for tomorrow perhaps...

As for the last stage(s), well no doubt that will also prove not to be a problem as there is only 65 miles to go and there's over 800 miles in the bag for our man.

Please join us for the leg down to Penzance and like we said, if you are in the neighbourhood, please drop in on us. His times for the race so far are below...

http://www.ultrarace.co.uk/events/results/

Night from Rainer, Rory, Jen, Ann and Paul...

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning

Food is mood...

Well they say that food is mood and whilst most of the runners will pile down the sandwiches and pasties on such runs, Rainer is a Nuts and Milkshakes only ULTRA-runner. He throws in the odd Mars Bar and Tin of Coke or two but we can safely report that his diet like his running is Nuts!

With the last couple of days in sight, Rainer has re-written the rule books and we'll take away lots from his being with us on the JOGLE Ultra.

More when he gets here...

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning

There's no stopping him!

The hills just keep on coming and so does Rainer. We are perched at the top of another big hill at 43.6 miles and once again Rainer jogged all the way up it! He'd been going just under 8 hours when he reached us and there are only 10 to the finish.

So we can look forward to another knees up now as we are en route to the bus which is parked at Townend Garage tonight.

More from the finish - eta for Rainer is 17:15...

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning in the UK

Location:Woodcockwell Bungalows,Callington,United Kingdom

31.75 done...

Well we are parked at the top of a hill I think I would find hard for hill reps and Rainer jogged all the way up it before stopping for food. He's done 10.75 hilly miles in 2:01 so quite incredible pacing given he has now run over 775 miles, with <90 to go...

He seems to be enjoying the hills ('waves' in Rainer's language!) and has definitely perked up now the rain has stopped.

We are now off to Merrymeet for the final checkpoint of the day. More from there...

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning in the UK

Location:Sand Hill,Gunnislake,United Kingdom

CP2 - 21 miles

Rainer just came through 21 miles in 3:45, so he's doing circa 10:40 miles today which is decidedly hilly.

We feel very privileged to be able to witness such an incredible running performance, one which no doubt will take a very long time to be beaten.

Based on his current form he is likely to finish between 3.5 and 4 WHOLE DAYS ahead of our 2010 finishers. And that is in no way meant to belittle Neil Bryant, David Miles and Mark Cockbain who all ran outstanding races 2 years ago. It is more to demonstrate how off the scale Rainer's performance is proving to be - surely he has to be the Best in the World at this kind of race format?

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning in the UK

Location:Lewdown,United Kingdom

CP1 - it's getting hilly...

Rainer's come through the 10.1 mile point in just under 1:55. We had 3 very sizeable hills on the first section, and as we are driving on to CP2 we are being reminded just how hilly these last couple of days are...

Still, Rainer is still referring to them as 'slopes' and seems unperturbed as he runs up all of them!

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning in the UK

Location:Bowerland Rd,,United Kingdom

It's Raining:-((

Rainer didn't look quite so keen this morning as, guess what, it's chucking down again:-( Barclay from Mid Devon Caravans (where we parked last night) PROMISED me the sun always shined in Devon - guess we must be jinxed as we just can't shake the wet weather.

Still, it's 'only' 53.5 miles today, with 54.1 tomorrow then a 10 miler on Saturday and he's made it! So the end is palpable now...

We are looking forward to seeing Becky Healey later who is coming out to see The Machine as he passes near her hometown of Bodmin. Maybe you could bring some sunshine with you Becky?!

More from CP1...

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning in the UK

Location:Station Rd,Bow,United Kingdom

Kernow the Last County...

Here in Devonia..., it's raining AGAIN!!! Let's hope that our trip into Kernow will give us more blue skies and our last three days will be sunny memories when we look back at JOGLE Ultra 2012. What do you do when your running superstar finishes the days stage early? do you give him rest? sleep? massage?... no you take him down the pub! Namely the Tom Cobley Tavern in Spreyton... a 'Proper Pub' selling some very strange ciders and pub of the year, every year it would appear.

Anyway, it was mighty strange to hit these parts in daylight and hopefully we will do more of the same today. Rainer is still totally 100% as strong both physically as well as mentally as day one and will no doubt bash out another blazing day on the road.

More from CP1...

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning

Day 13 - Results

And here are the latest results... we are enjoying an extra 10 hours of rest time today compared to 2010:-)

http://www.ultrarace.co.uk/events/results/

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning

Day 13 - Finish

This is just getting plain daft now... Rainer's just finished in a ridiculous 7hrs and 51mins for the 43.4 miles of the days stage and there is still no sign of him slowing...

His camera might have some fatigue today as there were lots of 'Chocolate Box' cottages for him to photograph and he did manage time to go in and visit Crediton Church. He'll be walking on water next you see...

Anyway, 'The Machine' marches on and enjoy watching him cover the last 100 miles or so with us down to Lands End.

What a glorious day!!!

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning

Final CP done - off to finish for late lunch!

Well there was an almighty hill in the last stretch and Rainer still covered 11 miles in 1:55!

So it's only 11 miles to the finish now. The sun is shining and we are all looking forward to catching some rays and having an afternoon off. What a luxury! The Colemeister might even go out for a run too...

More from the finish...

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning in the UK

Location:Pleases Row,Crediton,United Kingdom

CP1 in 1:40

Rainer's just come through 10 miles at a 6mph pace which, if you could see the undulations and the traffic, is a very good pace indeed. What we have come to expect now but nonetheless quite incredible after over 700 miles of running. We have refreshed our supplies of Banana Milk for him and he's topped up and off again...

For the first time ever we are thinking we may have to investigate the local tourist spots later else we will be twiddling our thumbs!!!

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning in the UK

Location:Ashbrittle,United Kingdom

Rainer's set off on Day 13

Unlucky for some, but bar an act of God I can't see anything stopping Rainer getting to the finish now...

Rainer set off just before 07:20 this morning donning shorts. His legs look no different to day 1 and he ran off easily with no stiffness in his legs whatsoever.

He is currently weaving his way through Taunton before reaching us at the 10 mile point just west of Wellington.

More when he arrives...

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning in the UK

Location:Taunton Rd,Bridgwater,United Kingdom

Only 43.4 miles today...

I don't know what we will do later this afternoon as it's only a 43.4 mile stage today from Taunton to Bow (that's in Devonia). It's not that Rainer actually needs a shorter day of running but it's just the way the mileages and stopovers worked that throws in a shorter stage today.

He says he is going to catch up on his email and internet... A long lie down and a 750 mile service might be my weapon of choice...

We are off to the start and more from there...


www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning

Day 12 - Results

And here are the results for Day 12...

http://www.ultrarace.co.uk/events/results/

An astonishing 10:28 for today's 57.5 miler.... and making him some 70 hours quicker than the 2010 event at the same stage!!!

Unbelievable...

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning

Stage 12 - Mission Complete

Rainer finished the stage today well before 6pm in 10hrs 28minsin a. Yet another staggering time. Accompanied by 2010 Champion Neil Bryant, he had another remarkable day out on the road where they endured torrential rain and tropical sunshine.

It's been a bizarre day to say the least... the only thing that's been normal is Rainer's very, very consistent pace. I've started to set my watch by him!

Tomorrow, we hit Devon, the penultimate county of the JOGLE Ultra... and that really means the miles are whizzing by... especially with Rainer going at his current pace. The results or is that result? will be online shortly.

Lastly, thanks to Neil Bryant and Quentin Somerset for coming out to play... and also to the lovely Katherine for letting us stay at the http://www.junction24ltd.co.uk/ which now has a fanstatic restaurant and lovely hot showers!!!

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning

50 up...

It was a quick dash into Bridgwater for the guys as the pace was even and relentless this afternoon... it also got even HOTTER... we even dispensed P20 suncream...

Yes, there was a high level of UV to contend with and Rainer is starting to look very brown from the days on the road, although it's more likely to be rust than anything else.

The good thing is that Rainer has enjoyed having some company today and if you live on the route please come out and say 'Hello'.

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning

40.3 miles and it's HOT!

Rainer and Neil just got to CP4 which is 40.3 miles. Rainer has run EXACTLY the same time for 40 miles as he did yesterday so he must be using his cruise control!

In the space of 10 miles we have gone from serious floods to boiling hot sunshine which will hopefully lift the spirits. We are now heading for the final CP of the day so more from there...

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning in the UK

Location:Bristol Rd,,United Kingdom

Sun is shining...

What a crazy time we are having today... it's bright warm sunshine now! And 14 degress C... let's hope that Rainer isn't pulsing along now he has the 2010 Champ Neil Bryant alongside him on the road. It's been really humid all day in fact and we are so glad that the roads are now dry.

We just passed a sign for Weston-super-Mare which always sounds a long way down south where I am from and we are getting ever closer to that finish.

More when they get here...

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning

Raining on Rainer...

It's a New World Record as we have reached a new high in rain and surface water... We are on the A38 at the halfway point and Rainer is going to need flippers at this point as where the trucks pass each other.

On the upside Neil Bryant has just managed to catch 'The German Express' up and they are now clipping along at a great rate towards CP4 at 40 miles...

More from there...

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning

Rainer's through CP2

Rainer's still looking fresh as a daisy... Quentin found him along the Avonmouth Gorge and ran with him for a short while and was pretty astounded at the blistering pace.

He's just come through CP2 having navigated his way through the tricky Bristol roads perfectly. Neil Bryant is currently trying to catch him up having missed a rendez-vous at Clifton Suspension Bridge. Let's see how long it takes him...!

The rain did ease for short while but it has just started to chuck it down...:-(


www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning in the UK

Location:Ashton Rd,,United Kingdom

CP1 - 08:50

Rainer is surprisingly upbeat given the rain which looks like is set in for the day. He did the first 8.8 miles in 1.5 hrs which is great going on these busy, wet roads.

We are parked at the 11 mile point to help him onto the A4 before carrying on towards the Clifton Suspension Bridge where the lovely Quentin Somerset is joining us to say hello.

He's just whizzed past on a mission - more from CP2...

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning in the UK

Location:St Andrew's Rd,Bristol,United Kingdom

Back in England!

It was a very wet 'Severn Crossing' this morning and our planned photo extravaganza was more like a few limp photos in the rain. As we crossed the bridge Rainer did say that Wales has been his favourite country as it has better weather - that's a most unusual accolade for Wales!

Rainer has now turned for home and Lands End is just days away.

We are off to CP1 - more from there...

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning in the UK

Location:Olveston,United Kingdom

Morning from Wales...

Arrggghh... would you believe it - it's raining AGAIN. In fact it's been persisting down during the night and most folk on the bus said it woke them up. (Must have missed that bit myself...) But anyway, it's business as usual and Rainer is now well into his second bowl of Porridge and getting ready for a 7am start from the Severn Bridge approach over in ARAF (should be 'ymprydio' really as that means 'fast' I believe, well that's what Google suggests)...

We are looking forward to seeing Neil Bryant, today (JOGLE Champion 2010). Rainer enjoys running company along the way and with Neil being a Bristolian, his local knowledge will prove most useful as well as something to look forward to during the 57.5 mile stage.

More from the otherside of Passport Control...

www.ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning