GREENFIELD’S history-making ultra runner is putting his feet up after completing his epic 200-mile ‘slog’ – he has to.
But Colin Green already has a longer, more arduous date in his diary!
He sealed his place in the record books by becoming the first person to run the whole of the Greater Manchester Ringway in one go.
Over the recent Bank Holiday weekend, he set off from Greenfield station and ran a loop through each of the region’s 10 boroughs before gleefully returning home on Monday, May 6 after 84 hours 12 minutes.
It meant seeing deer poking through the mist and other sights as he tackled the trails.
It also meant sleeping in train station shelters, even a churchyard, plus short power naps at a variety of locations!
Now he has done it, the neuro-physiotherapist is giving his battered feet a well-earned rest before preparing for the even longer Spine Race along the Pennine Way.
There is also work to do – he was meant to be back at his day job a day after completing it!
Colin said: “My feet are really swollen, I’m on crutches at the minute. Blisters-wise, however, they’re pretty good.
“It’ll be about three days before I can walk and drive, it’ll be two or three weeks before I’ll run again – I start the Spine Race in five. This was probably a nice training run for that!
“I said to my wife Jane, ‘Is it appropriate to go to bed when it’s still light? On this occasion, it probably is.’
“On the first night, I slept for an hour or so in one of the shelters at Bromley Cross train station, the one that was more sheltered from the rain, but I still got wet.
“The next, I slept for three-and-a-half in a churchyard. I hadn’t planned where I’d be sleeping, it was just boots off and get in the sleeping bag.
“I was also having five-minute sleeps during the day – they could be anywhere!”
Colin was accompanied by cousin Anthony Rogers for about 90 miles of the run, while several other runners joined him at various stages.
After making it through Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Bolton, Wigan, Salford, Manchester, Trafford and Stockport, the toughest stage through Tameside and back into Saddleworth came at the end.
And the thought of toasting the finish with a beer did spur Colin on as he added: “Terrain-wise, a lot of it was probably Spine Race level hard. The eastern and northern sections particularly, once you got to the west and south, it was a little easier.
“And this is 68 miles shorter than the Spine Race, plus the weather was much better. I wasn’t trudging through bogs.
“That last stage as well probably saw the heaviest rain. It just was a bit harder underfoot.
“It was still good to see Greenfield station again and on the last stage, I said to Anthony, ‘Should we have a pint?’
“That motivated me coming down from Chew Reservoir!
“There were about 20 people there to welcome me but over the course on the run, there were about 30 who helped and supported me.
“That was really good and I was aware that people were watching me. In the Spine Race, if you stop there are several others running. People got really invested in the journey.
“But knowing that pushed me through, that’s why I had a tracker on so people could watch me and meet me at the right place.
“And each time I approached a checkpoint, where Jane and my mum and dad were, that was always good as you see people, you’re on your own for quite a while and you knew you’d ticked off another stage.”
Colin’s feat was not just for the benefit of himself. About £1,500 has been raised for charity Day One Trauma Support, who he did it for after hearing how they work with people affected by events.
And he told Saddleworth Independent he believes his time can be beaten.
He said: “It was about raising awareness of the charity, as well as funds, but also about the route – which is a decent route.
“And I think someone could take a day off my time – but they won’t be the first to do it.”
