Kuhacs @ Endure 24 2024

“What a difference a day makes…..Twenty-four little hours”

Dinah Washington captured the essence of what it’s like to be part of Endure 24 @ Bramham Park. Twenty-four hours doesn’t usually seem like a long time until you’re faced with a 5-mile hilly trail route that’s only open for a “day”, it seems like forever. You start-out with fresh legs and nervous anticipation but a day later end up tired, aching but with great sense of achievement.

This year a group of 12 Kuhacs and friends headed out to Bramham to enjoy the sights and sounds that make up the infamous Endure 24 event. We arrived on Friday morning to set up our campsite and mark our territory with the Kuhac flags. The festival village offers food stalls, merch tents, a fire pit, beer tents and the obligatory start / finish line. A few beers and a pizza settles the team in for the task ahead.

On Saturday morning the excitement fills the air with runners swapping their casual clothes for team colours and their favourite running shoes. Competitors fill the starting grid at 12pm and start the countdown… 3,2,1 and off we go.

The 5-mile route is trail-heaven, with its mix of epic views, undulating hills and tree-
lined paths, it gives you constant visual stimulation during the long hours of running.

So what makes Endure 24 such a challenge? Is it the distance? The hills? The hours of running? No… although these all play their part. It’s not about setting lap times, stringing 5 laps together in a go or running up the hills…(for me at least) the true challenge is restraint. 24 hours is a long time.

Even though all the Kuhacs (apart from Miss Harker) were running the race as solo entries, it really was a team effort with support and advice being passed around like gels and electrolytes.

Here’s the results of our illustrious day-long Kuhac runners.

Danny Longhorn – 14 laps (70 miles)
Mike Gill – 5 laps (25 miles)
Claire Bear and Lisa – 6 laps (30 miles)
Claire Nimmo and Rob – 8 laps (40 miles)
Jamie Law and Paul S (me) – 10 laps (50 miles)
Paul Mickman and Phill – 6 laps (30 miles)
Catherine Harker – 4 laps (20 miles)
Andy D – 6 laps (30 miles)

If you’d have asked us on Sunday, as the course closed, if we’d be back again next year, I’m sure the answer might have been a tired “no”…. but 24 hours later and the 2025 plans have already begun!! What a difference a day makes :)