Once again time has marched on quicker than you can say "Oi what happened to your run report?!" My apologies for any inconvenience caused and please feel free to head to the till for a full refund.
Since my last post I have basically continued to train hard in both running and rowing. On the rowing side I did something a little crazy a few weeks back but I will leave that for a later post....ooo what a tease eh?!
On with the show!
Saturday 27th July
After the crazy heatwave we had in the UK in the week leading up to this 6 hour event, I was a little worried that I may actually burst into flames. The Thursday just before for example reached around 38°C in places!! Friday rolled around and the temperature dropped off to around 24°C. Saturday morning at 6am by comparison was arctic. I shuffled my sleepy butt outside and was greeted with cool, crisp 14°C morning air. Mummysaurus rolled up a few minutes later and I bundled in ready for our bop up the M1 to Northampton. After a quick pit stop to pick up Jo, one of our fellow RD`s at parkrun, we were on our way!
We chatted about are targets, I was planning on going for a 50km PB and Jo was planning on a marathon. We joked along the way that she will probably not stop there as she has been totally bitten by the ultra bug! Both of us agreed though, just like any looped event like this, that your targets can completely change depending on how the first couple of loops go and of course, the weather.
That`s actually one of the things I have been really enjoying about doing these 6 hour challenges lately.
An hour and a bit later we pull into the car park of the Holiday Inn a lot earlier than we had initially calculated, not a problem, more time to prepare and chill out a bit!
We step out of the car into the chilly drizzle and have a little nose around the facilities.
We decided to kick back on some squishy seats while we wait for registration to open, have a natter and check out all of the amazing T shirts on display of peoples accomplishments.
This was Jo`s first event with our hosts Saxon Shore and I think maybe my forth? As ever people were smiling and chatting away with each other. It had a very parkrun kind of feel about it, that sort of close community vibe where everyone knows each other but is also more than happy to welcome new comers with a smile and a story.
Just after 8am we wonder over to register, pick up our numbers and lap counters and then scurry back inside to the dry for a coffee while we wait. With coffee drunk, numbers pinned and toilet visited it was around 8:45am, time to head over to the start for the race briefing!
9am - time for some running!
I hugged Mummysaurus and wished Jo good luck as we lined up, ready for the off.
I chose to line up near the front again, my new mental preparation, approach with purpose.
3...2...1...GO!
Out into the grey, drizzly morning we go! The loops today are 5.17 miles so my hope was that the distance should tick by quite nicely.
We started along a long path and passed a very pretty horse having some breakfast on the grass. As we approach a bit of a hill, I`m already noting it as maybe being a bit of a problem later as the miles set in. The path turned into a nice grass bank that went pretty much right round a little lake save for a couple of small gravel paths and a bridge.
A whole gaggle of Geese were also out rummaging around in the morning dew. Backwards and forwards across the path, the adults on lookout, the goslings munching away and looking at us all with curiosity. The wind and drizzle whipped across the lake but was certainly not taking away from the beauty of the view. I could see a flock of sheep on the other side of the lake and an abundance of assorted birds flying about.......what a great place for a run!
Rounding the corner to the other side of the lake I could now see even more sheep down the other side of the bank, this is brilliant! A few of them ventured onto and over the path as I approached, in search of that fabled greener grass. I kept my eyes peeled for poop along this section as I was wearing my Luna sandals, only this time without socks. The idea of sheep or for that matter, goose poop between the toes was shall we say, not desirable.
A quick note about my footwear choice. On longer runs, say anything over 20 miles, I normally wear socks with my Luna just to try and preserve my feet for as long as I can. However of late I have been experimenting with just staying barefoot for as long as I can with the idea that I could add socks if I really need too. This was my first attempt at going for a marathon or more without socks and I was keen to see just how far I could push without having to add them.
With my first loop of the lake done, I head back over the bridge with its 2 swinging gates and onto the long path leading back towards the start/finish. This side of the hill was a lot shorter but sharper than the path leading towards it from the other side. Mental note, this is going to hurt later.
Reaching the top of the sharp hill means that I now have a really nice gradual downhill to coast, I`d say at least half a mile of it. Nice, time to take the breaks off and let gravity do its thing!
The second experiment I`m trying out today, nutritionally at least, is kind of a return to my first ultra.
Like many others, I read Born to Run back in 2012 and was instantly fascinated. I started running from scratch, dissected my running style, changed my footwear, changed my bio-mechanics, changed my diet, basically completely upended my life and gave it a bloody good shake! Within about 6 months I had sandals on my feet and chia seeds in my belly.
Over the coming years my diet shifted around and somewhere along the way I just "forgot" about chia. Maybe simply because I had so much of it for a while I probably just needed a break.
This memory was jogged for me when I was walking past my friends desk at work, lo and behold he had just started trying chia seeds after his girlfriend mentioned them a few days before.
A very rusty cog in the back of my head turned, "why don`t I just use chia and coconut water at the event?!" It`s one of those moments that seem so obvious you just cant work out how you didn't see it before, like constantly walking around a box on your way to the kitchen all afternoon. Eventually you move it........oh.......why the hell didn't I just do that earlier?!
Any who the seed was sewn, (see what I did there? I love a good pun, actually I think a bad pun is maybe even better?) I went straight to the supermarket after work and got some coconut water ready for the weekend.
I hope you enjoyed that little trip down memory lane, time to return to the present....well not the present present as I`m writing this nearly 2 weeks after so its actually the past.....erm present?
You get the idea.
When was I? oh yes, running.
The laps ticked by pretty nicely, my pace felt good, my feet and legs felt good, the weather was progressively less pleasant. The rain just didn't stop and it was that really fine rain, you know the type that means you don`t really notice it a great deal but are absolutely soaked within 10 minutes? Yeah that, for hours.
I tried to make my aid station turn around times as snappy as I could and it was working out really, really well. Around 2.5 hours in I felt myself give a little shudder. I looked at my watch and I was just a little under 18 miles. After some not so quick maths I made the decision to adjust my plan from 50km to a solid marathon attempt. The main consideration here being that I have St Albans Stampede, a 12 hour race, coming up on the 31st August and I simply didn't want to waste precious training time on recovery and being ill.
I past mummysaurus, who was out for a walk and told her today was going to be a marathon. I could feel the temperature had dropped a little and was very aware that I was soaked to the bone so I just kept running. Partly to keep warm, partly because I was starting to ache and was really hoping to minimise any walking time. So far with the exception of aid stations, I actually hadn't taken a walk break yet. This is new territory for me, I don`t actually recall a time where I have run almost continually for this long before even though I have done events much longer.
Coming into the aid station for my last lap I knew I needed to chuck in a handful of sweets to top up the tank for the final push. I threw a handful into my soft cup and thought this would be the best time for a quick walk break. I walked out for my finally lap, munching on my haul on the way.
Less than a couple of minutes later I was finished and running again. This final lap was starting to take its toll and that hill I mentioned at the start was now a real slog, just a gradual, energy sapping climb to the top. Just keep going.
Somehow I`m still running, it maybe a bit slower but I`m still running. The field of runners now has thinned out quite considerably, leaving me pretty much on my own for most of the lap. I still try and smile and give encouragement to everyone I pass in the other direction and it really helps to just keep me moving.
Finally I`m across the first bridge for the last time and onto the long path towards the sharp hill.
I tell my legs they can have a 30 second walk up the sharp bit if they will just stick with me and get me over the line. Even walking that little sharp hill at the end hurt but my legs kept their end of the deal and we are over it. I can see the long downhill section sprawled out below me.
Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, my quads and calves are toast but I`m still running.
I round the corner over the bridge and head for the start/finish knowing that I have a little out and back to do to round up to a marathon. I leg it in and try and get the instructions as quick as I can.
"Back out the way you came and down the path there is a lorry turning sign, turn around there and come back" I bolt off as quick as I can manage at this point, desperately scanning the path on the right hand side for the sign. THERE! I turn right and push for the sign. It felt like ages, in reality it was about 150 meters. I spin around, check my watch, if I can just hang on I might be able to sneak a PB but its going to be flipping close! I give it everything, it all hurts but I`m so, so close! Back over the bridge and onto the final path. My legs are screaming, I`m grunting like a pig......actually Mummysaurus recorded it.........cue the embarrassing footage!
Jo did amazingly well, every time I saw her she was smiling and looking way more relaxed than I was! She breezed her way to a 4:29:51 achieving 13th overall and 3rd Lady! After collecting our medals it was time to get out of the rain, get some warm clothes on and stuff our faces!
What a day! I cant quite believe that is my 3rd marathon and 3rd PB in 3 months! I`m enjoying this PB a month thing......bring on the end of this month ha ha ha!
Huge thank you as always to Mummysaurus for her driving, crewing and butt kicking.
Thank you to Saxon Shore for yet another great event!
Finally a huge thank you to you reader, I hope your enjoyed my ramblings!
Till next time folks,
Love and hugs
Cardiosaurus
