UltraRace100 Friday 22nd to Saturday 23rd June 2012
This would be my first 100 miler and I had no idea whether I could do it or in what time. I was hoping for sub 24. My wife dropped me off at Stratford Leisure Centre at about 10 and I had two hours to kill before the start. I had lots of nervous energy so, instead of resting as I should have done, walked into Stratford and bought a couple of books then to Costa coffee. When I got back lots of competitors were there. I chatted to a man who had had to throw in the towel at mile 88 last year due to the cold and rain. How terrible. I hope he finished this time around. This year’s forecast looked much better: cloudy and cool with the odd shower on Friday afternoon.
We went outside for a briefing by Rory where we were assured we could not possibly get lost, then a group photo and off.
I decided to break the race up into 10 mini races and, on Rory’s advice, try to keep an even pace throughout. This worked very well. Consequently as we ran out of Stratford I was near the back. The first section was grim and traffic laden, the weather cloudy and cool but we were soon on a rural road and things were easier. I got to chatting with Keith, a nursing student at Bristol and the first section passed quite quickly. When we came in at checkpoint 1 there was only one runner behind us, but I was okay because Rory had said that everyone goes out too fast. I was doing between 11-13 min miles.
Keith stopped at checkpoint 1 to have a massage and I went ahead. Hit Chipping Campden, a gorgeous town. I stopped at the chemist to get some painkillers as my feet were already aching. Once out of town the one rain shower of the race hit me and it was a big one. But I soon dried off and put my waterproof away, not to need it again. Caught up with a few runners and met a chap who had blogged about the race last year. Unfortunately he was already suffering with itb issues and would pull out later. http://garyufm.blogspot.co.uk/. We jogged through Snowshill to checkpoint 2.
This was where I began largely running on my own. The field was spread and I gradually overtook and chatted to a few runners, but it was lonely country roads from now on. The weather cleared and it was beautifully peaceful, the hours and miles going smoothly and quickly. I even saw a hare dart out on to the road ahead of me a disappear into a hedge. I love seeing hares.
I reached checkpoint 3 in the company of Jon Salmon who was raising money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. I later found out he finished the race and has raised over £11500. Simply awesome. His wife and little boy were at the next checkpoint to support him. I replenished my water, put on my base layer and just jogged on. The route got hillier and then woodier but it was easy to navigate. My feet ached from the pounding but otherwise I was mentally and physically very strong and enjoying the challenge. Chedworth was torture. I knew the next checkpoint was here somewhere but the village is so long I thought I’d never reach it. It was actually in Lower Chedworth and I eventually found it.
I was looking forward to this checkpoint because it had savoury food. I rearranged my backpack and set off with a couple of delicious sausage rolls. It was after 9 but still light and bats started flitting overhead. I rang my wife and had a goodnight chat with her. I’d had some great texts from my daughters along the way, including one from my youngest, “Have you given up yet, you old codger.” It’s that sort of inspiration which keeps a man going.. As the dusk fell very gradually I ran until I thought it would be hard for cars to see me so got out my headtorch. Now, getting out my pack, crouching and rooting through it were painful and tedious. It was now easier to see runners ahead by the bobbing lights and I passed 2 or 3 on my way to CP5 just outside Farmington.
Rory was here with drop bags and he said I was 28 mins ahead of schedule for 24 hours, which by now I thought was a realistic target. We chatted about the football while, with much pain and discomfort I changed my shoes then replenished my food supplies, took some pain killers and headed off into the dark. It was certainly not as much fun in the dark but I’d got the target of running my furthest distance ever (54 miles) and reaching Bourton on the Water but when I got there, there was no clear sign. 2 other runners were there, equally confused. I went straight on but realised when we reached the hospital we were wrong and we eventually found the right way. I chatted for a bit with one of the runners who was suffering a bit with stomach issues. Went through the Slaughters which were tricky to navigate and got to checkpoint 6 at Lower Swell.
After my successful navigation of the previous stage I was annoyed to go wrong, but almost immediately after CP6 I did, ending up at Stow on the Wold. Thanks to the maps I carried, I knew where I was and soon got back on the route but I must have added a couple of miles to the distance. Met two support crews looking for CP6 so directed them and ran on. I soon met again the man with stomach issues and learnt that he was bailing and was heading for a lift. After commiserating I went on. This felt like a long stage but the light was coming back. The road to Bourton on the Hill seemed endless. Eventually I made it to Moreton in Marsh and could find no arrows but navigated to the checkpoint using the map.
At checkpoint 7 there were more sausage rolls. It was light now but tougher going, 30 miles still being a long way out. I decided to aim for 4 miles and that would leave a marathon to go. It was quite a hard slog but I was still positive, did not need ipod for example. In fact this race was easier physically and mentally than many other shorter races I have done.
Checkpoint 8 was on the outskirts of Chipping Campden and psychologically returning here as well as having only 20 miles to go was brilliant. The morning was lovely with lots of sunshine but not too hot. The roads a bit busier.
Checkpoint 9 Alderminster. Now I knew the finish was really in reach. I reached the A422, the road to Stratford but, agonisingly had to go on a detour via Loxley to make up the distance. The return to the A422 was majestic. The amazing 99 miles was marked on the map although I had already done over 100 due to errors. I was still running quite well and, just before the leisure centre I passed another runner. I reached the finish to be greeted by Rory and some fellow runners. What a race!
Hard but it had gone so well. 22:32:02 17th place. Definitely the race of my life. So proud to have beaten 24 hours so well. While I waited for my wife to pick me up I sat outside, eating a little and drinking water and clapping runners in, feeling tired but high.
At home I went downhill fast, overwhelmed with aches and pains, tiredness and feet full of blisters. Managed to have a shower, pierce blisters and sleep. Most of the rest of Sat and Sun was spent dozing. I was spared the pain of England’s exit from Euro 2012 by sleep. But by Mon felt very good.
This was my first 100 miler and it couldn’t have gone better, a superb race, brilliantly organized. Thanks Rory and Jen. I encountered no real problems except that my feet hurt and I developed blisters on my toes and soles. I got an infection in one of them and had to get some antibiotic cream from the doctors to clear it up but I was back running a week after the race. I ate regularly: clif bars, mars bars and sausage rolls and took saltstick capsules every hour to keep my electrolytes topped up. I also ran at about the same pace all the way round, so I won’t be discouraged if I start another 100 at the back of the field.
What next? I will continue with my bid to complete the Runfurther series of races and next year, definitely, another 100.
