A very busy week as I returned from holiday on Monday and played catch up before heading off to London for 3 days. The weather was extremely hot topping 34 degrees so I made sure I got a couple of gentle runs in first thing in the morning. Friday was a day off as I headed for Elie to spend time with friends and I got my first game of golf of the season. My foot hasn’t always enjoyed golf and forgetting my orthotics wasn’t a good start but unbelievably I had no pain - an added bonus was I came second!
On Friday my friend Kay took me out for a 8 km run around the beautiful costal town of Elie. Lovely trails though forests, past a loch, through countryside and down the beach. It was great,
Today was an early Chatelherault run, a couple of laps. I went out with a fellow ironman, Derek, for company and it was relatively leisurely. Instead of rays of sun which we have been basking in all summer, I was enjoying the cooler “liquid sunshine”. Think I might have to get used to this change in climate.
I said last week that I’d be announcing another race. On Sunday 18th November I will be taking part in the Tweed Valley Ultra. 65km through some beautiful countryside with 5,164 ft of climbing. My formal training starts this week with Genevieve putting together a 16 week plan to build on my form from the GGU. What will be interesting is to see my fitness level that I arrive at the startline with and how I can build on my pace on the GGU. I’m really excited about this race and it will keep my focus as I enter into winter training. All of this is part of a bigger plan as I contemplate my biggest race ever for 2019. But more of that when it’s finalised. In the meantime, back to training!
Sunday 29 July 2018
Sunday 22 July 2018
Free running
Two weeks ago I had just finished running the Great Glen Ultra. A 73 mile unsupported race from Fort William to Inverness. The race is detailed in the previous two blogs however I am still trying to understand how when I was aiming for a target time of 18 hours I managed 14 hours and 40 minutes. Obviously it was because I ran faster and I put lots of “time in the bank” before I hit the big climbs around half way but the mystery continues.
Normally after any race you are in discomfort after the race and it gets worse for the next two days. It’s know as DOMS - delayed onset muscle soreness. The day after the race I was in discomfort as expected. The next day it was gone! And it never resurfaced which is a mystery. Having run much faster than anticipated I really expected the DOMS to last a minimum of 3 days. When I completed my fastest every 10km race a few years ago I had DOMS for 5 days and it wasn’t nice. The problem was I was heading off to Philadelphia and I wasn’t looking forward to sitting in “cattle class” (it was American Airlines after all). But despite the discomfort of the seats in cattle class I suffered no pain - result.
The timing of my holiday was perfect as it gave my body a proper chance to recover without the stress of work or training. Long lies, no deadlines, good weather and lots of food to help put some weight back on went down well - along with the odd glass/bottle of wine. My wife and I attended a wedding of our friends daughter and that was a wonderful occasion where the Scots were present in numbers in our kilts - a bit of a sweat fest in those temperatures but I had a hydration strategy!
The later part of the holiday was at Stone Harbour at Jersey Shore so having had a week off running I had 3 runs along the stunning beach. It was amazing. I had no targets to reach, wasn’t wearing my Garmin or heart rate monitor and if I wanted to stop and take a picture, then I did. It was liberating and I felt complete freedom as I listened to the waves crashing into the shore. It had to be early as it was very warm but the surfers were already out so I had some company.
Now I’m back home I headed off to Chatelherault for one lap and again it was very enjoyable. At this stage I haven’t sat down with my coach yet and worked out what happened in the race. We also have to look at my future events for 2019 and what the training schedule will look like. I’ve got a couple of niggles to sort out with my physio before the training builds again - best to be sure and not turn a niggle into a problem. My last 7 months of training has been consistent which is probably the biggest reason behind my fast time but during that period whenever I had a niggle, I got it attended to immediately. I’ve never forgotten one of the best tips I received when I started this journey and it was to “listen to your body”. I’ll continue to do that while I enjoy my “free running” before the new training schedule is in place. Next week I’ll confirm another race this year to keep me focused!
Normally after any race you are in discomfort after the race and it gets worse for the next two days. It’s know as DOMS - delayed onset muscle soreness. The day after the race I was in discomfort as expected. The next day it was gone! And it never resurfaced which is a mystery. Having run much faster than anticipated I really expected the DOMS to last a minimum of 3 days. When I completed my fastest every 10km race a few years ago I had DOMS for 5 days and it wasn’t nice. The problem was I was heading off to Philadelphia and I wasn’t looking forward to sitting in “cattle class” (it was American Airlines after all). But despite the discomfort of the seats in cattle class I suffered no pain - result.
The timing of my holiday was perfect as it gave my body a proper chance to recover without the stress of work or training. Long lies, no deadlines, good weather and lots of food to help put some weight back on went down well - along with the odd glass/bottle of wine. My wife and I attended a wedding of our friends daughter and that was a wonderful occasion where the Scots were present in numbers in our kilts - a bit of a sweat fest in those temperatures but I had a hydration strategy!
The later part of the holiday was at Stone Harbour at Jersey Shore so having had a week off running I had 3 runs along the stunning beach. It was amazing. I had no targets to reach, wasn’t wearing my Garmin or heart rate monitor and if I wanted to stop and take a picture, then I did. It was liberating and I felt complete freedom as I listened to the waves crashing into the shore. It had to be early as it was very warm but the surfers were already out so I had some company.
Now I’m back home I headed off to Chatelherault for one lap and again it was very enjoyable. At this stage I haven’t sat down with my coach yet and worked out what happened in the race. We also have to look at my future events for 2019 and what the training schedule will look like. I’ve got a couple of niggles to sort out with my physio before the training builds again - best to be sure and not turn a niggle into a problem. My last 7 months of training has been consistent which is probably the biggest reason behind my fast time but during that period whenever I had a niggle, I got it attended to immediately. I’ve never forgotten one of the best tips I received when I started this journey and it was to “listen to your body”. I’ll continue to do that while I enjoy my “free running” before the new training schedule is in place. Next week I’ll confirm another race this year to keep me focused!
Thursday 12 July 2018
Dipping my dobber - The Great Glen Way
This is my race report for those who are interested in some more detail following my last post.
Friday 6th July at 11pm a taxi picks me up from Faulty Towers in Fort William, that’s a story in itself, and takes me to the community centre in Carpach. The taxi driver looks at my outfit and thinks I must be going to a fancy dress party but from his expression it’s obvious he can’t tell what I am – an ultra runner I tell him. I’m running from Fort William to Inverness along the Great Glen Way. 71 miles and 9,000 ft of climbing, He shakes his head in disbelief, he’ll be used to fairytales from drunks late on a Friday night but the only thing I am drunk on is the anticipation of an amazing adventure that will push me to the limit that I’m yet to find in my short ultra journey to this point.
The day had started earlier when I drove to Inverness, parked my car and caught the bus back to Fort William (that’s a long journey by bus I thought!). I had ran the course in reverse order over 2 days in January 2013 when preparing for the Marathon des Sables so this was going to be different. And the hot weather was also going to make it challenging. I had dinner with a fellow runner Lorna and my pal, training partner and for today photographer Michael. Then I headed off to Faulty Towers for 3.5 hours sleep as the race started at 1am Saturday and I was aiming to be on my feet for 18 hours. I originally thought I’d aim for the cut off at 22 miles but my training went well and I thought 20 but my utterly amazing coach Genevieve thought 19 possibility 18!
The community centre was full of “racing snakes” and you could tell the contenders as they gathered together looking confident. The racing brief gave me one shock, the course was now 2 miles longer! In the end those 2 miles made a real difference. They explained about dipping our dobber at the checkpoint and to make it easy the marshalls grabbed your dobber which was attached to your wrist and dipped it for you so you were checked in.
Standing in the dark at the canal with almost 90 runners with only head torches and moonlight to show us the way was quite surreal and before we knew it we were off. The route goes along the canal and in the first 50km its relatively flat except for a few lumps and undulations. After my tapering I was feeling amazing and despite trying to stay slow at 7 min per km I was averaging 5.45’s. I tried slowing down but it felt laboured. My decision on pace was decided when I started running beside and talking to Oriol from Barcelona. So happens in these races if your lucky, you find yourself running beside someone for a while and then realise you can help each other as you are a similar pace. So we agreed to run together at 5.45s and I reprogrammed my head along the lines of “get the time in the bank, you’ll slow down on the big hills anyway and it was always going to hurt so MTFU”. I also noticed the running snakes had disappeared into the night and we were ahead of the next pack of runners.
Running at night next to a large stretch of water, through trees as the orange crescent moon reflected across the water was one of the highlights of the race and makes me want to do more of that type of running. It was helped by being dry and warm enough only to need one layer – perfect.
CP 1 (Time for stage 1:51:54 – stage distance 16.8km) Clunes was a learning experience. Dobber dipped I was handed my food bag. There wasn’t a lot in it but by the time I had filled a bottle and picked up some jelly babies and nuts Oriol was telling me to hurry up. I knew a lot of time could be wasted in check points but I also knew I needed to take enough food to get me through the race so before the next CP I rehearsed in my head what I’d do to not waste time but to get the food and hydration I needed.
We were still clipping along at 5.45s but there was the odd lump and I didn’t want to burn out but pushed on with Oriol because I felt strong. We were sharing running experiences and he’d done UTMB and was a sub 3 hour marathon runner – the alarm bell started going off in my head. This guy is faster, younger and fitter so don’t ruin your race trying to keep up with him I was telling myself.
CP 2 (1:33:57 – 16km) Lagan Locks. I managed the routine better and someone had left a small bottle of coke so I scoffed that (any food left can be taken) and ran off eating a pork pie and some grapes. We were running towards the sun rise and had taken our head torches off around 3.30am – the red sky ahead made me feel grateful to be alive. There was a hill and I signalled to Oriol we should walk it while we ate. I had already indicated to Oriol that he should run ahead but he was obviously enjoying the company as was I. But after another walked hill he agreed he should run on. At the time I thought I’d link up with another runner but it turned out I was on my own for the rest of the race but with Michael popping up taking photos and shouting the odd word of encouragement I was fine and made sure I took in the amazing scenery. However the finish of this stage was along and never ending canal path which stretched on as far as the eye could see which was sole destroying.
CP 3 (2:05:14 -17.6 km) Fort Augustus. I had my first tub of custard and was this followed with a flap jack and topped up the bottles, one with high 5. This was where the climbing started and it was a beautiful climb through a forrest. Unfortunately a tree had fallen down blocking the path leaving head room of 3 feet. 1st attempt and my abductor muscles went into spasm. 2nd attempt I dropped onto my staved finger and with the pain jumped up and banged my head. So crawling through on all fours was the only way through. When I go to the top of the hill I came across the most specular view of the race right looking right down Loch Ness and as this was the high route you could see everything. I just wanted to sit down and take this in but I was in a race and well ahead on time so I pushed on. In definitely going to revisit that view but I’ll be in walking boots with a picnic!
The downhill to CP4 was steep and technical but that’s been my training so I was comfortable and over took a few runners who looked like they were struggling with the downhill section.
CP 4 (1:48:45 - 14.4km) Invermoriston. This is where the race begins. I knew that was the case so took some more time at the CP to take on food and change into my running vest as the temperature was definitely rising. I slapped on sun cream and downed a bottle of coke while Michael took some pictures. The climb out is ridiculous. While up till then you might have got away with road shoes, the trail shoes help me claw my way up – it is just relentless and then the downhill really starts to take its toll on your quads as you are breaking on the way down – you don’t want to pick up too much speed or you could end up being stretched off the hill with a DNF. I wish I’d reccied the course from this point on, it really would have helped.
There is a water stop 14.4km in at Grotaig and I topped up and guzzled some coke and just as I was about to leave my coach Genevieve and Colin pulled up on their bikes. I knew they were coming up to offer some support and it was wonderful to see them. They told me how ahead of schedule I was, I was just focusing on one CP to the next, and that lifted my spirits which was well timed as this is where it started to become really hard. I pushed on with this encouragement and the temperature now must have been about 23 degrees, I could feel my skin beginning to cook! This section seemed to go on forever and it had another long downhill section to the CP which was beginning to tell on my feet as I could feel a couple of blisters starting. I decided not to treat them and just leave them alone as I’d probably not be able to bend down and take my shoes off without cramping up. My right hammy had a few cramp twinges so I had to take that into consideration in my gate and speed. I had hydrated well but kept hearing the medics words at the briefing, drink to thirst. But my philosophy, especially in the heat, was sip and sip regularly – don’t get thirsty. This was all going through my head.
CP5 (3:01:01 – 23.2km) Drumnadrochit. If I thought the last stage was hard, then this one really hurt. A never ending climb which was OK when in the shelter of the trees but when you were exposed to the sun with no protection it was brutal. I’ve ran in the Sahara and the Grand Canyon but this was tough and I was on my own. Only me and my thoughts which sometimes isn’t a good thing. I was paranoid about running out of water (there were no streams to fill your bottles from as it was bone dry) while trying to eat and not end up with a stomach problem. I knew I’d finish but the times were slowing, as predicted, and I really just wanted this to be over. The problem was my Garmin was showing a message “low battery” which covered the screen and as a result I had no idea how far I had to go. I’d worn another watch just to tell me the time but my brain was so frazzled I couldn’t work it out. The piece of paper I had with all my timings written down was wet right through with sweat and as I was so far ahead of the plan, I was beyond doing the maths.
The top section to the next CP was a slog and I was walking more now as I was in what I call “survival mode” – trying to stay upright and in control of myself. My mind was playing games so when I saw someone walking towards me in a high viz vest I thought it was a forestry worker. But then she started shouting encouragement and taking pictures – I’d arrived at the last CP. The marshalls have a great sense of humour. There was an inviting chair which I was just about to sit on until they pointed to the sign – “only for wimps and princesses” and apparently nobody had sat on it so far. I grimaced and took the hint.
CP6 (1:47:43 – 12km) Loch Laide. The marshalls said it was all downhill from here – they were right on two counts! With legs that were wanting to disown me I headed off. Had I reccied this section I would have done better here. My mind kept looking for the view down to Inverness and it never came. Just more of the narrow downhill through trees which under normal circumstances would have been great. For the first time since CP2 I was passed by some runners, actually 2 might have passed me in the previous section but it’s all merges into a blur.
I was feeling sorry for myself and questioning why I put myself through it. I normally do these mad things to raise money for Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres but you can only ask your friends so many times and they have been very generous over the years. I had decided to do this one for me to prove to me what I’m capable of – no other reason but I was not wondering if this was reason enough to go through this pain. But this stage is only 16km so MTFU I said to myself.
The path went on forever but at the bottom I could see Michael with his camera, Genevieve and Colin – there were screaming their heads off at me, I could hardly muster a jog but I was so pleased to see them.
Only 3km to go screamed Genevieve. I staggered in the direction of the finish and increased my pace. Coming into Inverness Athletic Stadium was a picture I’d carried in my head. My fan base of 3 were waiting for me and suggesting I get a PB for 1 lap of the stadium – they have a good sense of humour. The softness of the track was welcome on my feet and on the finishing straight I decided to exaggerate a sprinting style putting at risk my hammies but I was past caring. Crossing the line I dipped my dobber for the last time. As my Garmin had retired I had no idea what my time was. I just needed some water and a seat that wasn’t for a wimp or a princess. I was handed my goodie bag and a slip of paper showing the last 16km had taken 2:32:25. I was 21st runner in and 1st male vet over 50 in a time of 14:40:18.
After thoughts
How did that happen? Almost a week after the event I still haven’t worked it out but with my coach, we will. Based on my training I think 18 was realistic and she was angling for 17 hours but some sort of a break through took place. The next day I was stiff but then the next miracle happened. No DOMS on day 2 when normally I’d be walking like the Tin Man. It must have been all the power walking the hills and running down them hard in training that helped.
This has been an amazing journey, so far, and I want to thank BAM for such an incredible event and all the volunteers and marshalls who kept smiling at the CPs and kicking my arse when it was required. As for my coach and support team on the day, you guys rocked and I know you took over 100 pictures for the other competitors and shouted encouragement to them as well. Ultra running is such a friendly supportive community. Back home my training buddies and medical team - physio, chiropractor, poditrist (and perhaps in the future psychiatrist) kept my body together which at 56 isn’t that easy! My long suffering wife and kids all put up with the social occasions I missed including an important party on the day of the race so thank you for allowing me to see just how far I can go. I hope this race report gives you an insight into what’s possible if your really want it. And despite the pain, tears and snotters dipping my dobber’s a lot better than sitting on my arse watching Love Island! Till the next time.
Friday 6th July at 11pm a taxi picks me up from Faulty Towers in Fort William, that’s a story in itself, and takes me to the community centre in Carpach. The taxi driver looks at my outfit and thinks I must be going to a fancy dress party but from his expression it’s obvious he can’t tell what I am – an ultra runner I tell him. I’m running from Fort William to Inverness along the Great Glen Way. 71 miles and 9,000 ft of climbing, He shakes his head in disbelief, he’ll be used to fairytales from drunks late on a Friday night but the only thing I am drunk on is the anticipation of an amazing adventure that will push me to the limit that I’m yet to find in my short ultra journey to this point.
The day had started earlier when I drove to Inverness, parked my car and caught the bus back to Fort William (that’s a long journey by bus I thought!). I had ran the course in reverse order over 2 days in January 2013 when preparing for the Marathon des Sables so this was going to be different. And the hot weather was also going to make it challenging. I had dinner with a fellow runner Lorna and my pal, training partner and for today photographer Michael. Then I headed off to Faulty Towers for 3.5 hours sleep as the race started at 1am Saturday and I was aiming to be on my feet for 18 hours. I originally thought I’d aim for the cut off at 22 miles but my training went well and I thought 20 but my utterly amazing coach Genevieve thought 19 possibility 18!
The community centre was full of “racing snakes” and you could tell the contenders as they gathered together looking confident. The racing brief gave me one shock, the course was now 2 miles longer! In the end those 2 miles made a real difference. They explained about dipping our dobber at the checkpoint and to make it easy the marshalls grabbed your dobber which was attached to your wrist and dipped it for you so you were checked in.
Standing in the dark at the canal with almost 90 runners with only head torches and moonlight to show us the way was quite surreal and before we knew it we were off. The route goes along the canal and in the first 50km its relatively flat except for a few lumps and undulations. After my tapering I was feeling amazing and despite trying to stay slow at 7 min per km I was averaging 5.45’s. I tried slowing down but it felt laboured. My decision on pace was decided when I started running beside and talking to Oriol from Barcelona. So happens in these races if your lucky, you find yourself running beside someone for a while and then realise you can help each other as you are a similar pace. So we agreed to run together at 5.45s and I reprogrammed my head along the lines of “get the time in the bank, you’ll slow down on the big hills anyway and it was always going to hurt so MTFU”. I also noticed the running snakes had disappeared into the night and we were ahead of the next pack of runners.
Running at night next to a large stretch of water, through trees as the orange crescent moon reflected across the water was one of the highlights of the race and makes me want to do more of that type of running. It was helped by being dry and warm enough only to need one layer – perfect.
CP 1 (Time for stage 1:51:54 – stage distance 16.8km) Clunes was a learning experience. Dobber dipped I was handed my food bag. There wasn’t a lot in it but by the time I had filled a bottle and picked up some jelly babies and nuts Oriol was telling me to hurry up. I knew a lot of time could be wasted in check points but I also knew I needed to take enough food to get me through the race so before the next CP I rehearsed in my head what I’d do to not waste time but to get the food and hydration I needed.
We were still clipping along at 5.45s but there was the odd lump and I didn’t want to burn out but pushed on with Oriol because I felt strong. We were sharing running experiences and he’d done UTMB and was a sub 3 hour marathon runner – the alarm bell started going off in my head. This guy is faster, younger and fitter so don’t ruin your race trying to keep up with him I was telling myself.
CP 2 (1:33:57 – 16km) Lagan Locks. I managed the routine better and someone had left a small bottle of coke so I scoffed that (any food left can be taken) and ran off eating a pork pie and some grapes. We were running towards the sun rise and had taken our head torches off around 3.30am – the red sky ahead made me feel grateful to be alive. There was a hill and I signalled to Oriol we should walk it while we ate. I had already indicated to Oriol that he should run ahead but he was obviously enjoying the company as was I. But after another walked hill he agreed he should run on. At the time I thought I’d link up with another runner but it turned out I was on my own for the rest of the race but with Michael popping up taking photos and shouting the odd word of encouragement I was fine and made sure I took in the amazing scenery. However the finish of this stage was along and never ending canal path which stretched on as far as the eye could see which was sole destroying.
CP 3 (2:05:14 -17.6 km) Fort Augustus. I had my first tub of custard and was this followed with a flap jack and topped up the bottles, one with high 5. This was where the climbing started and it was a beautiful climb through a forrest. Unfortunately a tree had fallen down blocking the path leaving head room of 3 feet. 1st attempt and my abductor muscles went into spasm. 2nd attempt I dropped onto my staved finger and with the pain jumped up and banged my head. So crawling through on all fours was the only way through. When I go to the top of the hill I came across the most specular view of the race right looking right down Loch Ness and as this was the high route you could see everything. I just wanted to sit down and take this in but I was in a race and well ahead on time so I pushed on. In definitely going to revisit that view but I’ll be in walking boots with a picnic!
The downhill to CP4 was steep and technical but that’s been my training so I was comfortable and over took a few runners who looked like they were struggling with the downhill section.
CP 4 (1:48:45 - 14.4km) Invermoriston. This is where the race begins. I knew that was the case so took some more time at the CP to take on food and change into my running vest as the temperature was definitely rising. I slapped on sun cream and downed a bottle of coke while Michael took some pictures. The climb out is ridiculous. While up till then you might have got away with road shoes, the trail shoes help me claw my way up – it is just relentless and then the downhill really starts to take its toll on your quads as you are breaking on the way down – you don’t want to pick up too much speed or you could end up being stretched off the hill with a DNF. I wish I’d reccied the course from this point on, it really would have helped.
There is a water stop 14.4km in at Grotaig and I topped up and guzzled some coke and just as I was about to leave my coach Genevieve and Colin pulled up on their bikes. I knew they were coming up to offer some support and it was wonderful to see them. They told me how ahead of schedule I was, I was just focusing on one CP to the next, and that lifted my spirits which was well timed as this is where it started to become really hard. I pushed on with this encouragement and the temperature now must have been about 23 degrees, I could feel my skin beginning to cook! This section seemed to go on forever and it had another long downhill section to the CP which was beginning to tell on my feet as I could feel a couple of blisters starting. I decided not to treat them and just leave them alone as I’d probably not be able to bend down and take my shoes off without cramping up. My right hammy had a few cramp twinges so I had to take that into consideration in my gate and speed. I had hydrated well but kept hearing the medics words at the briefing, drink to thirst. But my philosophy, especially in the heat, was sip and sip regularly – don’t get thirsty. This was all going through my head.
CP5 (3:01:01 – 23.2km) Drumnadrochit. If I thought the last stage was hard, then this one really hurt. A never ending climb which was OK when in the shelter of the trees but when you were exposed to the sun with no protection it was brutal. I’ve ran in the Sahara and the Grand Canyon but this was tough and I was on my own. Only me and my thoughts which sometimes isn’t a good thing. I was paranoid about running out of water (there were no streams to fill your bottles from as it was bone dry) while trying to eat and not end up with a stomach problem. I knew I’d finish but the times were slowing, as predicted, and I really just wanted this to be over. The problem was my Garmin was showing a message “low battery” which covered the screen and as a result I had no idea how far I had to go. I’d worn another watch just to tell me the time but my brain was so frazzled I couldn’t work it out. The piece of paper I had with all my timings written down was wet right through with sweat and as I was so far ahead of the plan, I was beyond doing the maths.
The top section to the next CP was a slog and I was walking more now as I was in what I call “survival mode” – trying to stay upright and in control of myself. My mind was playing games so when I saw someone walking towards me in a high viz vest I thought it was a forestry worker. But then she started shouting encouragement and taking pictures – I’d arrived at the last CP. The marshalls have a great sense of humour. There was an inviting chair which I was just about to sit on until they pointed to the sign – “only for wimps and princesses” and apparently nobody had sat on it so far. I grimaced and took the hint.
CP6 (1:47:43 – 12km) Loch Laide. The marshalls said it was all downhill from here – they were right on two counts! With legs that were wanting to disown me I headed off. Had I reccied this section I would have done better here. My mind kept looking for the view down to Inverness and it never came. Just more of the narrow downhill through trees which under normal circumstances would have been great. For the first time since CP2 I was passed by some runners, actually 2 might have passed me in the previous section but it’s all merges into a blur.
I was feeling sorry for myself and questioning why I put myself through it. I normally do these mad things to raise money for Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres but you can only ask your friends so many times and they have been very generous over the years. I had decided to do this one for me to prove to me what I’m capable of – no other reason but I was not wondering if this was reason enough to go through this pain. But this stage is only 16km so MTFU I said to myself.
The path went on forever but at the bottom I could see Michael with his camera, Genevieve and Colin – there were screaming their heads off at me, I could hardly muster a jog but I was so pleased to see them.
Only 3km to go screamed Genevieve. I staggered in the direction of the finish and increased my pace. Coming into Inverness Athletic Stadium was a picture I’d carried in my head. My fan base of 3 were waiting for me and suggesting I get a PB for 1 lap of the stadium – they have a good sense of humour. The softness of the track was welcome on my feet and on the finishing straight I decided to exaggerate a sprinting style putting at risk my hammies but I was past caring. Crossing the line I dipped my dobber for the last time. As my Garmin had retired I had no idea what my time was. I just needed some water and a seat that wasn’t for a wimp or a princess. I was handed my goodie bag and a slip of paper showing the last 16km had taken 2:32:25. I was 21st runner in and 1st male vet over 50 in a time of 14:40:18.
After thoughts
How did that happen? Almost a week after the event I still haven’t worked it out but with my coach, we will. Based on my training I think 18 was realistic and she was angling for 17 hours but some sort of a break through took place. The next day I was stiff but then the next miracle happened. No DOMS on day 2 when normally I’d be walking like the Tin Man. It must have been all the power walking the hills and running down them hard in training that helped.
This has been an amazing journey, so far, and I want to thank BAM for such an incredible event and all the volunteers and marshalls who kept smiling at the CPs and kicking my arse when it was required. As for my coach and support team on the day, you guys rocked and I know you took over 100 pictures for the other competitors and shouted encouragement to them as well. Ultra running is such a friendly supportive community. Back home my training buddies and medical team - physio, chiropractor, poditrist (and perhaps in the future psychiatrist) kept my body together which at 56 isn’t that easy! My long suffering wife and kids all put up with the social occasions I missed including an important party on the day of the race so thank you for allowing me to see just how far I can go. I hope this race report gives you an insight into what’s possible if your really want it. And despite the pain, tears and snotters dipping my dobber’s a lot better than sitting on my arse watching Love Island! Till the next time.
Sunday 8 July 2018
The Great Glen Ultra
It’s done. If you have followed my journey over the last 6 months you’ll have seen the ups and downs of my 6 days a week training and my preparation for the biggest one day challenge. 72 miles from Fort William to Inverness in under 22 hours. I entered the race to test my foot for a bigger challenge in 2019 - my foot injury is debatably permanent but with regular treatment I get by. After entering the race I looked at the profile and got a bit of a fright. 9,000 feet of climbing and the majority of it in the second half. This made me realise the 22 hour cut off could be a challenge.
In my training I did a lot of hill walking where I power walked up the hills and ran down the hills, hard and fast. At first this shredded my quads but they soon got over it. This was all part of the master plan set up by my amazing coach Genevieve Freeman. When we discussed a target time for GGU I had got my head around maybe 20 hours and she thought 18-19 hours with the emphasis on 18 hours - when the spreadsheet of times came through from her it was nearer to 17 but that didn’t allow for food and water stops.
My training has been mainly running with a little swimming. My longest run was 38km which took 3hrs 45 mins so one thing to get my head around was how do you go from a run of that distance and time to 115 km over some severe terrain? Even the Arrochar Alps trip of 4 hours didn’t really measure up to it. But with back to back long runs at the weekend with faster shorter runs during the week, it became a possibility.
The race started at 1pm on Saturday morning at Carpach, Fort William. The plan was to set a pace of 7 min per km for the first 32 km. One of the affects of tapering is just how good you feel at the start line. As I headed off into the darkness with only a quarter moon and a head torch for light I felt great. I was going along at 5.45 min per km and felt like I was floating on air. I tried to slow down a few times but it didn’t feel natural so I kept going. 5km in I met Oriel from Barcelona and we agreed that we were running at the same pace so we’d stick together. Then I found out he was a sub 3 hour marathon runner so by check point 2 I told him to go on. I spent the rest of the race on my own, well back from the fast guys and ahead of the middle pack.
I was well ahead of target time wise and had the support of Michael Martin who was taking photos of any athlete in my vicinity (they are very strict on supporters and I didn’t want disqualified!).
The first big climb was out of Fort Augustus which slowed everyone down. But when I got to the top the view was absolutely stunning. I just wanted to sit down and soak in the most amazing view - but I had a target to achieve so I headed on. The temperature was rising and I was keeping myself hydrated but my food bags at the check point were “cooking” the contents. The cheese became inedible and my Jaffa cakes melted. My jelly baby’s smelt of nuts which they were next to and my custard was warm. For the later stages I had bottles of flat coke and I downed each one on the spot. I’d certainly change my food next time I do an event like this - my preparation could have been better here but every event is a learning opportunity. I got away with 3 gels as if I’d taken the 4th one I think my race would have finished - it would have sent my stomach over the edge. Getting the balance right is always a challenge.
I didn’t reckie the course and it almost cost me the race. I should have run the second half of the course which was brutal. I’d read about the climb out of Invermoriston but didn’t appreciate just how challenging it was. And once you managed the climb you were totally exposed to the elements. The sun was baking hot (25 degrees) and no wind. I was frazzled and the track seemed to go on forever. I was still well ahead of schedule and when I got to the next waterpoint Genevieve and Colin turned up just as I was about to leave. It’s amazing how your spirits can be instantly lifted and your energy levels follow. They stayed with me for a while encouraging me and I really appreciated it knowing they’d be further on in the course.
The heat had taken it’s toll and my time was slowing down but this had been a calculated gamble. I had decided that if I’d started off slowly then I would have slowed down anyway so it would be better to get time in the bank, but I knew it was going to hurt towards the end - I wasn’t wrong.
By CP6 nobody had come past me since CP2 but I was starting to walk more as I was making sure I stayed upright, didn’t pass out and finished the run however 4 youngsters passed my in the last 15km. I knew from past experience that running in extreme heat you had to stay in control of yourself and not pass out. I was starting to get cramp on my right hamstring and that could have been the end of my race due to the challenging down hill terrain so I altered my speed to keep it away. Fortunately one Marshall had some salt and that seemed to do the trick but I knew I wouldn’t get a second chance and the hammy would just go boom! I was starting to fall to bits. Then my Garmin decide to tell me it had a low battery but that message blocked my screen so I couldn’t see how far I had to go. That was a major problem as I was waiting to reach the final down hill section which never seemed to come. And when it did, it never seemed to end. I wasn’t a happy camper. I would never have quit but it didn’t help me push on as I was in survival mode and just wanted this over and done with. I didn’t want to think too much about the finish line as I had to concentrate on each step, literally as it would be easy to fall as I had the other week.
At the bottom of the never ending hill my team were waiting to cajole me on and pointed me in the direction of the last few km. This lifted my spirits and I picked my pace up and by now I was beginning to picture running into Inverness Athletics Stadium. When I got there my amazing support team were screaming their heads off so 1 lap with a stylish sprint down the final straight and it was over. 14 hours and 40 minutes - I couldn’t believe it. I had completely blown even the most optimistic target. I was 21st in the race and the fastest in the plus 50 category. That’s a first for me. I felt really emotional as I reflected on the journey over the last 6 months. But once again it proves to me that we’re all capable of so much more - we just need to believe in ourselves.
Thank you for following my journey. I’m now going to take some recovery time as my body aches and I’m not looking forward to tomorrow which will be worse. But considering what it's been through I think it has come out remarkably well and at no stage did I have a problem with my foot. Unbelievable. Thank you for following my adventure and I’ll be back soon with details of what’s next. I’ll leave you with my favourite Nelson Mandela quote - “It always seems impossible until it’s done” - so true.
In my training I did a lot of hill walking where I power walked up the hills and ran down the hills, hard and fast. At first this shredded my quads but they soon got over it. This was all part of the master plan set up by my amazing coach Genevieve Freeman. When we discussed a target time for GGU I had got my head around maybe 20 hours and she thought 18-19 hours with the emphasis on 18 hours - when the spreadsheet of times came through from her it was nearer to 17 but that didn’t allow for food and water stops.
My training has been mainly running with a little swimming. My longest run was 38km which took 3hrs 45 mins so one thing to get my head around was how do you go from a run of that distance and time to 115 km over some severe terrain? Even the Arrochar Alps trip of 4 hours didn’t really measure up to it. But with back to back long runs at the weekend with faster shorter runs during the week, it became a possibility.
The race started at 1pm on Saturday morning at Carpach, Fort William. The plan was to set a pace of 7 min per km for the first 32 km. One of the affects of tapering is just how good you feel at the start line. As I headed off into the darkness with only a quarter moon and a head torch for light I felt great. I was going along at 5.45 min per km and felt like I was floating on air. I tried to slow down a few times but it didn’t feel natural so I kept going. 5km in I met Oriel from Barcelona and we agreed that we were running at the same pace so we’d stick together. Then I found out he was a sub 3 hour marathon runner so by check point 2 I told him to go on. I spent the rest of the race on my own, well back from the fast guys and ahead of the middle pack.
I was well ahead of target time wise and had the support of Michael Martin who was taking photos of any athlete in my vicinity (they are very strict on supporters and I didn’t want disqualified!).
The first big climb was out of Fort Augustus which slowed everyone down. But when I got to the top the view was absolutely stunning. I just wanted to sit down and soak in the most amazing view - but I had a target to achieve so I headed on. The temperature was rising and I was keeping myself hydrated but my food bags at the check point were “cooking” the contents. The cheese became inedible and my Jaffa cakes melted. My jelly baby’s smelt of nuts which they were next to and my custard was warm. For the later stages I had bottles of flat coke and I downed each one on the spot. I’d certainly change my food next time I do an event like this - my preparation could have been better here but every event is a learning opportunity. I got away with 3 gels as if I’d taken the 4th one I think my race would have finished - it would have sent my stomach over the edge. Getting the balance right is always a challenge.
I didn’t reckie the course and it almost cost me the race. I should have run the second half of the course which was brutal. I’d read about the climb out of Invermoriston but didn’t appreciate just how challenging it was. And once you managed the climb you were totally exposed to the elements. The sun was baking hot (25 degrees) and no wind. I was frazzled and the track seemed to go on forever. I was still well ahead of schedule and when I got to the next waterpoint Genevieve and Colin turned up just as I was about to leave. It’s amazing how your spirits can be instantly lifted and your energy levels follow. They stayed with me for a while encouraging me and I really appreciated it knowing they’d be further on in the course.
The heat had taken it’s toll and my time was slowing down but this had been a calculated gamble. I had decided that if I’d started off slowly then I would have slowed down anyway so it would be better to get time in the bank, but I knew it was going to hurt towards the end - I wasn’t wrong.
By CP6 nobody had come past me since CP2 but I was starting to walk more as I was making sure I stayed upright, didn’t pass out and finished the run however 4 youngsters passed my in the last 15km. I knew from past experience that running in extreme heat you had to stay in control of yourself and not pass out. I was starting to get cramp on my right hamstring and that could have been the end of my race due to the challenging down hill terrain so I altered my speed to keep it away. Fortunately one Marshall had some salt and that seemed to do the trick but I knew I wouldn’t get a second chance and the hammy would just go boom! I was starting to fall to bits. Then my Garmin decide to tell me it had a low battery but that message blocked my screen so I couldn’t see how far I had to go. That was a major problem as I was waiting to reach the final down hill section which never seemed to come. And when it did, it never seemed to end. I wasn’t a happy camper. I would never have quit but it didn’t help me push on as I was in survival mode and just wanted this over and done with. I didn’t want to think too much about the finish line as I had to concentrate on each step, literally as it would be easy to fall as I had the other week.
At the bottom of the never ending hill my team were waiting to cajole me on and pointed me in the direction of the last few km. This lifted my spirits and I picked my pace up and by now I was beginning to picture running into Inverness Athletics Stadium. When I got there my amazing support team were screaming their heads off so 1 lap with a stylish sprint down the final straight and it was over. 14 hours and 40 minutes - I couldn’t believe it. I had completely blown even the most optimistic target. I was 21st in the race and the fastest in the plus 50 category. That’s a first for me. I felt really emotional as I reflected on the journey over the last 6 months. But once again it proves to me that we’re all capable of so much more - we just need to believe in ourselves.
Thank you for following my journey. I’m now going to take some recovery time as my body aches and I’m not looking forward to tomorrow which will be worse. But considering what it's been through I think it has come out remarkably well and at no stage did I have a problem with my foot. Unbelievable. Thank you for following my adventure and I’ll be back soon with details of what’s next. I’ll leave you with my favourite Nelson Mandela quote - “It always seems impossible until it’s done” - so true.
Sunday 1 July 2018
I get by with a little help from my friends
I can't believe I'm almost there. My total focus for 2018 has been the Great Glen Ultra which is on 7th July, starting at 1am. I will have 22 hours to complete 71 miles and the last 6 months have been working towards this goal. It been tough at times but I've managed my body with help from Pamela Loch who on Thursday will be taping my leg to see me through the race. Sam Williams will also be giving me pre-race massage to make sure all my muscles are in good shape and ready for the pounding they will be taking 48 hours later.
The hot weather has meant where possible I've trained early in the morning but even then, it's been warmer than normal. It gives me a good chance to practise my hydration which will be vital on the day - especially if this heat wave continues. That is also beginning to influence my race strategy. Starting at 1am it will be dark so I need to take care in not tripping over a stone or worse, falling into the canal! But making up early miles in the coolest temperatures seems like a good idea but I need to balance that against it being a very long day. Way longer than I've been on my feet for since Grand 2 Grand.
Today I am going over the logistics of travelling to Inverness, dropping my car off and then heading back down to Fort William for food and rest before the start. My equipment is chosen and tested but I need to decide what to carry while running and what to have in my drop bags. Pork pies, custard, baby bells, mixed nuts and raisins. Carb drinks and flat coke. There are some mandatory items such a space blanket and the weather and temperature will determine what, if any, additional clothes I require. There is no support allowed in the race however my coach Genevieve and her husband Colin are going to the three checkpoints where there is access to cheer me on. Even knowing that they will be at those checkpoints will get me through the dark moments.
Another ultra runner Michael Martin, who also happens to be a fantastic photographer, has volunteered to photograph the whole event from registration to the finish line (and hopefully not the medical tent). Having a record of the event will be special and allow me to show what's involved in such an amazing event; the highs, the lows and the really lows.
Training my body for this challenge has been tough but during that time I've been training my mind. My longest run has been just short of a marathon, but back to back training days simulate the tiredness I'll be feeling, but the most important factor is controlling my mind. It's like any target, you just need to dial the number into your subconscious. I remember 2 years ago that running 2km was tough due to injury and every increase in distance seemed a challenge. But as Nelson Mandela once said, it always seems impossible until it's done. GGU will be over soon enough but I intend to enjoy it. It's a stepping stone to the next adventure but I've got to treat it with respect (it's a tough enough challenge on its own) as I don't want to fall off that stone and not get to my 2019 challenge!
But the reason I've got to the start line is the support from my friends and most importantly my family. The ones who put up with the missed social events (GGU clashes with a 21st party, G2G clashed with a 60th!) and the constant pile of sweaty lycra. So thank you to each and every one of you who have encouraged and supported me along the way. It sure makes it easier.
The hot weather has meant where possible I've trained early in the morning but even then, it's been warmer than normal. It gives me a good chance to practise my hydration which will be vital on the day - especially if this heat wave continues. That is also beginning to influence my race strategy. Starting at 1am it will be dark so I need to take care in not tripping over a stone or worse, falling into the canal! But making up early miles in the coolest temperatures seems like a good idea but I need to balance that against it being a very long day. Way longer than I've been on my feet for since Grand 2 Grand.
Today I am going over the logistics of travelling to Inverness, dropping my car off and then heading back down to Fort William for food and rest before the start. My equipment is chosen and tested but I need to decide what to carry while running and what to have in my drop bags. Pork pies, custard, baby bells, mixed nuts and raisins. Carb drinks and flat coke. There are some mandatory items such a space blanket and the weather and temperature will determine what, if any, additional clothes I require. There is no support allowed in the race however my coach Genevieve and her husband Colin are going to the three checkpoints where there is access to cheer me on. Even knowing that they will be at those checkpoints will get me through the dark moments.
Another ultra runner Michael Martin, who also happens to be a fantastic photographer, has volunteered to photograph the whole event from registration to the finish line (and hopefully not the medical tent). Having a record of the event will be special and allow me to show what's involved in such an amazing event; the highs, the lows and the really lows.
Training my body for this challenge has been tough but during that time I've been training my mind. My longest run has been just short of a marathon, but back to back training days simulate the tiredness I'll be feeling, but the most important factor is controlling my mind. It's like any target, you just need to dial the number into your subconscious. I remember 2 years ago that running 2km was tough due to injury and every increase in distance seemed a challenge. But as Nelson Mandela once said, it always seems impossible until it's done. GGU will be over soon enough but I intend to enjoy it. It's a stepping stone to the next adventure but I've got to treat it with respect (it's a tough enough challenge on its own) as I don't want to fall off that stone and not get to my 2019 challenge!
But the reason I've got to the start line is the support from my friends and most importantly my family. The ones who put up with the missed social events (GGU clashes with a 21st party, G2G clashed with a 60th!) and the constant pile of sweaty lycra. So thank you to each and every one of you who have encouraged and supported me along the way. It sure makes it easier.
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