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.
Thursday, 12 July 2018
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.
Sunday, 24 June 2018
Stiff little fingers
For those of you old enough, stiff little fingers was a punk group in the 80's. I was more a soul man myself so they wouldn't be my idea of a fun time but I'll get back to that shortly.
This was my last big week of training and as usual I was juggling my work/life balance around it. All the stats on my Garmin are good and my coach and I were saying how I hadn't had such a good consistent run, without injury, of training so I was really happy running into this weekend.
However I did have a night out with my best friend on Wednesday. 2 pints and a pizza was on the agenda, that was the agenda that went out the window! Thursday was a tough day as I postponed my morning run and binned my core session. I headed out for my run in the evening but the hills rep at the end were abandoned as my heart rate was through the roof. Friday wasn't much better although the morning session went ahead - I was in bed for 9.30pm!
Saturday was a 3hr 10min run and up till the last minute I had no takers - then my coach stepped up and said she'd join me for the last 2 hours. It was a fantastic run and I was trying out my new trail shoes that would work on tarmac and they passed the test. I also checked out my new shorts and again they passed. The total kms was 32 but with 6km to go we came across the first runners we'd seen that day. I stepped off the trail to left them past and my foot caught an old fence post which had been cut down to 4 inches. Then everything went into slow motion. My left knee hit he ground first. My left hand reached out and I saw all 4 fingers bend backwards. My face was going to be next but I managed to get my right arm down and the elbow took the hit - face saved. Genevieve and the runners crowded round. Come on guys I said, if you were real runners you'd have stopped my Garmin!
My hand was throbbing and I had a couple of bloody knees and a bloody elbow. 6km to go - let's do it. The adrenaline kicked in and it was a fast finish. Back home and got cleaned up. Taped up the two fingers which were fatter than before and put a bandage on to support my hand which was also swelling. Then off to lunch and a few beers with the family which was a long standing arrangement. It didn't help the now stiff little fingers!
Today was a 2 hours, 21km run with Stuart. The temperature had risen significantly and it was a hot sweaty run on tired legs. But it was done and now the road to the Great Glen Ultra on 7th July looks a lot easier - I've even got my race number 78! Can't wait.
However I think the stiff little fingers may need an x-ray based on the bruising. It just goes to show that you're only one step/trip away from a DNS or a DNF and in ultra races where you are going for say 20 hours I'll need to be extra careful. But I've now got two days off exercise and my body is looking forward to it although it may be spent in A&E!
This was my last big week of training and as usual I was juggling my work/life balance around it. All the stats on my Garmin are good and my coach and I were saying how I hadn't had such a good consistent run, without injury, of training so I was really happy running into this weekend.
However I did have a night out with my best friend on Wednesday. 2 pints and a pizza was on the agenda, that was the agenda that went out the window! Thursday was a tough day as I postponed my morning run and binned my core session. I headed out for my run in the evening but the hills rep at the end were abandoned as my heart rate was through the roof. Friday wasn't much better although the morning session went ahead - I was in bed for 9.30pm!
Saturday was a 3hr 10min run and up till the last minute I had no takers - then my coach stepped up and said she'd join me for the last 2 hours. It was a fantastic run and I was trying out my new trail shoes that would work on tarmac and they passed the test. I also checked out my new shorts and again they passed. The total kms was 32 but with 6km to go we came across the first runners we'd seen that day. I stepped off the trail to left them past and my foot caught an old fence post which had been cut down to 4 inches. Then everything went into slow motion. My left knee hit he ground first. My left hand reached out and I saw all 4 fingers bend backwards. My face was going to be next but I managed to get my right arm down and the elbow took the hit - face saved. Genevieve and the runners crowded round. Come on guys I said, if you were real runners you'd have stopped my Garmin!
My hand was throbbing and I had a couple of bloody knees and a bloody elbow. 6km to go - let's do it. The adrenaline kicked in and it was a fast finish. Back home and got cleaned up. Taped up the two fingers which were fatter than before and put a bandage on to support my hand which was also swelling. Then off to lunch and a few beers with the family which was a long standing arrangement. It didn't help the now stiff little fingers!
Today was a 2 hours, 21km run with Stuart. The temperature had risen significantly and it was a hot sweaty run on tired legs. But it was done and now the road to the Great Glen Ultra on 7th July looks a lot easier - I've even got my race number 78! Can't wait.
However I think the stiff little fingers may need an x-ray based on the bruising. It just goes to show that you're only one step/trip away from a DNS or a DNF and in ultra races where you are going for say 20 hours I'll need to be extra careful. But I've now got two days off exercise and my body is looking forward to it although it may be spent in A&E!
Sunday, 17 June 2018
Testing, testing
In 3 weeks time I will be travelling down the A9 with the cruise control on as I expect I'll have popped a few paracetamol and drinking Red Bull to get me through the journey home. I'll have completed (hopefully!) the Great Glen Ultra, my "A race" for 2018 and possibly only race as I spend the rest of the year catching up with life after training. As I sit here recovering from a weekends hard training I wonder what it will be like - 71 miles is a long way and plenty of time to go to some dark places. Although it won't seem like it at the time, it will be over all to quickly. A journey that started 9 months ago will have come to an end but then it will be the start of another adventure, to be decided.
It's the height of the race season and a lot of my friends are involved in races from 10km to to ironman to extreme ironman - yes that's right, tougher than an ironman and she will be running with me on the Great Glen Ultra! I keep some bad company where what I do is considered normal. Their adventures have all involved a lot of dedication and hours of training and once finished they will be focusing on a new target I'm sure.
This week meant a lot of juggling as I try to train, work and live. At one stage it involved a 6.15am taxi to the office so I could squeeze in a run before an 8am tele meeting and not have to worry about going out for a night with my team. Fortunately I wasn't training the next day! In a weeks time I have a 4am run so that I can make a flight at 6.45am.
On Saturday I was taken on a mystery tour by Michael Martin and my coach Genevieve. I'd never gone this route before and I don't think I could find my way back round without getting lost, but it was great. An unexpected bonus was that although the majority of the run was off road there was a few miles on tarmac. I was wearing my trail shoes but my calves didn't enjoy the tarmac with those shoes - they are too aggressive for tarmac. Better to find out now as there are some roads on the Great Glen Ultra and this could make the difference between finishing and getting injured. Testing your equipment is essential because when you are out on the run it's too late. I know that you can run the GGU in road shoes but having kicked a few stone on trail runs, I don't want to take that risk - that could finish your race. The 29km was a good way of setting up for Sunday's run.
Back to back runs are important when training for an ultra. You need to learn to run on tired legs. It may have been Father's Day but there was no breakfast in bed for me. I headed out with my regular running pal Stuart and the target was 1 hour 50 mins. At the beginning of the run we got attacked by a chihuahua - it may be small but those teeth got close to my ankle before I squirted it with my water bottle. This is a regular occurance and much as I love dogs it's on it's last warning. My legs were tired and my heart rate increased from yesterday's fatigue however it settled down and we had a good run. Again following the run I rested and stuffed my face with food. My body is craving food as I try to replace the calories burned.
Other than writing my blog, watching the footie and shopping online for new trail shoes I'll be sitting with my feet up resting like a proper athlete! I've got another two days running before I get a rest despite this being the "taper period" before the race. Next week will be the last big weekend of running. Tick tock, where did the time go?
It's the height of the race season and a lot of my friends are involved in races from 10km to to ironman to extreme ironman - yes that's right, tougher than an ironman and she will be running with me on the Great Glen Ultra! I keep some bad company where what I do is considered normal. Their adventures have all involved a lot of dedication and hours of training and once finished they will be focusing on a new target I'm sure.
This week meant a lot of juggling as I try to train, work and live. At one stage it involved a 6.15am taxi to the office so I could squeeze in a run before an 8am tele meeting and not have to worry about going out for a night with my team. Fortunately I wasn't training the next day! In a weeks time I have a 4am run so that I can make a flight at 6.45am.
On Saturday I was taken on a mystery tour by Michael Martin and my coach Genevieve. I'd never gone this route before and I don't think I could find my way back round without getting lost, but it was great. An unexpected bonus was that although the majority of the run was off road there was a few miles on tarmac. I was wearing my trail shoes but my calves didn't enjoy the tarmac with those shoes - they are too aggressive for tarmac. Better to find out now as there are some roads on the Great Glen Ultra and this could make the difference between finishing and getting injured. Testing your equipment is essential because when you are out on the run it's too late. I know that you can run the GGU in road shoes but having kicked a few stone on trail runs, I don't want to take that risk - that could finish your race. The 29km was a good way of setting up for Sunday's run.
Back to back runs are important when training for an ultra. You need to learn to run on tired legs. It may have been Father's Day but there was no breakfast in bed for me. I headed out with my regular running pal Stuart and the target was 1 hour 50 mins. At the beginning of the run we got attacked by a chihuahua - it may be small but those teeth got close to my ankle before I squirted it with my water bottle. This is a regular occurance and much as I love dogs it's on it's last warning. My legs were tired and my heart rate increased from yesterday's fatigue however it settled down and we had a good run. Again following the run I rested and stuffed my face with food. My body is craving food as I try to replace the calories burned.
Other than writing my blog, watching the footie and shopping online for new trail shoes I'll be sitting with my feet up resting like a proper athlete! I've got another two days running before I get a rest despite this being the "taper period" before the race. Next week will be the last big weekend of running. Tick tock, where did the time go?
Sunday, 10 June 2018
The lost boys
I know I know. There is a bit of recurring theme here but I'll explain it all in due course.
I can't believe how quickly the weeks are flying in as I head to my "A race" in 26 days time. There's a lot of planning still to do so that when I turn up I know exactly what is going to happen - I don't want to waste any energy worrying about things that can be taken care of in advance.
It's been a good week's training, missing only one swim session - I'd taken my goggles/nose clip to Marrakesh but they somehow got lost in the suitcase on the way back. 4 days later I found them so I'll be back swimming this week.
I had a special treat on Friday which was to listen to my friend Roddy Riddle address 160 podiatrists in Glasgow about how he "controls/rules his T1 diabetes". I ran with Roddy in the MdS and apart from being a top athlete he is such an inspiration for anyone with T1. I even got a mention in his presentation. The picture is of me lying on my back in the tent with my feet in the air, both almost completely covered in bandages as I have 7 blisters at the end of day 2. He refers to me as the hypochondriac! He's given this talk all over the world - thanks Roddy, don't let the truth get in the way of a good story! Don't tell him but he is amazing. While I am focusing on the Great Glen run cut off of 22 hours and would be delighted to get closer to 20 hours, he ran it a few years ago in 13 hours and came 3rd! T1 doesn't stand a chance in his body.
Saturday was 1.5 hours at Chatelherault which I hadn't visited in some time. Sadly the council have "sanitised" the paths will fine stones and even tarmaced the big stairs which takes away the trail element. I may have to find a new training ground.
Today I was meant to be in the hills for 5 hours. A friend suggested The Shiehallion, an iconic Munro which according to the guide was a 4-6 hour climb. Having got lost the other week I studied the maps and downloaded an OS map of the area. Sadly it didn't show the approach road but I had google maps, or at least I had it until there was no signal. So Stuart and I ended up in the wrong glen, again! Eventually we found our way which when we were coming home seemed so simple to navigate except like a couple of numpties we got it wrong - we were eventually helped by someone with an atlas!
I was really looking forward to this climb and had read about the false summits and also the bolder field near the summit. We set off running up the track till it got too steep and we then reverted to power walking. The summit is covered in cloud but I was hoping it would burn off. I was surprised how busy the hill was and how early we reached the boulder field. My dodgy foot didn't appreciate the hopping from one rock to another and it took us over 20 minutes to get through it as there is no path at that stage. Despite the low cloud, my summit curse, we knew we'd reached the top because these must have been 20 people up there having their lunch - not my idea of climbing in Scotland. We had some food and water and quickly headed back down. Every step in the boulder field was a possible ankle break for me.
Once out of it we let the brakes off and speedy Stuart left me for dust. At one stage I looked up to see how to navigate my way past some walkers and tripped. They have no idea how close I was to wiping them out but fortunately I regained my footing and continued down the mountainside. When we got to the bottom I checked my watch - a total of 2 hours! I wasn't in the frame of mind to repeat it so took the positives out of the run i.e. Practising on similar terrain and building my quads before heading off for fish and chips and a 99.
On the way home I bought a Schiehallion beer and came to the conclusion, the beer is better than the mountain!
This week will be a busy running week and I will start to get together my plans for the event. Based on me getting lost in the last 2 runs I think studying the course will be vital as part of it is in the dark and I need to organise my drop bags with the food that will keep me fuelled during the race.
Tick tock - it will be over before I know it but in the meantime, plenty of preparation to be done.
I can't believe how quickly the weeks are flying in as I head to my "A race" in 26 days time. There's a lot of planning still to do so that when I turn up I know exactly what is going to happen - I don't want to waste any energy worrying about things that can be taken care of in advance.
It's been a good week's training, missing only one swim session - I'd taken my goggles/nose clip to Marrakesh but they somehow got lost in the suitcase on the way back. 4 days later I found them so I'll be back swimming this week.
I had a special treat on Friday which was to listen to my friend Roddy Riddle address 160 podiatrists in Glasgow about how he "controls/rules his T1 diabetes". I ran with Roddy in the MdS and apart from being a top athlete he is such an inspiration for anyone with T1. I even got a mention in his presentation. The picture is of me lying on my back in the tent with my feet in the air, both almost completely covered in bandages as I have 7 blisters at the end of day 2. He refers to me as the hypochondriac! He's given this talk all over the world - thanks Roddy, don't let the truth get in the way of a good story! Don't tell him but he is amazing. While I am focusing on the Great Glen run cut off of 22 hours and would be delighted to get closer to 20 hours, he ran it a few years ago in 13 hours and came 3rd! T1 doesn't stand a chance in his body.
Saturday was 1.5 hours at Chatelherault which I hadn't visited in some time. Sadly the council have "sanitised" the paths will fine stones and even tarmaced the big stairs which takes away the trail element. I may have to find a new training ground.
Today I was meant to be in the hills for 5 hours. A friend suggested The Shiehallion, an iconic Munro which according to the guide was a 4-6 hour climb. Having got lost the other week I studied the maps and downloaded an OS map of the area. Sadly it didn't show the approach road but I had google maps, or at least I had it until there was no signal. So Stuart and I ended up in the wrong glen, again! Eventually we found our way which when we were coming home seemed so simple to navigate except like a couple of numpties we got it wrong - we were eventually helped by someone with an atlas!
I was really looking forward to this climb and had read about the false summits and also the bolder field near the summit. We set off running up the track till it got too steep and we then reverted to power walking. The summit is covered in cloud but I was hoping it would burn off. I was surprised how busy the hill was and how early we reached the boulder field. My dodgy foot didn't appreciate the hopping from one rock to another and it took us over 20 minutes to get through it as there is no path at that stage. Despite the low cloud, my summit curse, we knew we'd reached the top because these must have been 20 people up there having their lunch - not my idea of climbing in Scotland. We had some food and water and quickly headed back down. Every step in the boulder field was a possible ankle break for me.
Once out of it we let the brakes off and speedy Stuart left me for dust. At one stage I looked up to see how to navigate my way past some walkers and tripped. They have no idea how close I was to wiping them out but fortunately I regained my footing and continued down the mountainside. When we got to the bottom I checked my watch - a total of 2 hours! I wasn't in the frame of mind to repeat it so took the positives out of the run i.e. Practising on similar terrain and building my quads before heading off for fish and chips and a 99.
On the way home I bought a Schiehallion beer and came to the conclusion, the beer is better than the mountain!
This week will be a busy running week and I will start to get together my plans for the event. Based on me getting lost in the last 2 runs I think studying the course will be vital as part of it is in the dark and I need to organise my drop bags with the food that will keep me fuelled during the race.
Tick tock - it will be over before I know it but in the meantime, plenty of preparation to be done.
Sunday, 3 June 2018
Double shift
Last week was a light weeks training, apart from this weekend. The reason was that I was attending a wedding in Marrakesh,with my wife, of a good friend. Sometimes life takes over, which isn't a bad thing, and with my coach we had known about this for some time so planned accordingly. While it was scheduled as an easy week, Monday was spent travelling all day as we had a couple of flights. That was tiring but the following day I was up at 6.30am and out for a 1 hour run before it got too hot. It was hot enough but my focus was on trying not to go over on my ankle ofn the rubble that was meant to be the footpath or wiped out by the moped riders who had "livestock" on their back/saddle and were texting on their phone at the same time!
Tuesday was the wedding which was amazing. Plenty of fizz and we called it a night at 12.30 having danced the night away - should have been wearing my Garmin and I could have claimed it was training. Wednesday continued the celebrations and Thursday we left the hotel at 7am and got home at 12.30am on Friday - knackered. I had a 40 minute recovery run on Friday in Z1 & Z2 which felt like a gentle massage but this was the "calm before the storm".
I had to run 38km on Saturday and had nobody interested in joining me. But I got a last minute offer from a real ultra nutter, Craig Hamilton and Donald MacLean. They had a 38km planned for me but what I didn't realise was that after 11km we headed off-road to a very tough 16km route with some very big climbs. I don't like, although know it's good for me, this track due to the big climbs but we walked some of the hills which is what you do in ultras. The terrain was perfect as it will be similar to the Great Glen Ultra. On the way back the heavens opened so I got to test my running gear in monsoon conditions - important to know there isn't any chaffing when running in wet shorts. In total it was 39km and I spent the rest of the day eating like a horse and resting. I'd lost over 4 lbs in weight and burned 2,700 calories. But this was a double shift and the real test was Sunday - running on tired legs.
Having almost run a marathon, when I woke up on Sunday I felt reasonably good but I had a wee niggle behind my right knee coming off the calf. I took precautions with extra mineral hydration before I went out and compression socks to help support my calf. My trusty running mate Stuart joined me and the start of the 29km run involves a hill - calf felt tight and legs were tired. In fact the first 41 minutes are uphill so it's a tough start. After that I settled into a good rhythm walking the occasional hill and hydrating and eating at the same time - good practise.
It didn't help that I took the wrong road which added another 3km onto our route but we just had to get on with it. We finished strong with the last 3km getting faster.
As soon as we stopped I could feel the stiffness setting in so hydration and protein drink were consumed followed by a bath and food. The rest of the day will be rest and recovery but I'm pleased with my stats over the weekend. Tomorrow is a rest day before it all starts again. It's amazing what your body can do when you train it, and your mind, properly. Double shifts do have benefits.
Tuesday was the wedding which was amazing. Plenty of fizz and we called it a night at 12.30 having danced the night away - should have been wearing my Garmin and I could have claimed it was training. Wednesday continued the celebrations and Thursday we left the hotel at 7am and got home at 12.30am on Friday - knackered. I had a 40 minute recovery run on Friday in Z1 & Z2 which felt like a gentle massage but this was the "calm before the storm".
I had to run 38km on Saturday and had nobody interested in joining me. But I got a last minute offer from a real ultra nutter, Craig Hamilton and Donald MacLean. They had a 38km planned for me but what I didn't realise was that after 11km we headed off-road to a very tough 16km route with some very big climbs. I don't like, although know it's good for me, this track due to the big climbs but we walked some of the hills which is what you do in ultras. The terrain was perfect as it will be similar to the Great Glen Ultra. On the way back the heavens opened so I got to test my running gear in monsoon conditions - important to know there isn't any chaffing when running in wet shorts. In total it was 39km and I spent the rest of the day eating like a horse and resting. I'd lost over 4 lbs in weight and burned 2,700 calories. But this was a double shift and the real test was Sunday - running on tired legs.
Having almost run a marathon, when I woke up on Sunday I felt reasonably good but I had a wee niggle behind my right knee coming off the calf. I took precautions with extra mineral hydration before I went out and compression socks to help support my calf. My trusty running mate Stuart joined me and the start of the 29km run involves a hill - calf felt tight and legs were tired. In fact the first 41 minutes are uphill so it's a tough start. After that I settled into a good rhythm walking the occasional hill and hydrating and eating at the same time - good practise.
It didn't help that I took the wrong road which added another 3km onto our route but we just had to get on with it. We finished strong with the last 3km getting faster.
As soon as we stopped I could feel the stiffness setting in so hydration and protein drink were consumed followed by a bath and food. The rest of the day will be rest and recovery but I'm pleased with my stats over the weekend. Tomorrow is a rest day before it all starts again. It's amazing what your body can do when you train it, and your mind, properly. Double shifts do have benefits.
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