Croydon Ultra race report - Another fall. Another DNF

I started the Croydon Ultra in the main wave....main wave being about 25-30 runners. There were 8.00am, 8.30am and 8.45am waves of a few, including winner of the NC50 Johnny Melbourne. I have no doubt he would win the race. I chose the last wave, which included long-time-no-see Steve Barnes, looking on form.

So I was expecting the Croydon Ultra to be dirty and foul and without any interest. No. The change of course had the first 6 miles head out down the Vanguard Way, through the dappled shade and at 22-23 degrees we knew it would be a hot one. Johnny had gone off in the first wave and I have no doubt he would win the race, I didn't feel I would be in the zone that I was in at the NC50 which is why I was glad of the second wave. I sat behind the leading guys knowing that a training run is a training run. Coming into CP1 at the White Bear, I began to find some mojo and upped the pace a bit, to keep the front 2 and Susan, 3rd lady of the NDW50 in my vision. The course was really nice at this point. I then knew the second part of the course like the back of my hand. All was starting to fall into place, after an early tentative pace, I found the pace pick up and a small walk break up Spout Hill and picking up 2 awesome chaps we discussed falling into potholes and my SDW100 fall.

Then it happened. I clipped a tree root, landed hip first, then head and arm. Race over. I hobbled with the guys coming into 6/7th place and struggled. I had landed on my right arm, just mended from the last fall which really pissed me off. Luckily this was softer ground this time.....well it was Croydon. Every gel in my pockets had burst and were running sugary goo down my legs and I had a headache and sore hip. The biggest issue now is that my right hamstring was very painful, over-compensating for my left hip. I pulled in at CP2, thanked Ian Campbell for his excellent course markings and organisation and went home. Bollocks. Fuck.

2 x DNF in 2 races. 2 identical falls. What is going on? I am not feeling great mentally about his at the moment but know that I need to get back on the horse, so to speak.

Bollocks again.