Room 101 is a place where we put things that we don't like or get on with. For some reason this was a bit of a bogey number. For my birthday I had planned a big one. The Butcombe 56 mile ultramarathon. I think that having lost my mojo totally after passing 100 and with work, kids and the amount of work on our house taking its toll, I think this year will be the lowest running mileage since the broken leg in 2010.
Anyway I toed the line low on mileage and low on morale.
I didn't feel the best but this was my first outing at trying tailwind having DNF'd at Butcombe...having been top 5 for the first 25 miles and then dropping 20 places in 4 miles with 9 hedge stops.....guts were awful. I finally bailed at 38 miles. Empty.
This was a bit of a revelation as it felt good all the way round. I enjoyed the race, despite being low on miles. I had run this in a much higher position in previous races. I have run 5 HWC or WC races now....Sue sends me out on them as the mugs are a welcome addition to the 'hot chocolate' or 'chinese tea' late drink...putting me in 7th position in the 'all time' list. Nice to see Paul Thomson at the start.....However this time round, I started at the back.....took the first 30k so easily it was an enjoyable run with no lows or flat spots. I was loitering in about 120th place out of nearly 200 runners.....part of the pack that I don't often familiarise myself with, but it was lovely and friendly. With the gut-bomb not happening, I put my foot down. The last 20k I switched on some middle-aged after burners......jumping from 120 ish to 52nd overall. I overtook 15 in the last 3 miles.....all 3 miles were run at sub-7s. I guess with more confidence and training I could have gone out harder and gone into a better position....but you never know. 5.35 and 101 done
