Race Report Winter Tanners 30 2015

Starting 2015 with a big run was a bit of a pipe dream just over a month ago as I was coughing up the heaviest chest infection I think I've ever had. I had the lung capacity of a heavy smoker and was struggling to breathe, let alone run.

Christmas came and went and I found myself improving and all of a sudden, 15 days of consecutive running. No drinking as of new year and I woke up in the morning of Sunday 11th Jan and met my good friend and neighbour John who was running his first ultra: The Winter Tanners 30.

A quick drive at 7am from chilly South London to Leatherhead and after dropping the car at the station car park and some sorting out of race admin in the local leisure centre it was off to the start. Twitter chums had agreed an 8.30am start and we milled around for a few moments and said good mornings to David from Springfield Striders and also to Mark Thornberry. Later in the run John commented on there being quite a tight-knit bunch of runners in the ultra community and although I had never met Mark before, banter started quickly and it was more like we had known each other from before......

Out of the traps and local boy Mark showed us the way so we didn't need to look at the directions, not that this stopped me from doing so and on the occasional corner, I would slow from the other two and check bearings. The course is different every year and getting lost is not an option for me on an LDWA. Denbies vineyard was a long drag up but we were welcomed with majestic views of the recent sunrise over the Surrey Hills. Gravelled paths and tarmac quickly gave way to muddy tracks as we headed away from Dorking with a brief stop at CP1 and up the high point of the day. We were welcomed to the 965ft Leith Hill after a 5km drag to the top. Mark recounted the story of why the tower was built on the top, to raise the height to 1000ft. Coming down off the top was a blast. Soft wooded twisty path. Perfect for jumping and running all the way down, although much steeper than the way up. Fun though.

CP1-CP2 was a good 10 miles and this got hard going. Some sections between Holmbury and Shere were calf deep in really claggy mud. Some poor chap lost his shoe in a recce run last weekend. I can see why. After a drier spell, Mark slipped and fell. We all pulled up and walked to check he was OK, but clearly he had done some ankle damage. Bravely he soldiered on, just behind, catching up when we stopped to get directions and again at the next CP at Hurtwood Control. One heck of a climb up Pitch Hill preceded this. Normally we would take the Peaselake route aka Founders Route, but this 'faint path' was nuts. Hands on knees straight up the side! After a quick feast, we were on our way, skirting woods through farmers fiends towards Abinger. After being overtaken by David for the 10th time John recounted how much he was in his element and enjoying the run. We were having a blast and it wasn't until another claggy field that I realised that I had better neck a gel at 20 miles having not yet eaten sugar. CP3 was at 25.7 miles and after a lot of valley bottom, a steep ascent onto the NDW. John's effervescent self had withdrawn into a pale-faced wall hitting death march. Plenty of encouragement was required up to Steer's field at Ranmore Common, where we also caught up with Richard Stewart and Dave Barker. I ensured John's face was stuffed at CP3 and we rammed a chocolate and caffeine gel down his face. After a gentle and tentative descent to Tanners Hatch and the Wilberforce monument, it was banter time with Rich and Dave. We had 4 miles to go and with colour back in the bearded-one, we hit a cameo blast for the last few. Chit chat gave way to some full tilt running and from the field gate after crossing the Guildford Rd it was sub 7s for the last 2 miles. This was an awesome way to finish an awesome race. 5.58 is not quick by any standards but the mud was pretty bad.

Not only did we all finish like juggernauts, the legs felt great. Not only was this day #30 of a running streack, I've continued and now at day #35. It may well be a 100km week. That has not happened for a while! Lets see how far I go after parkrun tomorrow.

Marathon #56 DONE.

Even though there was 50cm of snow in the Balkan mountains, I still got out for a good solid hike. Conditions of -6 degrees and 50cm of snow in the mountains led me to not run. Although I have not been getting the big miles in lately I have been working on speed and now have got my 5k time down to 20.08 or 6.25s per mile. I'm quite pleased with this as it is now near to my 19.56 PB for 5k.

Stort 30 Race Report

So it is a bit of a delay in the write up. Usually it is within 24 hours but over a month later I needed to get round to it. A nice drive up to Hertfordshire for a nice race temperature start for this time of year. For me t-shirt weather but for some, it was a case of the 'Yukon Ultras' for others.

Dear readers might notice a change in my perceptions about the sport but in the last few months I have ditched the gear and gone for a lightweight approach to the longer runs. No backpack, no waistpack, just a bottle and what I can fit in my pockets. Liberating!

I arrived knowing very few faces. There were around 250 runners and after a packed race briefing and some race admin of my own it was off for 2 laps around the field. I spotted Craig Holgate from Centurion running team on the front laying down the marker as he went off like shit off a hot chrome shovel. I gently stretched out my tired legs and after the 2 laps we were on the road for a 1km descent to the Stort Navigation channel where we would out and back over the 30 miles. Ever short of miles this year I enter events now with some trepidation and this was no different. After 4 miles of feeling shit but striking up some good conversation with a local chap (sorry your name escapes me) I felt like I could give it some beans and caught up with a chap I had done the Downland Ultra with Dave Immune who remembered I had broken my leg 6 months previous. I felt a bit embarrassed I hadn't remembered his name and again this escapes me! So we ran together and beasted the next few miles racing through CP1 and heading onto CP2 for just a quick drink and then the turnaround at 15 miles which we did in 1hr 57 mins. I stopped for 5 to gather myself and drink and off we went again. I kept this up to 20 miles and then the wheels came off a bit.

What I really enjoyed was the high 5-ing runners coming the other way.....but sweating my bollocks off by this point seeing the throng of overdressed Hoka-compression-tight-rucksack-wearing-jacket-wearing-sunglasses-wearing obese runners made me question for a moment the technology in our beloved sport. I have been a bit of a sucker to some of these fads and fashions but now am becoming a bit retro in my belief that mind and body get you through the harsher parts of races and there is nothing that a couple of cups of coke and a handful of crisps won't solve. My favourite was the portly Lara Croft man who sported a gun belt of at least 20 gels across his chest and Buff man.....top to toes in Buff sponsored gear.......both these guys were BIG UNITS at potentially 18+ stone.

Anyway after my giggles at the caravan of colour, I hit the skids at around 20 miles and ploughed into the checkpoint and grazed like a horse. I was clearly light on training longer miles but enjoying the day with a permanent smile on my face. I hooked up with 24hr Track runner Nathan at about 24 miles in, recently projectile vom Nathan....we had a bit of a laugh and then trotted back the last 6 miles with some run-walking to come in 47th at 4.40. Not too bad for a lack of training but still well under the 5 hours I had in my head. A bit more sensible eating earlier and we would be looking at a 4.15.

Marathon #55. Done

Longman Ultra

Basically I have not even blogged this which was at the end of the summer. A really well organised run with checkpoints well stocked and a friendly bunch of people from http://www.apresrecovery.com/ shakes and recovery drinks who were running the show. Even though the distance was 33.4 miles, the route took in some fairly hilly territory. I'm so glad the SDW100 doesn't take in the Devil's Dyke as it is a bitch to run into and and even bigger one to get back out of.

A very friendly field and some new faces to the ultra scene. The run for me was about some training miles across my favourite hills in the South of England. Also, the best part of those hills. The work for the first 4 miles was fairly brutal and I twinged my high hamstring in the mist coming up to the Dyke....It was so beautiful though, running through the ether.

So after I decided to walk and then pull out of the first CP, I thought that that wasit. I felt a little better and decided to head to CP 2, by which I had resigned myself to limping to the end, whatever happened. I got into a good clip and hooked up with a fella called Neil. He went off and it was all I could do to stay running as my hamstring was going to blow. Add the worst ever gels I have ever tasted and a puke later I was really mad. So I carried on. To the next CP and the halfway turnaround up on Firle Beacon, an unforgiving 800ft climb, only to come back down again. I felt better and then began a slow but steady clip. With my hamstring earlier causing me grief, I could only see 3 other runners behind me at 4 miles. I slowly but surely overtook some runners, many of which appeared to be carrying rucksacks and kitted out really well. Coming back down off Clayton I had a wobble. I had regained a lot of ground and overtaken what felt like most of the field....I had! I met up again with Neil who donated a shot blok which was just enough to see me up the final climb. 19th place, 6 hrs 22 mins and 82 mins behind the winner. Only. A nice medal, t shirt and a chat with the RD and his wife over a pint of their recovery hot chocolate and that was #54 DONE!

Windsor Ultra 43.4 mile Race Report

The Gravy Train rolls on with another adventure with trusty GRT runner Phill. This one was a little off any radar other than the two of us and our new GRT runner Cookie. Cookie bowed out on this one to go to a 40th birthday party and attempt 40 pints. I'm not sure how that worked out fella? So this was all a bit last minute, but required a bit of planning for the point-to-point race along the Thames. There were 4 days of the race but we opted for the 43.4 mile (70km) Windsor ultra. Phill arrived at mine at 5.30am and we cabbed to Paddington to get the train to Madenhead and cab to the start about 6 miles away. It was a fairly low key start and with the NDW100 on the same day, a small field including a Spartathlon runner.

The start was actually delayed by Race Director Steve for the 2 competitors who were doing all 4 days of the race. He then let them go 15 mins before the mass start. This was all a little weird as they were walking like John Wayne and we passed the first of these guys only 1.5 miles into our run. Off we headed at the horn and withing 2 mins were on the Thames Path. slightly muddy underfoot but by no means treacherous we joined the lead group. The spartathlete looked in good shape and he ran the race from the front with an odd guy in Hokas and ONE COMPRESSION SOCK! We were joined by a young chap who looked about 18 but had a support crew of wife, child, mother-in-law, brother and father-in-law. We dubbed him the boy scout as he looked young. With only 3 Check Points and 24 degree sunny temperatures, our fuelling and hydrating strategy could make or break us. Our form and fitness was questionable, as I in particular had not got the miles in. So to CP1, we settled into our own race strategy, letting the 2 faster chaps off the front and the boy scout joined us. He wasn't very talkative! CP1 was reasonably well stocked and after 3-4 mins stocking up we set off again from 10 miles to the next CP which was 11.7 miles away. It got hot and humid and I wasn't in the greatest of shape, with a feeling of malaise and bloatedness. I beckoned to Phill to come up with a CP1.5 so we walked and took on some food, the boy scout staying with us. We set off again at 15 miles and that was the last we saw of scout. We then started to make tracks to CP2, crossing the river a couple of times past Windsor castle where groundsmen were out with shotguns.

I was out of water by mile 17 so a welcome shop for a can of coke was utilised. Scout did not come past. We rolled into CP2 for a longer stop. The front 2 were 7 mins ahead at this point. A big fuel and water up and we walked for 10 mins to let the nutrition soak in. We then opted for a strategy that would see slow, but steady progress up to the Marathon point and then it was into Gravy territory and ultra land. Again out of water, we stopped at an ice cream van for a much needed coke. Running along the river was the first fully flat ultra I had done and actually feel that it is harder than a hilly race, all of the time utilising only one muscle group rather than changing for the differing gradients. The river was getting busy and watching the boats bimble past with the occasional seaman asking us how far we were running and with the sun beaming down on us we almost missed CP3. There was a problem here as the back of the pack were so far back that CP3 hadn't been set up properly and there was water only. Why oh why do races insist on a water only CP?

We stopped to 10 mins and had a sit down out of the now hot sun. As we were leaving, much to our surprise, a Greek guy from the start come rolling in. No scout. Being in podium 3rd was now at risk and for Phill, this wasn't an issue but I got the bit between my teeth and off we went. Navigation issues with a closed part of the path and some missing signeage meant the map came out for the first and only time.....I mean, who could miss a river. We assumed the Greek had gone past us by now so we took the pressure off ourselves, both close to the wall in the heat, both with bloated and sick bellies. Hampton court came with a small sense of relief as this meant a cheeky 10k or so to go. Coke 4 from an ice cream vendor for me! The last 5 miles of which took forever. Where was the bridge we had to cross to signal 1.1miles to go? Then there it was!

A couple of double/triple checks of the instructions to find the finish line and we reckoned about 1km to go. We both of us were a little worried as we had stopped sweating in the last 4 miles. Wobbly but knowingly close, Phill picked up my strategy for spotting a marker, running to it and then having a walk break. We did this to good effect. Finally he said, 2 lamp posts and the end of the hedge and the finish came upon us! Fat medals, t-shirts, showers and then a walk back to the pub to sink a few. We assumed 4th and went to see how far the Greek had beaten us by. Joint 3rd= said the RD! Awesome work. Phill has a battle scar tan line on his slap as a reminder that this was his longest ultra to date. The gravy train rolls on!

Fairlands Valley 50k Race report

I entered this ultra with some trepidation as I have only managed a maximum of 25 miles a week training, most of which with a pram. I did get out last Saturday for 14 miles and felt just about human at the end. The week consisted of me continually asking Cookie and Phil to join me. I had all but given up and then the Cookster text me to state that his entry was in. PB then confirmed her would enter on the day. After a heavy friday night and impromptu heavily boozy picnic in Kensington Gardens, a takeaway and a late late film on the telly, the 3 hours sleep was PERFECT preparation for a 50k run in 28 degree heat with 60% humidity.

There is apparently nothing finer than a Lapsong tea smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel on wholemeal to prep for an ultra and so I did. Had there been any fizz left I would no doubt had quaffed that too, but needs must and I left chez moi at 5.30am to pick up Cookie and get to Greenwich to pick up PB. No sooner we were on the way then banter started. We arrived having not looked at the website start time so 2 rounds of race admin later we were ready to go. The first 5/6 miles up to CP1 were getting away from the urban sprawl of Stevenage and into the beautiful rolling hills of Hertfordshire en-route to Welwyn Garden City. A good clip was achieved, but always in my mind was winding in Cookie who with nervous abandon, wanted to push. Bread pudding to die for was available by the bucketload. I obliged! The next section was essentially a 6 mile loop to take the ultra runners up to 50km whilst allowing the marathoners, starting 45 mins later, to run their run. Good things about this was that we always saw runners, but revisiting the same CP1/2 again was weird! We did stay to photobomb a St Albans Striders photo opp with about 30 other runners. Off we went and having run the course before, but in  different parts, recounted previous runs on the same turf. This helped as there were a couple of tricky bits.

Cookie was in his element today, buoyed by the camaraderie and lessons learned from the legend PB and some snippets from yours truly. We took the next CP in no time and spent a time there fuelling up. Water over the head in the churchyard was so welcome. Open ground was hot, humid and unforgiving. Woodland was small respite from the heat. On we ploughed. Seeing Dave Ross and Peter Bowles at the start made me wonder if they had finished but they were not the concern....getting the boys from Gravy Racing Team was. PB had a bit of a bad patch so we spent extra time at CP4 and 5 to let recuperation take effect. Aside from a minor wobble at 12 miles, I felt bizarrely fine for the duration. PB, the Siberian monkey was feeling the heat so urged Cookster and myself on after much protestation. We bimbled off after the 25.7 mile final CP and then got a reasonable ultra-shuffle on until the last couple of miles. Cookie was feeling the heat coming off the big hill at 27 and reminded me every half mile that there SURELY was only a couple of miles to go.....I know there were about 5 but we picked out trees, ran, walked the steep hills and ran again after that all the way to the finish. Only 2 mins from the finish we had some pishy cheap beer on the go and clapped PB over the line about 10/15 mins later. #52 is now in the bag and Gravy Race Team was formed.