Aftermath

This cool shield bug was parked on my tent when I went out to turn it over to dry out.

Thanks again for all the support! I really enjoyed the race and can't wait for my next Ultra in August. Overall I was slow but I knew that, I am not much of a runner and I was only ever competing to finish and not to get a good place. I was very pleased to discover that my placing on Day 2 was almost the same as on Day 1, yes I slowed down but at the same rate as everybody else. I am really pleased with how I prepared and executed the race, I think I did great. :-) I don't feel too bad today at all. Stiffness in my ankles that meany I could barely walk yesterday has improved very much overnight and during the day.

Day 1 Carlisle to Vindolanda

The race started late due to the rivers bursting their banks, the organisers had to go out first to check that there was still a course for us to run over. There was but there was quite a bit of wading to be done. My finely tuned nutrition plan was so finely tuned that having started 20 minutes late, I started getting hungry 20 minutes before each scheduled food eating. D'oh. I did catch up with myself after a while though.

I wasn't prepared for how psychologically difficult the early stages of the race would be. I strictly implemented my run/walk schedule and it was difficult to walk while feeling as fresh as a daisy and watching other people running past me. It wasn't till about 15 miles in that I started to relax and enjoy myself a bit more. At 22 miles I started to go through a bit of a slump but I kind of knew that from training anyway. By 25 I was feeling better and at 28 was feeling amazing though that might have been something to do with the fact I had eaten a jelly snake the size of an anaconda at the previous checkpoint. At 30 miles, yes okay I was starting to feel a bit tired but the howling wind at my back helped push me along. The weather was terrible all day. I kept my waterproof trousers on all day and took my jacket on and off as needed.

What I did right - The walk run schedule was great. It allowed me to break the run up into time pieces and not dwell on the miles and I was really appreciating the walks towards the end.
- The arm warmers. Greatest garment ever. I just rolled them up and down as the wind and rain came and went and was comfortable all day.
- stopping imediately I felt discomfort in my left big toe and looking at it. A blister was developing and I caught it before it became a problem.

What I did wrong - Being too rigid about eating, that could have gone wrong with the delay but I got away with it. This time.
- Taking a thermos mug with hot pasta. This was great during training but I couldn't stomach it during the race. No problem, I knew that was a possibility and I won't bother again

Day 2 Vindolanda to Gateshead.

After a night of very little sleep, a lot of wind threatening to blow me and my tent away and battering rain we set off for the next leg. I felt really not too bad for just having run 32 miles. It was odd watching everyone pick their way slowly through the quagmire rather than be running off! I managed to keep up my pace for the first 2.5 hrs which I think is pretty good really. Unfortunately it only constituted about a third of the course and there was a long way to go! I upped my walk/run ratio considerably and even had a rather extended walk break.

Thankfully, I found a new jelly snake and new vigour at the 18 mile checkpoint and having thought I couldn't run anymore, actually I could. I decided not to bother with the walk/run schedule anymore and decided I could trust myself to just run when I felt like it as I would feel like it as much as possible, there was no way I was walking all the way to Gateshead!

At the 30 mile checkpoint I was feeling pretty good and with only 7 miles to go I managed to run most of the first 3 miles. Then as I reached Newcastle, the pain in my ankles caused by slamming into tarmac increased very suddenly to the point where I thought I was going to be sick. It looked like I was going to have to walk the final four miles, and since I was now walking very slowly it was going to be an extremely long 4 miles. After trudging for a while, I tried a run and actually it was not too bad. I ran until the pain of running was too much and then walked until the pain of walking was too much and kept this up all the way to the end. My goodness I was glad to see that pedestrian bridge in my photo yesterday as just across it was the finish line! The weather was improved today and we even saw some sunshine. Still some very heavy showers though.

What I did right - Pretty pleased with today actually. I think it went as well as could be expected. It was always going to be a challenge. The ankle thing at 33 miles was a bit of a surprise but there was never any question that I was going to finish and the fact that I was able to keep running after all helped a great deal.

What I did wrong - well I could have always done more training of course. I am really optimistic about my next race in August. I am sure I can increase my speed by then and it mostly off road so not much tarmac slamming.