My First Ultra Race - Cardiff Ultra 50 miles Brecon to Cardiff

This was my first Ultra of 50 miles.  Not only did I smash my longest distance - MK Marathon - in one day, I nearly doubled that distance.

I had trained as much as I could for this, I had worried so much about this, I had been booking marathon's to keep me from thinking about this event for a long time!!  Insane?  Yes.  Yes it was.

The week before this race it had been raining with the forecast on the day being rain by the evening.  What was the weather like?  Blue skies and hot sun - ALL DAY!!! I'm sure there was another long distance race that was full of hot weather all day......?

The day started at 4am for me and Lesley at the Travelodge in Whitchurch.  We got to Sport Wales in good time and took our seats on the coach that would take us to Brecon.  Gear and packs checked, checked and double checked we sat and enjoyed the scenery for the next hour.  We arrived at a theatre complex in Brecon and had enough time for a cup of tea and one more check of gear.  Toilet breaks a plenty due to nerves.  Then a quick briefing in the theatre and we headed out to the start.

The drama for the day consisted of me panicking about my Garmin eTrex30 that I somehow lost from the coach and the start outside the theatre which lead to me delaying Sian and Lesley from starting with the rest of the pack.  Swearing and bitching about the fact that I should have been more careful I gave up trying to find the eTrex and we started way behind everyone else which also made me swear because we'd been left behind.  Dang it all!!

After a couple miles I gave up worrying about my lost eTrex and we were following Lesley's ultra plan of run 5 minutes, walk 1 minute.  Yes I wanted to run that little bit faster than my friends but I also wanted to very much stay together for this first Ultra 50.  Never underestimate the power of friends.  The last 12 miles of this race were only possible because of that companionship.  Thank you - You're amazing.

The scenery from Brecon was amazing.  We ran along a canal for a while and then headed out into the hills.  The views along the lake were amazing as the water was so still.  The amazing view at the top of the longest hill I have ever had to attempt in a race - 7 miles long!  The classic hills of Wales as we passed through Merthyr Tydfil and then the longest ever paved tree walk the seemed to never end through Abercanaid, Aberfan, Abercynor, Cilfynydd, Pontypridd...... The list goes on.

Some parts of the route passed through housing estates.  Near Brecon people were asking us where we were going and would raise their eyebrows and wish us good luck.  Near Cardiff people would ask where we had come from and give us a hearty "Well done, keep going, you're nearly there".

So how long did it take us?  Myself and Lesley it was 13hrs 11mins.  For Sian and Micheal (Green wig dude) it was 13hrs 48mins

I accidentally stopped my Garmin somehow but I was very impressed with the battery life.  After all this activity I still have 50% battery.  It's clunky, it's a pain to set up but wow that battery life is something.

For my first Ultra this was one hell of a learning curve.  The run walk was difficult because I was not used to walking that distance, I'd been training for running only.  The food I'd packed and kept munching on throughout the day was invaluable.  I would have become queasy and felt much worse by the end of the event without testing what food works when.  I need to pack more preventative care for blisters and most importantly.  I need to be able to run more than 40 miles as a training run before I attempt my next ultra 27th July - Lakeland 50

A few things I'd like to say to anyone thinking of running an Ultra.

Training - Don't ever under estimate the need for training when you're going to do a long distance event.

Food - Another thing you need when attempting a long distance event.  What's good?  What's bad?  You won't know until you've gone out and tested what other people have tried.

Gear - Why run with a pack when you don't need to?  Because it's good training.  Just like finding those beautifully comfortable running shoes that will let you run for miles without pain.  You need to find gear you can run in for miles!! Compression/t-shirts/shorts/socks/bra/packs - everyone's different.

I'd spent so much time testing, training, testing, training and testing some more that it worked well up until the mile 40 checkpoint.  That was my furthest distance I'd trained for over my weekend training runs.  After that it was sheer determination and having friends with me that kept me going.

Thank you Ultra Race.  My Virgin Ultra event will never be forgotten.

Milton Keynes Marathon - What a day!!

2012 MK Marathon was rain, rain and more rain.  2013 MK Marathon was sun, sun and more sun!

Today was the day.  I'd trained and trained and trained and trained some more.  My longest run in one go before the marathon was 24 miles.  Not very fast miles mind you but I had made sure that I was not injured or in pain after each long distance attempt.

You're supposed to taper before your first long event.  Something I've not yet got the hang of.  Reduce your mileage, carb load, stretches and gentle jogs.  My legs were twitching for a run on the Friday two days before the marathon and I just had to go for a run.  Granted it was only 3 miles but it took some of the tension out of my legs.  I felt like an animal boxed up and not able to move after all my training.

I had my plan all set out.  Run the first 10 miles as I would a half marathon.  Don't put everything into it, keep  my pace steady and after 10 miles adopt a strict - walk up hills, run/jog everything else.  If you feel queasy, eat the oat & nut bar in your bag.  If you feel hot, chuck water over yourself.  Dextrose tab when you see a water stop.  If something doesn't feel right, run on it for 10 mins.  If it still doesn't feel right, stop and check it out.  That was my plan.  No time, no speed, no pace and the only mileage marker I was looking for was good old number 10.  Easy.  Hahahahahaha!!!!

The waiting from 6am to 10am on Monday was beyond painful.  I had everything prepared and ready the night before.  I had a lift organised (thank you Jason) and friends to distract me (thank you Claire and Lesley & Rodrigo).  Sun tan lotion, money, water, arm warmers, money, oat & nut bar, dextrose tabs, phone, water, wind proof jacket, socks, money........ I'm sure I forgot something!!

So many people at the start.  I've never felt so packed into a start line before.  It didn't help the nerves but it was soon over when the horn sounded the start of the race.  Remember, nice n easy.  So difficult with people rushing past you to get ahead as fast as possible.

The route began on the road outside the stadium which took us to central Milton Keynes.  A few loops of the office blocks - would have been more interesting around the shopping centre - up and down the same hill a few times before heading downhill towards Caldecotte.  This was lovely after expending so much work on those hills at the start!!  We stayed on the roads until we got to Simpson and then we started to use road and paths as directed by all those lovely cheering Marshall's.  A brief "hello" to Caldecotte lake before heading towards Walnut Tree on the red ways.  The heat was starting to affect my feet now and my rule of running with it for 10 minutes was getting close.  A quick stop to sort out my sock and I was back into the running groove.  Then the first hill after not seeing many for a few miles.  Ouch.  Mile 10 was at the top of this hill.  So unfair.  Stubborn determination kicked in and on step in front of the other I gently climbed the hill.  Mile 10, that's it, no more running up hills, woohoo!!!  My first task complete.

We were now heading towards Willen lake and the shade in the trees was wonderful.  I had been using my buff as a cooling scarf around my neck and I had been using the water from the water stops to drench myself to keep cool.  I couldn't afford to sweat to much, dehydration in this weather was already affecting other runners and I didn't want to suffer from that myself.  Approaching Willen Lake I started to feel queasy, time for that oat and nut bar in the bag.  Wow, such a welcome relief.  I had been taking the dextrose tabs at each water stop but after a while my stomach wanted more than just sugar.  The queasy feeling eased of and I was back to running at an easy pace again just in time to run all the way around Willen Lake.  It felt like ages to get around that lake.

A lovely shady tree moment at the edge of Woolstone and then we were heading towards Linford along the canal.  I tried to distract myself with the scenery but I was starting to lose concentration now.  All this plodding and one foot in front of the other was getting monotonous.  Are we there yet?  At this point the 5hr pace orange T-shirt dude caught up with me.  Why did I notice this guy more than the rest?  All the other orange t-shirt pace dudes had groups of runners with or behind them.  The 5 hour pace dude had most of the runners looking like they were trying to run away from him.  This cheered me up no end and with a hearty chuckle my running mojo came back to me.

From that point I played a game of leap frog with a number of other runners, the 5 hour pace dude and a speed walker that I was just not going to be beaten by.  I would walk up the hills.  Runners, 5hr pace dude and the speed walker would pass me.  On the flats and down hills I would pass them all again.  We carried on this game for at least 8 miles.  Totally distracting me from the fact that I was nearing 24 miles which I totally missed because all of a sudden there was the stadium.  Wow, those miles flew by.  Or did they?

My thoughts over those last 2 miles were - I can see the stadium now, keep running for that last mile, keep running, keep running up to the stadium, legs are burning, keep running, feet hurt, keep running, there's the stadium entrance, keep running, move those legs, pick up those feet, move those arms, smile, keep running, turn the corner, look at the finish, look at the finish - WOW that's the finish!!!!!!  Seriously, I've finished, I've finished - WOOHOOOOO!!!!!!!!

The weather was gorgeous but oh boy was I glad to have a soaking at around mile 11 and the very polite kids at Linford just after mile 20 with their super soakers were oh so welcoming.  The crowds and charities along the route were fabulous and I'm so glad most of the water stops had water and not lucazade.

Will I do it again.  YES!!

Would like to make sure that I say thank you to all those lovely peeps that sent me good luck & cheered me on. It was very much appreciated.  THANK YOU XXX

Will I Survive my First Marathon?

After my damaging fall last year that scuppered my chances of testing any kind of marathon skills on the hills and trails of Dunstable I am again a few days away from again - running my first marathon. 

Not only that but for some reason I've gone marathon mad this year!! 

Milton Keynes Marathon - Monday 06.05.2013 - http://mkmarathon.com/
Trail Marathon Wales - Saturday 22.06.2013 - http://www.trailmarathonwales.com/
Enigma Summer Marathon - Saturday 06.07.2013 - http://www.enigmarunning.co.uk/
Enigma Gold Marathon Saturday 17.08.2013 - http://www.enigmarunning.co.uk/
Dunstable Marathon (unfinished business) - Sunday 08.09.2013 - http://www.dunstableroadrunners.org/13_Challenge/20_mile_challenge.htm
Beauty and the Beast Marathon - Saturday 21.09.2013 - http://hellyhansenbeautyandthebeast.co.uk/
Snowdonia Marathon - Sunday 26.10.2013 - http://www.snowdoniamarathon.co.uk/
Enigma Firework Marathon 1&2 Sat 09.11.2013 & Sun 10.11.2013 - http://www.enigmarunning.co.uk/

I may have to blame it all on nerves and a deep desire to conquer this unfinished business I have with long distance running.  Since I started running again in 2009 I've overcome numerous niggles, pains and set backs due to one injury or another and 2013 has begun with some very serious distance training runs.  Not only have they impressed me greatly that I have that kind of mileage in me but instead of being terrified of this distance I am seeing the marathon distance in the same light as my first 5k that I ran in 2009. 

When I first started, the thought of running for more than 10 minutes was a challenge in itself.  Then came the 20 minute barrier.  The pain in those unused and untrained muscles, screaming at me to stop doing this insanity.  The feel good factor of reaching one goal after another beat those untrained muscles into submission.  It was tough running my first 5k but I did it and that first medal got me hooked.  Hooked!! 

Then it was 10k.  How could I run twice the distance.  That's insane.  You're all bonkers.  Again, I did it and collected more medals.  Yep, you guessed it, I run for medals as well as fun! 

Then a half marathon.  I hadn't trained properly, my body was not used to the distance and parts of me were deffinitely not happy with the healthier me.  My first major set back.  I ran my first half marathon and felt great that I'd managed to run that distance at all.  I'd only been running for 7 months by then.  My recovery afterwards was terrible.  I couldnt run for 10 minutes let alone 2 hours for the next 4 months. 

Various niggles and illnesses later and I was back into training.  Right back to the beginning building up to 5k then 10k and last year half marathons. Whatever happened in 2009/2010 to knock me down so thoroughly was quite terrifying.  It hasnt stopped me from being careless with training, it's made me train harder for events than I should do. 

So am I ready for 26.2 miles on Monday 6th May 2013?  NO!  I'm terrified that I'll knock myself down all over again and it will take me another year to get back to my current healthy self.  But this time I'm not going to give into my fear of failure.  I'm going to run this marathon and own it and be proud that I've conquered yet another distance. 

BRING IT ON!!!!