Race Day Part One

I got up at 5.30am, and had a cereal bar and a cuppa tea, got into running gear, and made sure my rucksack and my transfer luggage (to the end) were correctly packed - although I had brought a pillow and sleeping bag, I left them at the hotel as I felt I wouldn't need them.

I arrived at the start point of the race about 6.40am, in order I could have more time to do final bits and pieces plus I could purchase the official technical shirt, and pack it with the transfer luggage.

I picked my registration pack, and grabbed a cappuccino, and did all the usual stuff to be race ready, and I just soaked it up with 2000 fellow runners.

There was meant to be two starts - 8am for the runners, and 8.15am for the walkers but it all merged into one start that kicked off at 8.06am.

There was a lot of congestion and stoppages as 2000 people tried to funnel into paths wide enough for two to three people, and at points one person - the biggest stoppage was at the stage where you join the Ridgeway proper that involves a steep uphill forest route wide enough for one person and ends with a kissing gate - I would say a good 30 minutes was lost due to these stoppages when your legs are fresh, and with hindsight it might be worth starting off five or more minutes later than everyone else because it is a chip (not race) time event.

The views once on the Ridgeway were impressive, and I was pleased I had taken the IPad with me to take lots of photos up until nightfall.

The final congestion was at the top of this bit where the first aid station was.

Race minus 10.5 hours - Reflections on the training

Looking back over the last 16 weeks, I was initially half-heartedly training for the Black Dog Marathon, before I signed up to do the Race to the Stones race, picked up the 5 times a week ultra-running training schedule, and pretty much stuck to it, something I have not done in a couple of years.   Over the last 12 weeks I have lost a stone in weight, and am now at my lowest weight in about 20 years.  All of this is despite losing 10 days of training at the peak schedule stage, due to a chest infection.

There have been a number of learning experiences, from coping with carrying half a stone in weight rucksack on my back, to getting lost in the Halvergate Marshes in the cold wet rain, to confusing the local pub-dwellers of a bobbing head torch light out in the fields when I did my night-run session, to achieving a personal aim to run from Cantley to Great Yarmouth along the Wherryman’s Way river route.

All of my running has been done without headphones and I did it fasted, in order to train my body to rely on what it has at least for the first 10 miles, and again I have nailed the timing of when I need to refuel on the longer runs, so apart from the one time I intentionally bonked, I did not run out of energy.

To be blunt, Spring is the optimum training season if like me your training needed to be fitted in as early as 5am.  It does mean you sacrifice any evening TV as effectively I needed to go to bed by 10pm to get enough recovery, especially you have the triple back to back mid-week runs that made the third 6mile day as tough as the Sunday long-run.

Growing a beard to be a stereotypical male ultra runner is something I do not plan to repeat, and it will bite the dust sometime on Sunday - far too itchy and I found myself picking at it resulting in bald patches but fortunately not too visible.

I have loved discovering all the local fields and where seemingly hidden footpaths led.

I will definitely want to maintain an element of trail running, and look for other off-road challenges in the future, as well as some road running.

Eating more sensibly, particularly using MyFitnessPal, has showed you can be disciplined 90% of the time, so you can fall of the wagon the other 10% of the time.

This is my final blog until Sunday, when I hope to write several (with photos) blogs about the day itself.

Race minus 17 hours - Even with the best of planning stuff / sh*t / life happens

As I write this bog I am half way to the hotel where I am staying this weekend, three hours later than planned but at least I am enjoying a coffee and a granola slice.

Last night my black 19yr old cat passed away in her sleep, having deteriorated quickly the 24 hours beforehand. With me not being about this weekend, I spent the morning taking her to the pet crematorium then doing my packing, that I intended to do last night.

To add to the fun, I had bought some last bits and pieces yesterday lunchtime before meeting friends for coffee, promptly leaving said items at the coffee shop when we left - I did realise until the coffee shop had closed, and so I needed to make a quick visit into the centre of Norwich to collect it.

Tonight I will do a second blog which will reflect on the training since I signed up for this mad adventure three months ago.

Just seen the forecast for tomorrow - starting area at 8am is meant to be 15 degrees Celsius, rising to about 20-21 degrees mid-day but I have noticed that near the end in Avebury it is forecasting heavy rain at about 10pm.  Good job I packed a waterproof.

Race minus 3 and a half days - Trying to stick to the plan in the last few days, Paperwork, Weather, Fruit & Nuts!, and Fundraising Video

With fairly minimal running this week, sticking to my calories is become a challenge.
Today my appetite was fired up, and I just needed to eat and eat this morning, plus I was tempted by peanuts this evening.....
It does feel a little like the lull before the storm at the moment - once I am driving from Norfolk to Oxfordshire on Friday, it will feel a lot more real - packing starts tomorrow night.

I now have received by email my car parking pass, and shuttle transfer form, as I will be parking at the start point of the race, and will then need a shuttle bus back at the finish back to the start.
It is the booked shuttle that in effect set my maximum time to complete the race - 23 hours (7am Sunday) as if I missed it, the next shuttle would not be until 4pm!

Looking on the Met Office app, the current forecast for Saturday is 19 to 21 degrees, dropping down to about 14 to 15 degrees by midnight (when I aim to finish).
These temperatures are very do'able for me, and I am very thankful that we do not have last weekend's stonking high-20s weather.

I have decided to take a 150g bag of dried fruits and nuts (indulgent because some are covered in yogurt and chocolate) - 700 calories in the whole bag, and will be used to top up where I want something different to what is on offer at the aid stations.

A fellow runner posted up a VirginMoney Giving video with Stephen Fry, where you add your details and it feels like it been done personally for you - absolutely brilliant, and here is mine;

https://www.myfundraisingfilm.com/view/4600a7ab-a1b3-49bd-b3dd-7e8946e1580d?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialshare&utm_campaign=myfundraisingfilm

Race minus 6 days - Last training run of note completed, and Planning for the Big Day

Keeping in the spirit of last week's "reverse" run, I ran along the river from Reedham to Cantley.

It is clear summer was here, as at Reedham I saw boats moored, and their occupants enjoying the 20 degree sun, plus I passed a walker along the river, and just as I got to Cantley I was passed by a runner(!) who without a rucksack and longer legs breezed past me.

I tested out some cheap curved sunglasses I had purchased for a £5 in "Pri-Mar-Che", and the fact they were not prescription was no issue, although after 2+ hours they made the skin sore - I will try and wear them in a bit this week for the final two runs.

I had decided that I would run for two hours and then walk for an hour, so I could get that experience as on the day, it is highly unlikely I can run the whole route, and walking briskly requires slightly different muscle usage.

As expected, I did the target 10 miles in the first two hours, and covered another two miles in just over 34 minutes.  I then did a quick test to see if I could get the usual running speed, and it was no problem - if anything I was going faster.....

The key thing is to avoid stoppages where possible, and keep moving irrespective of it being a brisk walk or a run - two weeks when I ran to Great Yarmouth and caught the train back showed clearly that even within 30 minutes of inactivity, it becomes impossible to get those legs running again.

With just two easy three milers left on Tuesday and Wednesday, I now need to focus on making sure I have the kit I need for the big day.
For the Rucksack, I have broken up my requirements into four groups;
1) First Aid - Sun Cream, Bite/Sting Relief Cream, Hand Gel, Plasters, Paracetamol/Ibuprofen, my medication, Wipes - the last three I need to get.
2) Clothing - Spare running socks (3 Pairs), Waterproof Top, Mid-Layer Top, Gloves, Head Torch, Hand Torch, Spare Batteries - All sorted except Hand Torch, which a friend will lending me one of his collection.
3) Food and Drink - Two full water bottles, and Back-up Food (Jelly Babies and Salted Nuts/Trail Mix) - Jelly Babies sorted as are water bottles - just need to get some Nuts.
4) Other - Fully Charged Mobile Phone, Normal Prescription Glasses, Shuttle Booking details, IPad.  Yes, I am taking my IPad with me, so I can photograph the scenery, and as such it is likely to be in my hand a lot.
I have supermarket plastic bags to triple-bag everything as the rucksack is not waterproof but I knew that when I bought it.

I have also drawn up a list of stuff for the handover luggage bag that will be transferred from Lewknor to Avebury which will have Change of Clothes, Wash Bag, Towel, Toothbrush and Toothpaste, Sleeping Bag, a Pillow, and my shuttle booking (7am on Sunday) back to Lewknor.

The next thing I need to do is decide what route to take from Norwich to Lewknor on Friday , where I have a hotel booking.  whilst M11-M25-M40 is the quickest route, it apparently has lousy service stations after the M11, so I may well do A14-M1-M25-M40, or given I have plenty of time to get there, avoid M25 altogether and go for something for scenic.

Race minus 9 days - Mantras Part 1

Race minus 10 days - Warm run, on a food bender, and running mantras

I did the first of two mid-week runs this morning in the warm 6.30am 20 degree celsius weather in the centre of Norwich towards Whitlingham Broad and back, including going up Bracondale in springy steps - normally I struggle with Bracondale but today it was comfortable.

Food-wise today was a disaster - too many ice creams, and too much extra stuff.   Tomorrow I will redress the balance, and have a more clean food day.

With pretty much most of my physical training done, I am now thinking about any mental training I need to top up on over the next 9 days, particularly with a view to running/positive-mind mantras to focus on in the final 24 hours.
I may make that tomorrow's blog or save to Friday but if anyone is reading this, and they have their own mantras they are willing to share, feel free to put them in the comments.