Unfinished business

If you've followed this blog from the start in January 2013 you'll know that an advert piqued my interest in running a 100km event. I'd hoped to do that before my 50th birthday as I had what seemed like a reasonable length of time to train. I signed up to run the 2013 Intro 50km Ultra and achieved a 42km run in my training sessions. Unfortunately I didn't allow enough recovery from the training run and managed to consider myself unfit to do the event. With hindsight I think that I might have coped, but who knows.

I refocused my training, eventually realising that it was unwise to push the pace in long training runs, but even as summer of 2014 arrived I knew that I wasn't ready for the 50km run, never mind the 100km! The key problem for me seems to be that as I increase either training load or intensity something breaks! Over the winter of 2014 I cut back and rebuilt only to have a painful knee as spring approached. After many weeks of rest I ran my first Ultramarathon and was pretty satisfied with my 5:30 time for 50km.

Of course I needed recovery time and it felt as though I needed 'a day per kilometre' which is more than many runners seem to think. With this success under my belt I eventually paid for entry to the 30 mile Intro Ultra in the Peak District. Naturally I didn't start the event feeling strong as along the way I managed to develop problems in the right foot and ankle which I still don't feel I've got to the bottom of.

Nonetheless I was advised by the physio, Kim, to give the run a try and had rules for when I should probably pull out. I felt slightly positive as I started the Canalathon suspecting that my left knee would fail me but it didn't; hopefully the right ankle wouldn't bother me this time.

Waiting to start

At 08:00 we set off, with a very small level of cheering, with me staying in the rear third of the pack as I suspected that would be my pace. There was a little bit of passing in each direction but it appeared that most of us had settled into a place in the event pretty quickly. Within a few kilometres the competitors were stringing out but it wouldn't be until around 30km or so that clear gaps between myself and other groups of runners would become apparent.

The procession just above Porter Clough

I made an effort to look after my pacing with a determination to walks hills and walk every 10 minutes or so if I'd not had to take a walk break already. During the first third of the run I was aware of my ankle and wondered whether I'd cope. Luckily it didn't become especially troublesome until after Carl Wark around the 40km point although the sole of my right foot had started grumbling a little earlier. Local knowledge was a great advantage as I followed the route entirely from memory although I couldn't find the best route onto Carl Wark.

Around the half way point I'd met up with Cheryl and we  had similar paces although I walked hills faster, she descended quicker. I dithered around the Pretzels at Bradwell but our paths crossed again during the ascent of Bradwell Edge. A little group collected together along the river to Hathersage when I was very pleased to accept extra electrolyte tablets to add to my water in an attempt to limit my cramp. The lesson here is to add to a stronger level than suggested on the packet and make sure you carry plenty. I'd put a few in the drop bags and been very (too) sparing with them!

On Houndkirk Road it looked as though my 7 hour goal would be hard to achieve as I thought I was losing pace. The stony road was irritating my already sore feet, especially the right, and I'd adopted a stronger heel strike gait to avoid pressure on my forefoot. Probably this was the sort of buid-up of pain that indicates enough is enough. The muscles and sole of my foot were becoming a final point for my attention and I was adapting my gait. I wasn't going to stop though with a mere 5k or so left! Half way down Limb Vally I knew I could achieve my goal even with walking the final very mild hill to Whirlow Farm.

Our little group had split up during the final few kilometres as each tried to maximise their outcomes. Cherry wanted to beat her 2014 time, I was content with 7 hours, the other 2 with us just wanted to do as much as possible. We regrouped with cheers and handshakes at the finish line.

I really enjoyed the spicy vegetable stew and sampled the real ale although I suspect that it wouldn't be labelled 'suitable for vegans'. This morning my wife and I walked back to the farm to collect the drop bags and the abandoned car.

Smoothed, Grade Adjusted Pace, note the stops!

The Strava data show that I did a fair job of maintaining pace across the whole event, far better than I managed on the Canalathon. In general my legs don't feel as stiff and damaged as in March either, some of that might be due to better training, some to a slower pace forced on me by the slightly more technical terrain. The right ankle/peroneus muscle group is noticeable and I think a few weeks break will be wise.

So there is still unfinished business. In both my 50th and 51st years I have completed 'easy' ultramarathons but 100km feels to be unattainable. I suppose it is all a matter of perspective, on my 40th birthday I wouldn't have believed anyone who had suggested that I'd run (and walk) 50km in one session whereas now I know it needs a fair bit of effort, but is within my ability. Maybe the 100km can be in my 52nd year?

"So you want to run an ultra" Book Review

I saw "So you want to run an ultra" in the latest issue of Trail Running and it sounded worth a read. I ordered a copy from the publisher online and received it within a few days. I'd recommend either buying this way or via a local bookshop to ensure the author and publisher get the maximum income.

Image from the publisher's website

I'm at the stage where any advice about ultra marathons is worth seeking out and this book gives a slightly different perspective. In contrast to the other ultra books I've accumulated so far, which are written by 'star' professional runners, the author, Andy Mouncey is an experienced runner and coach. His biography shows him to be competent and to have 'been there, done that' but he aims to make the point quite early in the book that physiologically, and perhaps psychologically he is 'ordinary'. On several occasions he returns to his DNFs as evidence for what can go wrong even with experience and then writes how we can learn from his, and our, own shortcomings.

I found the book an easy read and went cover to cover across a few days. The 'Real Runners' boxes are a useful component that increases the ordinariness of the endeavour. This is the theme throughout, that long distance running is tough but is done by normal folk and so the reader can do it too. Don't think though that Andy underplays the effort and sacrifices required. This is one area where the book compliments those of the stars where things tend to turn out well and I'm left feeling that I lack being special. In "So you want to run an ultra" it's made clear that the physical process of running is maybe the least of our concerns.

As a relatively new, but 'academic' runner I've read the key texts and so has Andy. He refers to them in several places but I suspect that if I'd not read "The Lore of Running" and "Born to Run" I might not have got his full meaning sometimes. Indeed Andy also touches on paleo and LCHF diets but the metabolic issues are not explored in depth. This isn't a serious criticism, Andy stresses that his book is not a training manual nor scientific resource, just a distillation of his experience. If you are thinking of running an ultra I'd be amazed if you haven't read a lot of this material already and I'd recommend that you do if not.

Often books like this give several training plans which even though they claim to be for 'beginners' require a high percentage of ones life and potentially superhuman resilience to complete. I was pleased to see that here we are encouraged to use training time wisely, acknowledging that for many runners other commitments and risk of injury stop us achieving 120km training weeks.

Andy's short book is a useful UK-centric guide, that does help to fulfil the subtitle's goal of "How to prepare for ultimate endurance". I know I'll return to it when I've a query just as I've checked back in my other running books when I can't decide what action to take in training or to find an explanation for how I feel.

ISBN: 978-1-84797-830-1
Published and sold by Crowood at £12-99