When you push your body and mind to its limits, it can feel euphoric when you cross the finish line. You can also just feel exhausted!
I’m always humbled when it’s Marathon time of year – you know, all those inspiring people who’ve won a place at the start of London Marathon to raise money for charity and spread awareness for good causes, those who earned themself a holy grail ticket to run Boston Marathon because they’re just phenomenal runners, and all the others in between. With the rise of the ultra, it’s easy to forget just how far and tough a “normal” marathon really is.
I first ran one in 2009. It was then the Flora London Marathon. I was in my early 20s, before I was married with kids. I’d done the absolute minimal training, I certainly wasn’t a regular runner, and I hate road running. No surprise really that it took me 5 hours 35 minutes, and I felt very underwhelmed at the finish line.
That was well before I got any kind of real love for running. My trail adventure running came much, much later. As for road marathons – that was it for me. I’ve not done one since.
Now though, I understand the need for training. That you can’t just throw a pair of shoes on and hope to get a good time, or even to feel good at the finish. While a marathon is tough, really tough. How exactly does someone then go and run 50 miles?
I’ll try and explain. I’m a back of packer, but I know that all I need to do is throw one foot in front of the other. I can be quicker, that comes with very specific training, but at the point in my training for the Dragon’s Back right now, I know I just need to up the miles and the elevation. Really, the elevation is the killer here.
Training has been consistent but not quite where I’ve wanted it to be, given time constraints of family life and juggling work, dogs (not literally juggling them – they’re far too heavy), and children. I was ill in April too which threw me totally and messed up my plans for any quality running.
Talking to Dragon’s Back Race Director Shane Ohly over on the podcast – he had already told me, you mustn’t go into this event underprepared!
So when the Albion Hilly 50-mile ultra marathon popped its head up, I figured, I need to do this.
I know what you’re thinking. Not much training again. Why would you do that?
Here’s why. Because I’m going to have to do something tougher come September and putting myself outside of the comfort zone was necessary. For my confidence; to get the miles in my legs; and to just get some serious elevation – away from the flats I’m used to. This route would take us from Minehead up all the hilliest hills Somerset could throw at us – Bossington Hill, over to Porlock Weir, Webber’s Post, to Dunkery Beacon and back again.
This was a bit of a make or break moment. Could I actually cover the distance over 8,300ft?
I hooked up with a fellow runner, who was trepidatious about it too. We made a vow that we’d get each other round. Having that kind of pact makes it harder to quit.
For the first three miles we went off too fast. Ten minute miling maybe. That’s because there were runners up ahead who would break the course record – it’s easy to get swept along in that kind of frenzy. My runner partner and I however, are not those people! I pulled right back. I know my body and it takes me about five miles before I’ve got into any kind of stride. The uphills were walked, the downs and the flats run. We took photos in the sunshine. For 25 or 30 miles it was glorious.
Eating frequently and taking on fluids is vital. The weather was hot, and you can easily forget to fuel if you don’t feel like it. It’s a matter of forcing it down. With such wonderful checkpoint volunteers, they advised that one stretch would be an 11-mile uphill slog before the next aid station, and that we should eat as many Marmite sandwiches and pickles as we could before attempting it. I took their advice. I frequently ate.
Although this was a partly way marked course, you had to have your wits about you and navigation was key. We took a couple of wrong turns. Trying to ascend to the summit of Dunkery Beacon (highest point in Somerset), while having chosen the incorrect path, saw my mood dip and I snapped at my compadre – I was getting tired and we were going the wrong way.
After we righted ourselves and hit the top of the Beacon in dazzling sunlight, we sailed through the next few miles. The sun dipped and our next challenge was getting through the woods before nightfall. We made it, but with darkness comes new challenges.
It was hard to see underfoot. Bumps look flat, and hills look hillier, sheer drops you can’t see at all! I fell once, but luckily it was a soft landing. A good head torch gives you confidence in the dark.
I’d anticipated some niggles in my legs, and especially my feet, because I was trying out the shoes I’ll wear on the Dragon’s Back Race. The niggles never came. This told me that although I didn’t feel I had trained enough, what I was doing was paying off. If anything, it was my back and shoulders that were starting to stiffen. Wearing a pack and leaning into hills will do that.
The final eight miles were both a mental uplift and a total physical slog. By this point I felt nauseous at every sip of drink – Active Root sports drink – or every nibble of food. The pace was slow. My partner’s knee was starting to hurt. Nevertheless, by this stage, you know you’ve done it.
We powered on. We fast hiked the final mile, and finished feeling – erm, quite good actually. Euphoric? Maybe not. Knackered? Most certainly – it was 2.30am, after all!
Huge thanks to Albion Running for such a gorgeous event. The volunteers were fabulous and the food selection was dreamy for a vegan!
Albion also offers a Flat 50, and the 100 (if you fancy doing both hilly and flat!), as well as other fab races, which you can find on their website.
Vegan Fitness Runner 