Ridgeway running

 Those of you who follow along with my CraZy escapades and out of comfort zone adventures, will have already realised that this little adventure is probably further out of my comfort zone than most. I have long said 'I don't run' and therefore what do I go and do? Sign up to an ultramarathon...

Of course.

You. may ask if I have ever run a marathon... nope....

a half marathon??

nope...

Ooookaaay

10k.. well yes... I have done that! 

My somewhat wierd line of thinking is that people (and by people, I mean the average person, not those really bat shit craZy ones) do not run ALL of an ultramarathon. You run bits, you walk bits, possibly crawl bits. The point is to keep going, endurance, put one foot in front of the other when your whole body is screaming at you and you are willing yourself to ignore the body begging you to stop. That... that is something I can do, have done, on many occasions.

I know how to suffer... at least on a bike. How much different can suffering on foot be?

I'm soon going to find out.

Training has never been my thing. I hate going out for trainings sake. I dislike going to trails that I know well. What drives me is not knowing what's around the next bend and when you know the next 10 bends very well, it doesn't hold the same appeal. This worked well for me in my 30's... Im not sure its going to be so great in my 40's!

That said.. I usually do drag my arse out for a kit test... find out what works... what doesn't... what I can do better to prepare (other than training 😂)

So yesterday I packed up my very small running pack complete with a 2L water bladder. In it was all the kit on the mandatory kit list for The Lap.

A waterproof jacket with fully taped seams, waterproof trousers with fully taped seams, a warm layer, buff, gloves, whistle, compass, spare batteries, head torch, survival bag, spare socks. I also carried some gels and my SPOT tracker (to check that the tracking function was working ok). The bag was fairly heavy, mainly from the water but fitted well and didn't move around when I was running.

My plan was to walk the uphills and run the downhills and flats. Those of you familiar with The Ridgeway will know its mostly up and down with a few short lung busters in there for good measure. The weather was ok, with the potential for a downpour ever present in the darker clouds. It was not particularly warm and I was eondering whether my decision of shorts without leggings underneath was wise... but this is what this was for... to debate kit choices.

The start of the Ridgeway at Streatly is basically straight up from the parking place... no chance to warm up... straight into it. I know that I endure best if my HR doesn't hit the 170's.. so steadily up at  a decent pace to the top and then start the running. More like a dog trot to be honest but faster than walking to be sure. The downhills were about measuring restraint and not going hell for leather, risking injury.

It did not feel good. My legs were cold and my body was too warm. With just a t shirt and the fleece layer. My legs felt heavy... but this seems to be how it goes... when cycling the first 10 miles aren't fun and then my body warms to the task and gets into a rhythm.. hopefully it would be the same today. I settled into a routine... run until it sloped upwards... walk... run down and along. I started to feel good... even enjoying the day, the views and most of all being free outside in fresh air with no one else around.

The kites wheeled above keeping a watchful and disinterested eye and the pheasants ran around into the undergrowth as they heard me thundering towards them.

I ran along, noting the familiar landmarks, occasionally getting out the compass and practiced taking bearings of far off hills and landmarks. Didcot power station came into view... no longer the imposing scar it once was with just 2 small towers left standing defiantly.

The fields of rape stood out bright yellow against the greenery of Spring and the whole landscape smelled of new beginnings and life uninterrupted.

At mile 5.. I was starting to feel not great again. As preparation for feeling the worst possible on the Lap, I hadn't eaten breakfast and essentially was a bit depleted, but I plodded on. A chair on the underpass looked as sorry as I felt, though I did mentally take note in case I needed it on the way back.

Across the grass tracks, uneven and difficult to navigate at times, risking a twisted ankle or knee and I reached the car park at West Ilsley. Not quite 6 miles.

As part of endurance, the mental gane is important and I train this by reaching the point I decide to go to... and then telling myself to do another mile, sometimes another 2.. sometimes I stop at my designated point. Yesterday, I reached mile 5 and told myself to push on another mile, so that the total would be twelve instead of ten.

It's a small thing, but it trains your brain to keep going even when you think you should have finished. The mile went quickly and I turned round for the return journey. I quickly shoved a gel down my throat and whether placebo effect or not.. I could feel the boost. The next few miles went well. The body felt good. The headspace was good. The music and the miles flowed together, everything in sync. 

Mile 10... it all went wrong. Cramping, severe cramping in the calves. Mainly when I stopped. Was it because my legs were cold?? Possibly. Lack of salts...? Possibly. Regardless I needed to do another 2 miles. 

I massaged the cramp away and set off. The tightness didn't go away but I could run on it. Mainly downhill so I kept up a steady jog, ticking off the landmarks as I passed. 

My car, a welcome sight. 12.6 miles done. The cramp came back as I sat in the car.. bringing tears to my eyes until it disappated. 

I drove back and took stock of the damage to my body from 1/4 of the race distance completed in a moving time of just under 3 hours. 

2 blisters... without my feet taped up. Now I know what areas I need to tape for the race. 

Aching muscles... better warm up required.. probably utilising Deep Heat as a pre race muscle warmer. 

Cramp.. will add electolytes to my water. 

Cold legs.. Will probably wear leggins under my shorts for the race. 

All that said... that was 1/4 of the race distance in 3.5 hours, so 30 mins stop for each quarter. Finishing the Lap should be within possibility. 

It reiterated the importance of pacing and not pushing the pace but I felt good as a whole. The broken toe didn't seem to be causing a problem and doesn't hurt the following day so that's a bonus! 

The kit held up and didnt seem too much to carry throughout.

Roll on 14th May! 😁