Sri Chinmoy Self Transcendence 24hr Race 2013

Colonial Upstarts, Bonsai Trees and a Strange Man Punching a Tree

As this was my third year at the Sri Chinmoy Self Transcendence 24 hour race, I decided it was to be a boy’s road trip packed with ultrarunning-related japes and hilarity. Carla - my previous support - had conveniently arranged a hen do in Barcelona that weekend and everyone else in the western world was apparently busy. I was therefore reliant on a crack team of two 24 hour virgins to provide the entertainment: Chris, an Ironman athlete dreaming of past Kona glories, and Dan, a strange troll-like creature who I’d somehow convinced to enter the event.

 

It's Friday night, it's a road trip, let's crank it up to 11!

 

The plan was to travel down with Chris - and his daughter, Arabella - on Friday evening and meet up with Dan on race morning. Amazingly, Chris had managed to dress himself properly and was unusually ready on time, and after a surprisingly small amount of faffing the road trip began. As everyone knows the most important element of any road trip is a  rocking soundtrack, the sort of thing Jeremy Clarkson would listen to. Unfortunately I have great taste in music and Chris doesn’t so a middle ground couldn’t be agreed on. We consequently travelled to London listening to Radio 4.

 

The next morning after fuelling our bodies with a wholesome and nutritious McDonalds breakfast, we travelled to the race venue at Tooting Bec track. We picked Dan up en-route managing to take a few wrong turns, nearly causing a pile up and promptly losing him just outside the track, all within ten minutes.

Pre-race flex off: who needs calf muscles anyway?

 

The venue was instantly familiar except it resembled a building site along the back straight. We chose a pitch at the far end and this was to be our home for the next couple of days. Once I’d registered, set up my support area and Chris had erected the tent Dan eventually arrived. How the man gets himself to work every morning I’ll never know.

 

The relaxed atmosphere before an ultra is something I’ve grown to really enjoy over the last couple of years. Chris was struggling to adjust as he was used to the adrenaline and testosterone fuelled nature of a transition area before the start of an Ironman. I’ve found I don’t need that intensity or stress anymore and relish the change of environment.

Ladies, form an orderly queue...

 

In between incomprehensible monologues, Alan Partridge quotes and obsessive texting, Dan somehow managed to get himself ready with the help of his assistant, Lynne. We were sharing the same table and chairs and it was soon apparent I didn’t have as much food or drink with me as usual. Because the food provided by the organisers is so comprehensive and varied I found I took most of my supplies home with me the previous two years.

 

The weather was perfect and spirits were high as we lined up to start at midday. My race plan was very simple and there was a tier system of goals:

Gold: run 135+ miles

Silver: beat my previous distance of 127 miles

Bronze: achieve the Spartathlon standard of 200km (124 miles)

 Chris realises what he's missing.

Hours 1-4 (Clockwise)

After blowing up at the Lakeland 100 I was conscious of not repeating the gamble. I was also aware that I needed to reach 100 miles well under 18 hours to have any chance of reaching 135 miles. I decided to run the first hour and then follow a routine of running 7 laps and walking 1 lap for as long as possible. This was one extra lap of running than the previous year.

 

I didn’t want to get distracted by splits and measurements as there was a long way to go and energy levels can fluctuate wildly during an ultra. Dan was chirpy and continuing to talk shite, and Chris insulted us every time we passed him so things were looking good.

 

As usual I was being lapped from the start but I wasn’t remotely bothered. I knew several people would withdraw or self-destruct later in the race so I remained relaxed and ticked the early hours by. Chris soon left to visit the zoo and after around two hours Dan’s Alan Partridge quotes had virtually ceased. The novelty of the event had worn off and we were all resigned to the reality that we would be running around the same track for a whole day and night with very little to look forward to.

 

Hours 5-8 (Anti clockwise)

After a week of poor weather it was a huge relief to have such perfect conditions forecasted. The day was slightly overcast with a light breeze but I was happily running with short sleeves and a gillet.

Picnic table - spot the Moshlings!

 

The early hours were fairly uneventful. There were still several people lapping me at a decent pace and most people were engaged in conversation as they ran. There were some strong Scottish runners competing and they’d brought an energetic group of supporters with them which was a welcome distraction.

 

During quieter times I found myself focussing on anything different and exciting outside the venue. I became a master at this the previous year but soon realised that this year there was very few little activity around us apart from the occasional siren as an emergency vehicle sped past.

 

Every four hours we were to change direction. My plan was to alternate my shoes at this time throughout the race to provide some variety and hopefully prevent injury and blistering. I switched from my Saucony Omni to Adrenaline GTS and the difference couldn’t have been more stark: the Adrenalines felt really hard underfoot and I was in two minds whether to change straight back. I’m very conscious of hot spots developing as they soon become blisters – until people experience them they can’t appreciate how crippling they become.

 

I went through the first marathon in under 4:15 which was quite a conservative pace. It felt very comfortable and I was still conscious of pacing the event sensibly. I was halfway down the field which was slightly better than previous years and as the hours passed I began to creep my way up the leaderboard.

 

Excitement was eventually provided as I heard some noise in the trees adjacent to the back straight. At first I couldn’t work out what was happening but after a few laps I realised what the noise was - a man was in the middle of the wood repeatedly and enthusiastically punching a tree.

Awesome lapcounters working through the night (Photo Run and Become). 

 

As the light began to fade the floodlights were switch on and I had the first of several hot meals. I only ate small amounts but wanted to avoid sweets and cakes as much as possible. The volunteers were as helpful as always and any request was happily answered. Chris eventually returned from the zoo to resume the insults and he’d also brought some beers with him which put a brief spring in my step. By now Dan wasn’t providing any entertainment whatsoever and had disappointingly transformed into Mr Seriousultrarunner. 

 

Hours 9-12 (Clockwise)

As darkness fell some supporters left and the place became noticeably quieter. We’d also lost a couple of runners through retirement and Treepunchingman had also gone home (or gone to find some different trees to hit). I changed back to my Omnis and couldn’t believe how softer they felt underfoot. The weather was still perfect – spectators were wrapping up but the temperature was ideal for running. I’d brought loads of clothing options with me in case it rained but all I needed was my arm warmers.

The 24hr buffet (Photo Run and Become).

 

One or two people were paying the price for starting too fast and one runner was throwing up so violently I could hear him from the other side of the track. Amazingly, after emptying his stomach he continued running as if nothing had happened.

 

Scotsman Marco Consani was flying around with great consistency as were the two lead women. I’d raced Helen James a couple of times before but didn’t know Fiona Cameron, also from Scotland. She was on schedule for an outstanding performance but the race was still in the early stages.

There were a few spare seats left for spectators (Photo Run and Become).

 

As it approaches midnight the body inevitably begins to tire as it expects you to be sleeping. There’s also the fact that you’ve still not reached half way and the finish seems a long, long way away. Despite this for some reason I started to feel stronger and decided to increase my running to 8 laps run, 1 lap walk. 

 

Chris stayed up to insult me for a final couple of hours while sitting there drinking beer. Sometimes he gave me the finger, sometimes two fingers and occasionally had the creativity to use a combination of the two. He eventually disappered into the tent mumbling that he'd had enough of  watching skinny old men shuffling around a track.

 

The runner with the vomiting issues was still running well despite more violent episodes. It was proper vomiting too, the type that takes your breath away and makes your eyeballs stick out.  If I’m sick I think I’m going to die and need to lie down in a dark room - how he was able to continue is beyond me.

 

During the evening a familiar race appeared. I’d raced Chris Ette at the Lanzarote Double Enduroman a couple of years earlier and then duelled with him at the UK Triple Enduroman a few months later. He’d eventually won and I was second. He’d come to watch the race for a few hours and seemed to know the Scottish contingent – the world of ultra-endurance sport is a very small one!

 

 

Perfect running conditions during the night (Photo Run and Become).

 

Hours 13-16 (Anti clockwise)

The halfway point is always a positive time in a race, and after 12 hours it’s particularly welcome. I was maintaining the 8/1 ratio and managed to gain several places during the early hours, entering the top ten overall.

 

There were more people walking by now and several people appeared to have injury/motivation/happiness issues as the fatigue increased. Most supporters had retired to bed and runners were largely reliant on the volunteers.  The conditions were still ideal and at times there was a full moon so I was still using some electrolyte drink with the occasional sweet tea. The hot snacks kept arriving and the 24 hour buffet saw no signs of slowing down.

 

My feet still felt ok but I made the point to stop and change my socks and reapply Vaseline to my feet. Losing five minutes could prevent losing considerably more time later on and I was prone to blistering beneath the balls of both feet.

Leader board in the early hours (Photo Run and Become).

 

Hours 17-20 (Clockwise)

I continued to feel strong as dawn approached but the two lead women were still in front which was unusual. Fiona and Helen were still several miles ahead and didn’t appear to be slowing. Helen’s tactic had been the same the previous year and had resulted in her slowing during the later stages. She was obviously stronger this year and I wasn’t making and progress on either of them.

 

Dan was beginning to have problems with his hip and was also suffering from Facebook withdrawal symptoms. Spirits were lifted when breakfast arrived and then Chris surfaced from his tent so the insults duly recommenced for the final few hours.

 

I eventually reached 100 miles in 18:06 which was quite a blow. It was quicker than previous years and I was running well but realised it was impossible to reach my goal in the remaining hours. On a positive note I’d gained another couple of places which was some consolation, but my motivation had taken a huge hit. I still had six hours of running left knowing I’d failed my objective.

 

Hugh Pinner – who I’d raced with the previous two years – was having stomach issues and we found ourselves walking together. He mentioned that the race was also the English Ultra Champs and that there was a good chance I was in contention. I remembered reading about it in the pre-race information but hadn’t given it any more thought. He kindly went to make some enquiries and established I was in third place as the others ahead of me were either female, Irish or Scottish. I was steadily catching the two ahead so I now had another reason to keep the pressure on myself.

Who's idea was this? Dan holds back the tears.
 

 

By now most people were finding it difficult and this is when the event really begins to test people. Track racing is completely raw with no fluff or distraction. There are no hills to crest, lakes to pass or pretty villages to pass though. It’s 24 hours of monotony with nothing to take your mind away from the increasing discomfort and pain.

 

I reduced my running back to running 7 laps and walking a lap and hoped I’d be able to maintain it to the finish. With around five hours to go I was up to fourth overall and was leading the English competition. This was because others were slowing (or stopping for breaks) whereas I was maintaining a consistent – if unimpressive - pace. 7 laps became 6 laps and I eventually settled on 4 laps and then a walk.

Holding on to fourth with hurty legs (Photo Run and Become).

 

Around this time I made a pact with myself that I wouldn’t do another ultra again. The pain was entirely self-inflicted and completely unnecessary. I was actually planning what I’d do with my newly aquired free time – I went through a series of crap sports and hobbies and even decided to buy a bonsai tree at one point.  

 

Dan had seen the physio who’d recommended he withdraw but he was running well, only interrupting his progress by repeatedly stopping to satisfy his Crackberry habit. I wanted him to put the phone down and get back on the track so tried my best to encourage him;

“Dan, start running!”

“Fuck off. Unlike you I’ve got friends!”

 

Hours 21-24 (Anti clockwise)

By now I wasn’t in the most positive place I’ve ever been. I’d failed my objective and wasn’t sure if I’d even achieve the Spartathlon standard of 200km. A couple of times I actually sat down for a minute which is something I almost never do unless I’m tending to my feet. Dan, Chris and I briefly discussed the merits of what we were doing and I was struggling to think of any positives. It was mental weakness, nothing else. Chris even stopped taking the piss for a few minutes so I must have looked bad. 

"So there's this place near me which sells bonsai trees..."

I was eventually kicked back into focus when I realised a couple of Englishmen were gradually catching me, and unless I strapped a pair of balls on I would go home with nothing. I stepped up the pace to make the best of the situation and began to get my legs back. I was prepared to try anything to make the last couple of hours as pain free as possible – I’d had an impressive amount of Ibuprofen up to that point so thought I’d try a beer. It would either go horribly wrong or make me invincible, only time would tell. I felt like a Yates' Wine Lodge regular sat there all smelly and dishevelled drinking Peroni at 10am but it was surprisingly enjoyable and went down very well.

 

I’m not sure if the Peroni had any effect other than boosting morale but I started running more consistently. I was aware of who the others were and where we all were relative to each other. I knew when they were walking or running and I was counting how many times I was being lapped. Because I was 2-3 miles in front I knew that I they would have to lap me 10-12 times per hour to pass me. Unless I imploded this was impossible so I just had to keep going. I passed 200km with around 30 minutes to go (as I had the previous year) so beating 127 miles was possible if I pushed as hard as possible.

 

Both the lead women had slowed and I had almost caught Helen but it was too late. The rest of the field were split between people finishing strongly and those  resigned to walking.  The runner who had spent an impossible amount of time vomiting during the race was having one last heave for the road, and I’m surprised if he had any stomach lining left by the end.

 Immediately after finishing. Never again etc etc.

Chris helpfully pointed out it wasn’t a race-walking event and the last few laps were a blur as I dragged myself around the track as many times as possible before the finishing horn sounded. I didn’t know exactly how far I’d run and didn’t want to know. I gave it everything until the horn signalled everyone to stop and then immediately collapsed onto the grass. Afterwards Chris said it looked like all the competitors had been simultaneously shot by snipers.

Reflection
 

Expecting to be rumbled at the English Champs presentation (Photo Run and Become).

I eventually covered 127 miles, exactly the same distance as 2012. My major objective wasn’t achieved so my performance was insufficient. Winning the England Athletics Ultra Champs was a happy surprise but I knew some of the strongest runners were in Athens preparing for the Spartahlon. Still, it’s nice to win and I’m not giving the medal back.

 

I should have reached 100 miles in a faster time and I was left with too much to do in the last few hours. I was also slower in the last 27 miles than the previous year and this was due to lack of mental focus and positivity after reaching 100 miles behind schedule. I was also able to walk, talk and function after the race which has never happened before – another indicator that I hadn’t given it 100%. This race is more mental than physical and I’d been rightly exposed.

 

Both the Scottish winners had achieved the British team standard for 24 hours which was awesome, and Marco achieved the third fastest ever Scottish distance behind the legendary Don Ritchie. Geoff Oliver also covered 94 miles breaking the world 80+ yrs world record. He also broke every intermediate world record except 100km en route. Top bombing.

 

Shankara and her team had provided yet another flawless and friendly race and it couldn’t happen without the lap counters and aid station volunteers.

 

The next morning after an uncomfortable night’s sleep I was predictably incapacitated and still in a huge amount of discomfort. I was also surprisingly excited about entering Spartathlon 2014 and the retirement plans I’d made during the race seemed a very long time ago. Bollocks to normal life and bollocks to bonsai trees.

Race details here: http://run.runandbecome.com/london-running-news/self-transcendence-24hr-race-2013/

Race results here: http://run.runandbecome.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/24-Hour-Results-2013.pdf

England Athletics report here: http://www.englandathletics.org/news.asp?itemid=12118&itemTitle=Thomas+And+James+take+England+Athletics+Ultra+Distance+Championships&section=42&sectionTitle=England+Athletics+News

Kit Review

Skins A400 shorts.

Because the weather was so consistent I didn’t change clothes during the event. I used Skins A400 compression shorts as they’re very comfortable and great at preventing chaffing. I can’t get away with loose shorts for long distances and I've used these shorts several times without any problems.

 

The A400 calf guards are tried and tested from previous events and also acted as an insulating layer during the night.

Salomon Fast Wing Vest

The Salomon Fast Wing Vest is light and very breathable and I used it to reduce the effects of wind chill from the breeze. I didn’t overheat during the day and it was perfect as a light insulating layer during the night.

 

Saucony Omnis.

I’m now a convert to the Saucony Omnis. I previously used the Hurricane but the cheaper Omni felt just as cushioned and comfortable. The 8mm heel and slight rocker in the midsole allows for a very smooth, rolling foot strike and they were very comfortable, even towards the end of the race.

 

 

All Salomon, Saucony and Skins products were supplied by Royles: royles.biz

 

Sri Chinmoy Self Transcendence 24hr Track Race 2011

Fighting My Central Governor and the Refuge of a Ford Focus Boot

(Photo Martin Leitner)

The original plan was to complete 2011 by racing the Lichfield Double Enduroman in August . It was a fast course and I was set on achieving a respectable time. However, the race venue forced Enduroman to cancel the event and I was left with a void for the remainder of the year. As there were no other ultra-triathlons in the UK, I decided to target an ultra-marathon.

There are very few ultra-marathons I’m interested in. They either have to be a classic route (Badwater, Spartathlon, Comrades etc), distance (100km and 100miles) or time duration (12hr, 24hr and 48hr). My only experience of ultrarunning had been in 2005 when I had competed in the last ever running of the London to Brighton road race. It was a classic event respected throughout the world, and had previously attracted many ultrarunning legends such as Bruce Fordyce and Arthur Newton.

I had been long been intrigued with 24 hour events, and had always intended on entering one. It seemed the simplest, purest athletic challenge there was: how far can you travel on foot for a full day and night? I found the Sri Chinmoy Self Transcendence event scheduled in early September so I entered, and once I had recovered from the Triple immediately switched my focus to running.

 Event video courtesy of Run and Become.

As it was only a few weeks between the Triple and 24, I had only had a very short period of training to increase running volume as much as I could.  The priority was to remain injury free so instead of running for several hours at a time, I split the long runs by completing multiple runs during the day of no more than 75 minutes duration. I would start the first run in the early morning and finish the last run close to midnight, building up to 5 hours in total.

The race was held at Tooting Bec athletics track in London.  The morning of the race was a hive of activity as competitors set up camp around the perimeter of the track and prepared their kit and supplies for the race. Some people pitched tents while others erected tables to position the endless supply of drinks and snacks. Half an hour before the race there was a briefing and it was then a case of hanging around until the start at 12pm. Anna had just returned from the Ironman 70.3 Worlds in Las Vegas and agreed to help out again having previously braved the weather at the Triple. While I prepared for the start she ensured my bottles were filled and spare kit organised.

As we all waited for the start it became clear that this event attracted older people - both men and women – than the average running event. The race programme had included biographies of all the competitors, and the field had a considerable amount of ultrarunning experience between them.

False start in Lane 1 (Photo Martin Leitner).

The start was great: completely relaxed and stress free. At 12pm 45 runners began running clockwise around the track with 24 hours ahead of them. The weather was ideal with some cloud and a light breeze, which I was very grateful for after the terrible conditions at the Triple. The race involved a change of direction every 4 hours, and I was to gradually realise over the following hours that this would provide virtually the only mental stimulation during the race.

Feeling good on lap 4 - the crowds were going wild.

My pre-race plan was to run for 20 minutes and then walk a lap while I fuelled, and to continue this routine for as long as possible. I had no splits in mind, only to settle into an easy pace and keep my gait as smooth and efficient as possible. I was fascinated to see how the other runners were using different strategies from the outset.  Some were running very hard (I could hear their breathing as they approached me from behind), while a few were religiously walking for short periods every lap or so. I got talking to Hugh Pinner who was running 300m and walking 100m from the very first lap, and asked him about his race strategy. He had previous experience of 24 hour racing and explained how he had used the same strategy at the 2010 event.  His aim was to cover as much distance as possible within the 24 hours without running for any long periods. It was the same idea I was following, only more extreme.

As everyone was on the same 400m circuit it was impossible to know what position I was in. To keep runners informed of their accumulated distance and overall position, a leaderboard was updated every hour. After the first hour I was just inside the first half of the field which was a bit surprising. I’m never that far down in a race but I wasn’t panicked into increasing my pace. I was racing into the unknown and had absolutely no idea how I would feel later on. I was also certain some of the frontrunners would suffer later on!

Before the rain arrived (Photo Martin Leitner).

The first few hours passed quite pleasantly without any problems, and I kept hydrating and lightly snacking every 20 minutes. The organisers had also organised hot meals to be served at lunchtime, evening and breakfast. I had consumed half the menu at McDonalds that morning so wasn’t remotely hungry, but forced myself to eat the first meal 2 hours into the race.    

I was well within my comfort zone and went through the first marathon in 4:18 which was faster than I had in mind. Before the race I had set myself two targets: to prevent complete failure I had to cover 100 miles, and to achieve minimum success I would have to reach 120 miles. The marathon time indicated a 140-150 mile pace which I knew was far too ambitious but as it felt so easy I continued at the same pace.

 The early pace would gradually slow (Photo Martin Leitner).

Each time the leaderboard was updated I gained one or more places as early leaders started walking more. The weather was still dry but dark clouds were starting to form by late afternoon. Anna had planned to meet friends in London that evening but just as she was about to leave it started raining. The most important lesson I had learned at the Triple was to maintain core body temperature at all times. Consequently, as soon as it started to rain I grabbed a lightweight waterproof top from the car and put a hat and gloves on. Most competitors had the same idea, but several continued in their running vests getting absolutely soaked. Bonkers.

The rain passed after a coupe of hours, and by that time the sun was going down and I covered myself from head to toe to keep warm. The evening meal was served around 8pm and I made the most of it – there was basically as much food as you wanted, and it was just what everyone needed.

 Lap counters working in shifts (Photo Martin Leitner).

Every hour I moved further up the leaderboard and still felt very comfortable. The lap counters were being replaced every few hours with other volunteers, and they were continually cheerful throughout the event. They had to wave to us each lap to ensure they had seen us and recorded every lap.

I had enjoyed racing through the dark at the Double and Triple events and I again found myself feeling really good as the race approached midnight. I was enjoying the whole experience and feeling very positive about reaching 120 miles by the finish. The twelve hour point is an obvious milestone in the event, and it was a very welcome sight to be guided around the cone to begin running in the opposite direction. It was during this lap that competitors got the only opportunity to see the faces of the other athletes, and there were faces on the last turnaround I hadn’t seen at all during the entire event.

As the race progressed, my brain began focussing on the strangest things to provide some mental stimulation. By far the most exciting activity was going to the toilet. During previous events I had always gone as I kept moving to save time, but also to prevent the legs seizing up. I didn’t think this would go down well on a running track so the side of my car at trackside became my personal toilet. For the final 12 hours every time I felt the need to go I would hold it in for a couple of laps for something to look forward to.

Leaderboard being updated (Photo Martin Leitner).

I also became obsessed with the leaderboard, again without any particular reason. I wasn’t too bothered with my position, but the updated information provided something to focus on. I spent hours working out different scenarios based on increasing pace/maintaining pace/dropping pace and where I would eventually finish, and it was all completely pointless. I’ve never done so much mental arithmetic in my life.

 24hr aid station serving anything and everything (Photo Martin Leitner).

The runners’ high from the previous night had gone and my pace started to gradually drop in the early hours. I began walking every 15 minutes, and by sunrise I was only running for up to 10 minutes at a time. I was still fuelling, and the helpers provided hot drinks and snacks throughout the night. If I asked for a hot drink it was ready the next time I came around – awesome service.

My legs were feeling progressively more tired and painful, and I realised I should have brought some painkillers, especially as they had been so useful at the Triple. Hugh Pinner offered me some in the early hours which seemed to be effective but once they wore off I was back to the same discomfort. I finally caved in and went to sit on the toilet and play Angry Birds for 10 minutes.

Much the same, only darker and wetter (Photo Martin Leitner).

Someone told me at the Double that you feel much better when the sun rises, which turned out to be complete and utter bollocks. It hurts just as much, only you can now see where you’re going. It proved to be the same situation again as I began walking much more. I had previously climbed to fifth place during the night, but in the last 6 hours I gradually began to drop one place each hour.  The only positive event was going through 100 miles in 19 hours 19 minutes. I had achieved the bare minimum but was well aware that I couldn’t cover 120 miles if I continued at the same pace. 

Other runners were going through different phases of running well, walking and disappearing off the track to their tents. A few who had gone through bad patches in the night were running well in the later stages, and I was hoping I would similarly improve. As I had improved so dramatically after breakfast at the Triple, I spent the early hours of the morning obsessing about when breakfast would be served, and what it would consist of.  With around 4 hours to go I was walking along stuffing myself with bacon, sausage, egg and beans. Once I’d finished that I had some porridge and a cup of coffee, and then waited for my legs to start working again. Needless to say they didn’t and the last 4 hours were the hardest and most painful of my life.

Change of shoes for excitement (Photo Martin Leitner).

The pace continued to drop as I walked more and with 2 hours to go I was in a bad way. The morning was warm and sunny but I was wrapped in thermals, gloves and a hat. I hadn’t stopped at all during the race, but I ended flopping into the boot of my car for 5 minutes. Anna changed my shoes for me (mainly for excitement and variety) and I shuffled back onto the track. My legs had begun to seize up and I was struggling to walk in a straight line. I tried to run but it was virtually impossible so I tried different ways of getting my legs to move. I worked my arms harder to initiate movement, and I tried tilting forwards to virtually fall into a run. Neither really worked as the legs were completely buggered.

Tim Noakes – the renowned South African exercise physiologist – talks about the Central Governor, a mechanism in the brain which controls how hard we push ourselves. It acts as a trip switch when it fears the body’s survival is at stake.

I always push as hard as I physically can when I race, and there’s always the battle against easing back and reducing the pain, especially in the last few miles. During every race until this it seems that I had come to an agreement with my Central Governor during the final stages. I would dig as deep as I could, it hurt unbearably but I was always able to keep going and function after the finish. It was therefore unknown territory to feel my body gradually shutting down, as I weaved and staggered my way around the track at under 2mph.

While I was limping and staggering along like a drunk, the leaders were pushing each other for the win. Peter van Winjngaarden had been leading for most of the race, but had begun to trade the lead with Simon Handley in the final few hours. They were running so well it was hard to believe. I had been in a similar situation to them at the Triple so it was mentally hard to watch them performing so well while I continued to deteriorate.

Sense of humour failure in final hour (Photo Martin Leitner).

I had another couple of visits to my boot in the last 2 hours, and felt worse every time I resumed ‘racing’. The mind was willing but the Central Governor was having none of it. The switch was flipped and I eventually ground to a halt fifteen minutes from the end.

I told Anna I was getting in the car and wouldn’t be getting out again. I eventually reached my car and eventually managed to fall into the boot. My body was in agony and – as was the case at the Double – I started to feel very unwell. Anna thanked the lap counter for me (who couldn’t understand why I couldn’t carry on to the end!), came over to take my shoes off and covered me with the duvet. She continues to remind me that it was technically a DNF.

Support crew was less than impressed (Photo Martin Leitner).

I began the familiar delirious state, drifting in and out of sleep, unable to get remotely comfortable. I remember hearing the hooter signalling the end of the race, and I later heard some applause at the prize giving. I really wanted to be there but I couldn’t move at all, and if I tried to sit up I immediately felt sick and dizzy.

I eventually found out I had covered 114 miles, the equivalent of running from Stockport to Northampton.  I wasn’t particularly pleased with it but it wasn’t embarrassing either, especially for a first attempt. The winner had achieved 141.6 miles, only 2.5 miles in front of second place.

I remained in the boot for another couple of hours, and by the time the nausea and dizziness had passed everyone had left. I was planning on driving home which proved not to be one of my best ideas as my legs were still virtually immobile. Anna told me I was stupid insisting she drove instead, and we eventually left in search of the nearest Burger King.

No signs of life at the end - hard to describe the pain.

Reflection
100 miles is a long distance to run and it can’t be blagged. In training I had covered the most volume I dared manage in the short space of time between the Triple and the 24 hour, and under the circumstances I think I did the right thing.

I terms of race strategy, I should have walked more often from the start. Because there were no inclines that would force a walk, it takes a lot of self-discipline to walk in the early miles. As I hadn’t done any long runs in training, if I had run for 1 mile and walked a lap throughout the entire event, I think I would have covered a greater distance.

Final standings (Photo Martin Leitner).

I intend to return next year to achieve at least 200km. As I have entered several ultra marathons earlier in the year I should be much better prepared for the shear distance of the event. As I’m not swimming or cycling any more, I’ll also have much more time to increase volume and – more importantly – gradually increase the long runs in a safe, progressive way.

The race was very well run and fantastic value for money. I’ve never raced in an event which had so much hot food and drink available for 24 hours, and nothing was too much trouble for the volunteers.

Race details here: http://uk.srichinmoyraces.org/ultras

Race photos (courtesy of Martin Leitner) here:
http://gallery.srichinmoyraces.org/great-britain/ultras/24h_2011/

Triple Enduroman UK 2011

Stray Cattle, Unrelenting Rain and the Magical Properties of Hot, Salty Soup

After finishing 5th at the Double Enduroman Lanzarote earlier in the year I took a few weeks off serious training and, as with any ultra-distance event, there was a period of anti-climax in the following weeks. However, I’d discovered years ago that the best way of preventing post event blues was to have the next event planned and entered beforehand.

I had already entered the Triple Enduroman UK the previous year and it was to be the biggest athletic challenge of my life so far. I slightly modified my training after the Lanzarote Double with the main difference being Ironman tempo efforts on the bike. There was only so much training time available so volume didn’t increase at all during the build up. The main difference at this event was that Brian Mullan (who had competed with me at Lanzarote) and my sister Anna were going to help crew for me during the race.

The event was held at Avon Tyrrell outdoor centre, a country house with substantial grounds and a small lake. In true Enduroman style the course was to prove challenging, so much so that – due to longer anticipated finishing times during the Deca and Quintruple Enduroman events already in full swing - the start time was brought forward several hours to enable more people to finish within the cut off.

Perfect conditions for the swim (Photo Enduroman).

Swim

At 8am on Friday morning twenty one athletes made their way towards the lake and waited for the start. After Lanzarote my big worry before the swim was the cold as I would be in the water for another 2.4 miles. Steve Haywood measured the water a few minutes before the start and announced it was 20 degrees which was a huge relief.

View of the swim start and finish.

We made our way into the water and after floating around listening to the familiar nervous banter we were off. The course of multiple anti-clockwise laps with drinks and food available whenever we required it. I had previously put hot energy drink and gels by the side and asked Rev (one of the loyal helpers) to ensure some was poured for me every few laps. Amazingly I reached the first buoy in first position, and was never passed during the remainder of the swim. I aimed to maintain a comfortable pace from the outset, but was conscious of not staying in too long and getting cold. I simply kept the pace up to stay warm. Despite the regular feed stops I was cold by half way which was both surprising and worrying: whether it was low bodyfat or a weakened immune system causing it I don’t know but the second half was a massive struggle to stop my body grinding to a halt. I was more than relieved to eventually be informed I had one lap to go, and was finally pulled out in 3hr 49min. There was then a walk of a few hundred metres to the campsite where we were to change for the bike leg.

How many laps...?

Bike

Because it was a multi-lap bike course, there were plenty of opportunities to change clothing so I wrapped up to begin with even though it was a warm sunny morning. The first few laps were a case of relaxing into a rhythm and getting warm. The course was rural and undulating with no particular challenges apart from the final climb back to the race venue. As was the case in Lanzarote I decided to snack lightly while riding, use isotonic energy drink throughout and replace a bottle each lap. As every lap was taking around 45 minutes it worked out perfectly. At mealtimes there was also hot food available to ensure we were getting enough calories during the event. The only problem was that Brian and Anna weren’t arriving until the next day so every time I needed to swap clothes or fetch some hot food I had to leave the course and get it.

The laps passed without any drama and the weather was dry with intermittent sunshine throughout the rest of the day. I maintained a high cadence throughout and I rarely saw anyone on the course even though there were now three events sunning simultaneously. Once the light began to fade I fixed my lights – as there was no lighting of any kind throughout much of the course high powered lights were essential. In true A Team style a mechanic at work had cobbled together a bracket from spare parts which allowed the light to be attached below the tri bars so I could maintain my riding position throughout the night.

336 mile time trial - I hardly saw anyone at all (Photo Enduroman).

Riding through the night proved to be as interesting as it had been in Lanzarote. There were periods of low-lying fog where I could only see a short distance in front and it felt as if I was isolated in a small bubble for hours on end. The only company throughout the night were wild horses and cattle who kept straying onto the roads. This became quite unnerving at times as the only warning I had on the descents was seeing their eyes light up as I approached them. People often assume ultra are boring but this course was a world away from the usual criterium style courses used elsewhere.

Because I had no crew yet I was stopping each lap to swap bottles and food, but Paul Thompson (the Lanzarote Double winner) appeared in the late hours of Saturday and helped refill my bottles saving me a decent amount of time for a couple of laps.

I was starting to weave across the road in the early hours so decided to have a short rest. I went back to the tent and set my alarm to go off in 50 minutes. As it was a clear, cold night I lay there and basically shivered for what seemed like 5 minutes before getting back on the bike feeling much worse than I had before (I was later told it had dropped to 4 degrees during the night). Some competitors had sensibly ridden through the night and I was down to fourth place by the time morning came.

Anna helping me refuel on the second day.

I eventually warmed up again and spent the next two hours focussing on the fact breakfast would soon be available. As it meant me leaving the course again someone kindly offered to get it for me and have it ready by the time I completed the next lap. Sure enough, 45 minutes later I returned and had a full English breakfast, bowl of porridge and coffee waiting for me.

Peel me a grape.
 

The sun gradually appeared and race conditions looked very promising. The laps continued to pass by but on each lap the small inclines seemed to become longer and steeper. I was lapping each lap consistently and felt surprisingly good in the final few hours. Brian and Anna had by now appeared and I was changing bottles and restocking much quicker than I had been previously.

 

Quick five minutes...

Run

After 28hr 29min I finally climbed off my bike for the last time and began to prepare for the run. It was a warm sunny day by now and the first few laps were really enjoyable. There were 76 off road laps to cover, half a lap gradually climbing and the other half descending towards the lake. I set off running continuously as I felt so good, but remembering how I had felt at Lanzarote a few months earlier I forced myself to start walking all the inclines.

A balanced diet of sugar and caffeine.

Anna and Brian did a great job of keeping me fed and hydrated and eventually set up my own aid station table which I could use every lap. I had a mixture of every kind of food available throughout the run, and went through phases of wanting certain foods and avoiding others. The main concern was to maintain a constant supply of easily absorbed calories with the hot meals providing the most important feeds.

As the laps were so short I eventually had the chance to see more competitors on the course, from my race and the other events. From late afternoon onwards the Deca and Quintruple athletes started to appear on the run course to begin yet another marathon, and one of these was Anthony Gerundini who I had previously met at the Lanzarote Double. He would eventually win the Quintruple event. Another athlete from Lanzarote was Chris Ette who was behind me but running consistently with a very good support crew (his mum!). He was Eddie Ette’s son, an experienced ultra-endurance athlete and an ex Royal Marine so he was a real threat.

During the first marathon.

I ate lunch and the evening meal while I walked, partly as I felt good but also to prevent my legs becoming stiff. By evening I was in first place as one had dropped out and a couple had gone to their tents for a rest. As evening came I gradually put more layers on and started to use my head torch as the run navigated down some rough tracks and through some woods with barely a trail to follow. Because of the uneven terrain, tree roots, mud, puddles and complete lack of light the course was the slowest one I had ever run. I also twisted my ankle on a tree root which gradually began to become very painful. Any ideas of a fast finishing time were by now completely out of the question and I was already hours behind my target schedule.

With Brian at meal time.

The sky gradually clouded over and eventually it began to rain. I had a huge variety of clothing with me so I was prepared for as many changes as necessary, and I soon covered up with hat, gloves tights and waterproof top. Brian and Anna continued to ensure I had enough food and drink throughout the evening, and I was becoming more concerned about getting regular hot drinks whenever possible. I continued to feel comfortable until the early hours of Sunday morning when I gradually began to feel more tired and my legs started to stiffen up. This was the first time during the entire event I had really struggled and it deteriorated further over the next few hours.

I was forced to walk for much longer periods, and it was at this time another club mate – Chris Brobin – turned up to watch. He had recently moved to Bristol and was also a friend of Brian. I walked a lap with him at possibly the worst point in the race and remember slurring a load of incoherent bollocks during the time we were together.

Snack time - the rain would soon arrive.

I wasn’t sure what to do about my physical condition. I was continually eating and drinking, I felt warm and I was mentally very positive. My legs simply refused to work and I was hardly running at all. To compound things further, I could now feel every stone under my shoes which made running (and walking) absolute agony. The twisted ankle was now worse than ever and it was preventing me from dorsiflexing my foot properly. I was eventually provided some powerful painkillers by the medic but they didn’t seem to make any difference, and I was eventually reduced to a walk.

The caterers were scheduled to provide breakfast at 7am so I decided at around 6am to have a short rest before I had a proper feed. I limped to my tent and had about 30 minutes rest. Again, I didn’t seem to sleep but I felt so exhausted I just needed to switch off for a while. I then returned to the course and shuffled around another lap before disappearing into the catering tent. I sat for a while and had as much hot food as possible including at least three bowls of porridge. I then filled my flask with sweet coffee and resumed racing.

Soaked!

By now the weather was getting worse. The temperature had dropped, the wind had picked up considerably and it was continually raining much harder than the night before (this was the same day as the Bala middle distance triathlon which was severely affected by the weather).

Refueling for the hundredth time...

Initially I felt as bad as before but I gradually began to pick up. The legs began to work. I didn’t feel every stone beneath me, the ankle pain subsided and I was able to run for longer periods. By now everyone was piss wet through - including all the helpers - and it was a case of dressing appropriately and maintaining hot fluids. The course was now waterlogged and deep in mud at the bottom end of the course which slowed progress even further, and the wind was so strong the organisers were forced to deflate the finish gantry. I was by now covered head to toe in several layers and never once felt cold. I was therefore amazed to see people on the course still dressed in vests and T shirts looking absolutely frozen and barely moving.

Second day of running, soaked through.

I soon learned I was down to second place as Chris Ette had overtaken me while I had rested during the night. For the next few hours we were never further than one or two laps apart from each other, and at times we ran together. I was feeling 100% better than I had during the night and was lapping as fast as I had been the previous day. Chris was running well and it was a real motivator to have him so close. I still wanted to win but it became apparent that the only way this would happen would be if one of us snapped. I’m sure he realised the same thing and consequently the remaining laps involved us shadowing each other, beating each other into the corners and dropping each other at the aid station. It was a real buzz and I was really enjoying the surreal nature of the whole situation: we had started racing over 48 hours ago and neither of us was prepared to roll over.

Life saving hot soup in the last hour

I had by now received more painkillers and was consuming regular hot tea and coffee. There was also someone Anna had met at Club la Santa watching the event who lived nearby. Before I knew it they had returned home to bring a flask of hot tomato pasta soup to share out. I ran two laps drinking it and it was the best race fuel I’ve ever had. I also changed my clothes as they had become wet despite the waterproofs.

Last few miles with a change of clothes.

I never closed the gap on Chris, and eventually he began his last lap. Everyone was required to complete their last lap in the reverse direction to greet the other competitors, and it was great to see him approach. As he passed I congratulated him and he called me a twat which was a fair comment. One lap later it was my turn and I ran the entire lap, something I hadn’t managed since the first few miles the previous morning. I felt much better than I had at the end of the Lanzarote Double which is something I still don’t understand. I finally crossed the line in 53hr 23min to be met by Steve Haywood and Eddie Ette (who had probably had less sleep than me). After a few seconds getting my head together Brian and Anna came over and we quickly made our way into the warmth of the catering tent.

The P2 having a well-earned rest - note the rear light integrated into the seatpost.

After some more hot food Anna bundled me into the tent under a couple of duvets and put some snacks and drinks next to me. She and Brian had to return home so basically ensured I was self-sufficient for the next few hours. I was completely finished - mentally and physically - but it was an understandable fatigue rather than the total shutdown I experienced at Lanzarote. I then spent the rest of the afternoon drifting in and out of sleep before finally reaching a deep sleep later that night.

Reflection

The race was very well run in difficult conditions, and Enduroman again proved to be the real deal in ultra-endurance triathlon organisation.

The day after - up yours Weightwatchers!

I was happy with my performance but was not sure what happened during the early hours of the second night. I think I paced the race correctly and dressed appropriately throughout. As I was constantly feeding throughout the race, and always felt adequately warm, it was hard to pinpoint what made me feel so bad and what reversed the situation so quickly. Apart from the painkillers, I think the main factor was the hot breakfast and soup during the final morning. The only period where there was no hot food supplied was during the night, and this is when I suffered. Over one night this is manageable but by the second night – especially in wet weather – I believe the body needs hot calories to maintain adequate endorphin levels.

Iron cankle.

For my future ultra-distance events there are three main priorities I believe can maximise performance and minimise time wasting: eat and drink as many hot calories as possible from the outset, ensure there is a support crew if possible and increase running mileage in training. For an Ironman I firmly believe cycling is the priority throughout the preparation. However, once you start racing ultras where the minimum run distance is 52 miles (in this case 78 miles) you simply can’t run that distance unless there is a certain amount of running miles in the legs. I had modified my bike training after Lanzarote to spend more time at mid-high end aerobic intensity and this resulted in a much higher position on the bike. I therefore think I would approach training for future ultra-triathlons with a ratio of 50% running, 40% cycling and 10% swimming.

As in Lanzarote I had used my training shoe, a road version of the Brooks Adrenaline. I had assumed the route around the lake would be similar to Sale or Chorlton Water Parks but I was way off the mark. To provide more grip and give me more protection from rocky ground, in future off road races I will use the trail version of the same shoe. You live and learn. 

Thanks to Anna and Brian for helping during the event.

Race details here: http://www.enduroman.com/uk/