Written by Scott Harris - http://runninganimo.com
My first attempt at the 100 mile distance didn’t go well at all. After about 25 hours and 132k/83m I eventually decided enough was enough and quit. I was inexperienced with it being only my third ultra and my training had been far too casual. This time around things were very different. I’d done more races, got through some tough moments and was serious in my training though the 2 week taper appears far more disciplined than intended. I’d managed 3 runs and 3 exercise bike sessions in those two weeks but this was due to the fear of getting another stinking cold. I didn’t start my last race, Bournemouth Marathon, and wasn’t going to risk getting ill again so close to my second attempt at the 100 mile distance.
I avoided getting a cold and was all set. The night before was like Christmas Eve as a child, I was so excited! Fortunately I slept really well and felt good in the morning. I’d packed my kit the night before and it was just a case of double checking things before heading off to Steatley. Last year the weather for this race was terrible but this year it was looking really good. It was going to be dry but cold. I didn’t quite realise how cold and I faffed about changing a couple pieces of kit after registering. No doubt this was more nerves than anything else and I settled back to what I had originally planned. I wanted to be able to change into warmer gear as the race progressed and the temperature dropped. I wanted to know that I had the option to always put on warmer clothes and with the layout of the race I would have that choice every 40k/25 miles.
The race consisted of 4 out and backs each 40k/25 miles passing through Streatley each time. Those are pretty big numbers so I decided to break it down even further. I was running 20k/12.5 miles 8 times. Breaking it down further; 8 is a small number, it isn’t scary and who can’t run to 8? I also had a time frame in mind. I didn’t want to finish the first 80k/50 miles quicker than 8 hours or slower than 9 hours. I accepted the fact I would probably lose at least 10 minutes at the half way mark as I had to change to warmer clothes and sort out my headlights.
After the briefing all the runners lined up outside race HQ and awaited the start. Not many of us were wearing shorts, maybe I called that wrong? The race started and it was go time! I didn’t really pay attention to others and made sure I was running my pre-planned pace. It wasn’t a race in my mind just an easy jog meeting fellow runners and enjoy running on new trails. Other people can do what they want, this is the pace I’m running at and this is the pace I’m sticking to. I had a hydration and nutrition plan as well which I’d try to stick though I struggle to drink as often as I should in cold conditions. It didn’t take too long to realise I’d made the right decision on my kit and I felt a nice temperature wearing my pack under my windproof.
I went through the first aid station in a group chatting and continued on to the first turn around. I wasn’t aware at the time but after 20k/12.5 miles I was in 26th position. My GPS watch read the distance a little shorter than I was expecting so I decided to slow down a little as I headed back to Streatley. It was easy going and I felt good. On the way back I decided it’s about time I started eating so I slowly started to nibble on an energy bar. I wasn’t quite drinking as much as I planned but it was enough.
Quick turn around at Streatley and off for the next leg. 2 down 6 to go! I left in 23rd place and quickly caught up with a few other runners. I wasn’t speeding up I just wasn’t slowing down. I stuck at the same speed and kept going maintaining an easy pace. The next aid station I just stuck my head in the door shouted out my number, smiled and left. I had enough water on me for each 20k/12.5 miles and enough food for the first half of the race so why stop? I carried on getting to the turn around point at 60k/37.5 miles. I decided to call up the map on my GPS watch to ensure I wouldn’t get lost as it got darker but I held down the wrong button and saved the exercise. I was a little annoyed at myself for doing this, put on my headlight and headed off for number 4 in 14th position. It didn’t take long to see a huge positive in pressing the wrong button on my watch. I was starting at zero again. Later in the race I wouldn’t be able to do the simple maths to add the two distances together but just accept it was more than what it said.
I got back to Streatley in just over 8 hours in 11th place. I lost the best part of 15 minutes here as I changed into a base layer, put on a beanie, a buff, quad guards, headlight around my waist and another on my head. I headed off knowing the next leg was quite exposed and likely to be colder. I slightly misjudged the temperature and had to stop to put on an extra t-shirt which I was really grateful for putting in my pack before leaving Strealtey. It was very chilly up there and when I found a glove on the trail I picked it up held in front of my chest to try to get a fraction warmer. I handed the glove in at the next aid station and pushed on getting to the 100k/62.5 mile mark in 8th place. I had something to nibble on from the aid station as my water was being filled and headed out. For the first time I lost my discipline and went off too fast. Knowing I was in the top 10 was quite exciting and I couldn’t help myself. It didn’t take long for me to start to overheat and soon after that I started to feel ill. I’m not 100% sure if this is accurate but this is the conclusion I came to as I ran in discomfort; I hadn’t been drinking enough so when I started to overheat what water I had was used to keep me cooler so I sweated more. As I sweated the water was taken away from stomach where it was happily digesting the steady increase in food I had been consuming for the past hour or so. As there was a decrease in the amount of water digesting food it made me feel a little sick.
I obviously slowed down and increased my water intake when I came to that conclusion and started feeling much better. I knew one of the hardest parts of the race was coming up. It was going to be hard to be in the comfort of race HQ and then leave again, as I got closer I kept telling myself what I would do when I got there over and over again. I rolled into Streatley having run 120k/75 miles, apart from feeling ill for 30 minutes or so I felt good. 6 down 2 to go!
This is where I meant Eduard. I’d caught up with him a couple of times on the last out and back but having to change into an extra t-shirt and then feeling ill had slowed me down meaning I arrived a few minutes after he did. He asked if I wanted to run together and it seemed like a good idea. It turned out to be a great idea. Unlike a pacer neither of us were going to let the other person slow us down, we were both going to have moments when we weren’t feeling great but there was no reason for the other to stop. We both wanted to continue on as we were doing well, we both had a similar pace and desire and it was really helpful having someone to help with the navigation. Not that it was difficult but when by yourself you can make bad decisions due to fatigue.
The first aid station was only 6.4k/4 miles in so we didn’t hang about, just a quick cup of tea for the warmth and a top up on water. We pushed on. It seemed to take forever to get to the last aid station at 140k/mile 87.5. You kept thinking it was just around the next corner, okay the next one, maybe the next…? It was such a weight off the shoulders arriving there. Each time you headed back to Streatley it felt easier as you knew what was coming, roughly your way and remembered a couple of landmarks helping judge distances but leaving here was something else. It truly felt amazing, for the first time you could think a little about finishing but not too much as there was plenty of hard work left. We overtook someone leaving the aid station before they did. We were joint 5th but for some reason I thought we were joint 4th. Somehow I had miss counted the few people who had passed us coming the other way.
The section that seemed to take forever running the other way flew past, mentally it was so short and was good running. I started to feel it a little tired but didn’t slow down. There was a bridge coming, I could rest there as I walked the stairs. We kept going, a runner coming the other way informed us we weren’t far behind the person in front. We found him walking with his pacer and I suggested walking for a bit as he wasn’t going anywhere. 30 seconds or so later and we were running again. Past the guy in front, into the aid station just 6.4k/4 miles from the finish. Quickly left with tea in hand, two warm mouthfuls and off again. The guy we had just overtaken left shortly after us. I felt fantastic considering what I’d put myself through. I felt the energy in my legs the determination in my mind and we got going. I didn’t want to be overtaken so close to the end, I had no idea how much motivation the person behind had, I had no idea how well the person we’d overtaken at the 140k/87.5 mile mark was running. Both were strong runners and had been ahead of me all day long. What would it take them to speed up? Were they running faster than me? I had no intention of finding out and once we crossed the river I picked up the pace. My legs were loose and I felt incredible. I felt like I could sprint to the finish. I led the way encouraging Eduard. He assured me there was no way we would be caught now. I kept telling myself how much I wanted this and didn’t slow down. Come on!
It wasn’t too much longer and we could see lights. The end was here! That is Streatley just ahead. I could see someone on the bridge who happened to be my Dad who had dropped me off earlier and was here to pick me up. He clapped as we ran past. It felt insane running that fast from the last aid station but it paid off. No one caught us and we burst into race HQ at Streatley in 17 hours 44 minutes and 10 seconds claiming joint 4th. A huge grin on my face, I couldn’t stop smiling or talking. I was so chuffed. I still am. And I still can’t quite believe my first 100 mile finish went so well.
I’d heard good things about Centurion events and I wasn’t let down, it was well organised, well marked and had well stocked aid stations with a good selection of food. Thanks to the organisers and the helpful volunteers.
Full results can be found here
Race report from Centurion Running here