Written by Michelle Maxwell - http://www.maxwell-coaching.co.uk

Written by Robert Jones - http://ultrarunningphoenix.blogspot.co.uk/

Thanks to the SVP100 race organiser (Matt), all of the volunteers (you were fantastic), Michelle for putting up with me for the last 50 odd kms and dragging me around, Robbie Britton (for his coaching and general “witty” banter) and finally my mum, Caoimhe and little baby Úna for their support on the day!

Written by Tom Atkinson

Pre-race

I’ve been focused on this race since my last ultra in February (St Peter’s Way, 42 miles and the previous furthest I’ve ever run). Training went pretty well, the only low point being when I attempted my longest training run (40 miles) on a 30°C day. I lasted 17 miles and a lot of that was walking. I always knew the heat was my nemesis and this confirmed it. Part of my preparation now came about frantically checking the forecast from about 2 weeks out, willing the temperature to be as low as possible.

Needless to say I spent a troubled night the night before the race – a mix of nervous energy and anticipation rendering my 9:30pm early night pointless as I lay there counting down the number of hours sleep I still had left knowing my alarm was set for 4am. I think I dropped off before midnight.

The travel to the race all went well, thanks to the incredible support of my wife Laura (which would only get stronger during the day) driving me to Newmarket at 5am in the morning. We parked up and went to the Memorial hall where registration was taking place. Here my usual pre-race nerves kicked in as I appraised the other runners, who I always consider ‘proper runners’ exposing me as the novice I still feel at ultras (this was my third). They’re wearing gaiters, do I need gaiters? I think I’m carrying too much food? Do I need to carry a waterproof? Have I got the wrong type of shoes on? Should I be in a vest or a t-shirt? Poles? Do I need poles?

Having passed the kit check, picked up my number and negotiated the pre-race poo queue (far longer for the men than the women much to everyone’s amusement) – it was time for the race briefing. During this we were advised to take down the race director’s number which we were to text if we had to drop out. I prayed I wouldn’t need it. A last minute decision to empty my third water 500ml bottle and to stow it empty in the back of my vest proved to be a good one – I didn’t need it during the first two legs but boy did I later on in the race as heat and de-hydration got the better of me.

Then it was a short walk to the start, 150+ people filing out of the two doors in a hall obviously took a while and because of my trip to the toilets to empty the water bottle we were near the back. No bother, there was a long stream of people to follow down the road and we were far from the last people. While walking to the start I was chatting to Laura, confirming the plan for the day and where she’d try to meet me. Wait, was that an air-horn? Turns out the race had started and I (as well as a few other runners) were still a couple of hundred yards from the start. Pissing hell, I was behind schedule and hadn’t even crossed the line yet!

Leg 1 – 12 miles

After a somewhat hurried goodbye to my wife I crossed the start line and about 50 yards later remembered to start my watch. I tried to calm myself after the non-ideal start – “it’s not a bad thing to be at the back, don’t go chasing people at this stage of the race”. This actually proved to be a real blessing in disguise. After the first mile or so running out of Newmarket the race hung a left onto a trail that was narrow with steep banks either side, very much single file with over-taking tricky. This meant my pace was dictated by others and I found myself pleased I wasn’t further up the field as I’d have probably gone at the same pace as whoever was in front but the mile splits (about 10:45 per mile) confirmed that I was in the right place, that was as fast as I wanted to start. This was articulated by the guy in front who observed after about 2 miles “well if we keep this pace up we’ll finish in the top 10”. I certainly didn’t keep the pace up but at that stage of the race it felt about right, got some faster miles in while I was fresh and hopefully started to eat into the cut-off – something I was most concerned about for the early legs.

The leg passed pretty well, this early in the race navigation wasn’t too much of a problem as there was always people to follow and I came into the first checkpoint 10 minutes ahead of cut-off and feeling like everything was going to plan. The checkpoint established a trend about just how brilliant the volunteers were for the day, my water bottles were re-filled, words of encouragement were shared and within a few minutes I was walking off with a handful of hoola-hoops and a couple of mini scotch eggs.

Leg 2 – 11 miles

Onto leg two and I continued to feel ok, managing to smile at the photographer as he made a couple of appearances and intrigued by the drone that was flying overhead. It was during this leg that I made my only navigation mistake – the comfort that following others in leg 1 gave me proved to be my downfall as a group of us took a turn across a narrow bridge, past a horse field and then to a fork in the path. Something didn’t feel right and a few of us paused - one lady checked the GPS route on her phone and it confirmed we shouldn’t have turned at the bridge. Quick backtrack and no more than a few minutes lost, no harm done. Apologies to the three guys that had gone ahead, they were out of earshot before we realised the mistake. Hopefully there was karma for this as I corrected three other runners on separate occasions later in the race.

My pacing proved pretty consistent, slowing a little but still managing to run except for the hills, the day was starting to warm up but I came into CP2 feeling like things were still going very much to plan. Quick re-fill of the bottles, including the spare third one given that dehydration was starting to creep in, some melon and a handful of snacks and it was onto leg 3.

Leg 3 – 10 miles

A couple of miles into Leg 3 and I wasn’t in such a good place. It was now the middle of the day and whilst the thermometer didn’t hit the 30+°C I’d been worried about a few weeks before the mid-20°s temperature was still enough to throw me off kilter, I’m really not great in the heat. I started cramping somewhere around 27 miles and couldn’t shake it off, having to slow to a walk. Try to run? Cramp. Climb over a stile? Cramp. Hang on, I was climbing over a stile and that triggered cramp? “You’re cramping my style” I said out loud, knowing there was no-one in earshot and gave a little chuckle. It’s an indication of my mental fragility (and sense of humour) that that little pun kept me amused for the next 9.5 hours every time I came to a stile, i.e. about 20 times, even long after the cramps had passed.

Despite the pun this proved to be the first of two lows of the race. I was aware I was losing the time against the cut-offs that’ I’d steadily built up in the first two legs and just couldn’t get myself going at an even pace. This was compounded by the fact that in my (not so) carefully-prepared spreadsheet I’d put together I’d written the cut-off time wrong – meaning I thought I only arrived with 10 mins to spare whereas it was a much more comfortable 30. Still, the demons had set in and I started to convince myself that if I was only halfway, suffering from cramp, struggling to run and losing time then a finish started to feel very doubtful.

I cracked on regardless; encouraged by the fact Laura was due to meet me at the next checkpoint. Finding the checkpoint seemed to take forever, I’d never been to Long Melford before but now know why it’s not called ‘Melford’. It went on forever and I was kindly guided in by a runner behind who kept telling me to keep going and where the turn-off to the cricket club was as she must have seen my desperate glances for red tape to indicate it was time to get to the checkpoint.

Bonus, on entering the checkpoint I saw my Dad there clapping me in and Laura just a bit further on. Seeing family and having people support you makes such a difference to me and this was exactly the boost I needed at a time where I needed it most. I put them to work, having a ‘crew’ for the first time ever – filling water bottles, putting bodyglide on my shoulders, things I easily could have done myself but relished the opportunity not to have to. I asked them to walk out of the checkpoint with me as I had a handful of crisps and jelly beans to eat but quickly realised I was essentially just trying to prolong the feeling of having support with me and if I was going to make the finish I had to do it on my own. I asked them to head back and found my voice faltering during my good-byes as I was hit by a wave of emotion. Despite the boost the check-point had given me, I didn’t think I was going to finish. I thought they were thinking I wasn’t going to finish. Was this game over?

Leg 4 – 9 miles

Nope! Turns out some salty snacks and flat coke were all I needed to get into a much better physical place and a text from Laura confirming my cut-off timing error meant that mental strength soon followed. Back in the game!

If you look at my splits there may not be that much variation in what had gone before but mentally and physically I was feeling much better. This was enhanced once I hit Sudbury – due to the great support outside the pub there but also the fact that I’d recced the route from here so things were a bit more familiar and navigation became slightly one less thing to worry about.

Another error in my (not so) carefully prepared spreadsheet saw me turn a corner to unexpectedly see a volunteer in a yellow t-shirt and hear him say “the checkpoint’s just around the corner”. Really? I had it down as another 2 miles away and whilst I still had to run those miles it was a nice surprise to feel I’d reached a milestone ‘early’. And what a checkpoint it was! All the volunteers were exceptional throughout the day and the provisions offering every type of fuel you could hope for but this checkpoint stood out on both counts. The plethora of snacks in front of me was dazzling in its array; boiled eggs and boiled potatoes dipped in salt which at that time tasted better than anything I’ve ever had in any restaurant, melon, watermelon, pineapple, crisps, I had to practically drag myself away. Also, sensing the dehydration I’d been suffering I opted to fill my third bottle with electrolyte rather than the plain water I’d had on the last couple of legs (I was filling my other two bottles with water and hydration tabs I’d brought with me). There was a great volunteer here too who told me he’d run the race twice and mapped out what was to come in terms of getting to the remaining checkpoints, cut off times and where the hills were. I saw him again at the finish and thanked him for this – his advice really helped and gave me back the belief that I really could finish this thing.

Leg 5 – 8 miles

I set off with a spring in my step (metaphorically), eggs in my belly and a positive outlook in my mind. 2 miles later and low point number 2 struck. My stomach didn’t feel right and I felt severely lacking in energy, it’s points like this where I feel my lack of experience shows in ultrarunning. I know something is wrong but without knowing what’s causing it I don’t know how to fix it? Did I need to vomit? Have a poo? Had I eaten too much or not eaten enough? Drunk too much or not enough? Paying for breaking the ‘nothing new on race day’ mantra by drinking the electrolyte? Dodgy egg? I settled on what seemed the most appropriate solution: walking with the occasional dry retch. I ground this out for about a mile and a half which probably took me over 25 minutes, my slowest moving pace of the whole day by far but, thankfully, it seemed to work, my stomach settled and I felt my strength returning.

I was probably about 45 miles in by this stage – into unchartered territory as the furthest I’ve ever run and I realised I needed a better strategy than ‘walk when you feel like you can’t run (shuffle), run (shuffle) when you feel like you don’t need to walk’ which I’d been following up to that point. I decided to walk the first ¼ of each mile then run (shuffle) the remaining ¾, deviating from this only if there was a hill, resolving to walk up them and run (shuffle) down them. This strategy worked a treat and I may have stretched the walking ¼ mile on occasion and become very flexible in my definition of ‘uphill’ but I loosely stuck with this right through to the final checkpoint.

Coming into Nayland I spotted a runner going off track, making exactly the same mistake I did when I recced the route; paying no attention to social regard I bellowed at him as loud as I could and waved my arms to bring him back on track and it seemed to work. I then enjoyed the run along the river to the checkpoint, the signs put out by the volunteers building the excitement of getting there.

Laura had texted me to say that she’d changed her plans for the day and would meet me at the checkpoint, I think she was worried by how she’d left me previously. A sign of how well I was moving though was the fact I got there about 5 minutes before her, beating my predicted time. This was real bonus time, Laura, my parents and my two kids came to meet me at this checkpoint, something I really wasn’t expecting because of the logistics of getting them all there. The lift to my spirits was immeasurable. I changed t-shirt and socks, ditched some of the extra gear I’d been carrying for so long and re-fueled. I probably stayed at the checkpoint a bit too long but I could feel my positivity and determination growing as I was surrounded by my family. I had 4.5 hours to do a half marathon and I set off, confident that if absolutely necessary I could probably walk it in from there.

Leg 6 – 8.5 miles

I climbed up the steps with my family and at my son’s insistence ran (shuffled) with him and my daughter across the bridge before leaving them, promising to meet them at the next check point as soon as I could. The thought of seeing them again at the last checkpoint and the finish really spurred me on.

Coming out of Nayland there’s a big climb, as with all the climbs in this leg it seemed to have tripled in length and gradient since my recce run but I was remembering the advice of the guy from CP4 – get these hills behind me and it was flat / downhill all the way in. Considering it was 8 miles the leg passed well, indicated by the fact that there’s not really much I can recall of incident during this leg, the walk-run (shuffle) strategy was working well for me and it may not have been a rapid pace but it was steady and effective.

I hit the road, spotted CP6 and then more importantly spotted my family who seemed oblivious to the fact I was coming in – maybe I’d covered this stage quicker than I and they were expecting. They spotted me in my final approach and as their cheers mixed with those of the still-enthusiastic volunteers I realised that barring disaster or accident I really was going to make this. I felt strong and didn’t really need to linger here – headtorch out, glass of coke, few snacks (can’t remember what), refill of the bottles, hugs and kisses from all the family and I was off.

Leg 7 – 4.5 miles

I headed out of the checkpoint with about 5 other runners, a group of women from the 50 and a guy from the 100. I was thinking it would be good to have some company on this last leg but as I’d found all day I preferred to be on my own. It’s not that I don’t want to run with others, in fact I like the company but I always want to go at my pace – when I’d fallen in with people earlier in the race it was too tempting to slow to a walk just because they were.

So, in the descending gloom I ran (shuffled) off, having to turn the head torch on about 4 miles from the finish. Past Dedham and Flatford, I knew this part well and despite correcting two other runners whose lights seemed to be heading in the wrong direction I still managed to make one minor error; coming off a bridge I should have headed diagonally across a field but instead followed the river – meaning I ended up covering two sides of a triangle instead of the hypotenuse but there was really no harm done.

It was now fully dark and had started to rain, I was walking as the ground was pretty rough and visibility was poor plus I wanted to save a final run (shuffle) into the finish once I hit the road – something that seemed an age to come given I could see the lights of Brantham from some way off. Eventually it did come, I hit the road, broke into a faltering run (this really was a shuffle) and headed for home. Coming up to the main road I spotted a guy in a yellow volunteer t-shirt and asked him a question that he’d probably already been asked 100 times that day “how much longer to go”? “700m” came the reply. 700m, less than half a mile, COME ON!

I headed off, past the pub, round the corner. I’d not gone right to the finish on my recce, heading to the station instead (and choosing to save that bit for race day) but I’d looked at this part of the course studiously as part of my race prep. There should be an alleyway on my left…where was it….have I gone too far…hasn’t that been half a mile already…this is it…nope that’s a driveway….should I double back…..I can see the finish, where’s the turning….boom! There it was. Left into the alley, there’s the field…how do I get onto the field, it was all fenced in! I asked two lads on a bench (who clearly had been bothered with this question several times before) and they nonchalantly pointed to a gap in the fence.

This was it, the run for the line, the run for glory, the run to a medal and finisher t-shirt that I’d coveted so much, the run to achievement, the run to pride, the run to prove I could, the run to my kids, wife and parents. I could see them at the finish and beckoned the kids to come and join me, but I’m not sure they could see in the darkness and instead broke into a full on run. This was no shuffle and whilst it might not be deemed a sprint finish it was the best I had, even contriving to manage a jump in the air (I think both feet left the ground at the same time) as I approached the line.

102km / 63.5 miles. 14 hours 29 minutes 41 seconds. Not bad considering when people had been asking me in the run up how long it would take my stock response had been “well I’d be happy with anything under the cut-off of 15 and a half hours but I’d estimate 14 and a half”. I was far from the fastest on the day and marvel at the achievements of those ahead of me, there were others that probably suffered more than me and had to dig deeper but I’ll be surprised if there were many more proud than me at crossing that line. 

This is a great race, comfortably the best organised, and well-spirited I’ve run. The organisers, volunteers and other runners were inspirational throughout and I simply don’t think I’d have made it without the ongoing support of my family. I hope to run 100km again and do entertain ideas of going further one day but this, my first 100km, will always remain very special to me.

Written by Sheila Rose - http://www.happyowlfitness.co.uk

Finding it a little difficult to write about this race for some reason – its two days after the event and I think the emotional impact has hit me, but here goes.

Firstly, let’s say this was not my chosen race – my husband entered the SVP100 last year and unfortunately had his first ever DNF at 55 miles in, his preparation last year not necessarily physically but mentally was not right mainly due at the time to work commitments – the importance of mental readiness cannot be emphasised enough in preparation for these longer distance events. He was gutted to say the least last year, and the only silver lining was seeing our friend Dean finish his debut 100km – I knew that Russ would want to return to complete the job in 2015, no surprise that he entered shortly after the race opened.

My target race for 2015 was Ultra12 I had hoped to do 50miles in the 12 hour event, however plans changed when on a drive back from Dover the end of May, following one of the Saxon-shore marathons, Russ suggested I defer my Ultra12 place & run the SVP with him in August. We had at that stage run a few Ultra’s together the Green Man in March & the Dukeries in May – however I still thought he was MAD! But 24 hours later what the heck, let’s do it – so I became runner number 126 registered for the SVP100.

My planned training routine was based around events as opposed to long training runs, personally I struggle to motivate myself to do the long runs and find actual events more enjoyable, so 2 half marathons, 3 marathons, 1 30 miler & 2 50K ultra’s later the morning of the SVP100, desperately hoping that along with strength training I’d done enough to compete.

I have to admit to being a complete bag of nerves the days before and apologise for being a grump – but on the actual morning I was quite calm – Russ & I drove to the start in Newmarket with the intention of picking the car up later assuming one of us was capable of driving.

A little bit about the SVP100  - “ The Stour Valley Path is a 100km (62 mile) long footpath in England, which starts in Newmarket (Suffolk) and ends in Cattawade, a village near Manningtree (Essex). The SVP100 covers almost the entire length of the well marked trail, and is one of the longest point to point races in East Anglia.”

The registration was outside The White Lion pub, a quick check of mandatory items in the backpack and we were issued with our numbers   - all quick, slick and so far painless. Plenty of loos in the pub especially for the ladies, one thing I notice about the Ultra events, it’s the men who have to wait in line for a free loo, as the ratio of male/female is still vastly different. The race briefing contained no great surprises, after 2 days of rain on and off, part were slippy underfoot and the RD emphasised that the cut off times were strict at each CP station – overall for the 7am start we had 15.5 hours to complete – this may seem a lot but on a tricky terrain and hot weather conditions its actually quite tight.

So 7am start just across the road from the pub, and we kicked off on time – the first ¾ of a mile or so was on a path by the side of the main road, we then turned into Devil’s Dyke – it’s a manmade dyke I believe – we were running along the top of the dyke – this was mainly single file over some very technical terrain – lose stones, tree roots and a left hand dip, which if you slipped you would find yourself disappearing downhill rather rapidly   - we emerged from Devil’s Dyke after 7miles approx. into fields & wooded area – more fields.

Eventually our first CP1 Great Thurlow approx. 12 miles in, we were doing good hitting this CP just over 2 hours in.

Onwards & upwards – more fields with beasties this time, and so it went - I cannot recall the entire route and would most likely bore you silly if I could so highlights, successes & failures.

The SVP is a pretty brutal route in parts, the rain the previous two days made the earlier part quite sticky under foot & some fields it was like wearing concrete boots because of the clay sticking to your sandals or trainers – didn’t matter which. The weather in general made for tough going, it started cool and overcast but soon turned humid and then pretty darn baking hot.

CP2 in Clare was 23approx miles in, I remember a cuddle with a man holding a pup Dalmatian, I mean I cuddled the puppy not the man, I remember watermelon never tasting so good – I think I downed 3 cups of coke (I never drink the stuff normally) and if I remember correctly we exited through a wooded area.

We were still very much on track with plan A. 5 Miles per hour in fact we had popped a mile or two in the bank, both still feeling good.

CP3 OK whoever decided to call this place LONG Melford could probably provide a much more actuate description of this route than I can, he/she was most accurate with the long bit, the sodding place went on forever, we seemed to be running down this high street for an eternity – a very surreal experience with “ordinary” people going about their “normal” Saturday afternoon activities, shopping, sitting with lunch, coffee & beer – I did temporarily envy the entire population of Long Melford. Eventually the CP set to the side of a cricket grounds (with a game in progress) this was my favourite CP – fantastic support just when you needed a lift, suddenly I was temporarily in love with the population of Long Melford. More watermelon & coke – felt sorry for the CP volunteers battling with wasps - Russ had a quick change of vest at this one and again we were off. Many thanks to a gentleman with a cracking beard & white tee-shirt who told us we were making it look easy (as if) but his enthusiasm & encouragement was most appreciated  - we were 33 approx. miles in and I knew at this point it would only get tougher.

The terrain was pretty much fields, hills, rutted surface what you would expect – it kind of rolls into one to be honest. We managed to sustain 5 miles per hour up to about 35 miles, we were doing great, but you always knew fatigue would set in at some point and it would be necessary to pull back to Plan B, if I’m learnt anything it is that Ultra running is all about management – you have to just manage the fatigue, nutrition, time element & any maintenance required – try not to obsess or panic. We hit the 40 mile on my watch – we were about 8 hour 12 minutes in, Plan B endeavour to hit 4 miles per hour – that would assuming the course came up to 63 miles give us another 6 hours to come in just over 14 hours, now at the time my brain was frazzled and that took some working out!

CP4 Lamarsh 42 miles approx. took us forever to find this one, it was outside a pub – again well stocked with very helpful volunteers, I think this was the one with the lush cakes.

Once again hitting the road as it were – we were heading for Nayland – this was where Russ had to drop out last year, and is the start point for the Stour Valley Marathon which we have run for the last 2 years. Terrain what can I say more of the same – it didn’t get any easier, time wise we were doing good & right on track, a text message from Dean who was a star & crewing for us arrived to say he was in Nayland – we were about 2/3 miles out. As we approached Nayland the scenery became more familiar as it follows the same approach as the SV Marathon, it was lovely to reach CP5 & see Dean cheering us in.

CP5 Nayland 51.5 approx. on my watch – I was feeling a bit dizzy at this point & a bit sick, really good to have someone there who you knew and who knew how you were feeling, Dean having run the race in 2014. I think for Russ this CP was also a high, as time wise compared to 2014 we were well ahead, and I think although we both knew it would be tough any doubts about not finishing were completely gone. Dean walked us out of the CP, you have to climb a set of steps to get to the bridge and on to the High Street, boy that hurt – and seeing the beer festival going on in the pub across the road, well that kind of sucked. I was a bit confused as to where we were going from here, and I remember Dean saying I should know this bit, as we followed the high street then up the Hill – that is in effect the first mile of the SV Marathon. Man I knew it as soon as you turned the corner, it’s a mighty steep hill. We had nearly 8.5 miles to the next CP and they were probably the hardest miles for me – the uphill’s was killers. At about 55 miles – although everything was hurting and fatigued, I realised that the hurt in my derriere was no longer my glute muscles screaming, but FFS my butt cheeks were chaffing and felt like they were on fire – now looking back, we were 55miles in – in a sodding field in the middle of nowhere or so it seems & I’m rubbing glide into my butt cheeks to ease the pain of them rubbing together which is compounded by the sweat dripping down my back  - Ultra running is by no stretch of the imagination a glamour sport – but lesson learnt for future events, if it moves, wobbles or shakes FFS glide it up!

I hit a low point somewhere before the next CP, no idea why and in fairness the first low point of the event, wherever it was we were walking through a church yard at the time – I remember just telling myself to snap out and as Russ pointed out just work through it – in 10 minutes you will be fine again, we were still very much on target time wise and despite some wrong turnings were a little ahead.

CP6 Stratford St. Mary 59 miles approx. my watch – Spanish inquisitor to the CP volunteers, how far precisely to the finish???? We really needed to know an accurate distance as this would dictate our pace and how much fluid & nutrition we needed to carry.   We were assured 5.5 miles.

The final leg – more of the same but getting a bit dark, we were still ban on target sticking to 4 miles per hour, but we now knew the course would come up long in addition to about ¾ of a mile allowance for wrong turns along the way. We walked quickly a lot and put runs together as we could for that last stretch, the final miles got difficult with rutted terrain again and I guess in darkness, the risk of tripping at this late stage was not worth the extra few minutes. Finally emerging into street light, we were following 3 runners who seemed to know it was about a mile on road to the finish, unfortunately we somehow missed the turning into the sports ground and ended up running through the car park through the finish line, which I think  might have added a bit extra.

So officially 14 hours & 27 minutes 65.66 miles on the watch - and one tough mofo!

I have to say on this one I felt under pressure from the off, I knew it would be tough terrain, I knew the cut off would prove tight with little margin for error, I knew the weather would play a part, and most of all I knew that Russ so desperately needed to put the ghost of last year’s DNF to rest (I would feel the very same, in fact now seeing how hard it was I salute him for dragging it out for 55 miles).

I can’t say I particularly enjoyed it – just for the above reasons, but then it’s not meant to be easy, I’m proud of our achievement, and of all the things we got right along the way, I’m also crazy enough to be chuffed to make this a qualifying race for the North Downs Way 100 !

I’m really grateful to Dean for being there for us at the end, and understanding how we were feeling, and even bring me a sleeping bag for the journey home.

I smile to myself thinking of the lady I met in the communal showers at the end, we were both in a state trying to wash in cold water and both with the same chaffing issues, I wonder what other sport would you have that sort of conversation with a total stranger – both naked in a cold communal shower – Welcome to Ultra Running!

Lessons:

Tailwind works (although it does appear to give you wind)

Do NOT dawdle at the CP stations – get what you need & move on. We took plastic bags filled the food we needed, and walked out of every CP – we were eating but moving forward at the same time.

Watermelon is King! Babybell cheese is Queen!

FFS if it moves, wobbles, shakes or rattles glide the bugger – trust me on this one!

Maintain your sense of humour

Swear occasionally

There are 26 letters in the alphabet - have a plan for each letter

Luna Leadville Pacers ROCK

When everything hurts – rejoice that you can feel and are alive

Never give up – prepare mentally & physically you are bound to be nervous before hand and occasionally doubt your abilities, but once you start running & hit that trail – believe, believe & believe some more! (this I’m saying in particular to two special ladies)

Hold the Vision – Trust the Process

Thank you SVP100, thank you all the volunteers who make it possible - Happy Running xx

Written by Jacqui Byrne - http://coppertop-runs-long.blogspot.co.uk/

Strange old week so far.  Black dog sitting by my side and a pair of horrendous looking legs the same width from toes to mid calves.  John Merrick would've said "get yer coat love you've pulled". Thankfully today the swelling is going down and the cloud is lifting, so what the feck was I up to to get into this state.  Well, on Saturday I completed the South Downs Way 50 and here's what happened (not that any of it will be factually accurate mind, but it's how I remember it). 

Met up with Ian in Victoria the day before and ended up having to rush for our train to Eastbourne after having a pre race hydration pint.  Once there we made our way to the hotel where I stayed in a compact and bijou single room with super shaggy fraggle floor to ceiling curtains.  Rock'n'roll lads, rock'n'roll. 

Unpacked and went out in search of food (Pizza Express) and then a pub to watch the Leicester match. And Holy God what a pub.  The language from the regulars at the bar was unreal! And for me to say that you know they were bad. They were effing and blinding and ***ting and b@starding to beat the band and would then end the sentence with something completely harmless and random so you didn't know if they were about to knife each other or were just having a friendly chat.  

Some aul wan went into the Ladies toilet which was situated just behind me.  10 minutes later she hadn't come out, I really needed to go but was worried about finding her unconscious or worse. Eventually I had to just bite the bullet.  Went in, she wasn't feckin there! I looked behind both toilet doors, there were no windows and no other way out. Got out of there quick sharp.  Told Ian and of course he dispelled all my fears and worries straightaway.  Like f*ck, he wound me up even more then continued watching the game. 

A while later yer wan walks past again, from the bar.  Not a ghost.  Thank Christ.  Creepy though. Bit like the woman in the bath in The Shining.  I won't be going back to that pub in a hurry! 

We were back in the hotel fairly early, around 10 I think.  Both decided to pack our kit for the morning and get to sleep. Which was fine until I checked my emails and saw I'd been shortlisted for the Trail Running Team.  Haven't a feckin hope of getting onto the final list but it made me hyper all over again all the same. Think I went to sleep around 2am. Up at 5 and out of the hotel at 6.15 to get the train to Brighton and then on to Worthing.  Once there we spotted some other runners and shared a taxi to the start. 

Great organisation at the HQ, kit check was quick and easy and involved showing jacket, gloves and something else, can't remember what, survival blanket maybe, I was just delighted not to have to unpack everything again.  Saw Paul Navesy, Sam Robson, Paul Ali etc, a bit like being on a marathon start and watching the Kenyans nearby.  Surreal but good.  Looked around lots to try and find some runners I knew, had a great chat with John, couldn't see Little Louna or Justin, but I said hello to Nick in the crowd at the start and then Andy came over to say hello.  A few minutes later we were off.  I was bursting to go off too fast, if I'd been on my own I definitely would have, but luckily Ian reminded me I'd 50 miles to go and would soon be blowing out my arse unless I paced it right.  Jackie said hi as we were jogging along the first bit, it was lovely to meet her at last.  

Uphill most of the way for about 6 miles until we finally got onto the SDW around Chanctonbury Ring. Beautiful place, saw loads of deer as well and it felt like the race proper was beginning. 

First CP was at 11 or so miles, got the bottles filled up, chatted to one of the volunteers about her nail varnish, Ian filled his face and we were off again.  There was a stretch of only about 4 or 5 miles till the next CP but for some reason mile 12 was one of my grimmest of the race. Still can't figure out what was going on there but I felt like shit already with nearly 40 to go. The hard stony surface wasn't great I have to admit. I've spent the winter running in mud and on trail, partly to avoid hammering the knee and partly because I mostly loathe road running, so I was feeling every bastard little stone and my soles were burning.  Good excuse to get more trail shoes though, a pair are winging their way to me now and hopefully I'll get them tomorrow to try over the weekend :-) 

Then we were back up on the Downs and all was good again. I think it was in this section that we ran into a crowd of walkers.  Around that Mill Hill mast thing maybe.  "What charity are you running for?" one of them squawked.  The funny answers only came to us after we'd run past.  All unprintable.  As was most of our conversation.  We degenerated into smut and profanities a lot sooner on this race than on others, must've been the hills. I just hope I don't have to visit a doctor anytime soon #noplasticnometal

Up around Devil's Dyke I almost ran completely past John and Luke. We'd just had to stop to cross a road, I was throwing evils at a car going too fast, then I saw someone with a camera and I thought oh fuck there's another lovely photo of me looking insane. Realised just in time it was the two lads so got a lovely hug there, it was a great lift to see them.

At Saddlescombe we refilled the water bottles, Ian filled his face (how many times will he let me get away with saying that I wonder? lol) and jogged on.  I can remember all of the aid stations and the lovely volunteers but not which was which in all cases, it's been a few days now and my brain's melted a bit and blurred it all together. Suffice it to say Centurion have the best aid stations, the best atmosphere, the best organisation and the best volunteers EVER.  I was eating hummus wraps, fuelling seemed to be going ok, I know I'm in trouble when I start chewing everything like a camel but so far I was doing ok and eating like a normal human. 

From Saddlescombe to the next CP was 10 miles and here the wheels came off a bit again. I felt like an absolute bag of shit, vomit wasn't far away and my head was pounding.  Took me probably a good 3 miles to realise this was due to overheating and not just my mind playing tricks on me.  Took off my Sonic smock and felt 100% better within a minute. Just goes to show, don't always assume it's your mind fucking you up, it might be something physical and easily fixable.  I think somewhere in this section, or maybe it was the next, Ian also had a rough patch. But we've run a few races together now and know the best thing is just to keep going, mention it if it's really bad and warrants slowing down or doing a run/walk for a bit, and the bad patch will eventually end. The same goes for negativity.  Chatting to other runners along the way is grand but if some fucker is being negative then I'm off.  If they're bleeding out of their eyes or limping or physically ill then of course I'll help but if it's just someone whinging and trying to drag me down then sorry but no, I'm not catching that disease. 

Had quite a nice run along there after I'd cooled down - good fresh clean air, loads of lovely soft cushiony grass, and the knowledge that Shawn Timmons was waiting at Housedean with a pack of salted crisps gave me a boost.  That last downhill bit we ran into the CP hammered my quads but I didn't give a shit.  My stomach was feeling a bit dodgy, but there'd been nowhere to go to the feckin loo, no shelter at all so the thought of those crisps kept me happy. Came into the CP, saw the lovely Shawn and had a bit of a chat and a swig of hot coffee from his flask, refilled the water etc, took delivery of my precious cargo and off we went. Thanks again Shawn :-) 

Housedean to Southease, 26.6 - 33.9 miles, hardest bit of my race without a doubt. There was a fairly long bugger of a hill up from Housedean, still needed the loo but there just wasn't anywhere to go. We got up this hill at a fair old rate all the same. Then we hit the concrete road. The fucking neverending bitch bastard from Hell concrete road.  That fucking thing needs blowing up.  In next year's race I'm giving it the finger bigtime. Fucker.  That was my lowest point of the whole day, it hurt, it looked like shit, it didn't end, it hurt, it was fucking horrid.  You couldn't run cos it hurt, you couldn't walk cos it hurt, so you zombie shuffled along cursing the day concrete was invented.  It hammered the fuck out of my knee, which had been so well behaved up until then, and with nigh on 20 miles to go you're thinking fuck this for a lark this isn't fun anymore.  

Then it ended :-)  

Southease CP took the longest time to get through, we'd been reasonably quick through the CPs till then, totally my fault but essential. I had to sit down and whack more tape on the knee, check the feet and whack a Compeed on a hotspot, and take some Solpadeine which thank Christ I'd brought along as an emergency measure.  Ian filled his face (sorry Ian, lol, you refuelled) while I was doing my first aid bit. Lovely lovely volunteers here as well. Maybe sombreros.  Or that might've been another one. The boost you get from these strangers who are standing here for hours, out in all sorts of weather, giving up their free time to fill your cranky water bottles, smile at your battered and weary being, tell you you're looking great when you look like pigsick and give you much needed encouragement really cannot be measured in words. To joke and laugh with people when you're feeling a bit wrecked lifts the spirits so so much.   Oh that reminds me, there was a pig farm on top of a hill somewhere. That was minging.  It was before this point of the story, but I've just remembered it.

And onwards we went.  The Solpadeine kicked in pretty quickly, please no comments about taking painkillers while running, it was necessary and I'm a big girl now. The next CP was going to be Alfriston at around 41 miles. I'd a few reasons for looking forward to reaching Alfriston.  It'd mark my official longest distance ever run, I'd been there a couple of times already and had had a great time navigating and running on the Downs around there and it always cheers me up to sing Alfriston in my head to the tune of Galveston oh Galveston.  

Once we got into Alfriston I knew the route from here to the finish so there was no need to think about where we were going, a nice chance to relax a bit.  Great cup of tea in the church hall, more lovely people wishing us well, I changed into my Minimus here and got my warmer hat on. A mad Northern Irishman saw us off with jokes and craic. Thank you whoever you were. Forgot about putting on our headtorches in the warmth though so we stopped by the river in the woody bit where there was a bit of shelter and got that done rather than having to stop on the exposed top later on. 

Dusk was falling as we were on the top bit heading towards Jevington.  God even as I'm typing this I'm wishing I was up there again now.  This was such a bloody brilliant race!!  We got through the woods, the churchyard and into the last CP.  A lovely American man gave us hot tea, I had some lovely flapjack thing his kids had made, Ian had some sandwiches and we got going. I took an emergency peanut butter sandwich as I was feeling a bit sick again, I think it was just general tiredness at this stage.  Oh the feeling of knowing you're nearly there and, barring absolute catastrophe, within cutoff.  Walking up the last part of Bourne Hill it was amazing to see flashlights and hear a cheery "hello runners, well done!!!"  Drew Sheffield and a lovely girl whose name I didn't catch then walked us up to the trig point, the path was nicely lit with glowsticks so no chance of taking a wrong turn, but it had eased my mind in the run up anyway to have done a recce.

Met another two volunteers on the chalk track down into Eastbourne, again what lovely people. The track was dark and steep and slippery as fuck, no way were we going to run it at that stage. I know people did, fair dues to them, but we just wanted to get to the end in one bit.  Once down in the 'burbs I went to take out my mobile to text my mother that I was nearly at the finish as I hadn't texted an update since Alfriston. Just that thought of home and something outside of the race made me start crying. Jesus. But my mobile was deep within my pack to protect it from the rain so I didn't text then after all. Finally ditched my safety blanket sandwich when I knew it was just minutes to the finish.  

Got into the stadium, ran 400 metres round the track, and crossed the finish line. 50 miles. Done. Fuckin hell. The lovely lovely Nici gave us hugs, James (he has a book out you know) Adams hung our medals around our necks, photos were taken and we went inside. Then I texted my Ma and sister.  Got our cold beers out from Ian's drop bag, had some wondrous chilli and hung out for a bit.  More hugs from Nici then we got a cab back to the hotel, showered and met up in the 24 hour lounge with the intention of drinking it dry.  Nobody else was in there so we just lay on sofas with our feet up drinking beer and chilling.  Next morning we got up, slowly, checked out of the hotel and went over to Brighton to see some of our mates running the marathon.  Eventually it was time for the train back to London and then goodbye to Ian as he went on to Leicester. Back to my flat for me, I hadn't told my flatmates about the race so there were no celebrations here, I think I fell asleep early for a couple of hours and then was awake for most of the night. 

At work the next day I'd only told one person so again there was nothing. I think I made a big mistake there. I'd been so so hyped up for weeks, as anyone who saw my FB posts will know, that to be in the office and not even mention such a huge experience was just too weird.  I went straight from elation and exhaustion and an awesome weekend to humdrum nothingness and it hit me like a ton of bricks.  I also read all the top guys' blogs and stupidly compared my own race with theirs and felt inadequate. What a womble.  It'll take time and much more experience to get to the top of my game.  Woohey :-) 

My mood is picking up again today though thank God. I just haven't really had the time or the desire to sit down and digest and look back, but now that I have I feel better, and, well, what can I end this essay with? 

Thank you to Ian for the planning and the looking forward and the build up and being such a funny running partner, no death crawl at Dukeries this year matey!,  to Kevin and Pete and Domi for their support, to my mother and sister for understanding the crankiness and lack of phone calls, to all of the volunteers, everyone who wished me well and joined in the excitement with me..... THE SDW50 IS FUCKING AWESOME AND I CAN'T WAIT TO DO IT AGAIN!!! 

Written by Willem Mücher

During the weekend of 24th June 2016 I was at the start of the first edition of the Stumilak, a difficult Ultrarun in Poland of 176 km and 9,200 vertical meters + and – (6 UTMB points).
The co-organizer of the Legends Trail, Stef Schuermans pointed out this race to me sometime in November 2015 and he would also go. He has lived in Poland and speaks Polish. He later turned out to be in an exam period and would not go. Now I was registered as thr only non-Polish! Stef warned me that the organizer Michal Kolodziejcyk would pick as many peaks up and down as possible, the terrain has no fewer than 71 mountain peaks. My two running buddies also tempted me to participate in the Dolomiti Extreme Trail of 103km (two years ago we did the 53km version), but after enrollment I realised that it was two weeks before the Stumilak, not very smart. In 2011, however, I did something similar with success and then one has the mileage in his legs despite of not having fully recovered.

I have very little idea of ​​what to expect because I've never been in Poland before. The area is part of Transylvania, the forests are so vast that always a few people lived there. A large part of the mountain trail is located on a mountain ridge on the border with Slovakia. The Babia Gora or witch mountain was used for rituals in the past.

In the month of May I did a 20km run every day at a low heart rate (126BPM), the result was pretty spectacular for me: 4kg off, 1,5-2km/h gain of speed at the same heart rate and a strong improvement in my running technique. In the beginning it took three hours, at the end 2:25 with an even lower heart rate. For height training difference I have done several training sessions on a coal mountain of 100m just over the border in Germany up until 3000 meters of gained height and as such a good way to test my material. I discovered that an "unlimited" climb up is possible as long as I stay under my lactate threshold, also packed with a full load up to 7kg. I lost more than half of my weight of my backpack in the meantime! Another advantage is that I do not get stomach problems at this speed. I fear knee problems and tendonitis because "too much too soon" associated with many altimeters on a very technical track. Two weeks ago I quit a race in the Dolomites because of a starting ripped knee muscle at 75km, in order to avoid to make it worse. The many jumps from rock to rock and twisted foot placements have taken their toll, this is difficult to work out if you can’t go several times to the premises beforehand. In France, where I've lived 10 years often just after the winter, I would briefly suffer from an irritated tendon when we picked up again the height differences , but it quickly went away and I could live without tape, bandages or compress stockings all through the season.

In addition, I went to a sports dietitian to determine what is my energy usage during a race in carbohydrates and protein. I used “Limburg Zwaarste” (a 100km race and this year was the last edition) as a try out. It turned out that during a workweek I would eat too much and too little during a race. I usually do not feel hungry and therefore could get into trouble.

What was "new" to me or what I wanted to explore during the race

1- Low heartrate pulse should absolutely be kept.

2- Resolve an unconscious transition into an unwished hyperventilation during a race and only breathe through the nose all along.

3- Faster system to store the poles, because I find it very annoying to run with sticks in my hands and they change your posture to the negative. In this way your arms are contributing very little to any propulsion. I stitched a wide elastic strap of about a meter so that I can stretch it between the tips and handles of the sticks and then wear it like a bow or shoulder bag. With a piece of velcro I keep everything in place at theright angle.
4- Blister Shield: testing a relatively new product to prevent friction on the skin and thus blisters. It works very well but washes away in the rain when your feet get wet. You will be sliding stronger in your shoe when running downhill and thus you can again get bruises on your toes.

5- Adequate food provision. For doing 80km I have almost a kilo of energy and protein bars! My homemade oatmeal bars and protein almond-cocoa bars are much tastier. A recipe by Danny Dreyer for an energy drink, a mix of cocoa, espresso, honey, maple syrup and salt is delicious. I also use plain juice concentrate, much easier on the stomach than sports powders. I have recycled bags of mashed apple/banana compote and filled them with a large syringe with my own stuff. They are each 100ml and thus can be transported into an aircraft, after which they can then be discarded.

6- The ideal shoe. This unfortunately does not exist for me, it would require an Altra Lone Peak with Inov-8 Roclite 295 soles. The first does not have sufficient grip and is therefore not suitable for this trail but is incredibly comfortable, the second is too narrow for me but has a fantastic grip. I have just bought a new pair Roclites (my 7th), but half a size bigger in order not to bump each time with the top of my big toe against the shoe nose when running downhill. In order compensate for the extra sliding I replaced the laces with elastic triathlon laces.

7- Instead of taking pictures I bought an Android phone watch for 40 Euros (DZ09). It allows me to quickly make audio recordings. I noticed that many details get leveled out after the race in your head towards just pretty, hard, very hard. But now I can record in detail in order to learn from at a later point. This is why everything below has a timestamp and is so extensively described.

Michal warned us against the heat. Where his marker people usually need 5 hours, it now is 8 hours. We should drink enough and take enough water along. At 38km there is a mountain stream where you can drink safely. The limit is stretched up to about 40min due to the heat. If you want to stop, you can do that at best at a drinking post, especially the one at 103km. There is someone who will pick up for 30 zloty from every village and in case of real emergency, there is a rescue team (not meant for when you want to stop simply). There's hot food at 78, 103 and 120km. Gels and coffee are available. At 140km you do not want to stop any longer because the terrain is easier at the last two steep peaks.

Previously Roman, a participant of 67 and finished 3rd (!) place, warned me about the difficulty of the terrain with "OOH" and "AAH" and "Schwierig". He later appeared to have done the course already on his own. I wonder about the fact that a relatively easy looking flat piece on the card would be so hard (after PK3). From the image you cannot tell the steepness of the slopes.

June 24^th 2016
12:57 Just arrived at the registration post and finish in the sports hall of Bielsko-Biala and retrieved the race data. Few people have actually registered compared to the original entry list and only two women are present. Very good professional organization for such a small event. Together we take a bus to Zawoja and everyone is trying to rest or sleep a bit for what is coming up.
The runners are observing one another from head to toe and make an estimation of their level. Everyone is checked by Michal and his wife Anna for a rescue blanket, whistle, light, drink reservoir and nutrition, but not the whole obligatory list. Some have extremely few belongings with them and that makes me skeptical: either they are very fast and can live off the food and drinks from the drinking posts or they are plain foolish.

16:06 The start is an anticlimax: 3..2..1…GO! and everyone except one person starts to walk in Zawoja at an altitude of 533m, 33˚C and right off sweating like crazy.
16:24 First climb to Cyl Hali Smietanowej completed at 1298m, but my heart rate is too high and it is currently difficult to get it lower. I go slower. There are many annoying flies with the current heat
16:42 The heart rate dives under the self-imposed margin of 126
17:02 We arrive at the summit of the first mountain Cyl Hali Smietanowej, pesky flies, beautiful view and very hot.

18:10 PK1 (drinking post 1, Krowiarki) 10km and 10 minutes later than expected I arrive at the first drinking post. Hello in Polish is dobry I learn from practice. A heavy summer rain with thunderstorms starts and I put my jacket on, while a radiant sun is shining through a vast pine forest is shining in your face on the other side. Wide views with rolling valleys. The drinking post is basic, but at this point only water is important. Michal deturns all following runners from here to avoid the thunderstorm on Babia Gora (Diablak) or "Witch Mountain" at 1725m. Two weeks ago a person was killed here by a lightning strike and it wasn’t the first time either. I'm pretty disappointed, but safety is more important. We follow the blue and then the red track. This is a wide paved path and longer in distance but overall runnable.
18:42 At this path my gluteus medius (hip on the left) starts to whine a bit, I felt this a bit during the Dolomiti extreme trail. If I press with my thumb on a particular spot, the whining goes away. Conclusion: continue! But stay alert.
19:02 Thousands of pines here are heavily infested with longhorn beetles and successively snapped by the wind. The holes are each 2 to 3 cm in size.
19:15 I have been working for a while to run entirely by nasal breathing (Patrick McKeown: “The Oxygen Athlete”). It works, but I’ve notice that for no reason I breathe excessively at some point during the race. This is costing unnecessary extra energy due to the higher heart rate that follows. At this point I think to have found the cause! As the race progresses I tighten up my midriff just under the lower ribs and therefore I cut off my breath and disable an abdominal breathing. I slow down a little bit and a recurrent problem has been resolved in this race!
19:16 At the end of the blue route extensive photographs are taken of me and the photographer does take shots for a kilometer, running along. The red path is a forest with boulders sticking out, but still good to run. I take off my jacket again because the weather is beautiful again but muggy.
19:31 The first miss of a turn and I run a short 500 meters too far down and back up. I took the yellow instead of red path back to Zawoja.
After a few kilometers I rejoin the original path and I climb and descend two medium peaks, Medralowa 1169m and Jaworzyna 1046m. My mood is very upbeat, even though I know I that for the majority of the race I will remain alone.
19:57 remotely I can see the peak of Babia Gora. Impressive but unfortunately I cannot take a decent photograph from here.

0:02 In otherwise total silence, through a wide grassy path through the middle of the woods I hear a nightingale. I’m enjoying it and want record it’s singing, but from that moment the nightingale just shuts up!
20:21 A postcard-views of mountains, trees and a red sky at sunset.
20:47 I am overtaken by two runners which have done the Babia Gora and I therefore feel a bit silly having been in the lead for a while. I console myself with the thought that I did some more mileage.
22:01 The darkness entered and I switch on my headlamp. In the Dolomites I could try and review for a magazine a model of the ​​brand Fenix and this one shines up to 200m away (900 Lumen) if necessary, a big luxury on technical terrain. Also strong enough for mountain biking in the dark.
The backside of tree leaves look like pieces of plastic in the dark. I am overtaken by two runners and I decide not to hook on in order not to blow myself up, it's too early yet. The aim is finish, learn, enjoy if possible, and not to finish with the best time.

It is incredibly quiet and the stars, Mars and Venus are clearly recognizable. While looking up while running, I stumble across a boulder.

22:06 I notice with my running form that my hip makes a nod to the rear. This makes me have to run unnecessarily on leg power. For a while I observe and correct it.
22:23 The legs are not heavy, but I notice that by now they have been working. Also a tendon above the left instep to the ankle nags a little, a remnant of the TDS in 2011. Just keep the ankle relaxed.

Just before PK2 there is a short but surprisingly steep descent in the dark, as if you suddenly fall into a hole in the dark.

23:00 PK2 (extended break at cozy drinking post 2, Glinne) at 37km. From afar, I am called upon and encouraged, but in the dark I miss the path to the drinking post and I make a weird detour through a ditch. For a moment I thought about a few crazed fans because I do not understand Polish. I appear to be in the middle of the pack of competitors, but I take plenty of time to drink enough because a light water shortage and replenish my water supply, but I also prepare and adjust my material for the night.

One runner, a young guy who took off running from the start without water and very little to eat has been sitting here motionless for two hours with his jacket and hood on. He has been throwing up regularly. He is the first to abandon the race because of an absolute beginner's mistake.
The field of competitors is already well apart but my mood is still fine.
23:50 I'm working my way up to a steep climb on a narrow path with large boulders slippery (I’ve been familiar with these in the Savoie, France) to Gora Piedu Kopkow 1535m. I keep things easy going. The ribbon markers are more difficult in advance to recognize.
I climb up with heart rate 129, much slower than I would like it but I have to continue to save myself from spending too much energy. The moon rises between the trees. I'm in the dark alone in the woods and mentally it is starting to become a little difficult.

My watch with the audio recordings has turned a bit into my equivalent of Wilson in Tom Hanks' movie Castaway!

June 25^th
The hip continues to nag but I’m ignoring it or I push with my thumb on the spot that nags while walking. When running normally it doesn’t bother me!
As the trail ascends it becomes more technical with loose sharp rocks.
00:46 Arrival on the windy summit with 360 degrees of stunning views and a beautiful starry sky. In the valley you can see a couple of villages.
Directly after the summit a steep descent sets in. It is so steep and technical that I have no other choice than to break at every step at knee strength, which "kills" your knees. To make matters worse, the flies from yesterday came back but this time much more aggressively. They fly with hundreds around you right into your eyes, ears, mouth and nose. Beating with your hand or stick does not help, they follow you like a swarm. Sometimes a moth joins in as well.
01:01 Trzy Kopce 1216m. Because of the flies I miss a turn and ended up at least 100m lower. Bit by bit I’m compensating for the missed Babia Gora but I hate it and I am now overtaken by competitors that were behind.
In the remaining descent I surpass them yet again because normally that’s my thing. I consider myself a little childish at the same time for wanting to surpass them.

1:59 There is a long stretch coming up with slippery tree roots sticking out. I take it easy because a few times I’ve lost a toenail when stumbling my toe upon them..
Gruba Buczyna 1132m
03:45 The birds start chirping and the sun comes up slightly. The steep descent causes the left shoe to pinch. Previously I was never bothered by it. My water is low and the drinking post should be coming soon. My body and stomach start to revolt against the sweets and energy gels. I'd rather eat my homemade oat and almond protein bars, but they are larger and heavier to carry.

03:48 First piece of asphalt in a long time, it is runnable!

04:35 PK3 (Drinking post 3, Glinka) at 56km. Three participants are smoking heavily! A "Viking" participant of almost 2 meters in short, shirt and full of tattoos remains equipped with very little stuff, I doubt if he has a coat with him. It is a medium-equipped drinking post in the open air. I take plenty of time to brush my teeth after all those sweet gels, I take care of my feet and rub in a special cream, because I fear prolonged wet feet with what is coming up: Perhaps the most underrated part of the race. There's a storm coming along with a long muddy section. I would prefer to sleep here but I’m not allowing it, it’ll have to wait.
05:16 I am very tired and a little frustrated that I ran behind at the last drinking post compared to my competitors. Although this is nonsense and everyone is running his own race, it feels bad. I regularly briefly fall asleep sideways and use my walking poles in order not to fall. My good mood has dropped considerably.
06:12 The eyes close regularly from fatigue, while the very steep and slippery muddy slopes (60-70 degrees and up to 300m high) have to be taken by using your muscles in a forceful way.
Oszust 1155m
06:35 My fatigue becomes overwhelming and I find a bench in the woods for a short nap. I’ve been lying for just 2 minutes when at 200-300m lightning strikes. The flash I could not only see with closed eyes, but I could also feel it with my skin! I try again just to sleep, but the obnoxious flies and mosquitoes finish my ambition to do so and I go on. Immediately afterwards there is be a very steep descent in the mud.
Wielka Rycerzowa 1226m
07:48 During another steep and slippery descent in the mud, I slip out and feel exactly the same mild irritation in my knee like I had in the Dolomites. That's what I'm worried about. No time to worry about the right middle toenail which definitely has turned blue by now as well!
08:10 The worst fatigue is gone and I apply a preventive knee support and also a preventive blue compression bandage around the hip.
08:24 Going down to the next drinking post is set in a landscape of "virgin mountain meadows and forests." Because of the mud and boulders along the path I must remain careful anyway. In effect on a 60 degree slope and thick mud I slip out and fall on my buttocks.

9:03 The descent is followed again a fairly long climb and I'm almost at the top. My energy level feels drained. My hip hurts, my movements are going slower and I relapse into drowsiness. I’m hoping for a relatively quick recovery into the race, because this phase is felling like an eternity!

10:30 PK 4 (Drinking post 4 Przeglbek) at 78km I take a long extended break here and try to sleep, but I cannot because of the noise of all the other attendees. Yet 5 minutes of lying in the grass is a definite help to my mood. This is a good “gambit” of me because Michal indicated that most will stop at 103km. In this way I avoid that I might think at this point: "Mommy, please help me!" Later on it appeared to have been a good bet.
This post has a beautiful large wooden summer house with a panoramic view to its garden and the mountains. I arrange again my stuff and enjoy the good care and instant coffee (which I normally don’t like at all). People are very nice here, but my communication with them remains difficult because of their restricted English or German and the fact that I do not speak any Polish. But they do appear somewhat introverted to me. Because of my extensive break, I am again overtaken by a number of competitors.
My water supply of 1.9L is just for 25km with this heat and speed.
12:16 The break has been good and I can continue to run quietly on the flat parts (I keep on watching my low heart rate). The good mood has returned. The passage of time is feeling quicker and I'm on my alleged 5km/h, but it will surely drop again when going up on a mountain. In addition, the mercury rises to 33-36˚C.
13:06 Going to Jaworzyna 1173m in the full sun, but I did not suffer as much from the heat as the average Polish because I’m familiar with this heat after my 10-year stay in France. Just a matter of keeping on drinking and taking salt pills.

13:17 Wielka Racza 1236m Here at the summit there is a chalet with bar / restaurant and I can happily refill my impending water shortage and keep my head and hands under the tap, because it's really, really hot. I take away an improvised half date as a pressure point from the spot on the hip which nags, because it does not help.
The next long slope is another "killing" one on the knees, because the scattered boulders on the very steep slope, you cannot "roll" and you need to brake from the knee at every step by force. I thought I had enough experience by now, but I have a technical and physical difficulty to come across easily.
14:01 Finally a flat runnable part, but I need a walk to rest my knees, they feel like burning.
15:02 Kikula 1085m After this peak follows a steep downhill, but I can technically handle this one by “rolling” with small relaxed steps.
16:04 It is so hot that the tar is melting on the road, but my mood is very good! I surpass the "Viking" again, because he has suffered from the heat.

16:18 PK5 (Drinking post 5, Zwardon) 103km. We are being spoiled here with broth soup (non-vegetarian, but I do not care), good pasta and potatoes, watermelon and sport gels at will from Nutrend that in retrospect prove to be of very good quality. Here a huge elimination of competitors takes place, especially because of the heat. I take off my shoes and other annoying things and go to sleep in a quiet corner on a cot. This is difficult at the beginning because Poland is currently playing in the European Championship against Switzerland and wins. The Polish absolutely lost it as if they were world champions already. After 45 minutes I wake up because of a heavy rain shower. I drink some more, refill my water supply and continue. Michal asks me if I want to stop. I answer that I was not going all the way to Poland in order to stop here!
My left big toe starts to hurt, as if a toenail begins to grow into the corner edge, but Michal has no nail scissors.
For prevention I add a bandage on both knees for the descents. I hate taping, but I definitely want to finish this course.
17:20 Zwardon 650 m
18:27 The rain is quite cool and it still rains a little. A thunderstorm is lying in wait.

Babuschka
18:59 Solowy Wierch 848m. I’m walking through a broad meadow passage between two pieces of forest. Higher up, coming down from 300m I see a young woman smiling and coming at me. She is dressed like a babuschka: head covered, long covering clothing and shoes with holes woolen socks coming out. In her hands she holds a red vertical rectangular stick of about 50cm with a beveled tip on top. She has a perfect slightly tanned skin and carries a big smile. She asks if I have a minute in German: "Have you noticed for sure at what time the storm was today?" I replied: "No, I did not notice!" She says that it means that it is the last day that the sun will be so hot. She says in a scornful manner which shows that I am completely ignorant that I do not know. "Science knows it and I know it!". Ergo: I do not know! But I answer that I do not need to know really, because I want to continue my race. She says bye and 20 meters away from me I hear her say to herself: "He does not know!", followed by a very peculiar laughing sound.

19:24 So far I haven’t seen many striking things about the flora and fauna. Many plants and trees you can encounter across Europe, but for the first time I see a beautiful black woodpecker with a bright red crest.
20:09 I’ve been walking now for two hours on tarmac. My knees are affected by the many downhills and do hurt due to an overload in a short time.
20:27 At last I get off the tarmac road. At the top of a slope a group of young people are hanging out on top of a pile of stacked crossing beams that are going to be used to construct a chalet. The view is beautiful and they do not look bored.

21:45 PK6 118km (Drinking post 6, Przysłop) 118km. This is a big mountain refuge or shelter. Thevolunteers are very kind and helpful and are working here as well. I take a delicious tomato soup with rice and cold coffee with milk and some peanuts and I am glad to succeed at the toilet for once during a race!
22:33 I had forgotten to ask for a nail clipper, but actually I no longer know to which pain to pay attention apart from the hip: the bandage has started to irritate and cut into the skin. The knees are painful and also there the skin is damaged by abrasion. Then there are the recurring flies.
23:06 Arrival at the top of Barania Gora 1220m with an Eiffel Tower-like structure on top
23:19 The next descent is very technical again and I have no strength to go down by leg force and step on the brake by every step. I have to use my poles to brake. The flies are also back.
23:30 I used my Buff to cover up to my ears, so only my eyes are exposed to flies, but the left big toe starts now starts to hurt. Il feels as if at every step downhill someone with a hammer strikes on it. I curse the fact that I have forgotten my nail scissors!
23:57 A Blood Moon comes up low at the horizon, in addition to the other inconveniences the skin next to my balls and buttocks (because of a hip bag) starts to irritate in spite of the fact that I’ve put some cream to prevent this.
Magurka Radziechowska 1108m

June 26
01:06 The descent is very technical again and long (flies included) and at every step you need to be careful where to put your foot while avoiding to blow up your knees
1:19 During the descent it becomes increasingly darker, quieter and more stifling in a mountain basin of a few kilometers across. It is pitch dark here and no light can be seen.
01:34 The descent is going down for at least 1.000m of height difference and the hurting knees but above all the hurting toe is almost unbearable. My mood has dropped to an ultimate low, mostly because I really can no longer run because of the pain. The pain is just overwhelming now.
01:41 I arrive at the bottom of the mountain basin. I cannot see any ribbon markers and my GPS watch seems to indicate that I missed the exit. I’m closer to weeping than to laughing at this point and this part is really a battle with myself. I decide to keep on walking and to my great relief moments later I find a ribbon. But this is by far the hardest part of the trail and very demoralizing.
2:15 Because my whole body is soaked by sweat and therefore the skin is irritated I start to walk with my pants and underpants half down to dry everything a little, I don’t care because no one is looking!
2:41 I’m thinking that Michal the organizer is really moron to choose such a difficult track and to make matters worse, I have to go back because I missed some ribbons. I am seriously pissed.
2:47 The descent from Ostre 930m again is crazy because of the steepness and slipperyness.
03:01 I have to go back once again because I missed a ribbon and I have no GPS reception. I start cursing out loud.
03:21 I realize that the race actually begins only from 120km. After 130km the paths become narrow again and it is more likely to miss a ribbon in the dark.
03:48 PK7 (Drinking Post 7 Ostre) 138km. I walk to the end of the village in order to rest the knees and hope for a nail clipper. The man at the drinking post looks a bit pathetic with only a small table in front of a worn out but modern bus stop. Unfortunately he speaks no German or English. With gestures, he says, OK? I answer with my index finger to my head, "Crazy", which makes him chuckle. He is very helpful, but he has no nail scissors. I just realized that I have a blister adhesive plaster with me and luckily provides some relief. How stupid of me not to have done this at an earlier point.
04:43 During the long climb up to Skrzyczne 1257m I regularly fall again asleep while walking. If I fall while going up it fortunately would not be serious.
05:31 The overwhelming drowsiness begins to take hallucinatory forms, each shape is converted by the brains into an existing form. My eyes keep on rolling. In the forest I observe a swimming pool to my side and I dream out loud in Polish. On a fallen cut tree I try to sleep with my head on my arms on my lap, but I can’t. I decide to go on.
05:55 I'm so tired that my own recording is unintelligible, as weak as it sounds.
6:21 I'm going to sleep on a bench for 15 minutes but it doesn’t really help. The knees are still very hurtful. Near the top there is a holiday resort plus another large complex and a large broadcasting tower.
06:56 20 minutes ago I brushed my teeth again and the sun is shining brightly. I manage to run again !! The last competitor of the race (Only 10 out of 29 would finish) surpasses me again because she takes much shorter breaks than me every time.
07:08 I suddenly feel like I have wings, take an energy gel and hook on. We both continue to run for about 20km on the elongated mountain ridge with stunning views. The end of the race is also in sight!
Malinow 1115m In a great arc I run away from the broadcasting tower on Skrzyczne, which you can still see in the distance.

At approx 08:00 PK8 (Drinking post 8 Salmopol) 150km. This is a ski resort with some restaurants and at the drinking post there is not much left to eat or drink. Against my own rules I try an unknown energy gel, but it feels good.
10:35 Magura 1109m During the last climb before the final leg I'm going through an energy low once again. The weather suddenly changes, it becomes very foggy and it starts raining and the temperature drops. Thunders rumbles through the fog, something I have not experienced before.
11:06 A summer rainstorm erupts with hailstones of 1 cm. I hide for a moment under a small pine tree. As soon as the hail stops and transitions into a strong rain shower, I run through the water streams (you don’t slide) and continue my descent into the pretty village of Bystra. The village looks perfectly groomed, often a sign of Poles living abroad who have a second home here.

11:56 PK9 (Drinking post 9, Bystra) 167km By now the rain stops. I have not seen the drinking post and I am overtaken by Anna in her car. I only refill water to get to the top of Szyndzielnia at 1028m and finally I can cut a piece of toenail. However, this does not help, the whole toe appears inflamed!
Throughout the course I was more or less as fast as Aleksandra behind me, but she did not seem interested in sticking together. I was usually faster running and descending, but she always caught up because of my longer breaks. She probably had it even more difficult than me and she is a tough cookie. Again she overtakes me at this drinking post and it seems that she wants to finish ahead of me. I am not going to allow that. I take a sports gel and protein bar and like a crazy I aim for the last 10km with a height difference of 600-700 + and -. This time it only takes 1h45, 40min ahead of her. I suddenly had wings again! Even the last few hundred meters to the finish line I can sprint.

FINISH 176km Bielsko-Biala Finally! For the first time I’ve run for 176km and skipped 2 consecutive nights of sleep, what a sweet victory to overcome.
During the daytime occasionally I fall asleep in the middle during a chat and I sometimes talk gibberish. My head thinks something while my mouth is saying something else. But it actually lasts until the next morning that what I experienced touches me emotionally, you do get into a kind of survival mode.

The next day I fly back again from Katowice. Damage: 3 blue toe nails and an inflamed side of the thick left toe, skin on the inside of both knees (they still feel like burning) damaged because of the knee-protectors, skin slightly damaged at the balls between my legs, skin on both sides of the hip opened because of the bandage, a very rigid gluteus medius and itchy buttocks from the hip belt, back skin damage from the backpack and also a bit on the front on the chest because of my heart rate monitor. Unfortunately I have not brought my recovery socks and I catch a strong edema in my legs. For at least 3 days they look like swollen elephant feet, and after five days I feel that I’m still recovering.
There is a solution for all this in future events and I must find a way to lose less time messing with my Backpack and drinking posts (not an issue at shorter distances).
But I have to work on my knees and prepare better next time.

On to the next adventure!

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