Written by Maxine Lock - https://maxinelock.wordpress.com

At 9.15pm on Saturday 4th April I was being directed down the correct path from the Trig point after Jevington, as I looked down on the lights of Eastbourne, the floodlights of the athletics track and the finish line of the South Downs Way 50 were pointed out to me. My first thought was ‘how am I going to get there by 10.00pm!’ my second thought was ‘I’m jolly well going to try!’, little did I know what was waiting for me…

When I entered SDW50 last year the idea was that it would sit nicely between The Spine Challenger and Lakeland 100, keeping my fitness levels up. However it took me longer than expected to recover from the battering I received from the wind on the Pennine Way and ongoing problems with my back meant that I was not as fit as I had expected to be at this point. Add to that a shin pain which meant that in my last 2 weeks up to SDW I could only walk. Still walk I did and still achieved 30 miles in the 2 weeks before the race, in the last 4 days I rested completely and ordered a pair of calf guards.

So kit packed and we were ready to go at 5am on the Saturday morning. I was lucky to have Lindley crewing for me on the day and the car was packed with plenty of food and extras (just in case). We arrived into Worthing just before 7am and I quickly got my kit checked and through registration. Plenty of time then to eat some breakfast, relax, visit the loo, chat and visit the loo again.

At 8.50 we were down at the start line for James’ race briefing and then suddenly we were off, I tentatively started to run and amazingly there was no pain from my shin, phew. The first section of the route took us along a narrow path which meant single file run/walk, fine for me as it gave me a chance to warm up and get into the feel of the race. Then we followed wider farm tracks before joining the SDW proper to follow it to the first checkpoint just after the village of Botolph’s. I really enjoyed this section along the Downs, not too hilly and all very runnable.

After CP1 the route crosses a main road and straight up Bleeding Hill, I could see that this was going to be a bit of a climb so I got my poles out to help keep the pace up. At Devils Dyke Lindley was waiting for me, I had a Banana and got my bottle topped up, then onto CP2 at Saddlescombe Farm. I was doing quite well for time at this point and was about an hour ahead of cut offs at each checkpoint. It was a this point however that I started to feel a bit sick and decided that I should try and eat more food to keep my energy levels up. This meant that the pace slowed a bit and by the time I reached Lindley at Ditchling Beacon car park I only had half an hour in hand. I was handed a load of food and given a talking to..’you need to move faster and eat more, now get going’.

A group of ladies had passed me whilst in the car park so I decided that I would try and catch them up, I was soon with them and then stayed with them all the way through to the next checkpoint at Housedean Farm. Still half an hour ahead of cut-off. I stuck with my policy of getting in and out of the CP as quickly as possible, had a quick drink of Pepsi and grabbed an handful of cherry tomatoes before setting off again. Legs hurting I walked across the bridge over the main road and then began the long climb back up onto the Downs. From there it was a case of walk a bit, run a bit all the way along to Mill Hill where the path descended steeply onto a farm track. I was now really beginning to worry about the cut off’s as I walked along the farm track, I knew I had to run to have any chance of getting through so I ignored the pain and ran, I saw Lindley as I came into Checkpoint 4 – keep moving!

So with 18 minutes in hand I started the long haul up Itford Hill and back up onto the Downs again, running was hurting so I picked up the walking pace, using my poles to good effect. After a while I was able to run again and managed a steady pace all the way down off Bostal Hill towards Alfriston. A quick stop at the car for more food and put on my hat, headtorch and gloves so that I was all ready for dark. I then headed down the track to checkpoint 5 in Alfriston arriving with 10 minutes to cut-off.

Now I knew that I had 1 hour and 15 minutes to cover the next 4.1 miles to Jevington, I set off at a determined pace along the river but soon came to the long climb up over Windover Hill, this done I  then ran as much as I could before dropping down into Jevington. As I descended into the village I saw a headtorch behind me and then footsteps. I called back ‘are you the sweeper?’ ‘yes’ was the response, now I knew things were getting tight. At the graveyard a marshal directed me towards the church hall, I ran up the steps 2 minutes before the cut off shouted my number to a marshal and then pushed on.

4.3 miles to go and another hill to climb! At the top I knew was the trig point where I needed to turn left for Eastbourne, at the top were also 2 headtorches, ‘did you enjoy that hill’ one called out to me, I didn’t have much breath left for an answer, good job or some swearing might have been involved. I was accompanied to the trig point by a guy who thought I might like to appreciate the moon shining on the sea beyond Eastbourne which under normal circumstances I would, apologies for not being as enthusiastic as I might have been. As we reached the trig point the ground sloped away to the left, and he said ‘at this point most people start running’ I did and followed the tape down through the woods with the sweeper, Russell,  and the other guy following me down. The path was narrow and slippery, apparently Victor had flown down here 8 hours earlier on his way to his win and new course record. I tripped and slipped and tried to keep up the pace. Just need to get to the road and then I can run properly to the finish.

Getting to the road seemed to take forever but finally I was there and managed to find the ability to run (slowly) along the pavement with Russell collecting bits of tape behind me. I shouted back to him about crossing the road, don’t stop at the crossing he told me just get across between the traffic. I dodged a few cars and made it across, along to the roundabout and then onto the cycle path.

Eventually the end was in sight, first I saw Lindley who told me how tight the time was to finish, ‘run faster’ he told me, then I heard Nici and a whole load of other people yelling at me from the finish line. To be honest I wasn’t quite sure what was going on, all I knew was that I was being told to run as fast as possible.

I ran, round the track, feeling sick, everyone yelling at me…run faster, I did and finally made it to the finish in 12 hours, 59 minutes and 51 seconds! A little to close to the 13 hour cut off for some, but the yelling and shouting  and ‘encouragement’ from Lindley got me there. Nici Griffin was standing just over the line (in tears) she gave me a big hug and then handed me the winning ladies trophy explaining that Sarah Morwood had donated her trophy to the last lady! I didn’t know what to say, what a wonderful thing to do, I stood in a daze looking a bit out of it while people congratulated me on finishing and I had my photo taken. Amazing DFL and I get more attention than anyone! The comments today on facebook and twitter have been fantastic and I can’t thank the team at Centurion for a great race and support through out the day. Huge thanks also to Lindley for looking after me, making me eat and telling me to run faster and also for the fireman’s lift when we got home and I couldn’t get out of the car!