The Omen Ultra-66.6miles covering the North Downs from Guildford to Kent. 

  
So on Saturday I was on the start line of my first Ultra Marathon. This was a test to see where my fitness level is at and also to test going long for September. This was also a come back from dislocating my shoulder 3 weeks prior. So not much training had been done. 

The start of the race was at Guildford Cathedral where they shot the movie The Omen with 9 Check points along the way.

  
I was worried about cut off times throughout the run. On the start I be-friended two mates Dave  (Who went on to win) and Lee (who came 2nd) and we agreed to run the first few checkpoints together. 

It was nice to have the company and Lee took up navigation as we ticked off the miles. He also was familiar with the route up to and just past Reigate Hill so I got a history lesson on Pilgrims walk, WWII defence along the North Downs and Canadians Walk. 

The first marathon went by quite comfortably for me, Dave by now had picked up the pace and left us, Lee seemed content to stick with me. I was very pleased of the company, but I sadly was not much of a conversationalist as I was thinking too much of the run. As we run past 27 miles Lee shook my hand and told me I was now in the unknown! 

  
It was about mile 30 that I started to feel the strain on my body. I was not tired but my legs begun to seize up, it started with my quads then centred on the back of my knee. Both swelled considerably and I begun experiencing chaffing. All this was added mental strain. I think if I could fight over the head game it would be okay. Lee came in to his own here and pushed me along, as we did a run walk strategy and stopping so he could talc his feet and I could stretch. The pain was awful and it was with great effort to go from static to walk to run. As Lee described it “Granny shuffle.” 

We made it to where Virgo Hill which signifies we only had 13 miles to go. Quick handshake and we were off again. Lee wanted to push it to reach the Lower Bush CP so we could assess our strategy on pace. He was conscious of my slow decline and no matter how hard I pushed the slower I seemed to go. Not only was I struggling with cramp and the pain in it but I was also very aware that I felt to be holding Lee up. He never once complained and just continued to push me on. It became dark and the temperature was dropping rapidly by now. I was cursing myself for not putting leggings in my bag or a clean dry base layer. But my ronhill rain jacket did amazingly well considering. 

We got in to some kind of rhythm and run a good few more miles than I thought I would. But there were dark times, where I was at the back, cursing and crying and generally throwing a tantrum. Getting furious with my legs for not working and annoyed at every trip I seemed to do as I could not lift my legs. 

  
Finally we reached Lower Bush which came sooner than I thought. This was a big moral boost as it only meant 6 miles to finish. 

At the last CP I told Lee that I could not run my legs just would not do it, thinking more in to it, I believe the mental demon won more than anything. I just was broken. Period. 

Lee had worked out we needed to average 19minute miles My walking sticks would come in to there own here as we pushed on. Lee went out in front to navigate in the dark, I would not have been upset if he ran on. As we were racing the clock by now. The last few miles always feel the longest. I remember crossing the Medway Bridge and it just seemed to get longer and longer. Soon enough we reached the final climb through a small village towards Kitd Coty House. This hill felt endless but finally we were cutting through woods and I saw Lee sprinting off. I looked closer and saw lights in the distance and event signs. I found a last surge of energy and ran. This was the end. Lee had sprinted to finish and was running back to make sure I made it in. Oh my was it a nice feeling to get over that finish line. My first Ultra done and the longest run I ever have completed. I finished third. 

Now it is recovery, my legs are swollen and stuff, ankles are pink, plenty of blisters goes without saying. Toenails are mashed as well. Then there is the sweat spots where the bag straps were and cap and glasses. There is no glamorous finish in a distance like this. I think that’s what makes it all that more better. You truly suffer mentally and physically at these distances. This is one that will stand in my mind for a long time.