Written by Martin White - http://www.ealingeagles.com

One of the best pieces of advice I've had about running; "Marathons, just keep doing them, no two are the same."

Those words ring true today the day after completing my second time out at the Trail of Herts race. So it was an ultra instead of a marathon, but you get the idea.

I quite like to enter the same race in different years, you know a little bit about what to expect and it's a nice yardstick for measuring your progress as a runner. So earlier on in the year when I saw entries opening for the Trail of Herts 2015, I put my name down for it.

2015 has been an up and down year in many ways, my running has been an expression of that, but in recent months I have returned to being the runner that I used to be, living the runners lifestyle more and training harder. Through helping coach other athletes I have relearned some of the old lessons myself and am all the happier as a runner for it. Looking through my weekly training log, I completed 903 miles in the first half of the year and have completed 917 in a little over the last 3 months.

I hadn't been doing specific ultra training or marathon training, not many runs were over 12 or 13 miles long. But, I had been running as much as possible whenever I could; run commute to work, run home from work, lunchtime run club at The Running works so I could get some faster sessions in, Friday night at the track by myself. Yes, I had definitely come into this race off the back of a good amount of running and I felt ready.

After an early start I arrived in Berkhamstead in good time to register and meet some of the other runners and swap stories, quite a few seemed to be doing their first ultra.

Registration was smooth and the briefing finished promptly, before we knew it it was time to get going, in keeping with the low key nature of this race there were around 30 or 40 starters. I really really really did try and not do a sub 10 minute mile for the first mile, but then the second and third had crept under 10 minutes. I often think to myself that I would be very very glad to finish an ultra with a "speedy" 10 minute mile, so I  made an effort not to blow it too early on.

Nevermind. One day I will get it right !

I was happy to have some company in the early miles, there were one or two navigation points and I felt self assured about my own navigation choices. This sometimes led me to running a circuit of a field and not quite getting it right, but on the whole I was pleased to get into the first checkpoint in a reasonable time and without the added 4 or so bonus miles from the last time I took part.

Just before the first checkpoint, I ran into the back of the fast leading group that had bunched up to assist a fallen horse rider, Two runners that had the air of accomplished runners stayed with the rider whilst the rest of us moved on. A good reminder that you never know what might happen on a trail and to keep your wits about you. I'm not sure if the two runners got their race going again but it would have certainly meant a very big dent on their time, but they showed great human spirit.

The first 3 checkpoints were in graveyards, I tried not to hang around too long. I hadn't drunk very much so my bottle didn't have much to refill, I skipped that foolishly. After grabbing some nuts I made my way on. Still with a bit of company and bumping into faces that I had seen earlier, the next checkpoint came and went without much incident.

Some of the runners I was with had run sub 3 marathons and I knew the pace, although gentle enough, was just a bit too much for me to hold for as long the day required. I let the group go on and reminded myself to run my own race. I caught glimpses of the back of that group over the next hour or two, leaving checkpoints a minute or two before I got in, but largely it set the tone for the day that I would be running with my own company.

I'm happy enough running on my own, gosh, I have had a lot of practice at that ! But in ultras where you have to push it further than you normally would, having a race buddy or sharing sections of the race with people can help dramatically, keeping the pace steady, distracting stories and helpful at navigation points.

The countryside was glorious, the views spectacular, surrounded by nature I drank it all in. The weather was also wonderful. A bit too wonderful. The heat started to build and my thirst grew with it. I began to regret not filling up properly at earlier stations. Schoolboy error that. I started to ration my water taking sips instead of gulps. I was also conscious that although I didn't feel like eating, it was important to force down the savoury food as I wanted to stay off gels and sugar until I really needed it.

I hadn't been passed by many runners, but I was by one chap who had covered around 3 or 4 more miles than myself. He had a good pace and after sharing a few kindly words he was off and I knew not to try and keep up. He would be the last person to overtake me.

The fourth checkpoint felt like a long way. You could have told me it was 20 miles between the two checkpoints and I would have believed you. Of course I knew it wasnt really. By this point forcing food down was very hard, I had no appetite but knew I hadn't eaten enough for the rest of the day. I came across some woods where I had been lost in the previous visit, this time round the course marking was very much improved and I felt confident enough in myself to stop and take a walk through the woods as my lunch break, chewing and getting as much as I could get into me.

Just before the fourth checkpoint I managed to overtake a runner who was walking a bit, finally the oasis of the checkpoint in the car park appeared and it was very welcome. Flat coke, wine gums and by this point I was tiring of my own company so stopped to share a brief conversation with the checkpoint volunteers. It would be a long day for them I was sure and I was glad of them giving up their time, not just on this checkpoint of course but throughout the whole race.

Leaving four and making tracks for five, I knew that the longest checkpoint gap was now behind me. Checkpoint five was in a town from memory and that meant I was slowly leaving the countryside trails and getting close to the section where I could switch off navigationally.

Seeing the New River was a massive relief (spot the sample of course tape too, there was so much more of it this time round).

I carried on pushing through to the next checkpoint, so much easier to mentally break down the race into stages, just get to the next checkpoint. Don't worry that you still have another 30 miles or 6 hours to go. It's 7 ish miles to the next checkpoint. You can do 7 miles. That's just over an hour. Don't stop, it will take longer, just keep going.

Coming off the New River and into the town in Enfield, I got lost again. But it was that same familiar lost and I managed to keep detours to a minimum this time round, happy days. Checkpoint 5 was not far now. I only had the death steps to climb up and down to get there as seen below. (There were quite a few steps on the day, getting gradually harder as the miles went on!).

Checkpoint 5 was amazing, coke, water in big bottles, friendly faces. I was really starting to feel the lack of human contact now and I was grateful for the few words I was able to exchange. I think they made some nice comments about how I was running well or similar, even though I think I felt completely drained. I asked some silly questions, like how far to the next checkpoint and then started to make my way again. I mean, what did it matter how far the next checkpoint was ? 5, 10 or 20 miles I would have to cover that distance and get there, so I gave myself a bit of a talking too and cracked on.

I was now in familiar territory again in the Lea Valley, the last time I had been in this part of the race was two years ago in the company of some pretty amazing fellow runners, Pam, Rod & Sandra. The memories of running those paths in their company came flooding back and were comforting, I imagined the calmness of Rod, Sandra at the front tapping out the rhythm and Pam dispensing pearls of wisdom. Rod had been a big help in the day before this race, sharing his garmin file from the previous edition which has helped with some of my navigation on the day.

I really enjoyed this section, green on either side, next to water, daylight and as I was closing in on London I decided to burn some of my phone battery on music. Bach was amazing for about two miles and a real tonic. I was able to focus and work into my running again.

Checkpoint 6 was the best out of the lot ! Just one guy, sitting in the middle of nowhere with a load of snacks and refreshments. He was upbeat and really helped me to get going from plodding back to running again. Again I was really thankful for him volunteering and listening to his claps as I started to run again was magic. Amazing what talking to people can do and how much it can boost the spirits.

I was motoring now (errr 13 minute miling??) and I knew the checkpoints would come very quickly now. I hammered along to the next one, overtaking someone else as I went. I think he had a buddy that had joined him, we had a few good natured pleasantries as I passed - B*****d might have been mentioned ;-). Yes I was really pushing now as much as I could. The next checkpoint came, just before the all important last bit of navigation for the day, getting onto the Regents canal and avoiding running down to the Thames. It was at this point I knew I would not need my headtorch, not quite daylight but enough for me to finish now and I got a move on. I didn't stop to take anything on at this checkpoint.

Inspired by the Olympic Stadium and the memories of glourious endurance achievements of recent years I hurried along to the finish. (although I had to stop for a picture or two!)

After the turn on the Regents canal, I was in the home straight.The only problem was this home straight was still actually a good few miles of effort. I carried on through pushing as much as I could. Avoiding the hustle of bustle of the inner city canals, staying on my feet as cyclists came whizzing past, some more considerate than others. I was not going to end up in the canal after coming all this way. I went through the last few miles as best as I could, finishing what I thought was quite strongly at the end.

As with a lot of runs I seem to do, you spend an eternity waiting for the finish and then out of nowhere all of a sudden it springs up on you. As I finished here it had that same sense of abruptness, but I was pleased for it.

Some of the runners had stayed and it was good to share some stories of the day, how we had coped, what events were next on the calendar. I got my medal and T-Shirt from Cliff who spent a few moments talking with the runners and also carefully minding that the backmarkers in the race were being looked after and staying in touch with the checkpoints and runners.

This was a great race, I really enjoyed returning to it. It was the same as previously and also completely different. Certainly a grand day out and one that I would do again.

For those interested in the numbers:

2013
19th out of 39 starters, 30 finishers. 
13 hrs, 3 mins, 62 miles. 
Average pace per mile: 12:38

2015
8th out of 31 starters, 19 finishers. 
10hrs, 52 minutes, 57.2 miles. 
Average pace per mile: 11:24